Privacy Policy

Introduction

Coast Guard Exams ("we," "our," or "us") is a maritime exam preparation app that helps users study for United States Coast Guard licensing examinations. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle information when you use our mobile application on iOS, Android, and the web.

Information We Do Not Collect

We do not collect, store, or transmit any of the following:

• Your name or contact information (unless you choose to include your email address in a message to us — see Contact the Developer below)
• Precise or GPS location data
• Photos, files, or other personal content
• Your exam answers, scores, or study history
• Advertising identifiers (the app does not collect the Android advertising ID or Apple’s IDFA, and does not track you across other apps or websites)

The app requires no account and no sign-in.

Data Stored on Your Device

Your study data is stored locally on your device and never transmitted to our servers. This includes:

• Exam scores and test history
• Bookmarked questions
• Study mode preferences and progress
• App settings

This data remains on your device and is not accessible to us. You can delete this data at any time by uninstalling the app or clearing app data through your device settings.

Information Sent From the App

Beyond purchases (see Third-Party Services), the app sends three kinds of information off your device:

Usage Analytics (Google Analytics for Firebase)

We use Google Analytics for Firebase to understand how the app is used, so we can decide what to improve. It records:

• App interactions: a small, fixed set of events — an upgrade screen shown (and which screen showed it), a purchase started or completed, the rating prompt shown, a message sent through Contact the Developer, an update notice shown, and an exam passed — plus standard events such as first launch, app sessions, and screen views. Events never include your name, email address, message text, or exam answers.
• Identifiers: a random app-instance identifier created by Firebase when the app is installed. It is reset if you delete and reinstall the app.
• Device and app information: device model, operating-system version, app version, language setting, and an approximate (country- or city-level) location that Google derives from your IP address. Google does not provide us with your IP address.

Analytics data is pseudonymous: we see counts and trends, not who you are. It is kept for up to 14 months and then deleted automatically. It is not used for advertising or shared with advertisers. Google processes it on our behalf under the Firebase privacy and security terms.

Crash Reports (Firebase Crashlytics)

If the app crashes, Firebase Crashlytics sends us a crash report so we can find and fix the problem. A report contains the technical details of the crash (which part of the app failed), the device model, operating-system version, app version, free memory and disk space at the time, a random Crashlytics installation identifier, and the list of the app’s analytics events leading up to the crash. It contains no study data and no personal information. Crash reports are kept for 90 days and then deleted automatically.

Contact the Developer (Messages You Send Us)

Contact the Developer in the app lets you send us a general message, a feature request, or a bug report. Nothing is sent unless you tap Send. A message contains:

• The message text and its type (general, feature request, or bug report)
• Your email address, only if you enter one — optional for general messages (you can send anonymously) and required for feature requests and bug reports so we can reply
• Technical details that help us answer: the app version, operating-system version, device model, language setting, which screen you sent it from, and whether you have Pro

Messages are stored in our feedback database, hosted by our database provider, Supabase. They are read only by us, used only to answer you and improve the app, never sold or shared, and deleted on request (see Data Deletion).

Third-Party Services

Subscription Management (RevenueCat)

We use RevenueCat to process subscriptions and in-app purchases. When you subscribe or restore a purchase, RevenueCat processes information necessary for transaction management, including:

• Purchase transactions and subscription status
• Anonymous device identifiers for receipt validation
• Transaction history with Apple or Google

RevenueCat does not share your payment information with us. All payment processing is handled securely through Apple or Google. For more information about how RevenueCat handles data, please review their privacy policy at: https://www.revenuecat.com/privacy

Apple (iOS / macOS)

On Apple devices, payments are processed through Apple's App Store. We do not have access to your payment method, credit card number, or Apple ID. Apple's privacy policy applies to all payment transactions: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy

Google (Android)

On Android devices, payments are processed through Google Play. We do not have access to your payment method, credit card number, or Google account details. Google's privacy policy applies to all payment transactions: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Children's Privacy

Coast Guard Exams is designed for adults preparing for professional maritime licensing examinations. We do not knowingly collect information from children under the age of 13. If you believe a child has provided information through our app, please contact us so we can address the situation.

Data Security

Your local app data is protected by your device's built-in security features, including device passcode and encryption. Everything the app sends — purchase data, usage analytics, crash reports, and messages to us — is encrypted in transit (HTTPS/TLS). Our feedback database accepts new messages from the app but does not let the app read them back.

Data Deletion

You can request deletion of your data at any time. Here is how:

• Local app data: Delete all locally stored data (scores, bookmarks, progress, settings) by uninstalling the app or clearing app data through your device settings.
• Purchase and device data held by RevenueCat: Email us at [email protected] with the subject line "Data Deletion Request" and we will process your request within 30 days. This will delete your anonymous device identifier and purchase history from our third-party systems.
• Messages you sent through Contact the Developer: Email us at the same address with the subject line "Data Deletion Request", from the address you gave in your message (for an anonymous message, tell us roughly when you sent it and what it said). We will delete the message, including any email address you gave, within 30 days.
• Usage analytics and crash reports: These are pseudonymous and not linked to your name or email, so we cannot look them up for one person. They are deleted automatically after 14 months (analytics) and 90 days (crash reports). Reinstalling the app starts a new identifier.
• Subscription management: On iOS, manage or cancel your subscription through your Apple ID account settings. On Android, manage or cancel through Google Play Store subscription settings.

After deletion, your local app data, any messages you asked us to delete, and any associated device identifiers held by RevenueCat will be permanently removed. Purchase transaction records maintained by Apple or Google are subject to their respective retention policies.

Your Rights

You have full control over your data:

• Delete all local app data by uninstalling the app or clearing app data
• Request deletion of data held on our behalf by emailing [email protected]
• Manage your subscription through your Apple ID or Google Play account settings
• Request information about your RevenueCat data by contacting RevenueCat directly

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date.