Privacy Policy
Overview
WaypointNomad ("we," "our," or "us") is a community map app that helps digital nomads find the best places to work and stay. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and how we protect it when you use the WaypointNomad app.
Information we collect
Information you provide:
- Nomad name (a random username generated when you first open the app, which you can change; no real name or email is required)
- Waypoints you drop (title, description, location, category, and category details such as Wi-Fi or noise level)
- Photos you add to your Waypoints
- Comments you post on Waypoints
- Meetups you post or join, and messages you send in meetup chats
- Reports you submit about content that violates our community standards
- Your email address, only if you sign up for a free Pro code on our website
Information collected automatically:
- An anonymous user ID, generated on first launch and not linked to your real identity
- Your location, only when you grant permission, and only while the app is open
- Device type and app version, used for diagnostics
How we use your information
- To display your Waypoints, photos and comments on the community map
- To show who is going to a meetup and deliver meetup chat messages to the people going
- To center the map on your location and fill in the location when you drop a Waypoint
- To suggest transport from the city you're in when you tap "Get there"
- To calculate upvote rankings and top contributor status
- To review reports and remove content that violates our community standards
- To process subscription payments (handled by Apple's App Store)
What other users can see
Your nomad name, Waypoints, photos and comments are visible to other users of the app. Meetups you post and the names of people going to them are visible to everyone; meetup chat messages are visible only to the host and the people going. Do not include personal or sensitive information in them. Waypoints you save as favorites are stored only on your device and are not visible to anyone else.
App analytics
To understand which features are useful and improve the app, WaypointNomad uses Google Analytics. It records anonymous usage events, for example opening a Waypoint, tapping Book or Directions, adding a Waypoint, or joining a meetup, along with general information like the app version, how long the app is open and your country (taken from your phone's region setting, not your location). This data is not linked to your name or account, does not include your advertising identifier, and is never sold or used for advertising.
Data storage
Your nomad name, Waypoints, comments, meetups, meetup chat messages and reports are stored in Google Firebase Firestore. Photos are stored with Cloudinary, our image hosting provider. Your favorites and app settings are stored only on your device.
Third-party services
- Google Firebase: stores community Waypoint data and provides anonymous sign-in
- Google Analytics: collects anonymous usage data about how the app is used, such as which screens are opened, which features are tapped and the app version. It is not linked to your identity, we do not collect your advertising identifier, and we do not use it to track you across other apps or websites
- Cloudinary: hosts and delivers the photos you add to Waypoints
- Netlify: hosts our website and the service that removes photos when a Waypoint is deleted
- Apple App Store: handles all subscription payments and billing
- RevenueCat: manages subscription status (no personal data shared)
- Zapier and Gmail: send emails to people who sign up on our website
- Apple Maps: provides map tiles (subject to Apple's privacy policy)
- OpenStreetMap Nominatim: resolves the city names you type into the search bar (only the search text is sent)
- Booking partners (Stay22 and Agoda for stays, 12Go for transport): when you tap Book or Get there, you leave the app for their site, and their privacy policies apply to anything you do there
Location data
Location access is optional. We use your location only while the app is open, to center the map, to fill in the location when you drop a Waypoint, and to find the nearest city when you tap "Get there". Only that city's name is included in the link to our transport booking partner, never your exact location. We never track your location in the background, and we do not store your location history. The location you attach to a Waypoint is the place you choose to share.
Photos
Photos you add to a Waypoint are uploaded to Cloudinary and are visible to other users. When you delete a Waypoint, its photos are deleted as well. Please share only photos you took, and respect the privacy of other people in them.
If you sign up on our website, we use your email address to send your Pro code and occasional updates and offers about WaypointNomad. Every email includes an unsubscribe link, and you can unsubscribe at any time. We never sell your email address.
Subscriptions
All payments are processed by Apple. We do not collect or store any payment information. Subscription management is handled through your Apple ID.
Data sharing
We do not sell your data. We do not share your information with third parties except the service providers described above, which are necessary to operate the app.
Your rights
You can change your nomad name, and delete your Waypoints, photos, comments and meetups, at any time within the app. To stop marketing emails, use the unsubscribe link in any email. For account deletion requests, see our Support page.
Children's privacy
WaypointNomad is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the new policy.
Contact
For questions about this policy, see our Support page.