Privacy Policy

Last Updated: October 3, 2026

RecipeScan ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application RecipeScan (the "App").

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By using the App, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

We collect information that you voluntarily provide when using the App:

  • Account Information: When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, and any profile information you choose to provide.
  • Recipe Data: Recipes you save, create, or import, including ingredients, instructions, and notes.
  • Personal Notes: Private notes you attach to recipes, individual ingredients, or individual steps. These are stored locally on your device.
  • Activity & Preferences: Recipes you have recently viewed and recipe creators you choose to follow, stored locally to personalize your experience.
  • Dietary Preferences: Information about your dietary restrictions, allergies, cooking skill level, and food preferences.
  • Family Profiles: If you create family member profiles, we collect names and dietary information (diets, allergies and disliked ingredients) so a recipe page can warn you when a dish conflicts with someone’s needs.
  • Feedback: Any feedback, comments, or support requests you submit.

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you use the App, we automatically collect certain information:

  • Device Information: Device type, operating system version, unique device identifiers, and mobile network information.
  • Usage Data: Features you use, recipes you view, time spent in the App, and interaction patterns.
  • Analytics & Diagnostic Data: Usage events, crash reports, and marketing attribution collected via analytics tools (Google Firebase, AppsFlyer) to improve the App and measure marketing. This may include device identifiers and, only with your permission via App Tracking Transparency, your advertising identifier.

1.3 Camera and Photo Access

With your permission, the App may access:

  • Camera: To scan ingredients in your kitchen using our AI recognition feature. Images are processed in real-time and are not stored on our servers.
  • Photo Library: To import recipes from screenshots or photos. These images are processed locally and only the extracted recipe data is stored.

1.4 Microphone Access

With your permission, the App may access your microphone for:

  • Voice Commands: Hands-free navigation during cooking mode. Voice data is processed in real-time and is not stored or transmitted to our servers.

1.5 Email Newsletter (Website Only)

If you enter your email address in a signup form on recipescannerapp.com, we collect that address, the date you subscribed, and a label identifying which of our websites you signed up from. Subscribing is entirely optional — nothing in the App or on this website is gated behind it.

  • What we send: Occasional emails about new cooking guides we publish and notable updates to RecipeScan. We do not send third-party advertising.
  • Who processes it: Our newsletter is operated by Mailchimp (Intuit Inc., United States), which stores the list and sends the emails on our behalf. See the Intuit Privacy Statement.
  • Unsubscribing: Every email contains a one-click unsubscribe link. You can also email us and we will remove you. Unsubscribing removes your address from the mailing list.
  • How long we keep it: Until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete it.
  • Separate from your account: This list is not linked to your in-App account or to any recipe, photo, or dietary data.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

  • Provide Services: To operate the App and provide personalized recipe recommendations, meal planning, and cooking assistance.
  • Personalization: To customize your experience based on your preferences, dietary needs, and cooking history.
  • AI Features: To power our AI-driven recipe generation, ingredient scanning, and pantry scanning features. Photos are processed in real-time and not retained.
  • Improvements: To analyze usage patterns and improve App features, performance, and user experience.
  • Communications: To send important updates about the App, respond to support requests, and (with your consent) send promotional content.
  • Security: To detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security issues.

3. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

  • Service Providers: We use third-party services (cloud hosting, analytics, AI processing) that may process data on our behalf. These providers are bound by confidentiality agreements.
  • Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, regulation, or legal process.
  • Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of the transaction.
  • With Your Consent: We may share information with your explicit consent.

Third-Party Services We Use

  • OpenAI: For AI-powered recipe generation, ingredient recognition, and meal calorie estimation. Data is processed according to OpenAI's privacy policy.
  • Cloudflare (Workers AI): Hosts our API proxy and runs an open-source language model (Meta Llama) for lighter text tasks, such as translation and parsing recipe text. The text sent for those tasks is processed on Cloudflare's network. See the Cloudflare Privacy Policy.
  • Google Firebase Analytics: To understand how features are used so we can improve the App.
  • Google Firebase Crashlytics: For crash reporting and diagnostics.
  • AppsFlyer: For marketing attribution and measurement. We ask your permission (App Tracking Transparency) before any tracking that uses your device's advertising identifier; if you decline, we do not access it.
  • Apple StoreKit: For subscription purchases and management.
  • YouTube: For in-app playback of trending recipe videos. No social-media account or API key is required from you to browse them.
  • Open Food Facts & nutrition databases: For barcode product lookups.
  • Mailchimp (Intuit): Operates our optional website email newsletter — it stores subscriber email addresses and sends the emails. Used only if you submit a signup form on our website; it is not part of the App. See the Intuit Privacy Statement.

4. Data Storage and Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information:

  • Data is encrypted in transit (TLS) and at rest.
  • We use Apple's Keychain for secure credential storage.
  • Access to personal data is restricted to authorized personnel only.
  • We regularly review and update our security practices.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. You can request deletion of your account and data at any time (see Section 6).

When you delete a recipe, it is moved to a "Recently Deleted" area stored locally on your device and retained for 30 days so you can restore it. After 30 days it is removed automatically, or sooner if you empty it manually.

5. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

  • Access: Request a copy of your personal data.
  • Correction: Request correction of inaccurate data.
  • Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data.
  • Data Portability: Request your data in a portable format.
  • Opt-Out: Opt out of marketing communications at any time.
  • Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for optional data processing.

6. Account Deletion

You can delete your account and all associated data at any time:

  1. Open RecipeScan and go to Settings
  2. Tap on "Account"
  3. Select "Delete Account"
  4. Confirm your decision

Upon deletion, all your personal data, recipes, meal plans, and preferences will be permanently removed from our servers within 30 days. Some anonymized, aggregated data may be retained for analytics purposes.

7. Children's Privacy

RecipeScan is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

8. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for such transfers in compliance with applicable data protection laws.

9. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

  • Right to know what personal information is collected
  • Right to know whether personal information is sold or disclosed
  • Right to say no to the sale of personal information
  • Right to access your personal information
  • Right to equal service and price

We do not sell personal information to third parties.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy in the App and updating the "Last Updated" date. Your continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

By using RecipeScan, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.