Privacy Policy
Last Updated: December 27, 2025
At Fret Not, your privacy is our priority. This Privacy Policy explains how the Fret Not mobile application ("App") collects, uses, and protects your information.
Information We Collect
Data Stored on Your Device (Private)
The following information stays entirely on your device and is never transmitted to our servers:
- Your Personal Song Library: All songs you add, including titles, artists, chords, lyrics, notes, and strumming patterns
- Custom Chords: Any custom chord fingerings you create
- Lists and Favorites: Custom lists you create and songs you mark as favorites
- Tab Links: URLs to guitar tabs you save for reference
- App Settings: Your preferences and configuration choices
Your Privacy is Our Priority: Your personal song library and practice notes are private and never leave your device. We never see what songs you're learning or practicing.
Anonymous Community Contributions (Optional)
To help other guitarists, you may choose to anonymously share song data with the community:
- What We Collect: Chord progressions, capo positions, and tuning information for songs
- How It's Used: This data helps other users by suggesting popular chord arrangements for songs
- Anonymous: No personal information is included - we only collect the musical data
- Opt-Out: You can disable anonymous contributions at any time in Settings under "Share my songs anonymously"
Anonymous Usage Analytics
We collect anonymous usage data to understand how the app is used and improve features:
- Whether songs are added manually or via Spotify
- Whether users create custom chords
- Whether users apply chord suggestions
- Whether users add strumming patterns or notes
Important: This data contains no personal information, song titles, or identifying details. It only tracks feature usage patterns to help us improve the app.
Website Analytics
Our website (fretnot.app) uses Google Analytics to help us understand how visitors interact with our landing page. This data is used solely to improve the website experience and does not include any personal information from your App usage.
How We Use Your Information
Local Storage
All data you enter into Fret Not is stored locally on your device using iOS UserDefaults. This data never leaves your device unless you enable iCloud Sync (see below).
iCloud Sync (Optional)
If you choose to enable iCloud Sync:
- Your song data, lists, and favorites are synchronized to your personal iCloud account using Apple's NSUbiquitousKeyValueStore.
- This data is stored in your own iCloud storage and is not accessible to us or any third parties.
- Syncing occurs automatically between your devices signed in to the same iCloud account.
- You can disable iCloud Sync at any time through your device's iCloud settings.
Microphone Access
The App requests microphone permission solely for the guitar tuner feature:
- Audio captured by the microphone is processed in real-time on your device to detect guitar pitch.
- Audio is never recorded, stored, or transmitted off your device.
- You can revoke microphone access at any time through your device's Settings.
Spotify Integration
When you use Spotify features in the App:
- The App communicates with Spotify's API through our secure backend server (hosted on Netlify) to search for songs and import playlists.
- We only access publicly available Spotify catalog data (song titles, artists, album art) that you choose to import.
- We do not access your Spotify account, listening history, or personal data.
- No Spotify authentication tokens or credentials are stored in the App or on our servers.
- The backend server only stores API credentials required to communicate with Spotify on behalf of the App.
Data Sharing
We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties.
Data transmission occurs only in the following cases:
- To iCloud: If you enable iCloud Sync, your data syncs to your personal iCloud account (managed by Apple)
- To Spotify API: When searching for songs or importing playlists, song metadata is retrieved from Spotify's public catalog through our secure backend
- Anonymous Community Data: If you choose to enable anonymous sharing, chord data is sent to our secure database (Supabase) to help other users. This data is anonymous and never sold or shared outside the Fret Not app ecosystem
- Anonymous Analytics: Usage patterns are sent to our secure database to help us improve the app. No personal information or song titles are included
Data Storage and Security
Your data is stored in two locations:
- On Your Device: Your personal song library, custom chords, and settings are stored locally on your iPhone/iPad using iOS's secure storage mechanisms
- Our Secure Servers (Supabase): Anonymous community contributions and usage analytics are stored in Supabase, a secure cloud database with industry-standard encryption and security measures
We implement industry-standard security measures:
- All personal data stays on your device using iOS's secure storage
- iCloud Sync uses Apple's encrypted storage and transmission protocols
- All communication with our servers uses HTTPS encryption
- Anonymous data is stored with encryption at rest and in transit
Children's Privacy
Fret Not is suitable for users of all ages. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. The App does not require user accounts or personal information to function.
Your Rights (GDPR Compliance)
You have full control over your data:
- Access: All your personal data is accessible within the App. You can request a copy of any anonymous data we've collected from your contributions
- Delete: You can delete individual songs, lists, or all data by deleting the App. You can request deletion of your anonymous contributions from our database
- Rectify: You can request correction of any inaccurate data
- Export: Your data is stored in standard formats on your device and iCloud (if enabled)
- Opt-Out: You can disable anonymous data sharing, iCloud Sync, or microphone access at any time through App Settings or device Settings
To exercise your data rights (access, delete, or rectify anonymous contributions), please contact us at the email address below.
Third-Party Services
Spotify
When using Spotify features, you interact with Spotify's services subject to their Privacy Policy.
Apple iCloud
If you enable iCloud Sync, your data is stored in your iCloud account subject to Apple's Privacy Policy.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy. Continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Data Retention
Your data is retained locally on your device and in your iCloud account (if sync is enabled) until you delete it. We do not store any of your data on our servers.
International Users
Fret Not is available worldwide. Your data is stored on your device and optionally in your iCloud account, which may be stored in data centers in various locations depending on your Apple ID region.
App Store Privacy Disclosures
As required by Apple's App Store, we disclose:
- Data Not Collected: We do not collect Contact Info, your personal song library, Identifiers, or any other personal data
- Data Used to Track You: None - we do not track users across apps or websites
- Data Linked to You: None - all data collection is anonymous
- Data Not Linked to You: Anonymous usage analytics and optional community contributions (chord data only)
Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact us:
Summary
In short:
- ✅ Your personal song library stays on your device (and your personal iCloud if you choose)
- ✅ Microphone is only used for the tuner and audio never leaves your device
- ✅ Anonymous community sharing is optional and can be disabled
- ✅ Anonymous usage analytics help us improve the app - no personal info or song titles
- ✅ We don't sell or share your personal data with anyone
- ✅ You can delete all your data by deleting the app
- ✅ Full GDPR compliance - request access, deletion, or correction anytime
We built Fret Not to be a private, personal songbook. Your songs are yours, and yours alone. Anonymous community features help guitarists learn from each other while respecting your privacy.