Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 18, 2026

    The short version: your vehicle data, documents and chat stay on your device. No account is required. We keep a small amount of data on our server only if you subscribe to CarMind Pro or turn on push reminders, so those features work. Stripe handles payments. If you're a Pro user and the built-in guide can't answer a question, that question and some vehicle details are sent to xAI to write an answer, and xAI may use them to improve its models (see section 1a). Free users' questions stay on your device.
  

1. Data That Stays on Your Device

Vehicle data (names, odometer readings, service history, reminders) — stored in your browser only. The only exception is the few details listed in section 1a, which are sent with a Pro user's AI question.
Documents (driver's licence and insurance information) — stored on your device only, never sent, and never included in backups.
AI tab questions — answered on your device by CarMind's built-in guide. Free users' questions are never sent to CarMind or to any AI provider. Pro users: see section 1a.
Device ID and restore code — a random device ID and, for Pro users, your restore code are saved in your browser so the app can check your Pro status.

This data lives in your browser's localStorage. It is cleared if you clear your browser data or uninstall the PWA. Use the Backup feature to keep a copy in a file on your device. The backup file includes your Pro restore code, so keep it private.

1a. AI Answers for Pro Users (xAI)

CarMind's built-in guide always tries to answer first, on your device. If you're a CarMind Pro user and the built-in guide can't answer your question well, the app sends the question through CarMind's server to xAI, which writes the answer. Safety questions (for example brake failure, overheating or a red warning light) are always answered by the built-in guide and are not sent.

When a question is sent to xAI, it includes:

your question, plus your last few messages in the AI tab (up to 3 questions and answers) so follow-up questions make sense
your vehicle as you named it in the app (normally year, make and model) and CarMind's spec notes for that vehicle
your odometer reading
your 5 most recent service entries (for example “Oil change — Sep 1, 2026 · 175,000 km”)
your app language

Not sent to xAI: your name, email address, payment information, documents, location, device ID or restore code. CarMind's server uses your device ID only to check that you have Pro and to count how many AI questions you've asked. CarMind does not store your questions or the answers on its server.

Free users: your questions stay on your device and are never sent to CarMind or to xAI.

xAI may keep this data and use it to train and improve its AI models. Everything listed above that is sent to xAI — your question, the earlier messages from the conversation, your vehicle, odometer reading and service entries — may be stored by xAI and used for training and improvement under xAI's terms and policies. CarMind can't delete data once xAI has it.

Please don't put personal details (like your name, phone number, address or licence plate) in your questions.

2. Data We Store on Our Server

We use Upstash (a hosted Redis database) to store:

If you subscribe to Pro: your app's random device ID, the email address you entered at Stripe Checkout, your Stripe customer and subscription IDs, your subscription status, and a hashed (scrambled, one-way) copy of your restore code. We use this to turn Pro on for your device, keep it in sync when you renew or cancel, open the Manage subscription page, let you restore Pro with your code, and answer support or refund requests. We also use your checkout email to send you your restore code right after you subscribe, and again if you ask for it with Email me my code (see section 3a). We record when the code was emailed so we don't send duplicates.
If you turn on push reminders: your browser's push subscription (an endpoint URL and keys created by your browser), your language, and the short service reminder text to send (for example “Oil change overdue”). We use this only to send the reminders you asked for.
If you use AI answers (Pro): a count of how many AI questions your device ID asked this hour and this month, plus a running total of CarMind's AI costs. The counts expire automatically (hourly counts within 2 hours, monthly counts within 40 days). Your questions and the answers are not stored.
Abuse protection: short-lived request counters keyed by IP address (and device ID for restore attempts, or a one-way hash of the email address for “Email me my code” requests), used for rate limiting. They expire automatically within a day.

Retention: Pro records are kept while your subscription is active and afterwards only as long as reasonably needed for support, refunds, and disputes (we aim for no more than 2 years). Push subscriptions are kept until you turn reminders off or your browser's subscription stops working. You can ask us to delete your server data at any time by emailing us; Stripe keeps its own payment records as required by law.

We don't sell your data or use it for advertising.

3. Payments (Stripe)

CarMind Pro payments are processed by Stripe. Stripe collects your card and billing details, email, and related information under its own Privacy Policy. CarMind never sees or stores your full card number. When you subscribe, Stripe's records for your subscription also include your device ID and restore code so we can help you if you lose access.

3a. Restore Code Emails (Resend)

We use Resend to send transactional emails. The only email CarMind sends is your Pro restore code: once after you subscribe, and whenever you request it with Email me my code on the Restore purchase screen. For that request we look up the email you enter in Stripe and send the code only to that address, and only if it has an active CarMind Pro subscription; we show the same message either way. Resend receives the recipient address and the email content (including the code) to deliver the message, and processes it on our behalf under its own Privacy Policy. We don't send marketing emails.

4. Advertising

CarMind displays Google AdSense ads on the free version. Google may use cookies and similar technologies to show personalized ads based on your interests. For more information, visit Google's advertising policies. CarMind Pro removes ads.

5. Location Data

The "Nearby Shops" and "Tow Truck" features request your device's location to find nearby services. This location data is:

Used only to query the OpenStreetMap database for nearby businesses
Not stored by CarMind
Not linked to your identity

You can deny location access and manually enter a city or postal code instead.

6. Hosting Logs

Our host, Vercel, keeps standard request logs that may include your IP address and pages visited. We use them only to keep the service running and secure.

7. Third-Party Services

Stripe — payment processing for CarMind Pro. Stripe Privacy Policy
Resend — sends transactional emails (your Pro restore code). Resend Privacy Policy
Upstash — server storage for Pro status and push reminders. Upstash Privacy Policy
Google AdSense — advertising on the free version. Google Privacy Policy
OpenStreetMap / Nominatim — nearby shop and tow truck data. OSM Privacy Policy
xAI — writes AI answers for Pro users' questions that the built-in guide can't answer, and may keep that data to train and improve its models (see section 1a). xAI legal and privacy
Vercel — web hosting. Vercel Privacy Policy

8. Children's Privacy

CarMind is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. The date at the top of this page reflects the most recent update. Continued use of CarMind after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact

For privacy questions or to ask us to delete your server data, see our Contact page or email frank3nst3in13@gmail.com.