Privacy Policy

Jrnl ("Jrnl," "we," "us") builds a journaling app for iOS. This policy explains what information we collect when you use Jrnl, how we use it, and the choices you have. Journaling is personal — we built Jrnl so your entries stay yours, with on-device storage as the default and cloud sync as an opt-in feature.

We collect information in three ways, and only these three:

• You give it to us directly — the entries, photos, and voice notes you write or record in the app, and the name and email on your account if you choose to sign in.
• Your device provides it with your permission — location and weather for entries you tag, and photos you pick from your library. iOS asks you before any of these are shared, and you can revoke them at any time in iOS Settings.
• It is generated automatically — limited anonymized diagnostics such as device type, OS version, and crash reports.

We do not buy personal information about you, and we do not combine your journal content with data from other sources.

Account information

If you create an account or sign in with Apple or Google to enable sync across devices, we collect your name, email address, and a unique account identifier.

Journal content

Entries, photos, voice recordings, locations you tag, and any blocks you create (recipes, workouts, maps) are stored on your device by default. If you enable sync, this content is stored securely on our servers so it's available across your devices.

AI features (Quill)

Quill is Jrnl's AI assistant. Quill is off until you turn it on. The first time you use an AI feature, Jrnl shows you exactly what will be sent and who receives it, and asks for your permission. Nothing is sent to any AI service before you grant that permission, and you can withdraw it at any time in Settings → Data & privacy → AI assistance. With it off, no journal content leaves your device for AI processing.

What is sent.Only the entry you are actively working on: its text content, its title, and its journal category (for example "Travel" or "Recipe"). When you import a link, the URL you provide is sent as well.

Who receives it.The text is sent to Jrnl's own servers, which forward it to Google's Gemini API (provided by Google LLC) for processing. Google processes this data as a service provider under the Gemini API terms. We have confirmed that this processing provides protections equivalent to those described in this policy: the content is used solely to generate the response you asked for, is not used to train AI models, and is not sold or used for advertising.

What is never sent. Your photos are never sent to any AI service. Voice input is transcribed on your device — the audio recording never leaves your phone, and only the resulting text is sent, and only if you then choose to build a page from it. Entries you never use an AI feature on are never sent.

We do not use your journal content to train our own models, and our AI provider does not use it to train theirs.

Location & weather

If you tag an entry with a location or use travel journal blocks, we access your device's location (with your permission) to attach place names and weather conditions to that entry.

Purchases

Subscription purchases are processed by Apple and our subscription management provider. We receive purchase status and entitlement information, not your payment card details.

Diagnostics

We collect limited, anonymized technical information — device type, OS version, and crash reports — to keep the app stable and fix bugs.

• To provide core features: journaling, sync, search, and widgets.
• To power Quill AI suggestions, summaries, and content import.
• To process subscriptions and manage your Jrnl Pro entitlement.
• To send optional reminders and notifications you've opted into.
• To detect, investigate, and fix bugs, abuse, or security issues.

We don't sell your personal information and we don't share it for advertising. We share data only with the following providers, each of which is contractually required to protect it to a standard equivalent to this policy and to use it only to deliver the service we engage them for:

• Google LLC (Gemini API) — receives entry text solely to generate the Quill response you requested, and only after you have granted AI permission. Not used to train models.
• Google Firebase — account authentication and, if you enable sync, storage of your account and journal data.
• Apple and RevenueCat — to process and validate subscription purchases. They receive purchase and entitlement status, never your journal content.
• Map and weather data providers — receive only the coordinates or place name needed to resolve a location tag you added.
• Law enforcement, only when required by valid legal process.

Your journal content is never shared with any party other than those listed above, and the AI provider receives it only for entries you actively use an AI feature on.

• AI is off until you turn it on, and can be switched off again at any time in Settings → Data & privacy → AI assistance. With it off, nothing is sent to any AI service.
• Sync is optional — you can use Jrnl entirely offline with on-device storage.
• You can disable location, microphone, photo, and notification permissions at any time in iOS Settings.
• You can export or delete your journal data from within the app.
• You can request full account deletion by contacting us at the address below.

We retain synced account data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we delete your data from our servers within 30 days, except where retention is required for legal or fraud-prevention purposes.

We use industry-standard measures — encryption in transit, access controls, and secure cloud infrastructure — to protect your information. No system is perfectly secure, so we encourage you to use a strong device passcode and enable Jrnl's app lock feature for sensitive entries.

Jrnl is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

We may update this policy as Jrnl evolves. We'll update the date at the top of this page and, for material changes, notify you in the app.

Questions about this policy or your data? Reach us at hello@jrnl.rapidcodes.io or via our contact page.