Privacy Policy

The Short Version

Redstrings stores project files on your computer. You do not need an account to use the app, and there is no cloud sync. If you choose to publish a project with Redstrings Share, you sign in with your email and the project becomes public at its link. Optional Gemini analysis sends the board content you select and your API key directly to Google when you run it. The website uses the analytics, delivery, and support services described below.

What Data We Collect

Project Content

Redstrings project files are stored locally on your device. Redstrings has no cloud sync, and it does not send project content automatically. Content leaves your device only when you choose an action that sends or shares it: publishing a project with Redstrings Share, running Gemini analysis, or exporting and sharing a file yourself. Opening a web link also contacts the linked website.

Redstrings Share (Pro - Optional)

Redstrings Share publishes a copy of a project to share.redstrings.app. It is the only part of Redstrings that uses an account. If you never publish a project, none of the data in this section exists.

Your account. When you sign in, we store:

• Your email address, which we use to send you a sign-in code
• Sign-in sessions, including the IP address and browser user agent of each session
• A link between your account and your Pro purchase: the store (Apple or Microsoft), the store transaction ID, the product ID, and when we last verified it
• Your author name, if you choose to list a project in the public library
• A record of publishing actions (such as publish or unpublish), with the result and the time

Sign-in codes are sent by email through Resend. The app keeps its sign-in credential in the macOS Keychain or Windows Credential Manager. To verify your Pro purchase, the app sends a signed purchase record from Apple or Microsoft to our server. We check it with the store and do not keep the record itself.

Published projects. When you publish, the app uploads the whole project: every board, folder, card, note, source, tag, link, saved report, image, and supported attachment, plus a preview image. The app asks you to confirm this before it uploads. Anyone with the link can view and copy the published project. Your email address is never shown.

• Show in the public library lists the project onshare.redstrings.app with your author name. It is off unless you turn it on.
• Allow search engines lets search engines index the project page. It is off unless you turn it on.

Visitors can edit a published project in their own browser. Those edits stay in that browser tab and are not saved to our server or sent to you.

Reports. Visitors can report a published project. We store the report text and the time. The report does not include the reporter's name or email address. We may receive an email with the project title, link, and report text.

Abuse protection. To limit abuse, the service counts requests per IP address. These counters store a hash that changes every minute, and they expire shortly after.

Unpublish and delete. You can unpublish a project from the app at any time. This removes its files from our storage. We keep the project's title and dates in your account until you delete it. You can delete your account atshare.redstrings.app/delete-account. This removes the files of all your published projects and deletes your account, sessions, author name, purchase link, project records, and reports about your projects. Publishing records stay, without any link to you. We cannot recall copies that visitors already made.

Purchase Information (Via App Stores)

When you purchase Redstrings Pro, the transaction is handled entirely by the platform's app store:

• Windows: Microsoft Store handles all payment processing
• macOS: Apple App Store handles all payment processing

The app checks your purchase status with the store on your device. We donot receive your payment details, billing address, or other financial information. Your purchase is tied to your Microsoft or Apple account. If you use Redstrings Share, we also store the purchase link described above.

AI Analysis Feature (Pro - Optional)

Redstrings Pro includes an optional AI analysis feature powered by Google's Gemini API. This feature uses a Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) model:

• You provide your own Gemini API key from Google
• Your API key is stored locally on your device, never on our servers
• When you use AI analysis, your data is sent directly from your device to Google's API
• We never see, store, or have access to your API key or the data you analyze
• Google's privacy policy governs how they handle data sent to their API

You can remove your API key at any time from the app settings, and AI analysis is optional. The core board and local project files work without it.

Website Analytics

This website uses Ahrefs Web Analytics to measure aggregate traffic. Ahrefs records page URLs, referrers, browser and device information derived from the user agent, approximate city and country, language, page views, link clicks, and form submissions. Ahrefs says its web analytics service uses no cookies or persistent identifiers by default. It uses an IP address and user agent to create a daily identifier, discards the raw IP address, and deletes the salt used for that identifier every 24 hours.

Aggregate historical reports may remain in the Redstrings Ahrefs account. Ahrefs does not publish a fixed retention period for those reports. This website does not provide a separate analytics opt-out control because the tracker does not set cookies or persistent identifiers. You can block requests to analytics.ahrefs.com with browser privacy controls or a content blocker. See the Ahrefs Privacy Policy.

Support Requests

When you submit the support form, your name, email address, selected topic, and message are sent to Formspree and Solutions Cay so we can respond. Do not include sensitive board content in the form. See the Formspree Privacy Policy.

What We Don't Do

• We don't require an account to use Redstrings. Only Redstrings Share uses one
• We don't sync your project files to a cloud service
• We don't sell personal information
• We don't use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies
• We don't collect app telemetry about your boards or how you edit them
• We don't show ads
• We don't store your Gemini API key on our servers
• We don't have access to your AI analysis content
• We don't publish a project unless you choose to publish it

Your Data, Your Control

Your project content is stored locally in .redstrings project folders. You can:

• Back up your files however you choose
• Delete them at any time
• Move them between devices
• Keep them in version control
• Use the core board and local project files without an internet connection
• Export boards as PNG images or Markdown at any time

Third-Party Services

App Store Platforms

When you download or purchase Redstrings through the Microsoft Store or Apple App Store, those platforms handle the transaction according to their respective privacy policies:

• Microsoft Privacy Statement
• Apple Privacy Policy

Google Gemini API (Optional)

If you choose to use the AI analysis feature with your own API key, your analysis requests are sent directly to Google. Google's handling of this data is governed by:

• Google Privacy Policy
• Gemini API Terms of Service

Ahrefs Web Analytics

Ahrefs processes the website analytics data described above. It does not receive your Redstrings project files or app activity. See the Ahrefs Web Analytics data description and Ahrefs Privacy Policy.

Cloudflare Site Delivery

Cloudflare delivers and protects this website. In that role, Cloudflare may process request information such as IP addresses, system configuration, requested and referring URLs, locale, and language preferences. This is site-delivery and security processing, not Cloudflare Web Analytics. See the Cloudflare Privacy Policy.

Cloudflare Share Storage

Redstrings Share runs on Cloudflare. Cloudflare stores account records and published project files for the service. See the Cloudflare Privacy Policy.

Resend Email

Resend delivers Redstrings Share sign-in codes and report notifications. It receives the recipient email address and the message. See the Resend Privacy Policy.

Formspree Support Forms

Formspree processes the information you choose to submit through the support form so it can be delivered to Solutions Cay. See the Formspree Privacy Policy.

Data Security

Redstrings project files stay on your device unless you choose an action that shares or sends content. Protecting those local files is primarily in your hands. Before you publish a project, check it for private information. Published content is public. We recommend:

• Keeping your operating system and Redstrings updated
• Using your device's built-in encryption features
• Maintaining regular backups of important projects
• Keeping your Gemini API key confidential if you use AI features

Children's Privacy

Redstrings is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. Parents should supervise their children's use of the app and website.

Changes to This Policy

If we make significant changes to this privacy policy, we will notify users through the application or our website. The "Last updated" date at the top indicates when the policy was last modified.

Contact

Questions about privacy? Email us at [email protected].