Privacy Policy

1. Overview

StudyBot is designed with privacy as a core principle. On the Free tier, we do not collect personal information, require user accounts, or store your data on external servers. The Pro tier adds optional cloud features (sync, backups, authentication) for users who choose them. This policy explains how we handle data across both tiers.

2. Data We Process

StudyBot processes the following data to provide our service:

• Study Topics: Text you enter to generate flashcards (sent to AI provider)
• Flashcard Content: Questions and answers generated or created by you (stored locally)
• Study Progress: Which cards you've marked as known/unknown (stored locally)
• Deck Organization: Names and structure of your flashcard decks (stored locally)

3. Local Storage

All your flashcard data is stored exclusively in your browser's localStorage. This means:

• Your data never leaves your device (except topics sent for AI generation)
• We cannot access, view, or recover your flashcards
• Clearing browser data will permanently delete your flashcards
• Data does not sync between devices or browsers
• Private/incognito browsing will not persist data

4. AI Service Provider

When you generate flashcards, your topic text is sent to DeepSeek, our AI service provider. This transmission includes:

• The topic or subject you entered
• For adaptive learning: questions you answered incorrectly

No personally identifiable information, user IDs, or tracking data is included in these requests. DeepSeek's privacy policy governs their handling of API requests: deepseek.com/privacy

5. What We Don't Collect

StudyBot does not collect or process:

• Personal information (name, email, phone, etc.) — on the Free tier
• Usage analytics or behavioral data
• Cookies or tracking pixels
• IP addresses or device identifiers
• Location data

6. Your Control

You have complete control over your data:

• View: All your data is visible within the app
• Edit: Modify any flashcard or deck at any time
• Delete: Remove individual cards, decks, or all data
• Export: Your data is in standard JSON format in localStorage
• Right to Delete (Pro): You may request deletion of your account and all associated cloud data at any time by contacting us

To delete all local data: Clear your browser's localStorage for this site, or use your browser's "Clear site data" feature.

7. Data Collected for Pro Users

If you subscribe to the Pro tier, we collect and store the following additional data to provide cloud features:

• Email Address: Used for your account and subscription communications
• Study Data: Your flashcard decks, cards, study progress, and test history for cloud sync across devices
• Account Information: Authentication data managed by Clerk (see Section 10)

Free tier data remains 100% local and is never uploaded to our servers.

8. Payment Processing

Payments for the Pro tier are processed securely by Stripe. We never see, store, or have access to your credit card information. Stripe handles all payment data in accordance with their privacy policy:

• Card numbers, billing addresses, and payment details are sent directly to Stripe
• We receive only the subscription status and a unique customer identifier
• Stripe's privacy policy applies to payment data: stripe.com/privacy

9. Authentication

Pro tier authentication is managed by Clerk. When you sign in:

• Clerk handles authentication and account management
• We receive a unique user identifier and basic profile information
• Your password and credentials are never accessible to us
• Session data is managed via secure HTTP-only cookies

Clerk's privacy policy governs their handling of authentication data: clerk.com/privacy

10. Children's Privacy

StudyBot does not knowingly collect any personal information from anyone, including children. On the Free tier, no personal data is collected. The Pro tier requires users to be at least 13 years of age (or the age of digital consent in your jurisdiction).

11. Right to Delete

Pro users may delete their account and all associated cloud data at any time:

• Self-service: Account deletion is available through your account settings
• Contact: You may also request deletion by contacting us directly
• Timeline: We will process deletion requests within 30 days
• Local data: Note that deleting your account does not automatically clear local data stored in your browser

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be reflected by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of StudyBot after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Open Source

StudyBot is open source software licensed under the Apache License 2.0. You can review the source code to verify our privacy practices.