Privacy Policy - Plant Identifier: Lawn & Weed

Plant Identifier ("we", "our", "the app") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application.

1. Information We Collect

Photos: When you scan a plant, your photo is sent to our secure server for identification using the Plant.id API. Photos are processed in real time and are not permanently stored on our servers.

Approximate Location: If you grant permission, we use your approximate location to improve plant identification accuracy by matching plants common to your region. Location data is not stored or shared.

Device & Usage Data: We collect anonymous crash reports and basic usage analytics (e.g., feature usage, app performance) through Firebase Analytics and Firebase Crashlytics. This data does not personally identify you.

Chat Messages: When you use the Bloom AI assistant, your messages are sent to Google Gemini via our secure proxy for processing. Chat history is stored locally on your device only.

2. How We Use Your Information

To identify plants and weeds from your photos
To provide AI-powered plant care advice via the Bloom assistant
To improve identification accuracy using your approximate location
To recommend relevant plant care products
To improve app performance and fix bugs
To sync your scan limits across devices via Apple iCloud

3. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services:

Plant.id API — plant identification (photos processed via our server proxy)
Google Gemini — AI chat responses (via our server proxy)
Firebase Analytics & Crashlytics — anonymous usage analytics and crash reporting
Supabase — product recommendation database
Apple CloudKit — scan limit sync across your devices

Each service is governed by its own privacy policy. Your photos and chat messages are routed through our secure Vercel proxy and are not shared with other third parties.

4. Data Storage

Your scan history, garden data, chat history, and preferences are stored locally on your device using Apple's SwiftData framework. We do not maintain a user account system and do not store your personal data on external servers.

5. Subscriptions & Payments

All subscriptions and payments are processed by Apple through the App Store. We do not collect, store, or have access to your payment information, credit card details, or Apple ID.

6. Data Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We do not use your data for advertising purposes.

7. Children's Privacy

Plant Identifier is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

8. Data Retention

Since your data is stored locally on your device, it persists until you delete the app or clear app data. Anonymous analytics data is retained by Firebase according to Google's data retention policies.

9. Your Rights

You can:

Delete your scan history and garden data within the app at any time
Deny or revoke camera and location permissions in your device settings
Uninstall the app to remove all locally stored data

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be reflected by updating the "Effective date" at the top of this page. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, contact us at:
xin.chen.dev@gmail.com