Stepper-legal

Stepper — Privacy Policy

Effective date: 23 September 2026 

Developer: Anastasiia Vysotska (“we”, “us”) 

Contact: anavy.design@gmail.com

Stepper is an iPhone app for planning and tracking walking routes by step count. This policy explains what information the app uses, where it goes, and what choices you have. In short: Stepper has no accounts, no ads, no analytics and no tracking, and we do not run a server that receives your data.

1. Information the app uses

Information	Why	Where it is stored
Precise location (GPS)	Show your position on the map and record where you walk during a walk	On your device. Your walked path is saved with a completed walk.
Route waypoints (points you place on the map)	Build, save and reload routes and calculate walking distance	On your device and in your private iCloud (see section 3)
Motion & fitness data (pedometer step count)	Count your steps during a walk	On your device. The step total is saved with a completed walk.
Photos you choose	Attach up to three photos to a saved walk.	On your device. Walk photos also sync via your private iCloud. Only the photos you select are accessible to the app, through the system photo picker.
Settings (for example km/mi, onboarding completed)	Remember your preferences	On your device only
Walk statistics and rank (time, steps, distance, calories estimates, totals)	Show your history and profile rank	Calculated on your device from your walks

Stepper does not ask you for your email address, phone number or any account details.

2. Third-party services

Google Maps. Stepper uses the Google Maps SDK for iOS to display maps and the Google Directions API to calculate walking routes. To do this:

• The coordinates of your waypoints (and, when a route is recalculated during a walk, your current position) are sent to Google’s servers to return a walking route.
• The Google Maps SDK may automatically collect technical data such as device identifiers, IP address, device metadata, crash and performance data and map interaction data (for example zooming and panning). Google states it uses this data to operate and improve its services.

Google acts as an independent controller of this data. It is governed by the Google Privacy Policy. Use of Google Maps is also subject to the Google Maps/Google Earth Additional Terms of Service.

Apple iCloud / CloudKit. If you are signed into iCloud on your device and iCloud is available to Stepper, your saved routes and completed walks (including waypoints, route lines, walked paths, statistics and attached photos) are synced through your own private iCloud database. This data is encrypted by Apple and is accessible only to you. We (the developer) cannot see, access or download it. Apple’s handling of it is described in Apple’s Privacy Policy.

We do not use any advertising, analytics or attribution SDKs.

3. What we do not do

• We do not sell or rent your information.
• We do not use your information for advertising, marketing or profiling.
• We do not track you across other companies’ apps or websites.
• We do not share your location, step or photo data with anyone other than as described in section 2.

4. Background location

During an active walk, Stepper can keep using your location while the app is in the background or your screen is off, so your route and distance continue to be recorded. Background location is used only while a walk is in progress. You can turn location off at any time in iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → Stepper.

5. Permissions and your choices

You control what Stepper can access in iOS Settings:

• Location: if denied, the map won’t show your position and walks can’t be tracked.
• Motion & Fitness: if denied, Stepper estimates your steps from the distance you travel.
• Photos: Stepper uses the system photo picker; it only sees the photos you choose.
• iCloud: turn syncing off in iOS Settings → [your name] → iCloud. Stepper still works locally.

6. Retention and deletion

• Data on your device stays until you delete it or delete the app. You can delete individual saved routes and walks inside the app.
• Account Settings → Reset local data clears your local profile (name, picture, theme). It does not delete routes and walks stored in iCloud.
• To remove everything synced to iCloud: delete your routes and walks in the app, or go to iOS Settings → [your name] → iCloud → Manage Storage → Stepper → Delete Data.
• Deleting the app removes the local data on that device.
• Data held by Google is subject to Google’s retention practices (see their policy). We can’t delete it on your behalf.

7. Security

Stepper stores data in the iOS sandbox, and cloud sync uses Apple’s encrypted private iCloud. Requests to Google use HTTPS. No method of storage or transmission is completely secure, so we can’t guarantee absolute security.

8. Children

Stepper is not directed at children under 13 (or the minimum age in your country) and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. We don’t collect personal information ourselves at all. If you believe a child has provided information through a third-party service, contact us.

9. Your rights

Depending on where you live (for example under the GDPR or the CCPA/CPRA) you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or export your data, or to object to processing. Because we do not hold your data on our own servers, most of these rights can be exercised directly in the app and in your iCloud settings, as described above. For questions or requests, contact us at [CONTACT EMAIL]. For data held by Google or Apple, please contact them directly.

10. International transfers

Google and Apple may process data in countries other than your own. Those transfers are governed by their own policies.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy. We will change the effective date at the top and, if the changes are significant, describe them in the App Store release notes.

12. Contact

Anastasiia Vysotska

anavy.design@gmail.com