what we collect
This policy covers two contexts: the inithabits.com website, and the init.Habits iOS app.
Website
When you sign up for the init.Habits beta or updates list, we collect your email address and whether you opted in to receive dev updates. Email addresses are stored on our server in the EU. Emails are sent via Resend, who deliver each message and track which links you open and click to help us understand engagement. That's the only personal data we collect on the website.
App — habit data
All habit data you create in the app (habits, routines, completions, streaks, settings) is stored locally on your device.
If you enable iCloud Backup (a Pro feature), the same data is synced through your personal iCloud account via Apple's CloudKit. We have no access to this.
If you enable Cloud Sync (a Pro feature), the same data is also stored on our server in the EU so it can sync across your devices. You can use Cloud Sync anonymously without an account, or sign in with Apple to associate the data with your Apple email. We do not request or store your Apple display name. The data we store includes your habits, routines, completions, streaks, day records, achievements, goal tags, custom themes, and app settings. Sensitive free-text fields (habit names, notes, subtitles, routine names, custom theme names, your display name if set) are encrypted at rest on our server. You can turn off Cloud Sync at any time — doing so deletes your data from our server. You can also fully delete your account from the app's $ sync & data settings page.
App — HealthKit
If you use habits backed by Apple Health (such as steps or workouts), the app reads the relevant metrics from HealthKit on your device only. HealthKit data is never transmitted to or stored on our servers.
Feedback messages
If you send a message or screenshot through the feedback feature — available in both the iOS app and the web app — that content is transmitted to and stored on our server in the EU. We use it solely to read and process your request, and to improve init.Habits. It is not shared with third parties or used for any other purpose.
Themes marketplace
If you choose to publish a custom theme to the themes marketplace, the theme itself (its name and colour values) and the username you enter when submitting it are stored on our server in the EU. This information is public by design: it is used solely to display your theme — together with the username you chose — in the marketplace inside init.Habits, so other users can browse and download it. The username is one you pick at submission time; it does not have to be your real name and is not linked to your email. We do not use this data for anything other than running the marketplace. Publishing is entirely optional — if you never publish a theme, none of this applies to you, and you can remove a theme you published (and the username attached to it) at any time, which deletes it from our server.
App — anonymous analytics
The app sends anonymous usage signals to TelemetryDeck and to our self-hosted Aptabase on a server in the EU, plus a small number of anonymous count events (app launches, habits created, habits completed) to inithabits.com to display public usage statistics. These contain no personally identifiable information — no name, email, device ID, or IP address is ever stored. We can observe how the app is used in aggregate, but cannot identify individual users.
Website — anonymous analytics
When you visit inithabits.com, we collect anonymous page view data using TelemetryDeck and Umami. Both are privacy-focused, cookieless analytics tools. They collect the page you loaded, the approximate time of the visit, the referring website (if any), and your approximate country. Your IP address is not stored.
// no cookies. no advertising. no personal data sold.
why we collect
Your email (website) is used solely to send you the TestFlight invite and — if you opted in — occasional development updates. Link click data is used to send relevant follow-up emails (for example, a reminder if you haven't joined TestFlight yet). We will not use your email for anything else.
Feedback messages (app and web) are used to read and process your request and improve init.Habits. They are not shared with third parties.
Themes you publish to the marketplace, and the username you submit with them, are used only to display those themes to other users browsing the marketplace inside init.Habits. They are not used for anything else.
Anonymous analytics (app and website) are used to understand how the app and site are being used, identify crashes and issues, and prioritise improvements.
legal basis
We process your email address on the basis of your consent — given when you submit the sign-up form. Feedback messages are processed on the basis of your consent — given when you choose to send them. Themes you publish to the marketplace, and the username you submit with them, are processed on the basis of your consent — given when you choose to publish. Anonymous analytics are processed on the basis of legitimate interest.
We are based in the Netherlands. This policy is written to meet GDPR requirements.
data details
habit data stored
on your device * in your own iCloud account if iCloud Backup (Pro) is enabled (we cannot access it) * on our server in the EU if Cloud Sync (Pro) is enabled (sensitive fields encrypted at rest)
feedback stored
a server in the EU
published themes stored
a server in the EU (public — theme name, colours, and the username you chose at submission)
email stored
a server in the EU
retained until
you unsubscribe or request deletion (email) * you delete the app or iCloud data (habit data) * you unpublish it (marketplace themes) * handled per their own retention policy (third-party services)
shared with
Resend (email delivery and open/click tracking — privacy),
TelemetryDeck (anonymous analytics — privacy),
Umami (anonymous website analytics — privacy),
RevenueCat (purchase processing — privacy),
Sentry (crash reporting — privacy),
Apple CloudKit (iCloud Backup — privacy),
Apple (Sign in with Apple, if used — privacy)
sold to anyone
never
used for ads
never
your rights
Under GDPR you have the right to access, correct, or delete your data. You can also withdraw consent at any time.
To unsubscribe from all emails, use the unsubscribe link in any email we've sent you, or email us directly. To request full deletion of your data, email us and we'll remove your record within 30 days.
To delete your habit data: delete the app to remove the local copy. Remove the init.Habits data from your iCloud account in iOS Settings to clear the iCloud copy. To clear the Cloud Sync copy from our server, turn off Cloud Sync in the app's $ sync & data settings, or use $ delete-account to remove everything including your account.
To remove a custom theme you published to the marketplace — along with the username attached to it — unpublish it from the themes marketplace in the app, which deletes it from our server.
Contact: hello@inithabits.com
changes
We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the date at the top of this page. We encourage you to check back occasionally. Continued use of the app or website after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
cookies
We don't use cookies. Your theme preference and visit state are stored locally in your browser and never sent to our servers — this data is cleared when you close the tab.