Health Notice: BiCal is an educational wellness and nutrition tracking tool. It is not a medical device and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalized nutrition guidance. In emergencies, call your local emergency number.
1. Overview
BiCal is designed with your privacy in mind. We collect only the information necessary to provide our calorie tracking and meal analysis services. We do not sell or rent your personal data to third parties.
1.1 Data Collection Summary
We collect and use data for the following purposes:
App Functionality
Data used to authenticate users, enable features, prevent fraud, implement security measures, ensure server uptime, minimize app crashes, improve scalability and performance, and provide customer support.
Analytics
Data used to evaluate user behavior, understand the effectiveness of existing product features, plan new features, and measure audience size or characteristics.
Data Categories We Collect
The following types of data may be collected and linked to your identity:
- Health & Fitness: Nutrition data, calorie intake, meal information, dietary goals
- Contact Info: Email address, name
- User Content: Photos, meal logs, notes, and other content you create
- Identifiers: User ID, device ID, authentication tokens
- Usage Data: Product interactions, app features used, time in app
- Purchases: Purchase history, subscription status, transaction records
- Diagnostics: Crash data, performance data, error logs
For complete details on how we collect, use, and protect your data, please read the sections below.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide
- Account Information: Email address, password, and display name when you create an account
- Profile Information: Age, gender, height, weight, activity level, and dietary preferences (optional)
- Health & Nutrition Goals: Target weight, calorie goals, macro targets, and nutrition objectives
- Food & Meal Data: Meal photos, food descriptions, logged meals, and nutritional tracking information
- User Content: Notes, comments, and other content you create within the app
2.2 Automatically Collected Information
- Device Information: Device type, operating system version, unique device identifiers, mobile network information
- Usage Data: Features used, screens viewed, time spent in app, interaction patterns, session frequency
- Log Data: IP address, browser type, app version, timestamps, crash reports, performance data
- Camera & Photos: When you use our meal scanner feature, we access your camera or photo library to capture or import meal images for AI analysis
- Notifications: If you enable push notifications, we store notification preferences and push tokens locally and on our servers
2.3 Third-Party Authentication
If you sign in using Apple Sign In or Google OAuth, we receive limited information from these providers (email address, name) as permitted by your privacy settings on those platforms.
3. How We Use Your Information
- Service Delivery: Provide, maintain, and improve BiCal's core features including meal tracking, calorie counting, and nutrition analysis
- AI-Powered Analysis: Process meal photos using artificial intelligence (OpenAI Vision API) to identify foods and estimate nutritional content
- Personalization: Customize your experience with personalized meal recommendations, nutrition insights, and progress tracking
- Communication: Send you important updates, notifications about your goals, meal reminders, and service-related information
- Analytics & Improvement: Understand usage patterns, identify bugs, optimize performance, and develop new features
- Security & Fraud Prevention: Detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraudulent activity, and security threats
- Legal Compliance: Comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, and enforceable governmental requests
- Customer Support: Respond to your inquiries, provide technical assistance, and resolve issues
4. AI Processing & Cloud Services
When you scan a meal photo, the image is temporarily transmitted to our servers and processed using OpenAI's Vision API to identify food items and estimate nutritional content. The image is:
- Transmitted over an encrypted HTTPS connection
- Processed temporarily to generate nutritional analysis
- Stored on our servers only as long as you keep it in your meal history
- Not used to train third-party AI models without your explicit consent
- You can delete meal photos at any time from your account
AI-generated nutritional estimates are approximations and may contain inaccuracies. Always verify important nutritional information with reliable sources.
5. Data Sharing & Disclosure
5.1 We Do Not Sell Your Data
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.
5.2 Service Providers & Partners
We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating BiCal:
- Cloud Infrastructure: Hosting and storage providers (e.g., AWS, DigitalOcean) for secure data storage
- AI Services: OpenAI for meal photo analysis and nutritional content recognition
- Authentication: Apple and Google for secure sign-in services
- Analytics: Analytics providers to understand app usage and improve services
- Communication: Email and push notification service providers
- Payment Processing: Apple App Store and Google Play Store process subscription payments (we do not receive your full payment card details)
These service providers are contractually obligated to use your information only to provide services to us and to protect your information.
5.3 Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, legal process, or governmental request, or to:
- Comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests
- Protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users or the public
- Detect, prevent, or address fraud, security, or technical issues
- Enforce our Terms of Service and other agreements
5.4 Business Transfers
If BiCal is involved in a merger, acquisition, asset sale, or bankruptcy, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity. We will notify you of any such change and any choices you may have.
5.5 With Your Consent
We may share information for any other purpose disclosed to you with your consent.
6. Subscriptions, Billing & Auto-Renewal
BiCal offers the following subscription options:
- Weekly Subscription: $2.99 - $4.99 per week
- Monthly Subscription: $9.99 - $19.99 per month
- Annual Subscription: $29.99 - $49.99 per year
- Offer : $4.99
Payment Processing
All subscription payments are processed by the platform provider (Apple App Store or Google Play Store). We do not receive or store your full payment card details. We may receive limited, non-sensitive purchase metadata (such as product ID, transaction identifier, subscription status) to:
- Unlock premium features and validate your subscription
- Provide customer support and handle subscription inquiries
- Prevent fraud and unauthorized access
- Send relevant subscription notifications
Auto-Renewal
- Subscriptions automatically renew unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period
- Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period
- The renewal will be charged at the same price you initially paid unless we notify you of a price change in advance
Managing Your Subscription
On iOS: Settings → [your name] → Subscriptions (or open App Store → Account → Subscriptions)
On Android: Google Play Store → Menu → Subscriptions
Cancellation & Refunds
You can cancel your subscription at any time. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period. Refunds are subject to Apple App Store or Google Play Store policies. Please submit refund requests through the respective app store. We cannot process refunds directly.
Free Trial
If you start a free trial, you will be charged the subscription fee at the end of the trial period unless you cancel before the trial expires. You can cancel at any time during the trial period without being charged.
7. Data Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:
- Encryption in Transit: All data transmitted between your device and our servers uses SSL/TLS encryption
- Encryption at Rest: Sensitive data stored on our servers is encrypted
- Secure Authentication: Passwords are hashed using industry-standard algorithms; we support OAuth 2.0 for third-party sign-in
- Access Controls: Strict access controls limit who can access user data within our organization
- Regular Security Audits: We conduct regular security assessments and vulnerability testing
- Monitoring: We monitor for suspicious activity and unauthorized access attempts
However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information using commercially acceptable means, we cannot guarantee absolute security. Use the app in private settings and avoid sharing sensitive information with others.
8. Data Retention & Deletion
We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide BiCal's services and fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy:
- Account Information: Retained until you delete your account
- Meal Photos & Nutrition Data: Retained as part of your tracking history until you delete them or close your account
- Usage Data & Logs: Typically retained for 90 days for analytics and troubleshooting
- Backup Data: Retained for up to 90 days in our backup systems
- Purchase Metadata: Retained as long as necessary to provide access to paid features, comply with legal obligations, or resolve billing disputes
Deleting Your Data
You can delete your data at any time:
- Individual Meals: Delete meals from your history within the app
- All Data: Go to Settings → Account → Delete Account to permanently delete all your data
- Request Deletion: Contact us at help@bical.app to request account and data deletion
After account deletion, some information may remain in backup systems for up to 90 days before permanent deletion. Information required for legal compliance may be retained longer as required by law.
9. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:
9.1 General Rights
- Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
- Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (right to be forgotten)
- Export: Download your data in a portable, machine-readable format (data portability)
- Restrict Processing: Request that we limit how we use your information
- Object: Object to our processing of your information in certain circumstances
- Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent where we rely on consent for processing
- Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails (we don't send many, but you can opt out)
9.2 California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)
If you are a California resident, you have additional rights:
- Right to know what personal information is collected, used, shared, or sold
- Right to delete personal information held by us
- Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (note: we do not sell personal information)
- Right to non-discrimination for exercising your CCPA rights
- Right to correct inaccurate personal information
- Right to limit use and disclosure of sensitive personal information
9.3 European Privacy Rights (GDPR)
If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA), UK, or Switzerland, you have rights under GDPR:
- Right of access to your personal data
- Right to rectification of inaccurate data
- Right to erasure (right to be forgotten)
- Right to restrict processing
- Right to data portability
- Right to object to processing
- Right to withdraw consent at any time
- Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority
Exercising Your Rights
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at help@bical.app. We will respond to your request within 30 days (or as required by applicable law). We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.
10. Children's Privacy
BiCal is not intended for use by children under the age of 13 (or 16 in the EEA). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under these ages. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at help@bical.app, and we will promptly delete such information from our servers.
Users between ages 13-18 (or 16-18 in the EEA) should only use BiCal with parental or guardian consent and supervision.
11. International Data Transfers
BiCal operates globally, and your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws that differ from those of your country.
When we transfer personal information internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:
- Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission
- Adequacy decisions by the European Commission
- Other legally approved transfer mechanisms
By using BiCal, you consent to the transfer of your information to these countries.
12. Cookies & Tracking Technologies
BiCal uses limited tracking technologies to enhance your experience:
- Essential Data: Information necessary for the app to function (authentication tokens, session data)
- Performance Data: Anonymous analytics to understand app usage and improve performance
- Preferences: Your app settings and preferences stored locally on your device
We do not use third-party advertising cookies or cross-app tracking technologies. You can manage app permissions through your device settings, but disabling certain data collection may limit app functionality.
13. Third-Party Links & Services
BiCal may contain links to third-party websites, services, or content (such as nutrition databases, health articles, or social media). We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.
Third-party services we integrate with (Apple Sign In, Google OAuth, OpenAI) have their own privacy policies that govern how they handle your data.
14. Do Not Track Signals
Some web browsers have "Do Not Track" features. Currently, there is no industry standard for recognizing Do Not Track signals. BiCal does not respond to Do Not Track signals, but we limit tracking as described in this Privacy Policy.
15. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other operational reasons. We will:
- Update the "Effective date" at the top of this policy
- Post the updated policy on our website and in the app
- Notify you of material changes through the app or via email
- For significant changes, we may request your consent where required by law
Your continued use of BiCal after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
16. Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
We will respond to your inquiries within 30 days.
17. Data Protection Officer
For GDPR-related inquiries or to exercise your European privacy rights, you can contact our Data Protection Officer at help@bical.app
18. Consent
By using BiCal, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described herein. If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please do not use BiCal.