Privacy Policy
The short version
- Your books, notes and reading sessions are yours. We don’t sell them or use them for advertising.
- You can use Index without an account. Your data then stays on your iPhone.
- If you sign in, we store a backup so your library can be restored.
- When you use Ask your marginalia, your question and the relevant notes are sent to our AI provider to produce an answer. They are not used to train AI models.
- You can export or delete everything from Settings › Your data.
This policy explains how [Company legal name] (“Index”, “we”, “us”) handles information when you use the Index app and this website (together, the “Service”).
What we collect
Content you create
Books you add or import, quotes, thoughts, page numbers, reading sessions and reading goals. Without an account this is stored only on your device. With an account it is also stored in your cloud backup.
Account information
If you sign in, we receive an account identifier and, depending on the sign-in method, your email address or a private relay address. We don’t receive your password.
Purchases
Subscriptions are handled by Apple. We receive confirmation of your subscription status and renewal dates, not your payment details.
Imports
If you import from Goodreads, we read the export file you choose to add titles, authors and shelf status to your library. We don’t connect to your Goodreads account.
Diagnostics
We collect limited technical data, such as app version, device model, OS version and crash reports, to keep the app working. This data is not linked to your notes.
How we use it
- To run the Service: show your library, sync and restore your backup, and answer questions you ask.
- To manage your subscription and free question allowance.
- To fix bugs, prevent abuse and keep the Service secure.
- To reply when you contact support.
We don’t sell personal information, show ads, or build advertising profiles.
Ask your marginalia
When you ask a question, we send the question and the notes needed to answer it to a third-party AI provider that processes it on our behalf. The provider is contractually restricted from using this content to train its models and may retain it only briefly for abuse monitoring. Answers are generated only from your own notes. Actions the assistant suggests, such as editing a note, run only after you approve them.
Camera and photos
Index asks for camera or photo access only when you scan a page. The image is used to recognize the text you select. Only the text you save is kept; the photo is not stored or uploaded to our servers. You can turn access off at any time in iOS Settings.
Who we share with
We share information only with service providers who help run Index, and only as needed:
| Provider | Purpose |
|---|---|
| [Cloud hosting provider] | Storing account backups |
| [AI provider] | Answering Ask your marginalia questions |
| Apple | Sign in and subscriptions |
| [Crash reporting provider] | Diagnostics |
We may also disclose information if required by law, or to protect the rights and safety of our users or others. If Index is involved in a merger or acquisition, your information may transfer under the same protections described here.
Storage and retention
Backups are encrypted in transit and at rest. We keep your account data for as long as your account exists. When you delete your account, we delete your backup within 30 days, except where we must keep limited records (such as purchase records) by law. Data on your device is removed when you erase it in the app or delete the app.
Your information may be processed in countries other than your own. Where required, we use standard contractual safeguards for these transfers.
Your choices
- Export: Settings › Your data › Export a copy, as Markdown, CSV or JSON.
- Erase this iPhone: clears local data and keeps your backup.
- Delete account: removes your account, backup and this iPhone’s data.
- Use without an account: nothing leaves your device except Ask questions and diagnostics.
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete or port your data, or to object to certain processing. Contact us to make a request and we’ll respond within the time required by law.
Children
Index is not directed to children under 13, and we don’t knowingly collect their personal information. If you believe a child has provided us data, contact us and we’ll delete it.
Changes
If we make material changes, we’ll tell you in the app or by email before they take effect. The date at the top shows when this policy last changed.
Contact
[Company legal name]
[Postal address]
privacy@indexbooks.app