LEGAL

Privacy Policy

Effective September 6, 2026

VerseMates is built to be a quiet place. We collect as little as possible, we never sell your data, and we don't run advertising trackers. We do measure how the app itself is used — anonymously, and never by reading what you write. Section 3 says exactly what that means.

1. What we collect

  • Your email address, used only to sign you in and connect you with a partner you invite.
  • Your commitment (e.g. “Scripture reading”) and the time you've chosen for a gentle reminder.
  • Your partnership: the user ID of the person you've agreed to walk with.
  • Words of grace you send and receive, with the time they were sent and read.
  • Reports you submit about a message, so we can review and act on them.
  • Anything you post in Gather — the words, and a photo if you add one. Gather is public: see Section 3.
  • Anonymous usage events — which screens were opened, and whether steps like onboarding or a purchase were finished. Not tied to your account, and described in Section 4.

2. What we don't collect

  • We don't collect your location or your contacts, and we never read your photo library — only the single photo you choose to attach to a Gather post.
  • We don't use advertising trackers, and we don't read your device's advertising identifier. The app never shows you an ad and never asks to track you across other companies' apps.
  • We don't sell, rent, or share your data with marketers.
  • Our measurement never includes the words you write, the verses you send, your name, or your email address.

3. Gather is public

Gather is the one part of VerseMates that other people can see. A post you make there — the words, the photo if you add one, and the name shown on it — is visible to everyone using the app, not only to the friend you walk with. Amens and prayers are counted; who pressed them is not shown.

  • You choose the name. Post without your name and it shows as “Sister”, with no avatar. Your account is never revealed.
  • Photos are one at a time, and optional. We ask for your photo library only when you tap to add one, and we receive only the picture you pick — never the rest of your library.
  • You can take it down. Editing and deleting are on every post you made. Deleting is immediate and permanent.
  • Your walk stays private. Nothing from your check-ins, your words of grace, or your partner appears in Gather — the two halves of the app do not share data.

4. How we measure the app

We use Google Firebase Analytics to count how the app is used, so we can tell which parts help and which are ignored. It records events like “the Plans tab was opened”, “onboarding was finished”, or “a subscription was purchased”, along with the app version and general device type.

  • It is not linked to your account. These events carry a random identifier belonging to the installed app, not your user ID, your name, or your email.
  • It contains no content. Never the words of grace you exchange, never a verse you read or send, never anything you type.
  • It does not track you elsewhere. We build the app without Google's advertising identifier support, so it cannot read the IDFA or follow you into other companies' apps. That is also why VerseMates never shows you iOS's “Allow tracking?” prompt.
  • Deleting the app clears it. The identifier lives with the installation, so removing VerseMates ends the measurement.

5. Where your data lives

Your data is stored on our managed cloud backend, hosted in the United States. It is encrypted in transit and at rest, and protected by access rules that limit each row of data to you and, where relevant, your agreed partner.

6. Who can see your words of grace

Only you and the partner you've agreed to walk with can read the words you exchange. VerseMates staff do not read your messages, except as strictly necessary to investigate a report, or where required by law.

7. Notifications and email

We use your email only to send sign-in codes. We do not send marketing email.

8. Your rights and choices

  • Access: see your words of grace any time in the Walk view.
  • End a walk: end a partnership from Walk settings; new messages from that person won't reach you.
  • Block a partner: ending and blocking removes the connection and prevents re-pairing.
  • Delete your account: permanently delete your account and all data from You → Delete account. Deletion is immediate and final.
  • Email us: for any other request, write to yuqinbao88@gmail.com.

9. Children's privacy

VerseMates is intended for people 13 and older. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has created an account, please write to us so we can remove it.

10. Data retention

We keep your data only while your account is active. When you delete your account, your profile, partnerships, words of grace, and invite codes are removed within 30 days. Backups are purged on our regular rotation schedule.

11. Changes to this policy

If we make material changes, we'll notify you inside the app before the change takes effect.

12. Contact

Questions or requests? Write to yuqinbao88@gmail.com. See also our Terms and Community Standards.