Application: ClearCut (package com.clearcut.app)
Effective date: 30 May 2026 · Last updated: 30 May 2026
ClearCut is a personal expense tracker that helps you track spending, split bills
with friends, plan trips, and budget. This policy explains what data ClearCut
accesses, how it is used, and the choices you have. ClearCut is built
local-first: your financial data lives on your device, and we
do not operate analytics servers, run ads, or sell data.
In one line: Your SMS messages and the spends derived from them
are processed entirely on your device and are never uploaded, synced, or
shared. Cloud features (sharing groups, trips and budgets) only sync the
specific data you choose to share.
1. SMS / text-message access (READ_SMS)
With your permission, ClearCut reads the bank and card transaction
messages in your SMS inbox so it can automatically detect what you have spent and
pre-fill your expense list. This is the core of the optional "Spends" feature.
What is accessed: the contents of SMS messages in your device inbox, in order to identify debit / spend alerts from banks and card issuers.
How it is used: messages are parsed on your device to extract only the transaction amount, merchant/sender, and date, which are saved to ClearCut's local database on your phone.
What we do NOT do: we do not transmit, upload, sync, sell, or share your SMS messages or their contents with us or any third party. SMS-derived spend data is explicitly excluded from all cloud sync.
Filtering: one-time passwords (OTPs), promotional messages, balance alerts and personal texts are filtered out and are not stored.
It is optional: you may decline SMS permission and continue using ClearCut with manual entry. You can revoke the permission at any time in Android Settings → Apps → ClearCut → Permissions.
Retention: SMS-derived data remains only in the local database on your device and is deleted when you delete the entry or uninstall the app.
ClearCut does not request the RECEIVE_SMS permission and does not
listen for incoming messages in the background — it only reads the inbox on your
device when you use the Spends feature.
2. Information we process
Financial data you enter or that is detected: expenses, split shares, trips, budget plans, categories, and SMS-derived spends — stored locally.
Account data (only if you sign in): your email address (Google sign-in) or phone number (OTP sign-in), display name, and profile photo URL, handled by Firebase Authentication.
Shared-group data (only if you share): when you create or join a shared split, trip, or budget, that group's expenses and member list are synced to Google Firebase (Cloud Firestore) under your account so other members can see them.
Invite data (only if you invite by email): the recipient's email address and the group name are sent to our invite-email service to deliver the invitation.
3. How we use information
To provide the app's features: tracking, splitting, trip and budget management.
To authenticate you and sync shared groups across your devices and with members you invite.
To send group invitations that you initiate.
We do not use your data for advertising, profiling, or analytics, and we do not sell it.
4. Sharing and third parties
ClearCut shares data only with service providers strictly needed to operate the features you use:
Google Firebase (Authentication, Cloud Firestore, Cloud Messaging) — sign-in and syncing of the groups you choose to share. See Google's Privacy Policy.
Invite-email service — only the recipient email + group name, only when you send an invite.
We never sell or rent personal data, and we do not share your SMS data with anyone.
5. Data retention and deletion
Local data stays on your device and is removed when you delete it in-app or uninstall ClearCut.
Shared/cloud data: to remove your data synced to Firebase, leave the relevant groups, trips, or budget plans before uninstalling, or contact us to request deletion of data associated with your account.
6. Security
Data in transit to Firebase is encrypted using industry-standard TLS. Access to
shared group data is restricted by security rules to authenticated members of
that group. Local data is protected by Android's app sandbox.
7. Children
ClearCut is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect data from them.
8. Your choices
Use the app without signing in (sign-in is only needed for sharing/sync).
Grant or deny SMS access; revoke it any time in Android settings.
Export your data to CSV/PDF, or delete entries, from within the app.
9. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be reflected by updating the effective date above and, where appropriate, an in-app notice.
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