Bookstore Companion — Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 2, 2026

Bookstore Companion (the "App") is published by Creative Sonar, LLC ("we," "us"). The App is designed to be used anonymously: there is no account and no sign-in. This policy explains the limited information the App handles, how it is used, and the choices you have.

Information the App handles

• Photos you take to scan. When you scan a shelf section or a book, the image is sent over HTTPS to our servers so it can be read (text recognition and identification). It is processed and then discarded — we do not keep your scan images on our servers. See "AI processing" below for the provider involved.
• A device identifier. The App generates a random, per-installation identifier stored on your device and sends it with requests to our scan service so we can apply fair per-device usage limits and prevent abuse. It is not your name, Apple ID, or any personal account — just a random value tied to the install.
• Subscription status. When you subscribe, Apple's StoreKit provides a signed receipt that we verify to confirm your subscription is active. We do not receive your payment card or Apple ID credentials — Apple handles the transaction.
• Your wishlist stays on your device. Books you save are stored locally on your device only. They are not uploaded to us.
• Diagnostic basics. Standard, non-identifying server logs (such as request times and error codes) used to operate and secure the service.

We do not use third-party advertising or analytics SDKs, we do not track you across other companies' apps or websites, and we do not sell your information.

AI processing

To read the books on a shelf from your scan, your image is processed by a third-party large-language-model and vision provider (Google's Gemini API) acting as our processor. The image is used only to generate your result and is not used by us or the provider to build a profile of you or to train models on your content. Suggestions of which books are well-regarded are generated from public and licensed information about the books, not about you.

How we use this information

• To provide the core features: reading a shelf and identifying books, giving honest verdicts, and keeping your local wishlist.
• To apply fair usage limits, verify subscriptions, and prevent abuse of the service.
• To operate, maintain, and secure the App and its backend.

Data retention and deletion

Scan images are not retained after they are processed. The device identifier and any usage counters associated with it are kept only as long as needed for usage limiting and are removed on our standard rotation. Because there is no account, deleting the App removes your local wishlist and the on-device identifier from your device.

Your choices and rights

• Use the App without providing any personal identity — there is no account to create.
• Delete your local wishlist and on-device identifier by deleting the App.
• Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under laws like the GDPR or CCPA; contact us to exercise them.

Children

Bookstore Companion is not directed to children under 13 (or the equivalent minimum age in your region) and we do not knowingly collect their personal information.

Security

We use HTTPS in transit and access controls on our backend. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, but we work to protect your information.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy; material changes will be reflected by updating the "Last updated" date and, where appropriate, an in-app notice.

Contact

Questions or requests: [email protected] — Creative Sonar, LLC. Bookstore Companion is a sibling to our cataloging app, Home Library Companion.