Privacy Policy

About Before

Before ("the App," "we," "our") is a daily scripture app for iOS that helps you build a morning habit of reading, listening to, and memorizing scripture. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle information in connection with your use of the App.

Information We Collect

On your device (and optional iCloud). Before stores most in-app data locally, such as your name, translation choice, verse history, daily progress, prayer and focus settings, and App Lock choices. If you enable iCloud sync, this data is synced through Apple's CloudKit to your iCloud account. We do not operate a general-purpose cloud backup of your personal scripture journal beyond what you choose to sync with Apple.

Groups (Premium, optional). If you use Groups, you sign in with Apple and choose a username. We store that account, your group memberships, group names you create, invite codes, group Holy Habits settings, and a weekly activity snapshot used only for private group leaderboards. Groups data is stored on Supabase (see below), not in CloudKit.

What we do not collect for Groups. There is no chat, no public profile, and no global leaderboard. We do not upload your full verse text, prayer transcripts, or audio recordings for leaderboard scoring — only the numeric weekly totals described in the Groups section below.

Groups & Weekly Leaderboards (Premium)

Groups is a Premium feature. You are never required to use it to use the rest of Before. When you opt in:

• Sign in with Apple creates a Before Groups account. We receive an account identifier from Apple. Before does not request your name or email from Apple for Groups sign-in.
• Username — you choose a display name (3–20 characters). It is shown to other members of groups you join. Usernames are not searchable publicly; they are visible only within your groups' leaderboards.
• Group metadata — group name, invite code, memberships, and (if set by the group owner) up to three Holy Habits habit labels for scoring.
• Weekly stat snapshots — your device periodically uploads totals for the current calendar week (Monday–Sunday in your local timezone), including:
  • Count of unique verses memorized this week
  • Total guided prayer minutes this week
  • Count of speak-aloud earn events this week (e.g. daily Speak or Earn to Scroll)
  • Holy Habits check-off counts (by habit id) for group scoring habits
  • Weekly badge identifiers earned in the app (e.g. memorize_gold)
  • Aggregate minutes on apps you chose to watch for the optional "least on phone" recognition (not used in the main score)

These snapshots power a private weekly leaderboard visible only to members of groups you belong to. Scores reset each Monday. Other members see your username and weekly totals, not your full daily flow or verse content.

Honor-system habits. Holy Habits check-offs on Home are self-reported. We do not verify that a habit was completed before counting it toward your group score.

How Your Information Is Used

We use data to power your in-app experience:

• Personalizing your greeting and settings
• Tracking your daily step progress and verse history
• Remembering your Bible translation preference
• Managing app unlock and Focus Mode state
• Operating Groups: authentication, group membership, invite codes, and weekly leaderboards
• Computing weekly winners and badge bonuses within your private groups

We do not use Groups data for advertising, cross-app tracking, or selling to third parties.

Third-Party Services

Before uses the following third-party and platform services:

• Supabase (Groups only): hosts authentication, usernames, group membership, and weekly leaderboard stat snapshots for Premium Groups. Data is stored in Supabase's cloud infrastructure. See Supabase's privacy policy.
• OpenAI (AI voice): when you allow AI voice, we send verse text and selected voice through our server to generate spoken audio.
• Apple (Sign in with Apple): authenticates your Groups account when you choose to use Groups.
• Apple (StoreKit): handles subscriptions and purchase restoration.
• Apple (CloudKit): syncs your personal app data across your devices if iCloud sync is enabled.
• Vercel (website analytics): this privacy policy page may use lightweight, privacy-oriented analytics (no ad tracking).

We do not sell personal data and we do not use third-party advertising SDKs for cross-app tracking.

AI Features and Your Permission

Before asks for your permission before sending data to AI voice processing. If you do not allow it, AI voice is not used. You can change this choice any time in Settings under AI Features.

For AI voice, Before sends verse text and voice selection through our server to OpenAI. Before does not record or upload your microphone input for this feature.

Children's Privacy

Before is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. Data handling follows the same rules described in this policy, including explicit user consent for AI voice processing.

Groups involves a user-chosen username visible to other group members and competitive weekly leaderboards. Parents or guardians should supervise use by minors.

Data Retention & Deletion

Local and iCloud data. Local app data is retained on your device until you delete it or uninstall the app. If iCloud sync is enabled, synced app data is retained in your iCloud account according to Apple's CloudKit policies.

Groups data. While you use Groups, your username, memberships, and current-week stat snapshots are retained on Supabase. Historical weekly stat rows may remain until you delete your account or leave all groups, after which leaderboard history for your user id is removed when your account is deleted.

You can permanently delete your Before account at any time in the app under Settings → iCloud → Delete account. This removes your Sign in with Apple Groups account and associated Supabase data (profile, memberships, weekly stats, and groups you own), your on-device progress and settings, and your private iCloud backup for Before. App Store subscriptions must be cancelled separately in your Apple ID subscription settings.

If you only want to stop using Groups without deleting your entire Before account, you can leave individual groups from the group screen. To remove your Groups login entirely, use Delete account or contact support.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "last updated" date above. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the App after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how Before handles your information, please contact us at support@beforebible.app or visit our Support page.