Privacy Policy

Last updated: 3 July 2026

The short version: Hearth is local-first. Everything you write stays on your device unless you deliberately turn on optional sync — and even then, your entries are encrypted on your device before they leave it, so our servers only ever hold unreadable ciphertext. We do not track you, show ads, run third-party analytics, scan your entries, or sell your data — ever.

1. Who we are

Hearth is a gratitude-journal app that runs in any browser and installs to your home screen on iPhone and Android. This policy explains what information Hearth handles and the choices you have. If anything here is unclear, contact us at support@hearthgratitudejournal.com.

2. What we collect — and what we don't

Your gratitude entries

Your entries (text, optional photos, optional voice transcriptions, mood) are stored on your device using your browser's local storage. By default they never leave your device. We cannot read them.

If you create an account (optional)

An account is entirely optional — Hearth works fully without one. If you create one, we store the information needed to sign you in:

Your email address;
A securely hashed password (we never store your password in readable form);
An optional display name.

If you turn on cloud sync (optional)

Cloud sync is end-to-end encrypted and requires your on-device encryption passphrase to be set up first. Before anything leaves your device, each entry — its text, photos, moods, names, and even its timestamps — is encrypted on your device with a key only your passphrase (or recovery phrase) can open. What our server stores is unreadable ciphertext plus an opaque version counter; we cannot read what you wrote or even when you wrote it. You can turn sync off at any time; your local copy is never affected.

What we never collect

No advertising identifiers, no ad networks, no ad tracking.
No third-party analytics or behavioural tracking SDKs.
No selling, renting, or sharing of your personal data with anyone.
No scanning of your entries by humans or AI.

3. How we use information

We use the limited information above only to: provide the app, sign you in, and (if you enable it) sync your entries across your devices. That's it. We do not build profiles or use your data for advertising.

4. Where your data lives

On your device by default. If you enable sync or create an account, that data is stored on our hosting provider's servers (located in the United States) solely to operate the service.

5. Your rights and choices

Export anytime. You can export everything you've written to open files (Markdown, JSON, CSV, PDF) from Settings → Your data. Your words are never held hostage.
Use without an account. You are never required to register or go online.
Delete your account. Settings → Account → Delete cloud account removes your account and every synced entry from our servers, immediately and permanently. Your local copy remains yours. (See how to delete your account.)
Access, correct, or object. Depending on your region (e.g. GDPR/UK GDPR, CCPA), you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or restrict processing of your personal data. Contact us to exercise them.

6. Security

Connections use HTTPS. Passwords are hashed with a strong algorithm (Argon2id). Accounts are protected against automated guessing, and the app offers an optional passcode/biometric lock. No system is perfectly secure, but we minimise what we hold so there is little to expose.

7. Children

Hearth is not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age in your country), and we do not knowingly collect their personal information.

8. Changes to this policy

If we make material changes, we will update the date above and, where appropriate, notify you in the app.

9. Contact

Questions or requests: support@hearthgratitudejournal.com.