Privacy Policy for Expense Tracker

Last Updated: December 19, 2024

            Quick Summary: Your financial data stays on your device. We don't collect, store, or share your personal information. Optional cloud backup is controlled by you. Ads are provided by Google AdMob with standard advertising practices.
        

Introduction

This Privacy Policy describes how Expense Tracker ("we", "our", or "the app") collects, uses, and protects your information when you use our mobile application. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal financial data.

By using Expense Tracker, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

Information We Collect

1. Financial Data (Stored Locally)

We collect and store the following information locally on your device:

Expense Records: Amount, category, date, description, and payment method
Budget Information: Budget amounts, periods, and categories
Bill Details: Bill amounts, due dates, recurring schedules, and categories
Split Expense Data: Shared expense details and participant information

🔒 Important: All financial data is stored locally on your device by default. We do not have access to this data unless you explicitly choose to back it up to Google Drive.

2. Authentication Data (Stored Locally)

PIN: Encrypted 4-digit PIN for app access (if enabled)
Biometric Data: Device biometric authentication (fingerprint/face) is handled by your device's secure system. We do not store or access biometric data.

3. App Preferences (Stored Locally)

Currency selection
Theme preferences
Notification settings
Backup preferences

4. Automatically Collected Information

Device Information: Device model, operating system version (for compatibility)
App Usage Data: Anonymous usage statistics for improving app performance
Crash Reports: Anonymous crash logs to fix bugs and improve stability

5. Advertising Data

We use Google AdMob to display advertisements. AdMob may collect:

Advertising ID: Anonymous identifier for personalized ads
Device Information: Device type, OS version
Usage Data: Ad interaction data

For more information, see Google's Privacy Policy

How We Use Your Information

Local Data Usage

Expense Tracking: To record and display your financial transactions
Budget Management: To track spending against your budgets
Analytics: To provide spending insights and reports
Bill Reminders: To notify you of upcoming bill payments

App Functionality

Authentication: To secure your app with PIN or biometric lock
Data Backup: To create local or cloud backups (only when you initiate)
Currency Conversion: To display amounts in your selected currency

Advertising

Ad Display: To show relevant advertisements through Google AdMob
Ad Personalization: AdMob may use your advertising ID for personalized ads

Data Storage and Security

Local Storage

All your financial data is stored locally on your device using encrypted SQLite database
Authentication data (PIN) is encrypted using SHA-256 hashing
App preferences are stored in encrypted SharedPreferences

Cloud Storage (Optional)

Google Drive Backup: Only when you explicitly enable and initiate backup
Backup files are stored in your personal Google Drive account
We do not have access to your Google Drive data
You control when backups are created and can delete them anytime

Security Measures

Encryption: Sensitive data is encrypted at rest
Authentication: Optional PIN and biometric protection
No Server Storage: We do not store your data on our servers
Local Processing: All calculations and processing happen on your device

Data Sharing and Disclosure

We DO NOT:

❌ Sell your personal or financial data to third parties
❌ Share your expense data with anyone
❌ Upload your data to our servers
❌ Access your Google Drive files
❌ Track your location
❌ Collect personally identifiable information

Third-Party Services:

We use the following third-party services:

1. Google AdMob (Advertising)

Purpose: Display advertisements
Data Collected: Advertising ID, device info, ad interactions
Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

2. Google Drive API (Optional)

Purpose: Cloud backup storage (only when enabled by user)
Data Collected: Backup files you choose to upload
Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

3. Google Play Services

Purpose: App distribution and updates
Data Collected: Installation data, crash reports
Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required by law, such as:

Complying with legal processes
Protecting our rights and safety
Preventing fraud or security issues

Your Data Rights

You Have the Right To:

Access: View all your data within the app
Export: Export your data as CSV or database backup
Delete: Delete all your data by uninstalling the app or clearing app data
Control: Choose whether to enable cloud backup
Opt-Out: Disable personalized ads in your device settings

How to Exercise Your Rights:

View Data: Open the app and navigate to respective sections
Export Data: Settings → Backup → Export CSV or Backup Database
Delete Data: Settings → Clear app data or uninstall the app
Disable Ads: Device Settings → Google → Ads → Opt out of Ads Personalization

Children's Privacy

Expense Tracker is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us, and we will delete such information.

Permissions Explained

Our app requests the following permissions:

Required Permissions:

INTERNET: To display AdMob advertisements and sync with Google Drive (optional)
ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE: To check internet connectivity before sync operations

Optional Permissions:

WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE: To save backup files to device storage (Android 10 and below)
READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE: To import CSV files (Android 10 and below)
MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE: For file operations on Android 11+
USE_BIOMETRIC: To enable fingerprint/face unlock
USE_FINGERPRINT: To enable fingerprint authentication

Note: You can deny optional permissions, but some features may not work.

Data Retention

Local Data: Retained on your device until you delete it or uninstall the app
Backup Data: Retained in your Google Drive until you delete it
Advertising Data: Managed by Google AdMob according to their retention policy
Crash Reports: Retained for 90 days for debugging purposes

International Data Transfers

Since all data is stored locally on your device, there are no international data transfers unless you choose to back up to Google Drive. In that case, data is stored in Google's servers according to your Google account settings.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by:

Posting the new Privacy Policy in the app
Updating the "Last Updated" date
Showing an in-app notification (for significant changes)

Your continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Cookie Policy

Our app does not use cookies. However, Google AdMob may use cookies and similar technologies for advertising purposes. You can control ad personalization through your device settings.

Do Not Track

Our app does not track users across different apps or websites. All data collection is limited to app functionality and advertising as described in this policy.

📧 Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact us:

Email: davidparasuram@gmail.com

Developer: David Parasuram

We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days.

Compliance

This Privacy Policy complies with:

Google Play Developer Program Policies
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
Android App Privacy Requirements

Your Consent

By using Expense Tracker, you consent to this Privacy Policy and agree to its terms.