Privacy policy

1. Who we are and what this covers

This Privacy Policy applies to the UglyStart iOS app, its widgets and Live Activities, its task-shrinking features, and uglystart.app.

The developer of UglyStart is responsible for the first-party handling described in this policy. In this policy, “UglyStart,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to the app and its developer.

This policy does not replace the privacy terms of Apple, RevenueCat, Superwall, Vercel, or a service you choose from the iOS share sheet. Anthropic’s terms would also apply only if remote task processing is deliberately enabled in a future version.

2. Information we handle

You can put sensitive or personal information into a free-text task. Please only include information you are comfortable having processed as described below, especially when using voice input, sharing, or support.

3. How task shrinking works

The current launch configuration does not send task text to an UglyStart proxy or to Anthropic for task shrinking. On compatible devices where Apple’s Foundation Models are available, UglyStart uses the on-device model to suggest a first action and may suggest an if-then cue. Model availability depends on the device, operating system, Apple Intelligence settings, and whether the system model is ready.

If Apple’s on-device model is unavailable, times out, fails, or returns a suggestion the app cannot use, UglyStart uses a curated local template instead. A template result is not AI-generated. Both current task-shrinking routes keep task text on the device.

Quiz selections other than the live-demo task are not provided to the on-device model or used to choose the local template.

4. Voice input and Apple Speech Recognition

Voice input is optional. UglyStart asks for Speech Recognition and microphone permission only after you tap the microphone button. While you speak, the app captures microphone audio and uses Apple’s SFSpeechRecognizer service to turn it into text.

Apple states that audio used by third-party apps for Speech Recognition may be sent to Apple for processing. Apple may also process transcripts, request information, device information, performance data, and an approximate location derived from an Internet Protocol address under its settings and privacy terms. Review Apple’s Siri, Dictation & Privacy notice.

UglyStart does not intentionally save a separate audio recording. The resulting transcript becomes task text and is then handled like a task you typed. You can deny or revoke microphone and Speech Recognition access in iOS Settings and continue typing instead.

5. Subscriptions and purchases

Apple processes App Store payments. UglyStart does not receive or store your full payment-card number. We use RevenueCat to load products, check trial eligibility, start or restore purchases, and determine whether the paid entitlement is active.

Because UglyStart does not have user accounts or provide RevenueCat with a custom user ID, the RevenueCat SDK creates an anonymous App User ID. RevenueCat may process device type and operating system, product and subscription activity, last-seen time, Apple receipt data, entitlement status, and related technical information. See RevenueCat’s App User ID documentation and Privacy Policy.

We use Superwall to select and present remotely configured paywalls and assign and measure paywall experiments. Superwall maintains an anonymous alias for the app installation, and UglyStart also identifies the same stable anonymous RevenueCat App User ID in Superwall so paywall events and subscription outcomes can be correlated without an UglyStart account. Superwall may process its persistent vendor or device identifier (IDFV, deviceId, or vendorId) and app, device, operating-system, install, locale, language, region, currency, timezone, interface, and radio metadata. It may derive coarse location from an Internet Protocol address.

Superwall may also process app and session events; placement registration; paywall presentation, viewing, interaction, and dismissal; experiment and variant assignment; purchase, subscription, and restore activity; configuration, paywall, and transaction failure diagnostics and error messages; and configuration or paywall performance timing, retry, and cache state. We use this information for app functionality, analytics or experimentation, and paywall selection or product personalization as applicable.

UglyStart does not send task text, generated actions, or onboarding or quiz responses to Superwall, and does not use this integration for cross-app tracking. Superwall processes attribution or advertising data only if a related integration, such as Apple Search Ads attribution, is enabled. We do not yet assert that every such dashboard integration is disabled; the launch configuration must be verified with attribution and advertising integrations disabled before release. See Superwall’s Privacy Policy.

Apple, RevenueCat, and Superwall retain purchase or paywall records under their own legal, accounting, fraud-prevention, analytics, experimentation, and service requirements. Managing or cancelling an App Store subscription does not automatically delete local UglyStart history.

6. Data stored and shown on your device

Local storage

UglyStart stores onboarding responses and preferences in the app’s local preferences. It stores completed starts and an unfinished-session recovery file in the app’s Application Support container. A completed start can include the task, first action, date, duration, and record identifier.

The current version does not provide an in-app button to delete individual ledger records or clear the complete local history. Deleting the app generally removes its local app container from that device, subject to Apple’s backup, restore, and offloading behavior.

Notifications

If you enable resume nudges, UglyStart schedules local notifications. A notification may include your task text on the Lock Screen and stores a task identifier so the app can open the related start. Disabling nudges removes pending UglyStart notification requests. Delivered notifications remain subject to iOS behavior.

Live Activities and widgets

During a session, a Live Activity may display the task or first action and timer on the Lock Screen or Dynamic Island. This can be visible while your device is locked. You can control notifications, previews, and Live Activities through iOS Settings. The standard home-screen widget uses static copy and does not display your task history.

Sharing

If you tap Share, iOS lets you send the first action, or the task if no action exists, to a destination you choose. That destination handles the shared content under its own privacy terms.

7. Website information

The current uglystart.app pages are static. We do not intentionally place advertising pixels, behavioral analytics scripts, or first-party cookies on those pages. The site does not collect tasks and has no web account or contact form.

Our hosting provider may still process normal web-request information, including Internet Protocol address, approximate location derived from it, browser and device details, requested page, referral information, timestamps, performance data, diagnostics, and logs. See Vercel’s Privacy Notice.

If you use the support email link, your email service and ours process the address, message, attachments, and delivery metadata.

8. Why we use information

• Provide the task-shrinking, timer, ledger, recovery, notification, Live Activity, widget, purchase, and support features you request.
• Remember your on-device settings and onboarding progress.
• Operate, secure, troubleshoot, and protect the app and website—and any remote service enabled in the future—from fraud or abuse.
• Verify paid access and restore purchases.
• Present paywalls, assign experiments, and analyze paywall and subscription outcomes.
• Comply with law, enforce our terms, and protect users, the public, and our services.

Depending on where you live, our legal bases may include performing a contract with you, your consent for optional permissions, our legitimate interests in operating and securing the service, and compliance with legal obligations.

UglyStart does not sell personal information. The current version uses paywall interaction and subscription activity for paywall experiments and related analytics through Superwall and RevenueCat. It does not use task text or quiz responses for those purposes, targeted advertising, or cross-app tracking, and it does not include third-party advertising. Service providers may collect operational, transaction, and technical data under their agreements and privacy notices.

9. Service providers and transfers

These providers may process information in countries other than the country where you live. Privacy laws may differ in those places. Their contracts, data-processing terms, and legally recognized transfer safeguards govern their processing where applicable.

10. Retention and security

Retention

Local start history and onboarding data remain in the app container until the app or its data is removed. The unfinished-session file is removed when you confirm or discard recovery or when a started session is recorded. Preferences remain until app data is removed. Pending UglyStart notifications are removed when nudges are disabled or replaced by a newer reminder.

Support messages are kept as long as reasonably necessary to respond, maintain support records, protect the service, and meet legal obligations. Provider-held information follows each provider’s retention rules. If remote task shrinking is enabled in a future version, the remote providers’ then-current retention terms will apply as described in Section 3.

Security

The current task-shrinking routes keep task text on the device, and we rely on the iOS app container for local app data. If remote task shrinking is enabled in a future version, the app will use HTTPS, keep the Anthropic API credential on the server, and limit proxy request frequency. No method of storage or transmission is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Your choices and rights

• Type instead of speak: voice input is optional. You can revoke microphone or Speech Recognition access in iOS Settings.
• Control reminders: turn resume nudges off in UglyStart Settings or change notification permissions and previews in iOS Settings.
• Control Live Activities: disable them for UglyStart in iOS Settings.
• Control sharing: nothing is shared through the iOS share sheet unless you choose a destination.
• Manage purchases: manage or cancel subscriptions through your Apple Account and use Restore Purchases in the app.
• Remove local data: the current version has no clear-history control. Deleting the app generally removes its app container from that device, subject to Apple backup and offloading behavior.

Depending on your location, you may have rights to request access, correction, deletion, restriction, portability, or objection, and to withdraw consent. Email support@uglystart.app to make a request. We may need enough information to verify the request and locate relevant provider records. Some information may be retained where required by law or needed to protect legal rights.

12. Children

UglyStart is a general-audience productivity and wellness app. It is not directed to children under 13, and we do not ask users to state their age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Apple, RevenueCat, and other providers may process information as described elsewhere in this policy.

If we obtain actual knowledge that personal information was collected from a child under 13 without legally valid parental consent, we will delete it or otherwise respond as required by applicable law. A parent or legal guardian who believes this occurred can contact us so we can review the request and take appropriate action.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when the app, providers, or legal requirements change. We will post the revised policy here and change the effective date. If a change materially affects how we handle information, we will provide additional notice where required.