Privacy Policy
Last updated: 17 October 2026
Welcome to Gobble Guide (“we,” “our,” or “us”). Your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our app, website, and related services (collectively, the “Services”).
By using Gobble Guide, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our Services.
1. Information We Collect
We collect the following types of information:
a. Information You Provide
When you use our Services, you may provide information such as:
- Name and contact details (e.g., email address)
- Account credentials
- Payment or billing details (if applicable)
- Feedback, support requests, or other communications
- Recipe content you import, including links you paste or share into the App, and photos or screenshots you select or take for recipe import
- Photos you take with your camera or choose from your photo library (for recipe photos and your profile picture)
b. Automatically Collected Information
When you use Gobble Guide, we may automatically collect:
- Device and browser information
- App usage data (pages viewed, time spent, actions taken)
- Log data and crash reports
- Feature usage counters, such as how many direct recipe imports you have used this week, and how often usage limits or the free-trial button are reached. We use these to apply plan limits and understand how features are used.
- Your push notification token, so we can deliver notifications you have enabled
c. Cookies and Similar Technologies
We use cookies and similar tools to:
- Keep you signed in
- Remember preferences
- Analyze app and website performance
You can manage or disable cookies through your browser or device settings.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Provide, maintain, and improve our Services
- Personalize your user experience
- Respond to support requests
- Communicate updates, security alerts, and policy changes
- Analyze usage and improve features
- Apply plan limits and prevent abuse of import features
- Ensure compliance with legal obligations
We will only process your personal data when we have a legal basis to do so, such as your consent, our legitimate interests, or compliance with applicable laws.
3. How We Share Information
We do not sell your personal information.
We may share your data with:
- Service providers that help us operate our Services (e.g., hosting, analytics, or payment processors)
- AI processing: Google, for Direct import, as described in Section 4
- Email and messaging providers: Resend (account verification, password reset and other transactional emails) and Expo’s push notification service (notification delivery)
- Legal authorities, when required by law
- Business partners, in case of a merger, acquisition, or asset sale (we’ll notify you if this happens)
All third parties are required to protect your data and use it only as directed by us.
Third-Party Services and SDKs
We may use trusted third-party services (SDKs) to help us operate and improve Gobble Guide. These services may collect certain data as part of their functionality. Section 12 provides a list of the primary SDKs we use and their purposes. Each third-party SDK is integrated in accordance with their respective privacy policies and complies with applicable data protection laws.
4. Importing Recipes and AI Processing
Gobble Guide lets you import a recipe from a link or from photos and screenshots. How your information is handled depends on the method you choose.
Importing from links
When you paste or share a link, the App sends that link to our servers, which fetch the public text of the page on your behalf (for example a recipe page, or the title, description or caption of a YouTube, TikTok, Instagram or Pinterest post). That text is returned to your device. We do not use your login to those platforms, and we only read publicly available content. The platforms that host the link may log the request under their own privacy policies.
Importing from photos and screenshots
Text in your photos is read on your device using Google ML Kit text recognition. The images themselves are not uploaded for this step. Only the text extracted from them is used for import, and, if you choose Direct import, sent as described below.
Direct AI import (Google Gemini)
If you tap a Direct import, the recipe text extracted from your link or photos, together with your chosen settings (such as units and “rewrite in my own words”), is sent through our servers to Google Gemini (Google LLC), which returns a structured recipe that fills in the form.
- We send only the recipe text and your import settings. We do not send your name, email address, or account identifiers to Google.
- Google processes this text under its own terms.
- We do not store the text you send for import or Gemini’s response beyond what is needed to complete the request, other than the recipe you choose to save.
- We record that a direct import was completed so we can apply the weekly limit for free accounts.
Direct import is optional. You can instead use “Use my own AI”: the App creates a prompt that you copy and paste into an AI assistant of your choice, then paste the result back. In that case nothing is sent to Google Gemini by us, and the third-party assistant you choose handles the text under its own privacy policy.
AI-generated results may be inaccurate. Please review imported recipes before relying on them.
Sharing into the App
If you share a link or text into Gobble Guide from another app, we read only the first link in what you share to start an import. We do not access other content in the source app.
5. Data Retention
We keep your personal information only as long as necessary to:
- Provide our Services
- Comply with legal requirements
- Resolve disputes
- Enforce our agreements
When you delete your account, we delete your profile and the content you created, except copies in backups for a limited time and content other users have already saved.
When information is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it.
6. Data Security
We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your data, including:
- Encryption (where appropriate)
- Secure data storage
- Access controls and authentication
While we strive to protect your data, no system is 100% secure. You use Gobble Guide at your own risk.
7. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on your location, you may have the right to:
- Access and receive a copy of your personal data
- Correct inaccurate information
- Delete your account or data
- Withdraw consent at any time
- Object to or restrict certain processing
To exercise your rights, contact us at dev@gobbleguideapp.com. We will respond to all requests within the time period required by law.
8. Children’s Privacy
Gobble Guide is not intended for children under 13 (or the minimum age in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have collected data from a child without parental consent, we will delete it.
9. International Data Transfers
We are based in South Africa, and our service providers (including Google, Firebase, RevenueCat, Resend and Expo) process data in other countries, including the United States. If you access Gobble Guide from outside South Africa, your information may be transferred and processed in other countries. Where required, we rely on safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top. Significant changes will be communicated via in-app notice, email, or website banner.
11. Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
Gobble Guide Email: dev@gobbleguideapp.com
12. Third-Party SDKs and Services
Gobble Guide is built using the Expo and React Native frameworks, which include various open-source libraries and third-party SDKs. Most of these components run locally on your device and do not collect or transmit personal information. However, some services we integrate with may process limited user data as described below.
| SDK / Service | Purpose | Data Collected / Processed | Privacy Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expo SDK (Expo Platform APIs) | Core app framework providing access to device features such as image picker, camera, splash screen, and app updates. | May access device hardware (camera, photo library, storage) only when you grant permission. Expo’s push notification service receives your push token and notification content to deliver notifications. | Expo Privacy Policy |
| React Native | Core native UI runtime for Android and iOS apps. | No personal data collection; provides app interface and system integration. | Meta (React Native) Privacy Policy |
| React Navigation | Provides in-app navigation and routing. | No user data collected. | React Navigation Docs |
| React Native Reanimated / Gesture Handler / Vector Icons / WebView / Linear Gradient / Blur / System UI / Fonts / Linking / Image / Symbols / Constants / Splash Screen / Status Bar / Updates / Web Browser (Expo modules) | Provide app animations, gestures, icons, and system integrations. | No external data collection; only operate locally within the app. | Expo Privacy Policy |
Async Storage (@react-native-async-storage/async-storage) |
Local on-device storage for app preferences and cached data. | Stores data securely on the user’s device; not transmitted externally. | Async Storage Repository |
Firebase SDK (firebase) |
Used for app analytics, crash reporting, and authentication (if applicable). | May collect app usage events, device information, crash logs, or authentication data, depending on enabled Firebase features. | Firebase Privacy Policy |
| Firebase Admin SDK (server only) | Used on our servers for secure administration tasks such as managing users or processing server-side events. | Processes user data only on our servers; not included in the client app. | Firebase Privacy Policy |
| Firebase Authentication, Firestore, Storage and Cloud Functions | Accounts, app data, profile and recipe images, and server functions (import, limits, emails). | Stores account data and content you create; runs server-side import and limit checks. | Firebase Privacy Policy |
RevenueCat SDK (react-native-purchases) |
Manages in-app purchases and subscriptions through the App Store / Play Store. | Processes purchase history, subscription status, and related identifiers. | RevenueCat Privacy Policy |
| Google Gemini API | Direct AI recipe import. | Receives recipe text extracted from your link or photos plus import settings, only when you tap Direct import. No account identifiers are sent. [CONFIRM] | Gemini API Terms |
Google ML Kit Text Recognition (@react-native-ml-kit/text-recognition) |
Reads text from recipe photos and screenshots. | Runs on your device; images are not uploaded by this feature. | ML Kit Terms |
Expo Push Notifications (expo-notifications) |
Delivers push notifications. | Push token and notification content pass through Expo’s push service. | Expo Privacy Policy |
| Resend (server only) | Sends verification, password-reset and other transactional emails. | Processes your email address and message content to deliver email. | Resend Privacy Policy |
| Formspree | Handles the Contact Us form. | Receives the details you submit in the form. [CONFIRM: still used] | Formspree Privacy Policy |
| expo-share-intent, expo-image-picker, expo-image-manipulator, expo-mail-composer, expo-store-review | Receive shared links, select and resize photos, compose support emails, and show the native rating prompt. | Operate on your device. Ratings are handled by Apple or Google; we do not receive your review prompt history, which stays on your device. | Expo Privacy Policy |
| @shopify/flash-list | High-performance list rendering; improves UI performance. | No data collection. | Shopify Privacy Policy |
| csv-parser / AJV / schema-utils / ajv-keywords | Used for internal data parsing and validation. | Operate locally; do not transmit data externally. | AJV GitHub |
| Dev Tooling (EAS CLI, TypeScript, Babel, ESLint) | Used only during development and build processes. | No runtime data collection from users. | Expo EAS Privacy |
Thank you for trusting Gobble Guide. We’re committed to protecting your privacy and keeping your experience safe and transparent.