Overview
Penlock ("the App") is a private journaling application for iPhone, iPad and Android owned and operated by Sugoi Group LLC ("Sugoi Group," "we," "us," or "our"). We built Penlock with a single guiding principle: your journal is yours alone. This Privacy Policy explains how the App handles your data.
The short version: Penlock never sends your journal anywhere. The only data the App sends anywhere is what is needed to validate purchases and anonymous crash reports that help us fix bugs. Neither ever includes anything you write.
Data Collection
Penlock does not collect any personal data. Specifically:
- We do not collect your name, email address, or any personal identifiers
- We do not collect or transmit your journal entries, photos, tags, moods, or any content you create
- We do not use analytics or tracking pixels, and we do not track your usage of the App
- We do not use cookies or similar tracking technologies
- We do not collect device identifiers for advertising or profiling purposes, and the App shows no ads
The App does send limited technical data to two services, described below: RevenueCat (purchases) and Firebase Crashlytics (crash reports).
On-Device Storage
All data you create in Penlock — including journal entries, photos, tags, mood data, writing starters, and preferences — is stored exclusively on your device. Your journal never leaves your device through our App. There is no cloud sync and no account.
Device Backups
On iPhone and iPad, Penlock's data is included in device backups that you turn on yourself, such as iCloud Backup or an encrypted computer backup, like the data of your other apps. These backups are made and stored by Apple under its privacy policy, and we cannot access them.
On Android, Penlock excludes its data from Google's cloud backup. A direct device-to-device transfer, for example when you set up a new phone with a cable or nearby transfer, can copy Penlock's data to your new phone without going through the cloud.
Photos
When you attach photos to journal entries, those photos are stored locally on your device within the App's private data container. We do not upload, process, or transmit your photos to any server.
Journaling Suggestions (iPhone)
On iPhone, you can start an entry from Apple's Journaling Suggestions, which offers moments such as photos, places, workouts, and music. Apple prepares these suggestions on your device. Penlock receives only the suggestion you choose, and stores it with your entry on your device. Penlock cannot see the suggestions you do not pick.
Widgets
Penlock's Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets show your writing streak and On This Day memories. To do this, the App shares a small summary, such as counts and dates, with its widgets on your device. This summary stays on your device and is never uploaded.
Share Cards
Penlock can create cards that celebrate a writing streak or your year in Penlock. Cards are generated on your device and show only numbers, such as days, entries, and words — never what you wrote. A card is shared only if you choose to share it, and then it is subject to the privacy policies of whatever app or service you share it with.
Reminders
If you turn on daily writing reminders, they are scheduled as local notifications on your device. No server is involved.
Biometric Authentication
Penlock supports Face ID and Touch ID on iPhone and iPad, and fingerprint or face unlock on Android, for securing your journal. Biometric authentication is handled entirely by your device's operating system. We never access, store, or process your biometric data.
Purchase Validation
Penlock uses RevenueCat to manage in-app purchase validation. When you make a purchase or restore purchases, RevenueCat processes the transaction with the App Store or Google Play to verify your purchase. RevenueCat may receive:
- An anonymous app user ID (not tied to your personal identity)
- Transaction data from the App Store or Google Play for purchase validation
RevenueCat does not receive any of your journal content. For more information, see RevenueCat's Privacy Policy.
Crash Reports
Penlock uses Firebase Crashlytics, a service from Google, to receive a report when the App crashes, so we can find and fix bugs. A crash report may include:
- Technical details of the crash, such as the part of the App's code where it happened
- Your device model, operating system version, and App version
- A random identifier for this installation of the App, used to count how many installations a crash affects
- The time of the crash, and device state such as available memory and disk space
Crash reports do not include your journal entries, photos, tags, moods, or anything else you write, and they are not used to identify you, for advertising, or to track your usage. Google keeps crash reports for 90 days. Firebase Analytics usage collection is turned off in the App. For more information, see Privacy and Security in Firebase.
Server Communication
Other than purchase validation through RevenueCat and crash reports through Firebase Crashlytics, Penlock does not communicate with any servers. There are no accounts to create, no data to sync, and no servers that store your journal.
Data Export
Penlock allows you to export your journal entries. When you use the export feature, the exported file is generated locally on your device. How you choose to share or store that file afterward is under your control and subject to the privacy policies of whatever service you use.
Children's Privacy
Penlock is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone, including children. The App does not collect personal data from any user.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be reflected on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Since we don't collect contact information, we cannot notify you directly of changes — we encourage you to review this page periodically.
Contact
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or the App's privacy practices, you can reach us at: