Short version
Your game data (player names, scores, locations) never leaves your device. We collect only anonymous analytics with no advertising identifiers. We do not sell your data. We do not collect your name, email, or any personal information.
1. Overview
Score Buddy ("the app") is a Phase 10 score tracking companion for iOS. We are committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what data is collected, how it is used, and your rights as a user.
2. Data We Collect
2.1 Data You Provide (Stored Locally Only)
The following data is created by you and stored only on your device using SwiftData (Apple's local database framework):
| Data | Purpose | Leaves your device? |
|---|---|---|
| Player names | Track scores | No — local only |
| Game scores and round history | Score tracking | No — local only |
| Phase progress per player | Game tracking | No — local only |
| Location tags on games (optional) | Location-based stats | No — local only |
| Skip card actions | Skip tracking stats | No — local only |
This data is included in your device's iCloud Backup if you have iCloud Backup enabled in iOS Settings. Score Buddy does not control or access your iCloud Backup — it is managed entirely by Apple.
2.2 Analytics Data (Firebase Analytics)
Score Buddy uses Firebase Analytics (provided by Google) to collect anonymous, aggregated usage data. This helps us understand how the app is used so we can improve it.
We use FirebaseAnalyticsCore, which means:
- No advertising identifier (IDFA) is collected
- No cross-app tracking
- You will not see an "App Tracking Transparency" permission prompt from this app
What Firebase Analytics collects automatically:
- App open / session start events
- App version and iOS version
- Device type (e.g. iPhone, iPad) — never a specific device identifier
- Country / region (coarse, from IP address — IP address itself is not stored)
- Crash-free user rate
Device-level usage properties we record:
On every app launch we record the following anonymous, bucketed counts against your device's Firebase installation ID (a random identifier — not linked to your Apple ID or any personal information). These help us understand usage patterns to improve the app's design:
- Total games played — stored as a range bucket (e.g. "6–20", "21–50") not a precise number
- Total players created — stored as a range bucket (e.g. "4–6", "7–10")
- Total saved locations — stored as a range bucket (e.g. "0", "1–5")
- Subscription tier — "free" or "pro"
None of these include the actual names of your players, games, or locations.
Custom events we log:
| Category | Events & Parameters |
|---|---|
| Game | Game started (player count, location method, is rematch); game completed (player count, round count, skip count, whether Phase 10 was completed, location method); skip card recorded |
| Screen views | Which screen was viewed using Firebase's standard screen_view event |
| Monetisation | Paywall viewed (which feature triggered it, entry point in the app, product price); purchase completed (product ID, price, currency, anonymous transaction ID); purchases restored. No payment details or Apple ID are ever received by Score Buddy — see Section 5. |
| Features | Which Insights sub-tab was viewed and whether the user is a Pro subscriber; player customisation saved (avatar type, whether colour was changed) |
| Players | Player added (manual entry or imported from Contacts — no names sent) |
| Feedback | Whether the user responded positively (sent to App Store review) or negatively (opened support email) to the in-app rating prompt — no name or identity attached |
| Onboarding | Tutorial started; tutorial completed |
None of these events include player names, scores, location names, or any content you enter into the app.
Firebase Analytics Data Retention: Google retains event-level data for 2 months and aggregated reporting data for up to 14 months, per Google's standard policy. See Google's Privacy Policy for details.
2.3 Contacts (Optional)
If you choose to link a player to a contact, Score Buddy requests access to your Contacts. We only read the name and profile picture of the specific contacts you explicitly select — no other contact fields (phone number, email, address, etc.) are accessed.
What happens to that data:
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Uploaded to a server? | No. Imported contact names and photos are never sent to any server operated by Score Buddy or any third party. |
| Stored where? | Locally on your device, inside Score Buddy's SwiftData database. |
| iCloud Backup | If you have iCloud Backup enabled in iOS Settings, this data is included in your device backup alongside all other app data. That backup is managed entirely by Apple — Score Buddy has no access to it. iCloud Backup can be turned off for your entire device under iOS Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud → iCloud Backup, but iOS does not allow individual apps to be excluded from a device backup. |
| Revoke access | At any time via iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Contacts → Score Buddy. Revoking access does not delete data already imported. |
2.4 Location (Optional)
If you choose to tag a game with a location, Score Buddy requests "When In Use" location access. We use reduced accuracy (approximate location only) and perform reverse geocoding to generate a human-readable location name (e.g. "Melbourne, Australia"). The approximate coordinates and generated name are stored locally on your device. Location data is never transmitted to any server other than Apple's CoreLocation reverse geocoding service.
3. Data We Do NOT Collect
- Your name, email address, or Apple ID
- Player names or any content you enter
- Precise location
- Advertising identifiers (IDFA / GAID)
- Health or financial data
- Photos or camera access
4. Third-Party Services
| Service | Provider | Purpose | Privacy Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firebase Analytics | Google LLC | Anonymous usage analytics | policies.google.com/privacy |
| Firebase Crashlytics | Google LLC | Anonymous crash reports | policies.google.com/privacy |
| App Store / StoreKit | Apple Inc. | In-app purchases | apple.com/legal/privacy |
| iCloud Backup | Apple Inc. | Device backup (user-controlled) | apple.com/legal/privacy |
Score Buddy does not use any advertising networks, social media SDKs, or data brokers.
5. In-App Purchases
Score Buddy offers a one-time "Score Buddy Pro" in-app purchase. All purchase transactions are handled entirely by Apple via StoreKit. We receive only an anonymous transaction verification token from Apple — we never see your payment details, Apple ID, or any personal information related to the purchase.
Firebase Analytics logs the in-app purchase event with the following anonymous data only:
- Product ID (
com.pinecode.scorebuddy.pro.lifetime) - Purchase price and currency (e.g. 4.99 AUD) — used for anonymous revenue reporting
- An anonymous transaction ID from Apple — used to prevent the same purchase being counted twice in analytics
- The entry point in the app where you opened the paywall (e.g. "settings" or "insights tab") — stored as a short code, not personal information
None of this data is linked to your identity, Apple ID, or payment method.
6. Children's Privacy
Score Buddy is a family-friendly card game score tracker suitable for all ages. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. The analytics we collect are anonymous and do not include any personal data.
7. Data Security
All game data is stored locally on your device using Apple's SwiftData framework, protected by your device's security (Face ID / Touch ID / passcode). We do not operate any servers that store your personal data.
Firebase Analytics data is transmitted to Google over HTTPS and is subject to Google's security practices.
8. Your Rights
Since Score Buddy does not collect or store personal data on our servers, there is no personal data for us to provide, correct, or delete on request. All locally stored data (your games, players, scores) can be deleted by:
- Deleting individual players or games from within the app
- Deleting the app from your device (removes all local SwiftData)
To opt out of Firebase Analytics, you can disable "Share iPhone Analytics" in iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Analytics & Improvements.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top. For significant changes, we will note it in the app's release notes.
10. Contact
If you have questions about this privacy policy, please contact:
Score Buddy Support
Email: scott.breen.dev@outlook.com
Support page: scorebuddyforphase10/support