SkyCast
Privacy Policy
SkyCast forecasts sunsets where you are. To do that it uses your location, and to run and improve the app it collects some other information. This page says what, why, who else handles it, and how to remove it. We do not sell your information.
Ads
The free version of SkyCast in the iOS app has a banner along the bottom of the screen and at the bottom of the map. The ads come from Google AdMob. SkyCast never shows full-screen ads, and Premium has no ads.
The ads are non-personalized: they are not chosen from your activity in other apps or websites. SkyCast never shows Apple's tracking prompt, so iOS gives neither SkyCast nor Google your device's advertising identifier. To show and measure ads, Google AdMob receives your internet address; information about your device and the app, including device identifiers other than the advertising identifier; an approximate location worked out from the internet address; which ads were shown, and your taps and other interactions with the ads and the app; and performance, crash and diagnostic data from Google's ad code. Where the law requires it (for example in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom and some US states), Google's consent form appears before ads load; you can reopen it from Privacy choices in the account menu. Google's own privacy policy describes how Google uses that information.
What we collect, and why
Your location
- To show the forecast. The app uses your device's location, or a place you choose, to fetch weather, air quality, terrain, place names and map imagery for that spot from the services listed below. We don't keep those requests; our hosting provider's request logs hold them for a short time.
- For sunset alerts. If you turn alerts on, the app sends your location, rounded to about a kilometre, to our server, which stores it with your device so it can work out and send your alert. If you allow location access "Always", the app also checks your location in the background so alerts follow you when you travel.
- In sunset reports. When you post a sunset photo report, it includes the time and where it was taken: the place the app was showing, and the photo's own location or your device's when one is available. SkyCast's developers can see that location and who sent the report.
- For Siri and Shortcuts. "Ask SkyCast" sends your location, or the saved place you name, to our server to answer the question. The server does not keep it.
Your account (optional)
SkyCast works without an account. If you sign in, with Apple, Google or a code sent to your email, we store your email address, the name you choose to show, an optional username and profile photo, and the places you save.
Beta invitations
If we invite you to try SkyCast early, we email you a personal invitation link from info@skycastapp.com and keep your email address and, if we were given one, the first name it was written for, so we can manage the beta (who was invited, whether the link was used, and whether it was withdrawn). That list is stored in our database and only SkyCast administrators can see it. If someone opens an invitation link that does not exist, we record a salted, shortened hash of their IP address for one day to stop guessing. When you use the link and sign in, your account is linked to your invitation. Deleting your account removes the link between it and your invitation; the invitation itself, with your email address and first name, stays on the list until you ask us to delete it at info@skycastapp.com.
Photos and reports you send
Sunset report photos, and the feedback and bug reports you send from the app, including any screenshot or file you attach and technical details about the app's state at the time, which can include the location being viewed.
How the app is used
- Product analytics (PostHog). Which screens are opened and which buttons are tapped, never what you type; app errors and how fast the app loads; and, for some sessions, a recording of the app's screens with every text field hidden. Each event carries the app version, iPhone or web, the website address without its query (so no coordinates), and a random ID; if you are signed in, your account ID. Your approximate country and state are worked out from your internet address; the address itself, your city and anything finer are deleted before the event is stored.
- Usage counts. A random ID for this install of the app, the app version, iPhone or web, and daily counts of the weather and map requests it made, so we can keep costs and limits in check.
- Crash reports. When the app crashes or is closed by the system: the device model, operating system, screen, app version, memory use and the random install ID. They carry no account, contact or location information.
Purchases
If you buy SkyCast Premium in the iPhone app, Apple handles the payment; on the web, Stripe does. We receive a record of the subscription (what was bought and when), never your card details.
Who else handles it
We use these companies to run SkyCast. Each receives only what it needs for its part:
| Service | What it does |
|---|---|
| Supabase | Sign-in and our database: accounts, saved places, reports, alerts |
| Vercel | Hosts the app, its website and its server, and stores report photos and SkyCast's weather data |
| PostHog | Product analytics, described above |
| Apple | Sign in with Apple, alert notifications, in-app purchases |
| Google AdMob | Shows the banner ad in the free version |
| Sign in with Google, and 3D and map imagery for the location you are viewing | |
| Esri | Satellite map imagery for the location you are viewing |
| Open-Meteo | Weather, air quality, elevation and place search for the location you are viewing |
| US National Weather Service | Forecasts for locations in the United States |
| OpenStreetMap (Nominatim) | Place names for the location you are viewing, and place search |
| Amazon Web Services | Terrain elevation data for the area you are viewing |
| GitHub | Serves SkyCast's weather, wildfire smoke and light-pollution data for the area you are viewing |
| RevenueCat | Manages Premium subscriptions |
| Stripe | Payments for Premium bought on the web |
| Resend | Sends sign-in code emails and beta invitation emails |
If you offer one of your reports to SkyCast's social channels, the photo and the credit you choose may be posted publicly. We may also disclose information when the law requires it.
How long we keep it
Account information, saved places and your reports are kept until you delete them or your account. Rounded alert locations are kept while alerts are on and removed when you turn them off or delete your account. Analytics, usage counts, crash and feedback reports are kept while they are useful for running and improving the app.
Your choices
- Delete your account from the account screen in the app (Delete account). This removes your account, profile, saved places and reports. A report already posted on SkyCast's social channels has to be removed there; ask us and we will.
- Location access can be changed at any time in your iPhone's Settings. You can still pick places by hand.
- Alerts can be turned off in the app.
- Ask us to see, correct or delete your information at info@skycastapp.com.
Children
SkyCast is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect their information.
Changes
If we change this policy, we will update this page and its date.
Contact
Basalt Labs LLC · info@skycastapp.com