PeelBook

PeelBook Privacy Policy

Last Updated: August 10, 2026

PeelBook ("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 ("App"). By using the App, you consent to the practices described herein.

1. Information We Collect

a. Information You Provide

• First name and last name
• Phone number (used for SMS verification)
• Email address (if provided during registration or OAuth sign-in)
• Password (stored in encrypted/hashed form)
• Profile photo (optional, if you upload one)
• Recipes you post, including names, ingredients, steps, and photos
• Direct messages you send, including any recipes or grocery carts you share in them
• Dietary preferences and dietary style
• Food allergies and intolerances
• Cuisine preferences
• Cooking skill level
• Budget preferences
• Preferred grocery store
• Measurement unit preference (metric/imperial)

b. Information Collected Automatically

• Device identifier (for guest functionality and analytics)
• Device type and operating system
• App usage data and interaction patterns
• Recipe browsing and liking activity
• Social activity (follows, followers, likes on recipes and messages)
• In-app notification records and their read state
• Device push notification token (only if you enable push notifications)
• Grocery list contents
• Location data (only when you choose to find nearby grocery stores)

c. Information from Third-Party Services

If you sign in using Apple or Google OAuth, we receive your name and email address as authorized by you through those services. We do not receive or store your Apple or Google passwords.

2. How We Use Your Information

• Create and manage your account
• Verify your phone number via SMS
• Personalize recipe recommendations based on your dietary preferences, allergies, cuisine interests, skill level, and budget
• Generate and manage grocery lists
• Facilitate grocery ordering through Instacart
• Generate AI-powered health summaries for ingredients
• Find nearby grocery stores based on your location
• Display your public profile and posted recipes to other users
• Deliver direct messages, message requests, and shared recipes and carts between users
• Show in-app notifications and send push notifications you have enabled (such as meal reminders and activity alerts)
• Send account emails such as verification codes
• Improve and optimize the App's features and performance
• Communicate with you about your account and service updates
• Sync your data across devices when you are logged in

3. Third-Party Services and Data Sharing

We share your information with third-party service providers only as necessary to operate the App. We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

a. Instacart (via the Instacart Developer Platform)

When you use the grocery ordering feature, your grocery list items (ingredient names and quantities) are shared with Instacart via the Instacart Developer Platform to facilitate your order. Instacart is a technology platform that connects you with independent third-party personal shoppers. Instacart's collection, use, and protection of your information is governed by Instacart's own Privacy Policy (available at instacart.com). PeelBook does not receive or store information about your Instacart account, payment methods, or order history.

b. Twilio

Your phone number is shared with Twilio solely for the purpose of sending SMS verification codes during account registration. Twilio's handling of your phone number is subject to Twilio's Privacy Policy.

c. Google Places

When you search for nearby grocery stores, your approximate location is shared with Google Places API to return relevant results. Google's handling of location data is subject to Google's Privacy Policy.

d. OpenAI

Ingredient and recipe data may be sent to OpenAI's API to generate health benefit summaries and enhance recipe content. No personally identifiable information is sent to OpenAI. OpenAI's handling of data is subject to OpenAI's Privacy Policy.

e. Apple and Google (Authentication)

If you sign in via Apple or Google, we receive limited profile information (name, email) as authorized by you. We do not have access to your Apple or Google account beyond what you authorize.

f. Resend (Email Delivery)

If you provide an email address, it is shared with Resend, our email delivery provider, solely to send you verification codes and account-related emails. Resend's handling of data is subject to Resend's Privacy Policy.

g. Push Notification Services

If you enable push notifications, your device's push notification token is shared with Apple's push notification service and Expo's push delivery service to deliver notifications (such as meal reminders) to your device. You can disable push notifications at any time in your device settings.

4. Community Content, Messages, and Visibility

Recipes you post are public: they appear to other users together with your name and profile photo. Your profile — name, photo, follower and following counts, and posted recipes — is visible to other users. You can limit what else appears on your profile (such as liked recipes, order history, preferences, and who you follow) using the privacy controls in Settings.

Direct messages are private between you and the recipient. Message content, including shared recipes and carts and message likes, is stored on our servers so conversations can be delivered and shown on your devices. Deleting a conversation removes it from your view; the other participant keeps their copy, as is standard for messaging services. If you block someone, they can no longer message you. When you delete your account, your posted content and messages are deleted or anonymized as described in Data Retention below.

5. Data Storage and Security

Your account data, posted recipes, uploaded photos, direct messages, and notification records are stored in secure PostgreSQL databases and on our servers. Passwords are encrypted using bcrypt hashing. Profile data and preferences are stored locally on your device and synced to our servers when you are logged in.

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including encrypted data transmission (HTTPS/TLS), secure session management, and access controls. However, no method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with our services. If you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal data — including your profile, posted recipes, uploaded photos, and direct messages associated with your account — within 30 days, except where retention is required by law or for legitimate business purposes. Verification codes are automatically deleted after they expire or are used.

7. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, or export your personal data, opt out of certain processing, and withdraw consent. To exercise these rights, please contact us through the App's feedback feature. We will respond within 30 days or as required by applicable law.

8. Location Data

The App may request access to your device's location services to find nearby grocery stores. Location data is only collected when you actively use the store finder feature and is not continuously tracked or stored on our servers. You can disable location access through your device settings at any time.

9. Children's Privacy

The App is not intended for use by children under the age of 13 (or the applicable age of digital consent in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

10. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

The App uses local storage and session tokens to maintain your login session and preferences. We do not use third-party tracking cookies or advertising trackers. Analytics data collected is used solely to improve the App's functionality and user experience.

11. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence, including the United States, where our servers and third-party service providers are located. By using the App, you consent to the transfer of your information to these countries.

12. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to know what personal information we collect and how it is used, request deletion of your personal information, opt out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information), and non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights. To exercise these rights, please contact us through the App.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy within the App and on this page, and updating the "Last Updated" date.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us through the App's feedback feature or at the contact information provided within the App.