Puffy Audio Journal (“Puffy,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a voice journaling app that lets you record audio entries, tag emotions, and track your emotional patterns over time. We built Puffy with privacy in mind and we are committed to being transparent about how we handle your data.
This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. By using Puffy, you agree to the practices described below.
Information We Collect
We collect only the information necessary to provide and improve the Puffy experience. We do not collect unnecessary personal data.
- Account information. An account is optional: you can journal entirely on your device without one, in which case we collect no account information at all. If you choose to create an account, you can sign in with Sign in with Apple (we receive your name, email address, and a unique account identifier from Apple) or with your email address using a one-time verification code we send you. We never receive or store a password.
- Audio journal entries. The voice recordings you create in Puffy are stored locally on your device. They are uploaded to our servers only if you create an account and turn on backup & AI processing, so you can access them across devices. Server-side audio files are stored securely using Cloudflare R2.
- Emotion tags and metadata. When you tag an entry with emotions from the feelings wheel, we store those tags alongside your entry to enable emotional pattern tracking.
- Transcriptions and reflections. With your explicit permission (asked in the app before anything is shared, and changeable anytime in Profile), your uploaded audio entries are transcribed using OpenAI and Puffy generates short AI reflections and insights from your transcribed entries and emotion tags. If you do not give permission, your recordings are never sent to any AI service.
- Device information. We collect a device identifier to manage sync state across your devices. We do not collect device model, operating system version, or other hardware information for tracking purposes.
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Provide, maintain, and improve the Puffy app and its features
- Sync your journal entries securely across your devices
- Generate transcriptions of and AI reflections on your audio entries
- Track your emotional patterns and provide insights based on your tagged emotions
- Communicate with you about your account, updates, or support requests
We do not sell your personal information. We do not use your journal entries or emotional data for advertising purposes.
Data Storage & Security
Your journal entries are stored in two places: locally on your device using SQLite and the device filesystem, and on our servers for cross-device sync.
Server-side audio files are stored using Cloudflare R2, a secure cloud storage service. All data transmitted between your device and our servers is encrypted in transit using TLS. We use hashed token storage for authentication sessions and follow industry-standard security practices to protect your data at rest.
While we take reasonable measures to protect your information, no method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.
Third-Party Services
Puffy integrates with the following third-party services to provide its functionality:
- Sign in with Apple. Used for account authentication. Apple shares limited profile information (name and email) with us when you sign in. Please refer to Apple's Privacy Policy for more information.
- Postmark. Sends transactional email, such as your one-time sign-in codes. Postmark processes your email address for delivery only. See the Postmark Privacy Policy for details.
- OpenAI. Audio transcription is powered by OpenAI's Whisper model, with text formatting and short AI reflections generated by GPT models from your transcribed entries. This happens only after you grant AI-processing permission in the app. This content is sent to OpenAI solely to provide these features and is processed in accordance with OpenAI's Privacy Policy. We use OpenAI's API, which does not use your data to train their models.
- Cloudflare R2. Provides secure, encrypted cloud storage for your audio files. See the Cloudflare Privacy Policy for more information.
Data Retention
We retain your journal entries and account data for as long as your account is active. If you delete a journal entry, it is removed from all synced devices and permanently deleted from our servers after all your devices have confirmed the deletion.
You can delete your account and all associated data directly in the app: open Profile and choose Delete account. Deletion is immediate and permanent: your recordings, transcripts, emotion tags, and account details are removed from our servers. You can also request deletion by emailing support@trypuffy.app, and we will complete it within 30 days, except where retention is required by law. You can export your data first from Profile.
Your Rights
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Access. Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Correction. Request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Deletion. Request that we delete your personal data.
- Portability. Request a machine-readable copy of your data.
- Objection. Object to our processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at support@trypuffy.app. We will respond to your request within 30 days.
Children's Privacy
Puffy is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete that information promptly. If you believe a child under 13 may have provided us with personal data, please contact us at support@trypuffy.app.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. If we make material changes, we will notify you through the app or by email.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please reach out to us: