Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how SettlioWise ("we", "our", or "us") handles information when you use our website and application (the "Service"). We are committed to protecting your privacy. Please read this policy carefully — it is short, because we genuinely collect very little.

1. Information We Do NOT Collect

SettlioWise is designed to keep your expense data entirely on your device. We do not:

• Collect your name, email address, or any contact information.
• Require you to create an account or log in.
• Transmit your expense amounts, group names, or member names to any server.
• Store any of your financial or personal data on our systems.
• Sell or share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes.

All group and expense data you enter is stored exclusively in your browser's local storage on your own device and never leaves it.

2. Information We DO Collect

2.1 Anonymous Usage Analytics (Google Analytics 4)

We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to collect anonymous, aggregated data about how the Service is used. This helps us understand which features are popular and where we can improve the product.

We track anonymised events such as:

• group_created — a new expense group was started.
• expense_added — an expense was recorded.
• settlement_recorded — a settlement was logged.
• export_clicked / export_completed — a CSV or PDF export was initiated or finished.
• share_page_viewed / summary_page_viewed — specific pages were visited.

These events contain no personal identifiers and no financial amounts. They are aggregated by Google and presented to us only as statistics (e.g., "200 groups were created this week").

GA4 may also automatically collect standard web analytics data such as:

• Approximate geographic region (country / city level).
• Browser type, operating system, and device category.
• Pages visited and time spent on each page.
• Referring website.

This data is processed by Google under their Privacy Policy. We have IP anonymisation enabled where available.

2.2 Advertising (Google AdSense)

SettlioWise is free to use and is supported by advertising served by Google AdSense. Google may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to serve ads that are relevant to your interests, based on your visits to this and other websites.

We do not control the cookies set by Google for advertising purposes. Google's use of advertising cookies is governed by their advertising policies.

3. Cookies

We use the following types of cookies:

• Analytics cookies (Google Analytics 4) — used to identify returning visitors anonymously and measure usage patterns.
• Advertising cookies (Google AdSense) — used by Google to serve personalised or contextual advertisements.

SettlioWise itself does not set any first-party cookies for authentication, preferences, or session management — we have no account system that requires them.

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling advertising cookies may result in less relevant ads, but will not affect the core functionality of SettlioWise.

4. Local Storage

Your expense groups, members, expenses, and settlements are saved in your browser's local storage. This is a standard browser feature that works like a local database on your device — the data is accessible only within your browser and is never sent over the internet by SettlioWise.

You can clear this data at any time by:

• Deleting individual groups from within the app.
• Clearing your browser's site data or cache (Settings → Privacy → Clear browsing data).

Important: clearing local storage permanently deletes all your SettlioWise data. We recommend exporting to CSV before doing so.

5. Third-Party Services Summary

6. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on where you are located, you may have rights under data protection law (including GDPR and CCPA). Because we collect minimal personal data, most rights are straightforwardly exercised:

• Opt out of Google Analytics — install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
• Opt out of personalised ads — visit Google Ad Settings or enable "Limit Ad Tracking" in your device settings.
• Delete your expense data — clear your browser's local storage for this site at any time (see Section 4).
• Export your data — use the CSV export feature to download a copy of any group's data before deleting it.

As we hold no personal data on our servers, requests for access, rectification, or erasure of server-side records are not applicable — there are none.

7. Children's Privacy

SettlioWise is not directed at children under the age of 13 (or the applicable minimum age of digital consent in your country). We do not knowingly collect any information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take steps to address it.

8. Data Security

Because your expense data never leaves your device, the primary security of that data depends on your browser and device security. We recommend keeping your browser and operating system updated and using a screen lock on your device.

The SettlioWise website is served over HTTPS. Analytics and advertising data transmitted to Google is sent over encrypted connections.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us. As the Service is provided free of charge with no account system, support is offered on a best-effort basis.