Privacy Policy
Last updated: May 14, 2026
LocalScribe ("the App") is published by Bulpara Inc ("we", "us", "our"). This policy describes how we collect, use, and protect information when you use the App.
1. Voice Recordings & Transcripts
- Your audio never leaves your device. All transcription runs on-device using Apple Speech (for live captions) and the open-source Whisper model (for high-accuracy transcripts) bundled inside the App.
- The App does not upload, transmit, stream, or store your recordings or transcripts on our servers.
- Recordings, transcripts, segments, and edits live in the App's sandbox on your iPhone, and are removed when you delete the App or the corresponding library entry.
- If you choose to share a transcript or recording via the iOS share sheet (Messages, Mail, AirDrop, Files, etc.), you control where it goes — we do not see it.
- If you enable optional iCloud sync, your recordings and transcripts are stored in your own iCloud account under Apple's privacy terms. We have no access to that data.
2. Data We Store Locally
- Recordings & transcripts: Audio files, transcript text, time-aligned segments, language detection, and edit history. Stored locally via SwiftData.
- Preferences: Default Whisper model, default export format, theme, language hints, and notification settings.
- Monthly usage counter: A local counter that resets on the calendar month to enforce the free-tier 30-minute limit. No counter data is transmitted off-device.
- Purchase status: Subscription state is managed by Apple's StoreKit and cached locally for feature gating.
- Downloaded Whisper models: Model weights you download (Base, Small, Large V3 Turbo) live in the App's sandbox until you delete them.
3. Permissions We Request
- Microphone: Only when you tap Record to capture a new recording. We do not record in the background or while the App is closed.
- Speech Recognition: Required for live on-device captions while recording. Speech recognition runs entirely on your iPhone using Apple's on-device speech engine — no audio is sent to Apple's servers.
- Files / iCloud Drive: Only the audio or video file you explicitly pick is imported into the App's sandbox.
- Photo Library (read-only): Only when you choose to import a video clip. We access only the clip you select via the iOS PhotosPicker — we do not enumerate your library.
- Notifications (optional): Used only to notify you when a long transcription finishes processing in the background. You can disable in iOS Settings.
4. Third-Party Services
The App uses the following third-party services:
- Apple App Store / StoreKit: Manages subscriptions and purchases. Governed by Apple's privacy policy.
- Hugging Face (model downloads only): Whisper model weights are downloaded from Hugging Face's public model hub the first time you choose a model. Only the model file is fetched — no audio, transcripts, or device identifiers are sent. See Hugging Face's Privacy Policy.
- Google AdMob (free tier only): Displays banner and interstitial ads to free-tier users. AdMob may collect device identifiers for ad personalization. Audio recordings and transcripts are never shared with AdMob. See Google's Privacy Policy.
Premium subscribers see no ads and trigger no AdMob requests.
5. Data Storage and Security
- All recordings, transcripts, library entries, and preferences are stored locally on your device.
- No audio data, transcripts, or device-identifiable content is transmitted to or stored on our servers. We have no servers that hold user audio or text.
- Purchase verification uses Apple's secure StoreKit framework.
- Live captions and Whisper transcription work completely offline once models are downloaded.
6. Data Sharing
We do not sell your personal data. We do not share your audio recordings or transcripts with any third party. AdMob may collect device-level data for ad personalization (free tier only); audio and transcript content is excluded.
7. Your Rights
You can:
- Delete individual recordings or transcripts from the Library tab inside the App
- Delete downloaded Whisper models from Settings » Manage Models to reclaim storage
- Delete the App to remove all local recordings, transcripts, models, and preferences
- Disable Notifications, Microphone, or Speech Recognition permission from iOS Settings at any time
- Request information about data handling by contacting us at privacy@bulpara.com
8. Children's Privacy
The App is rated 4+ and is not intended to collect data from children under 13. Because the App does not collect personal data, this is enforced by design.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date.
10. Contact Us
If you have questions about this privacy policy, contact us at: