Privacy Policy

1. Information we collect

We collect information in a few ways when you use the YardMate app:

• Photos and images you capture. When you identify a plant or diagnose a problem, you provide a photo. These images are used to recognize the plant or symptom and are saved to your snap history.
• Garden and plant data. Plants you add, the locations you organize them into, and your watering and feeding activity.
• Account information. If you choose to sign in with Apple, we receive the name and email you authorize through Apple. You can use core features without creating an account.
• Device and usage data. Basic technical information such as device model, operating system version, app version, and diagnostic data used to keep the app stable.

We do not intentionally collect precise location, contacts, health records, or payment card numbers. Purchases are handled by Apple through the App Store; we do not see your card details.

2. How we use your information

• To identify plants and diagnose plant problems from your photos.
• To build and sync your garden, schedules, and reminders.
• To operate, maintain, secure, and improve the app.
• To respond to your support requests.
• To comply with legal obligations.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use your photos to advertise to you.

3. Plant identification and third-party processing

To recognize plants and symptoms, the images you submit may be sent to trusted third-party identification providers that operate plant-recognition databases. These providers process the image to return a result and are contractually limited to that purpose. We share only what is needed to perform the identification.

4. Where your data is stored

By default, your garden and plant data are stored locally on your device. If you sign in with Apple, your data can be securely synced to our cloud backend so it is available across sessions and devices. Access is restricted so that you can only read and write your own data.

5. How we share information

We share personal information only in these limited situations:

• Service providers who help us run the app (for example cloud hosting, image storage, plant-identification, and analytics), under agreements that protect your data.
• Legal and safety reasons, when required by law or to protect the rights and safety of our users and the public.
• Business transfers, if YardMate is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, with notice to you where required.

6. Data retention

We keep your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the app. You can delete individual items, clear your cached data, or delete your account at any time, after which we remove associated personal data within a reasonable period, except where retention is required by law.

7. Your choices and rights

• Access, correct, or delete your garden and account data in the app.
• Delete your account, which removes your associated personal data.
• Clear cached images and content from Settings in the app.
• Depending on where you live (for example the EEA, UK, or California), you may have additional rights to access, port, restrict, or object to processing. Contact us to exercise them.

8. Children's privacy

YardMate is not directed to children under 13 (or the equivalent minimum age in your country), and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided us information, please contact us and we will delete it.

9. Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including encryption in transit and access controls on our backend. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. International users

We may process and store information in countries other than your own. Where we transfer personal data internationally, we use appropriate safeguards as required by applicable law.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the “Last updated” date above and, where appropriate, notify you in the app.

12. Contact us

Questions about this policy or your data? Email privacy@yardmate.ai.