Privacy policy
This policy covers the PianoKite app for Android (and iOS, when released) and this website. PianoKite is made by an independent developer, referred to here as "we". In short: you can use the app without an account; if you create one, we store your songs and progress so they sync between your devices; we don't show ads, don't track you across apps or sites, and don't sell or share your data.
Using the app without an account
Sign-in is optional. As a guest, your songs, imported MIDI files, practice settings and progress are stored only on your device. We don't receive them.
Even as a guest, the app downloads the library's index and, when you open a library piece, its MIDI file from our servers (Google Cloud Firestore). Like any internet request, these reach Google's servers along with your device's IP address; we don't use them to identify you.
If you create an account
You can sign in with Google or with an email address and password. Accounts are handled by Firebase Authentication, a Google service. When you're signed in we store:
- Account details: your name, email address and profile photo (from Google, or the name you enter), and when the account was created and last signed in.
- Your repertoire: the songs you've added, with their title, source, practice settings, per-bar progress, learned percentage, number of runs and practice time.
- Imported MIDI files: MIDI files you open in the app are uploaded to your account (up to 900 KB each) so they're available on your other devices.
This data is stored in Google Cloud Firestore (Europe multi-region, eur3) and is only accessible to your account: security rules let each signed-in user read and write only their own documents. We use it only to provide the sync feature. We may access it only to keep the service running or fix a problem you report.
Firebase also keeps security logs and the technical data needed to sign you in (for example, the IP address of a sign-in), as described in Firebase's privacy information.
Microphone
If you turn on microphone input (to play an acoustic piano or a piano without MIDI), the app listens to your playing to recognise the notes. The audio is analysed on your device only. It is not recorded, stored or uploaded. The app listens only while it's open in the foreground and the microphone mode is on, and it stops when a MIDI piano is connected. You can revoke the microphone permission at any time in Android settings.
Bluetooth and USB
The app uses Bluetooth to find and connect to Bluetooth MIDI pianos, and USB to connect to USB MIDI pianos. Android may describe the Bluetooth permission as "nearby devices" or, on older versions, "location", because Bluetooth scans can in principle reveal location. The app uses it only to find your piano. It doesn't use your location and doesn't send information about nearby devices anywhere.
Practice data on your device
The app keeps the notes you played in recent runs, so it can show a review and compare runs. These stay on your device and are not uploaded.
Purchases
Subscriptions, when available, will be sold through Google Play (and the App Store on iOS). Payment is handled entirely by Google or Apple; we never see your card details. We receive only what's needed to unlock your plan, such as the subscription status. We may use a subscription-management service (RevenueCat) to verify purchases; if we do, this policy will be updated to name it.
The early-access list
If you sign up for early access on this website, we store your email address, the page you signed up from, your browser's language setting and the time you signed up, in Google Cloud Firestore. We use it only to email you when the app is available (and, at most, to tell you about a major release). You can ask us to remove it at any time; see "Contact" below.
This website
The website is hosted on Firebase Hosting. It uses no cookies, no analytics and no advertising trackers. The hosting provider keeps standard server logs (such as IP addresses and the pages requested) for security and operations. If you sign up for early access, a small flag is saved in your browser's local storage so the form remembers you signed up; it isn't sent anywhere.
What we don't do
- No advertising, no ad networks, no advertising identifiers.
- No selling or renting of personal data, and no sharing with third parties for their own purposes.
- No analytics or crash-reporting SDKs in the app.
Service providers
We use Google (Firebase Authentication, Cloud Firestore and Firebase Hosting, part of Google Cloud) as a processor to store and serve data on our behalf. Google processes this data under its data processing terms. Data may be processed outside your country, including in the United States, with the safeguards those terms provide.
How long we keep data
- Account data: until you delete your account.
- Early-access emails: until the app is released and we've sent the announcement, or until you ask us to remove yours, whichever comes first.
- Server logs: as long as Google keeps them for the services above.
Deleting your data
You can delete your account in the app: open the account button on the My songs screen, then choose Delete account. This permanently deletes your account and everything stored in it (your profile, songs, progress and imported MIDI files) from our servers and from that device. See how to delete your account for details. Data stored only on a device as a guest is removed by uninstalling the app or clearing its data.
Your rights
Depending on where you live (for example, under the GDPR in the EU and UK), you have the right to access, correct, export or delete your personal data, to object to or restrict its processing, and to complain to your local data protection authority. Most of this you can do directly in the app; for anything else, contact us.
Children
The app can be used by children without an account. Creating an account is intended for users who are old enough to consent under their local law (or with a parent's permission). We don't knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 without parental consent; if you believe we have, contact us and we'll delete it.
Changes
If we change this policy, we'll update the date at the top and, for significant changes, tell you in the app.
Contact
For privacy questions or requests, contact the developer through the contact details on the app's Google Play listing, or reply to any email we've sent you. You can also email hello@pianokite.com.