Last updated: September 19, 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how PlanIt ("we", "us", or "our") handles information in connection with the mobile application PlanIt Earth (the "App"). PlanIt Earth is an astronomy and photography planning tool that helps you visualize the position of the Sun, Moon, stars, Milky Way, eclipses, and satellites for any location and time — on an interactive map, in an augmented-reality (AR) sky overlay, and in a virtual-reality (VR) framing view — and lets you plan, save, and share shots, both online and offline.
We have designed PlanIt Earth to be privacy-friendly. Using the App does not require an account, the App does not show advertising, and it does not collect biometric or face data of any kind. You can optionally create an account to back up and sync your plans across devices, submit feedback, or contribute community markers; if you choose not to, the App works as a fully local tool. The sections below describe exactly what information the App uses, when, and why.
The App offers an optional account so you can back up your data and use it across devices. Signing in is not required for the core planning, map, AR, and VR features.
With your permission, the App accesses your device's approximate or precise geographic location (GPS coordinates). Location is the core input for the App's astronomical calculations (where the Sun, Moon, stars, and Milky Way appear in your sky) and for the map, place-name, weather, and light-pollution features described below. On supported platforms the App may request background location only when you enable a feature that needs it; you can decline or revoke this at any time. Your most recently used location is stored locally on your device so the App can restore it next time you open it.
With your permission, the App uses your device's rear (world-facing) camera to display a live background over which it draws the Sun, Moon, Milky Way, and direction guides for AR sky alignment. The camera image is processed on your device in real time and is shown only on screen. The App does not record, save, upload, or transmit the live camera feed on its own, and it does not perform facial recognition or any analysis of people in the frame. You may separately choose to save an AR/VR capture as a photo (see below).
On iOS, the operating system requires microphone permission to open the camera session used by the AR view. The App does not record, store, or transmit audio; the microphone is never used to capture sound.
The App reads your device's compass, accelerometer, and gyroscope to determine which way the device is pointing so the AR overlay and compass align with the real sky. This sensor data is used only on your device, in real time, and is not stored or transmitted.
With your permission, and only when you choose an action that needs it, the App can read images from your photo library — for example, to attach a photo to feedback, to add a photo to a marker you are creating, to load a 360° panorama as a VR background, or to scan a QR code from a saved image. The App can also save AR/VR captures and shared images back to your device. The App does not scan or upload your photo library; only the specific images you pick are used, and only for the action you started.
Your preferences, cached map / elevation / light-pollution results, offline map regions, and any reminders you create are stored locally on your device. Reminders are delivered through local notifications generated on the device; they are not sent to us.
To inform you about available updates, the App sends basic, non-personal information — the app identifier and the store you installed from — to check for a newer released version. This information is not used to identify you.
To keep the App stable, we use a third-party crash-reporting service. When the App crashes or hits a serious error, it collects a diagnostic report that may include the crash stack trace, device model, operating-system version, app version, device state (such as available memory and storage), and a randomly generated installation identifier. These reports help us find and fix bugs. They do not include your name, email address, GPS coordinates, or camera images, and we do not use them to identify you or for advertising. Crash collection is disabled in development builds.
Some optional features let you connect your own accounts or API keys for third-party services you already use, so that those features can access the service directly on your behalf. These credentials are yours.
To provide certain features, the App shares limited data with third-party service providers. We share only what is necessary for each feature, and we do not sell your data. The categories below describe the purposes for which data may be shared; "optional" items apply only if you enable the relevant feature or connect your own account.
| Purpose | Data shared |
|---|---|
| Cloud backend hosting (account, sync, feedback, community markers, purchase verification, update checks) | Account details, synced content, feedback, community-marker contributions, and purchase-verification data |
| Crash diagnostics | Crash/diagnostic reports (as described in Section 2) |
| Weather and forecast | Location coordinates for the place you are viewing |
| Maps, satellite/terrain imagery, and place names (geocoding) | The map area you view, or a place-name search query |
| Light-pollution overlay | The map area you view |
| Elevation and terrain data | The area you request for terrain or offline download |
| App stores and operating-system services (Apple / Google) | In-app purchase and subscription data; coordinates for the OS geocoding service |
| Optional: services you connect with your own account/key | Only the data that feature needs (for example, coordinates for geocoding or elevation) |
Each provider processes the data it receives under its own privacy policy. When you open a location in an external maps or navigation app, that app receives the destination coordinates and is governed by its own policy.
If you send feedback, we receive the message you write and, if you attach them, the images or the plan you choose to include, along with basic context (app version, platform, language, and — if you provide them or are signed in — your name and email so we can reply). Feedback and any replies are stored on our backend so we can respond.
If you contribute a community marker, the information you submit (such as a name, location, photos, or notes) is uploaded so it can be reviewed and, once approved, shown to other users. Only publish content you are comfortable sharing publicly.
Face data and the TrueDepth API. PlanIt Earth does not use Apple's TrueDepth API and does not collect, use, store, or share any face data, facial geometry, depth maps, or other biometric information. The App's AR feature uses the rear-facing camera solely to display a live preview for aligning celestial objects. It does not use face tracking, the front-facing TrueDepth camera, or Face ID.
The App also does not collect:
Preferences, your last-used location, offline regions, and cached results are stored locally on your device and remain there until you delete them or uninstall the App. If you use an account, your synced content and account details are retained on our backend until you delete them or ask us to close your account. Coordinates shared with service providers (geocoding, weather, maps, light pollution) are used transiently to fulfill each request; we do not maintain our own server-side database of your location history.
Network requests are made over encrypted HTTPS connections wherever the provider supports it. Passwords are transmitted over an encrypted connection and stored only in hashed form. Your saved service credentials are encrypted on your device before any backup leaves it. Because most of your data stays on your device, you can remove it at any time by clearing the App's data or uninstalling the App.
PlanIt Earth is intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
The service providers and backend described above may process requests on servers located in various countries. By using the relevant features, you understand that the necessary data (such as your location coordinates or account information) may be transmitted to and processed by those services.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Significant changes will be reflected here and, where appropriate, within the App.
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: