Without an account
Your books, ratings, notes, journal pages, quotes, reading sessions, profile name and photo, and the look you picked are saved in this browser’s own storage (localStorage). Covers you photograph and aesthetic cards you save are kept in the browser too (IndexedDB). None of it is sent to us, so clearing this site’s data or moving to a new phone starts an empty shelf. A backup copy is the way to keep it.
With an account
When you sign in (with Google or an email link), we keep your email address and your shelf — books, ratings, notes, journal pages, quotes, sessions and goals — in our database so it syncs between your devices. Photos and saved cards stay on the device and are not synced. The database is run for us by Supabase. You can delete your account and everything in it yourself with Delete my account in the menu at the top right, or ask us to by writing to the address below; we do it within 30 days. A paid plan is not cancelled by deleting the account; cancel it from your Paddle receipt.
AI cards and letters
When you ask for a painted card, a letter or a shelf-photo reading, the book titles, authors and the text or photo needed for that one request are sent to OpenAI or Google, who make it and send it back. They are not given your email or your name. We count how many cards each account has used, so the plan limits work.
Payments
Payments are handled by Paddle.com, our merchant of record. Your card details go to Paddle, never to us. Paddle tells us your email, your plan and whether it is active, so the app can open what you paid for. Paddle’s own privacy notice covers what it keeps.
Backup copies
“Save a copy” builds a file on your device. It goes wherever you save or send it — we never receive it. Photos are not included in the file.
Looking up a book
When you search for a book or scan a barcode, the title, author or ISBN you entered goes to our server, which asks Open Library and Google Booksfor matches. Opening a book can also ask them for its public ratings, using its title and author. Our server makes these requests itself, so those services do not get your device’s address from them.
Covers are pictures from covers.openlibrary.org and books.google.com. Some load straight into your browser, so those services can see your device’s IP address, as with any picture on the web.
Camera and photos
The camera is used only when you scan a barcode or photograph a cover, and only after you allow it. The barcode is read on your device; camera frames are not saved or sent. A cover photo is stored in this browser and is not uploaded.
Fonts and icons
The icons are a font loaded from Google Fonts (fonts.googleapis.com), so Google receives your IP address and browser details when the app opens. The text fonts are served by the app itself.
Sharing
Sharing your year card or an invite link uses your phone’s own share sheet. It goes only to the person or app you choose.
What we don’t do
- No analytics, tracking pixels or advertising.
- No tracking cookies.
- No profile about you beyond what is listed above.
- Nothing sold or shared.
Like any website, the service that hosts the app may keep short technical logs (such as IP address and the page requested) to keep it running and secure.
Messages to us
If you send a message through the help form, we keep the message, the page you were on and, if you give it, your email, so we can answer.
Questions
Write to hello@cherrybooks.app. We answer within two working days. If this page changes, the date at the top changes with it.