Location
Used only when you start a walk and the app is open and in use. You can change this in iOS Settings.
Privacy Policy
Short Version
- WalkBuddy collects information needed to create your account, personalize your dog's walking routine, track walks you start, manage purchases, prevent abuse, and improve reliability.
- Location is used only when you start an active walk. Tracking continues while the app is in the background or the screen is locked for the duration of that walk so distance and route stay accurate, and stops when the walk ends. WalkBuddy uses only the "While Using the App" location permission and never tracks location outside an active walk.
- We record a sampled, automatically-masked replay of some in-app sessions to diagnose UX problems. Text, images, dog photos, and map/route views are masked before upload.
- Dog photos are optional and may be used to create an illustrated dog avatar. WalkBuddy is not a medical or veterinary service.
- The marketing website does not currently set non-essential analytics or advertising cookies. If that changes, we will provide any consent or opt-out controls required by law.
- We do not sell personal information. We may use privacy-controlled advertising measurement tools, including Meta SDK and RevenueCat integrations, to understand whether ads lead to app installs, trials, subscriptions, or lifetime purchases.
- You can request access, correction, deletion, or privacy support at support@getwalkbuddy.com.
Who We Are
WalkBuddy is a dog walking companion app and website available at https://getwalkbuddy.com. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect information when you use the WalkBuddy app, website, and related support services.
Information We Collect
| Category | Examples | Why We Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Account information | Email address, name if provided, account ID, authentication provider, and login status. | Create and secure your account, provide support, and keep your app data associated with you. |
| Dog profile information | Dog name, breed, age, weight, routine preferences, goals, and answers you provide during onboarding. | Personalize walking goals, recommendations, app copy, progress, and rewards. |
| Photos and generated images | Dog photos you choose to upload and generated dog illustrations or avatars. | Create a more personal app experience and generate optional in-app dog artwork. |
| Walk and activity data | Walk start and stop times, route, distance, duration, pace, estimated dog strides or dog steps, human step count stored for app calculations, XP, streaks, badges, and history. | Track walks, calculate progress, show summaries, maintain history, and power motivation features. |
| Location data | GPS points and route data during an active walk. | Show live route, distance, and pace while the walk is active. Tracking continues in the background or with the screen locked for the duration of an active walk, using the "While Using the App" permission; no location is collected outside an active walk. |
| Device, diagnostics, and usage analytics | Device type, operating system, app version, build version, session ID, anonymous analytics ID, screens viewed, feature interactions, errors, performance signals, and sampled masked session recordings (screen interactions with text, images, photos, and maps masked before upload). | Debug issues, improve onboarding and paywalls, measure app reliability, and protect the service. |
| Purchase and entitlement data | Subscription or lifetime access status, product selected, trial status where applicable, renewal or cancellation status, and transaction metadata from Apple and RevenueCat. | Provide paid features, restore purchases, manage subscriptions, and support App Store review and customer support. |
| Support communications | Messages you send us, email address, request type, screenshots or details you choose to include. | Respond to support, privacy, billing, and bug report requests. |
| Website data | IP address, browser type, user agent, referring URL, request path, timestamps, and basic security or performance logs processed by our hosting provider. | Load the website, prevent abuse, maintain security, measure basic traffic, and troubleshoot delivery. |
Permissions
Camera and Photo Library
Used only if you choose to take or upload a dog photo for your profile or avatar experience.
Notifications
Used only if you opt in to reminders or routine notifications. You can turn them off in the app or iOS Settings.
Motion and Steps
Used where available to support walk calculations and progress features. Dog steps are estimates based on walk data and dog profile details.
How We Use Information
- Provide the app, website, account, support, and subscription features.
- Personalize dog walking goals, summaries, streaks, badges, and motivational content.
- Generate optional dog artwork or avatars when you use those features.
- Measure and improve app performance, onboarding, paywalls, and reliability.
- Detect abuse, protect accounts, debug errors, and comply with legal obligations.
- Respond to support, billing, privacy, and safety requests.
Service Providers
We use service providers that process information on our behalf or as needed to provide marketplace services. These may include:
| Provider Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Convex | Backend hosting, database, authentication support, storage, internal analytics, and app functionality. |
| Mixpanel | Product analytics and masked session replay to measure usage, diagnose UX issues, and improve the app. Sensitive on-screen content is masked before upload. |
| RevenueCat | Subscription, entitlement, product catalog, purchase status management, and advertising conversion forwarding when enabled. |
| Meta | Advertising attribution and campaign performance measurement, subject to device permissions and privacy controls. |
| Apple | App Store distribution, in-app purchases, subscriptions, refunds, Sign in with Apple, and device permission controls. |
| Google services | Optional authentication support where available and AI image generation for optional dog avatar features. |
| Cloudflare | Website hosting, caching, security, and request logging for getwalkbuddy.com. |
Website Cookies and Similar Technologies
The getwalkbuddy.com marketing website currently does not place non-essential analytics, advertising, or cross-site tracking cookies in your browser. Basic request data may still be processed by Cloudflare and other infrastructure providers to deliver the website, maintain security, prevent abuse, and troubleshoot performance.
If we add website analytics, advertising pixels, retargeting, or other non-essential tracking technologies later, we will update this policy and provide any consent, rejection, or opt-out controls required for visitors in the EEA, UK, Switzerland, United States, and other applicable regions.
Advertising, Sale, and Sharing
We do not sell your personal information. WalkBuddy may use advertising measurement tools, including Meta SDK and RevenueCat integrations, to understand whether ads lead to installs, trials, subscriptions, or lifetime purchases. On iOS, tracking-related advertising measurement is subject to Apple's App Tracking Transparency permission and device settings. Where required by law, you may opt out of sale, sharing, targeted advertising, or cross-context behavioral advertising by contacting support@getwalkbuddy.com.
When We Disclose Information
We may disclose information to service providers, app marketplace providers, legal or safety authorities when required, professional advisers, or in connection with a business transfer such as a merger, financing, acquisition, or sale of assets. We do not permit service providers to use your information for their own unrelated marketing.
Your Choices and Controls
- Account: update account and dog profile details in the app where available.
- Delete account: use Profile > Danger Zone > Delete Account, or email us for help.
- Permissions: manage location, camera, photos, and notifications in iOS Settings.
- Subscriptions: manage cancellation, renewal, and refund requests through Apple.
- Marketing: unsubscribe or opt out using the instructions in any marketing message, if we send one.
US State Privacy Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to know, access, correct, delete, or receive a copy of personal information, and to opt out of certain uses such as sale, sharing, targeted advertising, or profiling. WalkBuddy does not sell personal information. If our advertising measurement is considered sharing or targeted advertising under applicable law, you can opt out by contacting support@getwalkbuddy.com. We will verify and respond as required by applicable law, and we will not discriminate against you for exercising privacy rights.
EEA, UK, and Switzerland Rights
If you are in the EEA, UK, or Switzerland, our legal bases may include performance of a contract, consent, legitimate interests, and legal obligations. You may have rights to access, correct, erase, restrict, object to processing, request portability, withdraw consent, and lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. You can contact us at support@getwalkbuddy.com.
International Transfers
WalkBuddy and its service providers may process information in the United States and other countries. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards for international transfers.
Retention and Deletion
We retain account, dog profile, walk, and subscription information for as long as needed to provide WalkBuddy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, prevent abuse, and support legitimate business operations. When you delete your account, we begin deleting or de-identifying account data within a reasonable period, generally within 30 days, unless we need to retain limited information for legal, security, fraud prevention, billing, or backup purposes.
Security
We use reasonable technical and organizational measures designed to protect information. No system is perfectly secure, so please use a strong password and contact us if you believe your account may be compromised.
Children
WalkBuddy is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Where local law requires a higher age threshold, we follow that threshold. If you believe a child provided personal information, contact us so we can take appropriate action.
Changes
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will be posted here with a new "Last updated" date. If changes are material, we will provide additional notice where required.
Contact
For privacy, support, or data rights requests, contact support@getwalkbuddy.com.