Privacy Policy

July 18, 2026

instead is a personal commitment and screen-time awareness app. We help you track recurring commitments, block distracting apps, and receive gentle reminders — so you spend more time on what matters.

We collect only what is needed to run the service:

• Account information: email address and authentication credentials when you sign up or sign in. If you use Google sign-in, we receive the email and profile information you authorize through Google.
• Commitment data: the habits, goals, frequency, and check-in history you create in the app.
• Screen-block data: the apps you choose to block, your daily screen-time goals, and interruption thresholds.
• Check-in preferences: the time you choose for your evening check-in and whether notifications are enabled.
• Device and usage data: basic device information needed to deliver notifications and screen-time features. We do not track your activity across other apps or websites for advertising purposes.

• To provide and maintain your instead account and data.
• To show your commitments, streaks, and insights.
• To send the gentle reminders and check-ins you configure.
• To enforce screen-time limits and interruptions you set.
• To respond to your support or privacy requests.

We process your personal information to perform our contract with you (providing the instead service) and based on your consent where required, such as for notifications. You can withdraw consent at any time in your device or app settings.

We do not sell your personal information. We share data only with service providers who help us operate the app:

• Lovable Cloud — hosts our backend, database, and authentication infrastructure.
• Google — if you choose "Continue with Google," Google processes your sign-in credentials under their privacy policy.

instead uses essential cookies and local storage to keep you signed in and remember your theme preference. We do not use advertising or analytics cookies.

We keep your information for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we remove your personal data from our live systems within a reasonable period and purge backups according to our standard retention schedule.

We use industry-standard measures to protect your data, including encryption in transit, row-level access controls in the database, and secure authentication. No system is completely secure, so we encourage you to use a strong, unique password.

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate information.
• Delete your account and associated data.
• Export your data or restrict certain processing.

To exercise these rights, contact us at caprice@useinstead.app.

instead is intended for users 16 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

We may update this policy as the app evolves. When we make material changes, we will update the effective date at the top of this page. Continued use of instead after changes means you accept the updated policy.

Questions about this privacy policy? Email caprice@useinstead.app.