Privacy Policy

Who we are

Earbite is operated by Nextkey Inc. This policy covers the Earbite iOS app, earbite.app and our creator workspace at studio.earbite.app. Nextkey Inc. is responsible for the personal information described here.

For privacy questions or requests, email benchappteam@gmail.com.

Information in the app

You can use the listening app without providing a name, email address or password. After the onboarding questions, Firebase creates a guest account with a random identifier. That identifier still lets us recognise the same account; guest data is not fully anonymous.

• Profile preferences: your selected gender, favourite genres, listening mood and usual listening moment. The gender question includes “Prefer not to say.”
• Account and purchase records: your guest identifier, a separate purchase-service identifier, account timestamps, coin balance, episode unlocks, product and transaction identifiers, purchase or refund status, and subscription access and expiry.
• Technical information: our hosting and service providers process information such as IP addresses, app and operating-system versions, device or installation identifiers, language and region settings, request times and error information to deliver and secure the service.
• Purchase-screen activity: Superwall receives device and account identifiers, purchase information and SDK events such as app launches, offer views and checkout outcomes for subscription delivery, reporting and offer measurement. Where available, this can include app-install attribution information.

What stays on your device

Saved stories, your last listening position and time, playback speed, autoplay and caption preferences are stored on your device. Earbite does not currently sync this listening library to a server account. Artwork, transcripts and other service data may also be cached locally.

Audio playback requests identify the story and episode to check access and stream it. This is separate from the listening-position bookmark saved on your device.

The sound animation analyses the story audio being played. It does not record you or access your microphone. Word timing is prepared from uploaded story audio and scripts, not from listeners’ voices.

The website and Studio

The public landing and legal pages do not require an account and do not include advertising pixels or a visitor-analytics SDK. Hosting still processes ordinary web-request information, including IP addresses, browser information, requested pages and response details.

Studio is restricted to approved editors. Google sign-in provides Firebase with your account identifier, email address and available basic profile information. We use your verified email and account identifier to control access and attribute uploads and agent approvals. Signing in does not give Earbite access to your Gmail messages or Google Drive files.

Studio stores the selected folder’s files, file names, sizes, hashes, import status and editor identity to prepare and review a story. Files remain private during preparation; publishing makes the story available to listeners under the app’s access rules. Only upload material you have permission to use.

Studio uses browser storage to maintain sign-in and resume an import. The optional agent tool stores a sign-in credential and upload state on the computer where you run it. You can sign out of Studio or use the tool’s logout command to remove its saved credential.

How we use information

We use account and purchase information to operate Earbite, deliver stories, verify subscriptions, credit coins, preserve episode unlocks and prevent duplicate or fraudulent purchases. We store onboarding answers as profile preferences and use technical and offer information to maintain, measure and improve the service. If you contact us, we use your email and message to respond.

Where EU or UK data-protection law applies, our bases include performing our agreement with you for accounts and purchases; our legitimate interests in service security, reliability, support and proportionate improvement; and legal obligations for required records. Profile preferences are used for our legitimate interest in understanding listener preferences. Where a particular use requires consent, we rely on that consent rather than treating use of this policy as consent.

We do not use automated processing to make decisions with legal or similarly significant effects on you.

Services that help us run Earbite

Google Firebase and Google Cloud provide authentication, the database, media storage, app configuration, hosting and backend processing. Firebase Remote Config uses an installation identifier to deliver app configuration.

Superwall provides purchase screens, subscription and purchase validation, entitlement information and related SDK reporting. Apple processes App Store payments and manages App Store subscriptions. Earbite does not receive or store your full payment-card number.

We may disclose relevant information to authorised service providers, to comply with law, to protect people and the service, or in a business transfer subject to appropriate protections. We do not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioural advertising. Earbite does not currently show third-party ads.

External services and links have their own privacy notices, which explain their separate handling of information.

Storage, retention and security

Our application database and media are hosted in the United States. Google, Apple and Superwall may also process information in other countries where they or their providers operate. For transfers subject to EU or UK requirements, applicable provider data-processing terms include safeguards such as standard contractual clauses. Contact us for information about the safeguards relevant to your data.

We keep guest profiles, wallet balances and unlock records to maintain your account and access. These records do not currently expire automatically when you stop listening. Purchase and fraud-prevention records may need to remain longer for accounting, legal requirements or disputes. Retention depends on the record’s purpose, account status, applicable obligations and any valid deletion request.

Temporary Studio import files are scheduled for deletion after seven days. Agent-approval records are scheduled for deletion after one day, and an unused approval link expires after five minutes. Published story files remain while needed for the catalog. Provider backups and logs can follow separate retention schedules, and scheduled deletion may not be immediate.

We use encrypted connections, authenticated access and restricted server permissions. No internet service or storage system can guarantee complete security.

Your choices and rights

You can remove a saved story or change listening settings in the app. Clearing app data or browser storage removes local information but does not itself delete server records or cancel an Apple subscription.

Depending on the law where you live, you may request access, correction, deletion, a portable copy or restriction of your personal information. You may also object to processing based on legitimate interests, withdraw any applicable consent and complain to your local data-protection authority. Applicable US state rights may include an appeal of a refused request. We do not discriminate against you for exercising privacy rights.

Email benchappteam@gmail.com with your request. Because listener accounts are guests, we may need information from your app session or purchase receipt to locate and verify the correct account. Keep your current app session available while we help. Do not send passwords, authentication tokens or full payment-card details.

We respond within the deadlines required by applicable law. Some records may be retained where permitted or required by law; we will explain relevant limits. Deleting a guest account can remove its coins and episode access, and does not cancel an Apple subscription.

Children and policy updates

Earbite is intended for people aged 13 or older, or the higher minimum age required locally. Users below the local age of adulthood need a parent or guardian’s consent and supervision. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided it, contact us so we can investigate and take appropriate action.

We may update this policy as Earbite changes. The date above identifies the current version. We will provide an appropriate notice of material changes and obtain consent where legally required.