What we collect, what we don't.

Effective date: 17 May 2026 · Version 2.1

Short version. We do not collect, transmit, or sell any personal data from inside the app. Everything you create in Vow stays on your device. The one piece of personal information we do collect is your email — only if you fill out the beta application form on this website, and only to send you a TestFlight invitation and one feedback form after 7 days.

Information we do NOT collect

Vow does not collect, store on remote servers, or transmit:

Your name, email address, phone number, or any other identifying information (except the email on the beta form — see below)
Your activity history, challenge progress, or askesis records
Your location, advertising device identifiers, or behavioural analytics
Your photos, except as described below for visualization images stored locally
Any biometric data
Your contacts, calendar, or any other system data

The app does not run analytics SDKs. No Mixpanel, Amplitude, Firebase Analytics, AppsFlyer, Adjust, or similar. No advertising integrations. We do not sell, rent, or share data with third parties — because we don't have your data to share.

Information stored locally on your device

The following information is stored only on your iPhone or iPad and never leaves the device:

Your chosen age mode (13–17 or 18+)
Your optional first name (if you provide one)
Your active challenges and askesis with progress and check-in history
Your completion certificates and result statistics
Your interface preferences (language, theme, notification settings)
Visualization images you choose to attach to an askesis (stored in the app's local sandbox)

This data is stored using standard iOS storage APIs (UserDefaults, local file system, sandboxed app container). It is automatically deleted when you uninstall the app.

Paired Askesis and CloudKit

If you choose to start a Paired Askesis (a shared commitment with another Vow user), Vow uses Apple's CloudKit to coordinate between the two devices. In this case:

A randomized anonymous participant identifier is generated on your device
The askesis title, duration, and stake amount are stored in your iCloud public database
Your partner's anonymous identifier is linked to your askesis record after they join

We do not see this CloudKit data. It is stored within your iCloud account under Apple's privacy guarantees. You can delete it at any time by using the Delete all data function in Settings (see below), which also attempts to wipe related CloudKit records. Paired Askesis works only between two Apple devices.

Push notifications

Vow can send local push notifications to remind you about your check-in window and a daily digest. These notifications are scheduled and delivered entirely on your device using iOS UNUserNotificationCenter. They are not sent through our servers. We have no servers.

You can enable or disable notifications at any time:

During first launch via the in-app permission primer
In iOS Settings → Notifications → Vow
Inside the Vow app: Settings → Notifications

In-app purchases

Vow uses Apple's StoreKit for paid features (paid Day Transfer on Basic and Hard challenges, askesis stake confirmation). Payments are processed entirely by Apple under Apple's privacy and terms. Vow does not receive your payment card data. We receive only the result of the transaction (success or failure) and the product identifier.

The beta application form on this website

To participate in the TestFlight beta, you fill out a short form on Tally. In that form we ask for your email. This is the only personal data we collect, and we use it for exactly two purposes:

To send you the TestFlight invitation.
To send you one short feedback form approximately 7 days after you accept the invitation.

That's it. We do not add you to a newsletter. We do not share your email with third parties. We do not use your email for advertising. We do not match it against any other database.

Where the beta-form data lives

Tally is a Belgian company, GDPR-compliant, with servers in Germany. Form responses sit on Tally's infrastructure. We export responses periodically and keep a local copy in our encrypted project storage.

How long we keep your beta email

We keep your email until one of two things happens, whichever comes first:

You ask us to delete it.
Twelve months pass after you submit the form, with no further communication from us. After that, we delete your record automatically.

Cookies and tracking on this website

This website does not set any tracking cookies. We use Cloudflare Web Analytics, a privacy-preserving aggregate analytics service. It counts page views, referrers, and country-level origins without setting cookies, without identifying individual visitors, and without building behavioural profiles. We do not embed Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, or any other behavioural tracker. The only external resources loaded are Google Fonts (Cormorant Garamond, Inter), the Cloudflare Web Analytics beacon, and the Tally form embed when you click "Apply to the beta".

Your rights and controls

Delete all data in the app — Settings → Privacy → Delete all data. This wipes everything on your device — active commitments, history, certificates, settings, paired askesis records — and attempts to remove related CloudKit records if any exist.
Delete your beta email from our records — write to [email protected] with the subject "Delete my data" and the email address you used in the form. We delete the record within 7 days and write back to confirm.
Disable notifications — any time in iOS Settings or in-app Settings.
Stop using Vow — uninstall the app. All local data is removed by iOS.

Children's privacy

Vow has an age gate during onboarding. Users under 13 are not granted access. Users 13–17 receive a restricted "Basic mode" without monetary mechanics. Vow does not knowingly collect data from anyone, regardless of age, because Vow does not collect personal data inside the app at all. Beta testers must be 18 or older — the beta form on this website has an age check.

Health and medical disclaimer

Vow is not a medical service, not a healthcare provider, and not a substitute for professional advice. Hints and tips inside the app are about discipline and behaviour, not about diagnosing, treating, or preventing any condition. If you have addictions, eating disorders, chronic conditions, or are pregnant — consult a qualified professional before starting an askesis. If you experience concerning physical or mental symptoms — stop the practice and seek medical help.

Changes to this Policy

If we update this Privacy Policy, the new version will be published at the same URL with an updated effective date and version number. Material changes will be reflected in the app's update release notes.

Contact

Anton Kremer, founder of Vow.
Email: [email protected]