Welcome to GrowTiny ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about how we handle your information. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding your personal information.
🔒 Your privacy matters. We collect only the minimum data necessary to provide you with a great plant care experience.
Information We Collect
Account Information
When you create an account, we collect:
- Name — to personalize your experience
- Email address — for authentication and account recovery
- Password — stored securely using Firebase Authentication (we never see your plain-text password)
Plant Data
When you use the app, we store:
- Plants you add to your garden (names, types, photos, care schedules)
- Reminders and care history (watering, fertilizing, etc.)
- Garden planner layouts
- Quiz answers for personalized plant recommendations
Location Data
If you use the City Plants feature, we request access to your device's location to:
- Display your location on the community map
- Allow you to pin plants on the map
Location access is optional and only used when the City Plants feature is active. We do not track your location in the background.
Device Information
We may automatically collect:
- Device type and operating system
- App version
- Language preference
How We Use Your Information
| Purpose | Data Used |
|---|---|
| Provide app features | Account info, plant data |
| Send care reminders | Plant schedules, notification token |
| Personalize recommendations | Quiz answers, preferences |
| Community features (City Plants) | Location, plant data |
| Display relevant ads | Non-personalized ads only |
| Improve the app | Usage analytics (anonymized) |
Advertising
GrowTiny displays ads through Google AdMob to support the free version of the app. We have configured ads to be non-personalized only, meaning:
- We do not use your personal data to target ads
- Ads are based on general context, not your behavior
- No personal profiles are created for ad targeting
You can remove all ads by subscribing to GrowTiny Premium through the app's Profile screen.
For more information about how Google handles data in ads, visit: Google Privacy Policy
Data Storage & Security
Your data is stored securely using Google Firebase, which provides:
- Encrypted data transmission (SSL/TLS)
- Secure authentication via Firebase Auth
- Data stored in Google Cloud data centers
- Regular security audits and compliance certifications
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data from unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction.
Data Sharing
We do not sell your personal data. We may share data only in these limited cases:
- Firebase/Google — for authentication, database, and analytics services
- Google AdMob — for displaying non-personalized ads
- City Plants community — plant locations and names you choose to share publicly on the map
- Legal requirements — if required by law or to protect our rights
Your Rights
You have the following rights regarding your data:
- Access — View your data through the app's Profile screen
- Update — Edit your profile information at any time
- Delete — Delete your account and all associated data from the Profile screen
- Export — Request a copy of your data by contacting us
- Opt-out of notifications — Disable notifications in the app settings
- Remove ads — Subscribe to Premium for an ad-free experience
🗑️ When you delete your account, all your personal data, plants, reminders, and garden plans are permanently removed from our servers.
Children's Privacy
GrowTiny is not directed at children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.
Third-Party Services
GrowTiny uses the following third-party services:
- Google Firebase — Authentication, database, cloud storage (Firebase Privacy)
- Google AdMob — Non-personalized ad display (AdMob Privacy)
- Expo — App development framework and push notifications (Expo Privacy)
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make significant changes, we will notify you through the app or by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests about this Privacy Policy or your data, please reach out to us: