Your privacy is extremely important to us. Schema is an iOS app built with privacy by design: we do not track you, we do not collect personal information, and we strive to give you complete control over your data. This Privacy Policy explains in clear language how Schema handles your data, what little data is stored (all on your own device), how an optional sharing feature works, and how we comply with privacy laws like the GDPR and CCPA. We want you to understand our practices and feel confident that your information is safe with Schema.
In summary: Schema does not require any account or login, and we don't collect or send your personal data to our servers by default. All data you create in Schema stays on your device only. Data leaves your device only when you choose an optional network feature. Expiring links temporarily upload encrypted data that you select and delete it after expiration. If you enable table notifications, Schema registers an anonymous, encrypted Apple Push Notification service device token so our server can send a content-free background heartbeat. We do not use any third-party analytics or advertising providers, so your usage of Schema is not tracked.
By using Schema, you can be confident that your privacy is protected. Below we detail our privacy practices in full.
We do not collect any personal information from you when you use Schema. Our app does not request or track your name, email address, phone number, location, or any other personally identifiable information. In fact, Schema does not even have a sign-up or login—there is no account to create and no credentials needed to use the app.
We also do not gather any usage analytics, crash reports, or tracking data. We have intentionally chosen not to integrate any third-party analytics SDKs, advertising networks, or social media plugins. This means:
In short, Schema collects zero personal data by default. We cannot sell or share data that we never collect. We built Schema to operate entirely on-device for your privacy.
All information and content you create or store in Schema resides locally on your iPhone/iPad, under your control. We use Apple's iOS Data Protection features to secure your data on the device. This means that your app data is encrypted at rest by the operating system (protected by your device passcode/Touch ID/Face ID). In practice, this provides strong security: only you (or anyone with access to your device unlocked) can view the data in Schema. We do not have any access to the data on your device, and nothing is transmitted to us during normal usage.
Because data is stored only on your device, if you delete the app, the data is deleted from your device as well. (If you have iCloud backups or device backups that include Schema's data, those are stored by Apple under their privacy and security policies — Schema itself doesn't transmit any data to cloud backups on its own, beyond what iOS does if you have backups enabled.)
We encourage you to keep your device secure (use a strong passcode and the built-in encryption) to protect the data you store in Schema. Rest assured that Schema itself will not send your data anywhere without your explicit action.
When you enable a table notification, Schema registers an anonymous installation identifier and Apple Push Notification service device token with our server. This lets our server send a silent, content-free heartbeat that asks the app to check your configured databases locally. The heartbeat contains no database data and does not itself tell us whether anything changed.
Apple may delay or suppress background delivery based on system conditions. The app therefore also uses Apple's background app refresh and checks while open. Your database checks and the decision to display a notification always remain on your device.
Schema includes an optional feature that lets you share your data with others (or between your own devices) via an expiring link. This feature is completely voluntary and off by default – it only engages when you deliberately choose to generate a share link for some of your data. We designed this feature with privacy and security in mind. Here's how it works and what happens if you use it:
What we do not do with your shared data: We do not look at, use, or mine the data you temporarily upload. In fact, because it's encrypted, we couldn't read it even if we tried. The sole purpose of holding it is to enable you to share it with someone via the link you generated. We do not share that data with any third parties, we do not analyze it, and we don't use it for any secondary purpose. It remains your data entirely, just briefly stored on our server by your choice.
If you do not use the link sharing feature, no data is ever uploaded to us at all. If you do use it, the data you share is protected and short-lived. This feature is provided for your convenience, and we've built it to be as privacy-safe as possible.
Because Schema by default does not store your personal data on any server, we have very minimal data retention considerations. Here's how data deletion works in the different scenarios:
In summary, we keep user data only for as long as necessary to provide the service you request (if any). Once that purpose is fulfilled, the data is deleted. This approach not only protects your privacy but also helps us minimize risk, as there's no trove of personal data sitting on our servers.
Schema does not use any third-party services that would require sharing your information. We do not send your data to analytics providers, advertising networks, or data brokers. The app's functionality is self-contained, and any data processing is done on your device, not on remote servers managed by third parties.
In short, Schema does not hand out your data to others. The only exceptions would be if you direct us to (like using the share link to send data to someone) or if we are legally compelled for some reason. Even in the latter case, because of our no-collection approach, we likely wouldn't have anything personal to divulge.
We take security seriously and implement measures to protect your information:
By using strong encryption and minimizing data collection, Schema drastically reduces the typical risks associated with data breaches or misuse. We aim to give you peace of mind that your data is safe with us.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we update the policy, we will change the “Last updated” date at the top of this document. For significant changes, we will do our best to notify you through additional means – for example, via an in-app notification or a message on our website – so that you can review the changes. However, we encourage you to periodically review this Privacy Policy whenever you have questions about how we protect your privacy.
We're here to help and answer any questions you might have about your privacy and our app. If you have any questions or feedback about this Privacy Policy, want to know what (if any) information we have about you, need help deleting something, or wish to exercise any of your rights under privacy laws, or have concerns about how Schema handles data, please don't hesitate to contact us at: support@tryschema.com
We will respond as promptly as possible. Privacy is core to Schema's mission, and we value the trust you place in us. If something isn't clear in this policy or you need further information, let us know and we will clarify.
Thank you for using Schema. We appreciate the opportunity to protect your data and provide you with a useful app without compromising your privacy.