Journal Mate is a media organizer for scans, photos, videos, PDFs, and saved links. It helps you capture, import, organize, find, edit, and share content in journals and pages.
This Privacy Policy reflects the app's current implementation, including local storage, iCloud Sync, OCR, the share extension, widgets, and Apple Intelligence features on supported devices.
Who Provides Journal Mate
Journal Mate is provided by Vitalii Bahmet ("we", "us", or "our").
What Information the App Handles
Depending on how you use the app, Journal Mate may handle:
- journal content you create or import, including titles, notes, page images, scans, OCR text, tags, dates, and related metadata;
- files and media you choose to import from the Camera, Photos, Files, document scanner, or the iOS share sheet;
- app settings and preferences such as theme, display options, sorting preferences, and similar on-device settings;
- device- and service-related status information needed to support iCloud Sync, widgets, and the share extension;
- AI-generated suggestions such as summaries, suggested titles, cleaned-up note text, and tags when you choose to use supported intelligence features.
- purchase and subscription information provided through StoreKit, such as the purchased product, subscription validity and expiration, revocation status, and the app's original purchase date when checking early-supporter eligibility.
How Journal Mate Uses Information
Journal Mate is designed to process your content primarily on your device and, when enabled by you through Apple services, through your own iCloud account. The app uses information to:
- save and organize journals and page images;
- let you edit, search, archive, favorite, pin, merge, and export journals;
- run text recognition on imported or scanned pages;
- generate optional AI-assisted metadata or note improvements on supported devices;
- sync your journal library across your devices through iCloud and CloudKit when available and enabled;
- support related app features such as widgets and the share extension through a shared local app container.
- verify Pro access, restore purchases, and apply the same access status across related app components.
Purchases and Subscription Status
Journal Mate uses Apple's StoreKit services to check purchase and subscription status, verify access to Pro, and restore purchases. Apple handles App Store billing and processes purchase information under its own terms and privacy disclosures.
The app keeps a local access-status snapshot in its shared app container so related app components can apply the same access rules.
OCR and AI Features
- OCR is used to detect text from images that you import or scan.
- On supported Apple devices and supported languages, the app can use Apple Intelligence / Foundation Models features to suggest titles, summaries, tags, and cleaned-up note text.
- These features may not be available on all devices, languages, or operating system configurations.
- OCR and AI output can be inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading, so you should review generated output before relying on it.
Based on the current implementation, these intelligence features are designed to use Apple's on-device model capabilities available through the operating system.
iCloud Sync and Apple Services
If you use iCloud Sync, your journal library may be stored and synchronized through Apple's CloudKit and related iCloud services under your Apple account.
When you use Apple system features such as iCloud, Photos, Camera, Files, document scanning, widgets, or Apple Intelligence, Apple may process information according to Apple's own terms, privacy disclosures, and device settings.
If iCloud is unavailable, restricted, or turned off, Journal Mate may continue to work locally on your device, but syncing across devices may be limited or unavailable.
Software Components and On-Device Processing
Journal Mate uses Apple frameworks and third-party software components, including ZIPFoundation for ZIP exports. Image editing and text recognition are performed on the device; these operations do not require uploading your pages to a Journal Mate server.
Website Links, YouTube, Maps, and Media Discovery
Some features connect to online services. Saving or viewing a website link may request page metadata, preview images, or web content from the linked website and its content providers.
YouTube links can contact YouTube while preparing previews during import, as well as during playback. Maps and routes use Apple MapKit; resolving or opening a shared map link may also contact the original map provider.
GIF, sticker, and clip discovery uses KLIPY through a Journal Mate proxy. Requests include search terms, language or region settings, and parameters used to load results. The proxy processes IP addresses for rate limiting. Preview images and selected media may download directly from the provider's servers.
These connections send the information needed for the request to the relevant service. Embedded web content may use the provider's own storage and privacy practices. Those services process information under their own privacy policies. This is separate from Journal Mate's local editing and library storage.
Public Website Analytics
The public Journal Mate website uses Google Analytics to help measure site traffic and interactions, such as visits and clicks on App Store or contact links.
Google Analytics may use cookies and process browser or device information, page activity, and information about how you reached the site. Website analytics is separate from the storage of your journal library in the app.
Data Sharing
We do not sell your personal information. Journal Mate does not use third-party advertising SDKs inside the app to profile you or track your behavior across apps or websites. Information is shared only as needed for the services and situations described below:
- with Apple, when you choose to use Apple platform services such as iCloud, CloudKit, Photos, Files, Camera, widgets, or Apple Intelligence features;
- with service providers that help us measure aggregate traffic and page performance on the public Journal Mate website, such as Google Analytics;
- when you explicitly export, share, or send content outside the app;
- when required by applicable law, regulation, legal process, or enforceable governmental request;
- when necessary to protect the rights, safety, integrity, or security of users, the app, or others.
- with websites, YouTube, map providers, KLIPY, and related content providers when you use the corresponding link, preview, map, route, or media-discovery feature;
Data Retention
Journal Mate generally keeps your information until you delete it, remove the app, remove local data, or disable related Apple storage and sync services.
If your information is synchronized through iCloud, copies may remain in your iCloud account and backups until you remove them through Apple-controlled systems.
Security
We aim to protect your information through Apple's platform security features and the app's storage design. However, no device, app, storage system, sync system, or transmission method can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
You are responsible for maintaining appropriate security for your device, Apple account, passcode, backups, and access to any exported files.
Your Choices
You can:
- choose whether to scan, import, export, or share content;
- decide whether to enable and use iCloud on your device;
- review and delete journals and pages inside the app;
- remove the app's local data from your device;
- control system permissions such as Camera and Photos access in iOS Settings.
Children's Privacy
Journal Mate is not designed as an online service directed to children and does not knowingly collect personal information from children through a proprietary backend service. Parents and guardians are responsible for supervising how minors use the app and any device-level Apple services connected to it.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we may revise the effective date and publish the updated version within the app or through another appropriate product surface.