Privacy Policy

Effective 4 November 2026 · Applies to the Sayfarer app for Android and iOS (package design.concise.sayfarer) and this website.

The short version. Sayfarer has no accounts, no servers, no ads and no analytics. Your history and settings stay on your phone. When you use an AI feature, the audio, text or photo you chose is sent from your phone directly to Google's Gemini API using the API key you created, and is handled under Google's terms. We never see it.

1. Who we are

Sayfarer is made by Concise Web Design ("we", "us"), United Kingdom. Contact: admin@concise.design. For the purposes of UK and EU data protection law we are the controller only for data you send us directly, for example a support email. We do not operate any service that receives data from the app.

2. What the app processes, and where it goes

Data	When	Where it goes	Stored?
Microphone audio	While you use live translation, conversation mode, pronunciation checks or role-play	Sent from your phone directly to Google's Gemini API (generativelanguage.googleapis.com) with your own API key. In offline mode it is processed on the phone by your phone's speech engine and never leaves the device.	Not stored by Sayfarer. Short clips are kept in memory only while being processed.
Typed text	When you type something to translate	Google Gemini API (online) or on-device ML Kit packs (offline)	The translation is saved in your on-device history if "Save history automatically" is on.
Photos	Only when you choose Photo / menu translation and take or pick a picture	Google Gemini API	The photo is not stored. The resulting text can be saved to your history.
Audio files you import	Only when you choose Audio file translation	Google Gemini API; files over 18 MB are uploaded through Google's Files API, which deletes them automatically after 48 hours.	Not stored by Sayfarer.
Your API key	Entered once in Settings	Sent only to Google with each AI request, as an HTTP header.	Stored in your phone's secure keystore (Android Keystore / iOS Keychain).
History, favourites, collections, flashcards, settings, destination country, dietary needs	As you use the app	Nowhere. These never leave the phone.	Stored in a local database and preferences on the phone.
Exchange rates	When you open the currency converter	A request to open.er-api.com containing only your home currency code. No personal data.	Cached on the phone for 12 hours.
Offline language packs	When you download a pack	Downloaded from Google (ML Kit) to the phone.	Stored on the phone until you delete them.

Google processes AI requests under the Gemini API Terms of Service and Google Privacy Policy. On Google's free tier, Google may use submitted content to improve its products; if you prefer otherwise, enable billing on your Google AI Studio project, which switches to paid-tier terms. This is your choice and happens entirely in your Google account.

3. What we do not do

No user accounts, sign-in or profiles.
No analytics, crash reporting SDKs, advertising SDKs or tracking pixels in the app.
No servers of our own: the app talks only to Google (AI, offline packs) and open.er-api.com (exchange rates).
We never sell, share or receive your personal data.

4. Permissions and why we ask

Permission	Why
Microphone	Live translation, conversation mode, pronunciation checks and role-play. Only active while a listening screen is open.
Camera and photos	Photo / menu translation, only when you choose it.
Internet and network state	Talking to Google's AI, downloading offline packs, fetching exchange rates, and knowing when you are offline so the app can switch engines.
Bluetooth	So audio plays through connected headsets and speakers on older Android versions.
Vibrate	Haptic feedback, which you can switch off.
Keep screen on	Optional: keeps the screen awake while listening or in ambient learning mode.

5. Your choices and your data

Delete history: Settings › Data › Clear history, or delete individual items in Saved.
Remove your API key: Settings › Gemini API key › Remove my key.
Export your data: Settings › Data › Export all history (CSV), or export phrase sheets as PDF.
Delete everything: uninstall the app. Because nothing is stored outside your phone, uninstalling removes all Sayfarer data.
Work fully offline: use offline packs and the bundled phrasebook; nothing is sent anywhere.

6. Children

Sayfarer is a general-audience travel tool and is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone, including children. Google AI Studio keys require a Google account that meets Google's age requirements.

7. Security

All network traffic uses HTTPS. Your API key is held in the platform secure storage. Because we hold no copy of your data, there is nothing on our side to breach.

8. International transfers

Google may process AI requests on servers outside your country, including the United States, under Google's own safeguards. No data is transferred to or by us.

9. Changes

If this policy changes, the new version will be published at this address with a new effective date, and the app's About screen links here.

10. Contact

Questions or requests: admin@concise.design. You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk) or your local data protection authority.