Cheqmate Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 13, 2026

Cheqmate ("we", "our", or "us") is a mobile application that helps friends split expenses and discover places to visit together. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information.

1. Information We Collect

Account Information

• Phone number — Used to create your account and verify your identity via SMS.
• Display name and profile photo — Set by you to help friends recognize you.

Transaction Data

• Expense details — Amounts, descriptions, and split information you enter when dividing bills with friends.
• Receipt images — Photos of receipts you upload for itemized splitting. These are processed to extract line items and are stored securely.

Contacts

• Phone contacts — Accessed only when you choose to invite friends. We do not store your full contact list; we use it only to match existing Cheqmate users and send invitations you initiate.

Location Data

• Device location — Used to show nearby restaurants and stores, and to provide location-relevant recommendations. Location is only accessed when you actively use location-based features. We store an approximate location (geohash) for recommendation purposes, not precise GPS coordinates.

Photos and Camera

• Camera access — Used when you take a photo of a receipt or set a profile picture.
• Photo library access — Used when you select an existing photo for your profile or upload a receipt image.

Usage Data

• App interactions — We collect anonymized analytics about how you use Cheqmate (screens viewed, features used) to improve the app. We use Amplitude for analytics with IP address tracking disabled.
• Error reports — We use Sentry to collect crash reports and error logs to fix bugs and improve reliability. These may include device type, OS version, and error stack traces.

2. How We Use Your Information

• Core functionality — Processing expense splits, tracking balances, and managing settlements between you and your friends.
• Recommendations — Suggesting places to visit with friends based on your shared dining history and location.
• Notifications — Sending push notifications about new splits, payment reminders, and recommendations (you can disable these in device settings).
• Account verification — Verifying your phone number via SMS during sign-up and login.
• Improving Cheqmate — Analyzing aggregated usage patterns to improve features and fix issues.

3. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate Cheqmate:

• Twilio — Sends SMS verification codes for account authentication.
• Google Places API — Provides store and restaurant information (names, addresses, photos, ratings) for transaction matching and recommendations.
• Amplitude — Anonymized product analytics (IP address tracking is disabled).
• Sentry — Error tracking and crash reporting.
• Expo Push Notification Service — Delivers push notifications to your device.
• Supabase Storage — Securely stores uploaded receipt images and profile photos.

Each third-party service operates under its own privacy policy. We only share the minimum data necessary for each service to function.

4. Data Storage and Security

• Your data is stored in a secured PostgreSQL database hosted on Railway with encrypted connections (SSL).
• Authentication tokens (JWT) are used to protect your account and expire regularly.
• Sensitive credentials are stored using on-device secure storage (Keychain on iOS).
• We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties.

5. Data Retention

• Your account data is retained as long as your account is active.
• If you delete your account, your personal data (profile, phone number) is removed. Transaction records shared with other users may be retained in anonymized form so their balances remain accurate.
• Cached store information (from Google Places) is retained for up to 90 days before being refreshed.

6. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access your personal data by viewing your profile and transaction history in the app.
• Correct your information by editing your profile.
• Delete your account and associated personal data by contacting us.
• Opt out of push notifications through your device settings.
• Revoke permissions for camera, contacts, and location through your device settings at any time.

7. Children's Privacy

Cheqmate is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes through the app or via push notification. Your continued use of Cheqmate after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

9. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or want to exercise your data rights, contact us at:

Email: privacy@cheqmate.net