Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 8, 2026

GardenCal ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information is collected when you use the GardenCal app, how it is used, and who it is shared with.

Information We Collect

GardenCal is designed to collect only what is needed to generate your garden calendar:

• ZIP code — you enter this voluntarily. It is sent to our server and to third-party services to determine your USDA hardiness zone and your city name.
• Plant names — the plants you enter are sent to our server and to third-party AI and plant data services to generate your personalized care calendar.
• IP address — your device's IP address is logged by our server to enforce fair-use limits (a maximum of 3 free calendars per day). IP addresses are not linked to any personal identity and are not shared with third parties.

Information We Do Not Collect

• We do not require account creation or login.
• We do not collect your name or email address.
• We do not collect precise location data — only the ZIP code you type in.
• We do not use advertising networks, behavioral tracking, or analytics SDKs.
• We do not sell your data.

How We Use Your Information

• ZIP code — used to look up your city name and USDA hardiness zone.
• Plant names + ZIP code — sent to an AI service to generate your 12-month care calendar. This data is used only to fulfill your request and is not retained by us after your session ends.
• IP address — used only to enforce the daily generation limit. Not used for any other purpose.

Third-Party Services

GardenCal uses the following third-party services to function. Each receives limited data as described:

• Anthropic API — receives your ZIP code and plant names to generate your calendar using AI. Anthropic's privacy policy is available at anthropic.com/privacy.
• Flora API — receives your ZIP code and a plant name to determine your USDA hardiness zone. Flora's privacy policy is available at their website.
• Zippopotam.us — receives your ZIP code to return your city and state name. No account or key is required; this is a free public service.

GardenCal does not integrate any advertising, crash reporting, or behavioral analytics SDKs.

In-App Purchases

GardenCal offers an optional one-time purchase to unlock an additional 11 months of plant care, giving you a complete 12-month calendar. All payments are processed by Apple through the App Store. We do not receive or store your payment information. Apple's privacy policy governs any data collected during the purchase process.

Children's Privacy

GardenCal does not knowingly collect any information from children under 13. The app does not target children and contains no child-directed content.

Data Retention

Your ZIP code and plant names are used to generate your calendar and are not stored on our servers after your request is complete. IP addresses used for rate limiting are held in temporary server memory and are cleared whenever the server restarts. We do not maintain a persistent database of user requests.

California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to know what personal information we collect, request deletion of your personal information, and opt out of the sale of your personal information. GardenCal does not sell personal information. To exercise your rights, contact us at support@gardencal.app.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please email us at support@gardencal.app or visit our Support page.