Privacy Policy

Last updated October 6, 2026

Book Pulse is a reading app made by Stoat Digital LLC ("we", "us"). This policy explains what we collect when you use the Book Pulse app and this website, why we collect it, who we share it with, and how you can see or delete it.

The short version. We collect what the app needs to work: your account, your library and what you choose to post. We don't sell your data, we don't show ads, and we don't track you across other apps or websites. You can delete your account and data from inside the app at any time.

What we collect

Your account

Your email address and a password. The password is stored only as a secure hash by our authentication provider. We never see it.
If you sign in with Google or Apple, we receive your email address and an account identifier from them. With Apple you can choose to hide your email.
Your username, display name, profile picture and bio, if you add them.
Your settings, such as your theme, time zone, notification and feed preferences, and whether AI insights are shown.

Your reading

The books in your library and their status (want to read, reading, read, did not finish), the editions and formats you own, your shelves and lists, and your reading queue.
Reading sessions and progress, reading goals, challenges and stats.
Ratings, reviews, notes, quotes, tags and votes you add to books.

What you share with other people

Reviews, discussions, quotes, comments and public lists.
Friends and follows (people and authors), buddy reads, book clubs, club chat messages and bracket votes.
Daily game results and leaderboard entries.
Suggestions and votes on the roadmap and on tags.
Reports you file about content or other people, and people you block.

Library imports

You can import your library from Goodreads, The StoryGraph or Hardcover. You either upload their export file, or sign in to that site inside the app so it can download the export for you. When you sign in, you are signing in on their own website: we never see your password for that site, and their sign-in cookies stay on your device. We receive the export file (your books, shelves, ratings, reviews and reading dates) and add it to your Book Pulse library.

Purchases

If you buy Book Pulse Premium, the payment is handled by Google Play (or the Apple App Store). We never see your card or bank details. We receive a record of the purchase: which plan, when it started, when it renews or ends, and the store's transaction identifier.

Problem reports and diagnostics

When the app crashes or hits an error, it sends a diagnostic report: what went wrong, the app version, the screen you were on, your device model and operating system version, and your Book Pulse account identifier (a random ID, not your name or email). We strip database messages and offline errors out of these reports before they are sent.
When you use Report a problem, we receive the message you write along with the same details. Your email address is not included.
When you email us, we receive your email address and whatever you write.

Usage analytics

The app sends usage events to PostHog: which screens you open and which features you use (for example "started a reading session" or "imported a library"), with the app version, your device model and operating system, and your random account ID. These events never include what you write or your email address, and we don't store your IP address with them. You can turn this off with Settings › Share usage analytics.

Data stored on your device

To work offline, the app keeps a copy of your library, stats and recent screens on your device, along with any changes waiting to be sent. Your sign-in session is kept in your device's secure storage. Signing out removes this data from the device.

What we don't collect

No location, contacts, photos or microphone.
The camera is used only when you scan a book's barcode. The scan happens on your device and only the ISBN number is sent to look up the book. No images are uploaded.
No advertising identifiers, no ads and no ad tracking.
No analytics or tracking scripts on this website, and no cookies.

How we use it

To run the app: keep your library in sync across devices, compute your stats, and show your content to the people you choose.
For community features: rankings, recommendations, tag and rating totals, leaderboards and feeds. Totals like "how many readers tagged this book" don't identify you.
To keep the community safe: review reports, and remove content or restrict accounts that break our community rules.
To provide Premium to people who paid for it.
To fix crashes and bugs, and to answer your messages.
To understand which features people use and where the app is confusing, so we can improve it.
To send account emails, such as sign-up confirmation and password reset emails. We don't send marketing email.

What other people can see

Other Book Pulse members can see your username, display name, profile picture and bio.
Reviews, discussions, quotes, public lists and shelves, and your activity feed are visible to other members according to the visibility settings in the app.
Club chats and buddy reads are visible to their members.
Your library, notes and reading data are private unless a setting or feature shares them.

AI insights

Some book moods, tropes and tags start from suggestions generated by AI from public book information, before readers vote on them. We don't send your personal data, library or posts to AI providers. You can turn Show AI insights off in Settings to see only catalog genres and community votes.

Who we share it with

We don't sell or rent your personal data. We share it only with the service providers that run Book Pulse for us, who may use it only to provide their service:

Provider	What they do	What they receive
Supabase	Database, sign-in and server functions	All the account and app data described above
Sentry	Crash and error reports, Report a problem	Diagnostic reports and problem reports
PostHog	Usage analytics	Usage events with your random account ID
RevenueCat	Manages Premium subscriptions	Your account identifier and purchase records
Google Play and the Apple App Store	App distribution and payments	Purchase details, under their own privacy policies
Google and Apple sign-in	Sign-in, if you choose it	The sign-in request
Resend	Sends account emails	Your email address and the email's content
Google Workspace	Our support mailbox	Emails you send us
Cloudflare	Hosts this website	Standard web request data, such as IP address

Book information sources

Book details, covers and audiobook information come from OpenLibrary (the Internet Archive), Google Books, Inventaire and Audnexus. When we look up a book, these services receive book identifiers such as an ISBN or title, never your account details. Book covers load directly from these services to your device, so, as with any image on the internet, they see your device's IP address.

Legal reasons

We may disclose information if the law requires it, to protect the safety of our members or others, or to enforce our Terms. If Book Pulse is ever sold or merged, your data would move with it under this policy, and we would tell you first.

How long we keep it

We keep your data while you have an account.
When you delete your account, your account, library, reading data, posts, messages, votes, friends and the clubs you own are deleted straight away. Database backups that still contain them are replaced on a rolling basis and are gone within 30 days.
A few things stay, no longer linked to you: books you added to the shared catalog, roadmap suggestions, and moderation records about content that broke our rules.
Diagnostic reports are kept for up to 90 days.
Usage analytics events are kept for up to 12 months.
Purchase records are kept by the app stores and RevenueCat for tax and accounting purposes.

Your choices and rights

See and correct: your profile, library and posts can be viewed and edited in the app.
Download: Settings › Export your library saves your library as a CSV file.
Delete: Settings › Delete account deletes your account and data. See Delete your account for other ways.
Limit what's shared: use the visibility settings in the app, and block people you don't want to hear from.
Analytics: turn off Settings › Share usage analytics.
Ask us: email support@bookpulseapp.com to request a copy of your data, a correction, or deletion, or to object to how we use it. Depending on where you live (for example in the EU, the UK or California), you have these rights by law. We'll reply within 30 days and won't treat you differently for asking.

If you are in the EU or UK, we use your data because it's needed to provide the app you asked for (contract), to keep the service safe and working (our legitimate interests), and to meet legal obligations. You can also complain to your local data protection authority.

Security

Data is encrypted in transit, and access to each person's data is limited by database rules so members can only read what they're allowed to see. No system is perfectly secure, but we work to protect your data and will tell you if a breach affects you.

International transfers

Our service providers may process data in the United States and other countries. Where the law requires it, they use safeguards such as the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses.

Children

Book Pulse is not for children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect data from them. If you believe a child under 13 has an account, email us and we will delete it.

Changes to this policy

If we make a significant change, we'll tell you in the app before it takes effect. The date at the top shows when this policy last changed.

Contact

Stoat Digital LLC
25 1st Avenue Southwest, Ste A, Watertown, SD 57201, United States
Email: support@bookpulseapp.com