Privacy Policy
Last updated: August 2026
1. Introduction
TrailStory (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and share information when you use the TrailStory mobile application.
By using TrailStory, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide
- Account information: name, email address, password when you register
- Profile information: hometown, profile photo (optional)
- Content: photos you select for Trail Cards, collages, and Reels
2.2 Location Data
- GPS coordinates recorded during your hikes to map your route
- Location is used only for hike tracking and auto-detecting trail names via Mapbox
- We never share your real-time location with third parties outside the app session
- Background location is used only while a hike is actively recording
2.3 Health & Fitness Data
- Steps, active calories, and heart rate read from Apple Health (iOS) or Google Health Connect (Android)
- We READ ONLY — we never write data back to Health apps
- Health data is used solely to display your hike statistics
- Health data is never sold, shared with advertisers, or used for any purpose other than your hike stats
2.4 Device Information
- Device type, operating system version
- App version and crash logs (for debugging and improvements only)
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your information to:
- Record and display your hike routes and statistics
- Generate your content pack (Trail Card, Photo Collage, Reels, AI Card)
- Auto-detect hike names via Mapbox Geocoding
- Generate AI captions via OpenAI (hike stats are sent — not your photos)
- Enable live friend tracking during group hikes (with your explicit consent)
- Send push notifications about your hike content and friend activity
- Process your Premium subscription payments via RevenueCat
- Improve app performance and fix bugs
4. How We Share Your Information
| We do not sell your personal data. Your data is shared only with the following service providers, strictly to operate the app: |
| Service | Purpose |
| Mapbox | Map display and trail name auto-detection |
| OpenAI | AI caption generation (hike stats only, not photos) |
| Firebase (Google) | Authentication and push notifications |
| RevenueCat | Subscription billing management |
| AWS / Cloudflare R2 | Secure file and content storage |
| Branch.io | Group hike invite deep links |
We may disclose information if required by law or to protect the rights and safety of our users.
5. Photos & Camera
- We access your photo library only to let you select photos for your content pack
- We never access your full photo library without your explicit permission
- Photos are stored securely on our servers solely to generate your content
- You can delete your content at any time from the app
6. Group Hike & Live Friends
- When you start a group hike, your location is shared in real-time only with friends who join via your invite link
- Location sharing stops automatically when the hike session ends
- Guest users can see the map but cannot access your personal data
- Invite links expire when the hike session closes
7. Data Retention
- Hike data and generated content are retained while your account is active
- Free users: last 10 hikes retained; older hikes deleted automatically
- Premium users: unlimited hike history retained
- Account deletion: all your data is permanently deleted within 30 days of account deletion request
8. Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Access: request a copy of your personal data
- Correction: update incorrect information in your profile
- Deletion: delete your account and all associated data (Settings -> More -> Delete Account)
- Opt-out: disable Health access, location, or photo access at any time in Settings -> Permissions
9. Children’s Privacy
TrailStory is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us personal information, please contact us at support@trailstory.app.
10. Security
We use industry-standard encryption (TLS/HTTPS) for all data in transit and at rest. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure.
11. Changes to This Policy
We will notify you of significant changes to this Privacy Policy via email or in-app notification. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
12. Contact Us
Response time: within 48 hours
Last updated: August 2026
support@trailstory.app