Preserve Cards ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what information the Preserve Cards Android app collects, how it is used, and the choices you have. We do not sell your data, show ads, or share your information with third parties beyond what is described below.
1. Information We Collect
Preserve Cards collects only what is necessary to provide its features:
| Data | Why it is collected | Where it is stored |
|---|---|---|
| Business card images | OCR text extraction; visual reference in the app | On-device · Firebase Storage when signed in |
| Card fields (name, company, phone, email, website) | Populate your card deck | On-device SQLite · Firestore when signed in |
| Notes & group tags | Organise and annotate your cards | On-device SQLite · Firestore when signed in |
| Phone contacts | Sync scanned cards to your address book | On-device only — never uploaded |
| Google account name & email | Sign-in identity for cloud backup | Firebase Authentication |
2. Device Permissions
- Camera — Used solely to photograph business cards for OCR scanning. Photos are saved to your device storage and, when you are signed in, to your private Firebase Storage folder. Photos are never shared with third parties.
- Read & Write Contacts — Used to save scanned business card data to your phone's address book. Contacts are read only to update existing entries (identified by a tag Preserve Cards places in the notes field). Contact data is never uploaded to any server.
- Internet — Required for Google Sign-In and cloud backup via Firebase. If you never sign in, no card data is transmitted anywhere.
3. Signed Out vs. Signed In
Signed out: All card data and images stay entirely on your device. No account is required. Nothing leaves your phone.
Signed in: If you sign in with Google, your card data and images are backed up to Firebase (Google's cloud platform) under your unique user ID so they can be restored on any device. Only you can read or write this data — see Section 4. The optional Pro subscription unlocks extra features (unlimited cards, CSV export) and does not change how your data is handled.
4. Firebase & Third-Party Services
Preserve Cards uses the following Google Firebase services for cloud backup:
- Firebase Authentication — Manages Google Sign-In. Google's privacy policy applies to the authentication flow.
- Cloud Firestore — Stores card metadata (name, company, phone, email, website, notes, group tags). Access is restricted by security rules so only your authenticated account can read or write your data.
- Firebase Storage — Stores card images. The same per-user security rules apply. Images are accessible only to your account.
Firebase is operated by Google LLC. For more information, see Firebase's Privacy and Security documentation.
In-app purchases are processed by Google Play. Preserve Cards does not receive or store payment card details.
5. Data Retention & Deletion
- On-device data — Deleted when you uninstall the app or delete individual cards within the app.
- Cloud data (signed-in users) — Deleted from Firestore and Firebase Storage when you delete a card in the app. To delete all cloud data, sign out and contact us at support@preservecards.com to request full account deletion.
- Contacts — Contacts created by Preserve Cards remain in your phone's address book after uninstallation. You can delete them manually from your Contacts app.
6. Children's Privacy
Preserve Cards is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
7. Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Material changes will be noted at the top of this page with an updated effective date. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Questions or Requests?
For privacy questions, data deletion requests, or any other concerns, reach us at:
support@preservecards.com