— NoBuy

Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 2026

NoBuy ("the app") is developed by Almstedt Studio. This privacy policy explains what data the app collects, how it is used, and your rights regarding that data. NoBuy is designed to be local-first: by default your data never leaves your device.

1. Data We Collect

The app works with the following data:

  • Your NoBuy data you enter manually — parked urges (what, cost, dates, an optional link and an optional trigger such as "bored" or "stressed"), savings goals (name, amount, emoji), challenges, your no-buy categories, check-ins, quarantine settings and your currency symbol
  • Hourly wage (optional) — used to show prices as hours of work. Stored only on your device and never synced
  • Savings goal photo (optional) — a photo you pick from your library. A copy is stored only on your device and is never uploaded
  • Email address and name — only if you create an optional account. Provided by Google or Apple sign-in (Apple lets you hide your email and skip your name), and used only to identify your account for cloud backup
  • Anonymous purchase identifier — assigned automatically to manage a Pro purchase
  • Shield settings (iOS only) — the apps you choose to shield, your time windows and simple counters, stored only on your device (see section 5)

We do not collect your phone number, location, contacts, or any other personally identifiable information.

2. Where Your Data Lives

By default, everything you enter is stored only on your device. NoBuy is fully usable without an account, and in that mode none of your NoBuy data is sent to us or to any server.

If you choose to sign in (see below), your NoBuy data is additionally synced to secure cloud storage so it survives a lost phone and stays consistent across your devices.

3. Optional Account & Authentication

Sign-in is optional. It exists only to enable cloud backup and cross-device sync. You can sign in with Google or Apple via Firebase Authentication. Passwords, where relevant, are handled by Google or Apple and are never seen or stored by us. You can use every core feature of NoBuy without ever signing in.

4. Cloud Storage (only if you sign in)

When you are signed in, your NoBuy data is stored securely in Google Firebase Firestore, associated with your account ID. Data is stored in the European Union (europe-west1) and encrypted in transit. Some data always stays on your device and is never included in the cloud copy: your hourly wage, savings goal photos, campaign settings and all Shield data (section 5). Links you save have tracking parameters removed.

5. Screen Time Shield (iOS only)

NoBuy's optional Shield uses Apple's Screen Time API (FamilyControls, ManagedSettings and DeviceActivity) with individual authorization, so it can only restrict apps on your own device. It is off until you set it up, and you can turn it off or revoke Screen Time access at any time in the app or in iOS Settings.

  • The apps and websites you pick are stored on your device only, as opaque tokens provided by Apple. NoBuy cannot read their names; iOS displays them for you.
  • When you open a shielded app, the shield and its buttons run on your device. NoBuy keeps simple counters (for example, how many times you passed) on your device only.
  • Urges parked from the shield keep a link to the app only on your device. If you use cloud sync, such an urge is only uploaded once you add a name or price to it, the link to the app is removed first, and the time you tapped the shield is never uploaded.

Information about which apps you shield, open or use never leaves your device. It is not sent to us or to any third party, and it is never used for analytics or advertising.

6. Sharing, Widgets & Share Images

  • Share to NoBuy — when you share a web page, link or text to NoBuy from another app, NoBuy receives only what you shared (and, from Safari, the page title and listed price of the page already open). It is saved on your device as a new urge. NoBuy cannot read anything else from other apps.
  • Widgets (iOS and Android) — home screen widgets show your monthly total, streak and savings goal (and on iPhone your Shield status) from data stored on your device. Widgets only display data; they send nothing anywhere.
  • Share images — images of your progress are created on your device. They are shared only when you choose to, through your phone's share menu, and never pass through our servers.
  • Photo library — NoBuy only accesses the single photo you pick for a savings goal.

7. Data Sharing

We do not sell, share, or disclose your data to any third parties, except as required by the infrastructure services listed below.

8. Third-Party Services

9. Notifications

The app may schedule local notifications on your device: when a parked urge’s quarantine is up, an optional evening check-in reminder, a confirmation when you add an urge from the Shield or by sharing to NoBuy, and a reminder when a challenge you joined ends. These are handled by iOS or Android on your device. No notification content is sent to any server operated by Almstedt Studio.

10. Deleting Your Data

You have full control over your data and can remove it at any time:

Delete individual entries

Remove any parked urge or no-buy category directly in the app.

Remove all on-device data

Uninstalling the app removes all NoBuy data stored locally on that device.

Delete your account — in the app

If you signed in, you can delete your NoBuy account at any time:

  1. Open Settings → Account → Cloud Backup
  2. Tap Delete account, confirm, and sign in once more to verify it's you

This immediately and permanently deletes your sign-in account and your NoBuy cloud data (the copy of your urges, purchases, savings goals, challenges, categories and streak stored in Google Firebase Cloud Firestore). If you signed in with Apple, NoBuy's access to your Apple ID is also revoked. Data stored only on your device stays there unless you choose Delete account and device data, or delete the app. This cannot be undone.

Clear cloud data but keep your account

Clear cloud data & reset (same place) wipes the cloud copy and this device's NoBuy data but keeps your account. Tapping Sign out simply stops syncing, without deleting anything.

Delete your account by email

If you cannot access the app, you can also request deletion by email (see also almstedt.studio/nobuy/delete-account):

  1. Send an email to [email protected] from the email address associated with your Apple or Google sign-in. If you used Apple's "Hide My Email", that is an address ending in @privaterelay.appleid.com — tell us which one, or mention it in your email.
  2. Use the subject line "Delete My Account".
  3. We will permanently delete your account and all associated synced data within 30 days.

What is deleted: your account, email address, and all synced NoBuy data. What is kept: nothing — all synced data is fully removed. Anonymous purchase records may be retained by Apple or Google as required for financial/legal compliance.

11. Data Retention

On-device data is kept until you delete it or uninstall the app. If you use cloud sync, your data is retained only while your account remains active. When you delete your account in the app, the account and all synced data are deleted immediately; via email request, within 30 days. We do not retain your data after deletion, except where required by law.

12. Children's Privacy

NoBuy is intended for users aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect data from children.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date.

14. Contact

If you have any questions about this privacy policy, please contact us at:
[email protected]