Privacy Policy

Overview

Heading Compass ("we", "our", or "the app") is a compass-based motorcycle navigation application with ride recording capabilities. We are committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding that data.

Data We Collect

Heading Compass collects and stores the following data locally on your device:

• Location Data: Your GPS coordinates, heading, speed, and altitude are collected when using navigation features or recording rides.
• Ride Data: Track points (coordinates, timestamps, speed, altitude) are stored when you record a ride.
• Favorites: Saved locations you mark as favorites (home, work, or custom locations).
• Flags: Location markers you create (scenic spots, fuel stations, hazards, rest areas).
• Settings: Your preferences including units (metric/imperial), haptic feedback settings, theme preference, and screen awake settings.

How We Use Your Data

All data collected by Heading Compass is used solely to provide the app's core functionality:

• Providing real-time navigation guidance to your destination
• Recording and displaying your ride history
• Calculating distance, speed, and ride statistics
• Storing your favorite locations and flags for quick access
• Exporting ride data in GPX or JSON format (Pro feature)

Data Storage

Your rides, locations, flags and favorites are stored locally on your device. We never upload your location data, routes or ride history to our servers. Your data remains on your device and under your control.

Data is persisted using your device's local storage (AsyncStorage) and will remain available across app sessions until you choose to delete it.

Cloud backup (Pro, optional): If you use backup, a copy of your rides, flags, favorites, vehicles and settings is saved to your own iCloud Drive (iOS) or your own Google Drive (Android, file Heading/heading_backup.json, using only the permission to access files the app created). This copy is stored in your account with Apple or Google, not with us. We cannot access it.

Anonymous Usage Statistics

To understand how the app is used, Heading Compass sends a small, anonymous statistics message to our own server (headingcompass.app) when you finish a ride of at least 1 km. It contains:

• The ride's distance and duration, and whether it was a compass ride or a Free Ride
• The number of waypoints and flags (per flag type) in that ride
• Your platform (iOS or Android), app version, device language, and whether you have Pro
• A random identifier created by the app on first use. It is not linked to your name, account, device or advertising ID, and is reset when you reinstall the app. It lets us count how many riders use the app and how often.

A short message (without any ride details) is also sent when you add a favorite or a vehicle.

No locations, coordinates, routes or place names are ever included. The data is stored as totals and per-identifier counts (number of rides, date of first and last ride). It is not used for advertising or tracking and is not shared with anyone.

Your IP address is used only to prevent abuse (rate limiting) and is deleted automatically within one hour. It is not stored with the statistics.

Background Location

Heading Compass requires background location access to continue navigation and ride recording when the app is not in the foreground. This allows you to:

• Continue recording your ride while using other apps
• Maintain navigation guidance with the screen off
• Recover interrupted rides if the app restarts

Background location is collected continuously during an active ride or navigation session. It is collected in the foreground while the app is open, and in the background when the screen is off or another app is in use. Collection stops when you end or pause a ride. Location data is stored locally on your device and is never transmitted to our servers.

Third-Party Services

Heading Compass uses the following third-party services:

• Map Tiles: Map data is loaded from third-party map tile providers to display the map view. These requests may include your approximate location to load relevant tiles.
• Photon Geocoding: When searching for destinations or reverse geocoding locations, requests are sent to the Photon geocoding service. These requests contain location coordinates or search queries.
• OpenStreetMap (Overpass API): If you turn on speed limit display or speed camera alerts (Pro), the app requests road and speed camera data for an area of about 2 km around your position from the public Overpass API. These requests contain that area's coordinates, not your ride or route.
• iCloud Drive / Google Drive: Only if you use cloud backup (Pro). Your backup is stored in your own account with Apple or Google.
• Apple App Store / Google Play Store: For processing Pro tier purchases. Purchase transactions are handled entirely by Apple or Google's payment systems.

In-App Purchases

Heading Compass offers a Pro tier as a lifetime purchase. Purchase transactions are processed by Apple (App Store) or Google (Play Store). We do not have access to your payment information. Purchase status is stored locally to unlock Pro features.

Data Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or share your personal data with third parties. Your ride data, location history, and favorites remain private and stored only on your device, or in your own cloud backup if you choose to use it.

Data Retention

Your rides, flags, favorites and settings are stored locally on your device and are retained until you choose to delete them. A cloud backup, if you make one, stays in your iCloud or Google Drive until you delete it there.

The anonymous usage statistics described above are kept as long as they are useful for understanding app usage. Because they contain no personal details and the identifier cannot be traced back to you, we cannot look up or delete the statistics of an individual rider. Reinstalling the app creates a new identifier.

Data Deletion

You can delete your data at any time directly within the app:

• Individual rides: Open the Rides screen, swipe left on a ride, and tap Delete.
• Favorites or flags: Open the item and use the delete option in the detail view.
• Several rides at once: On the Rides screen, select multiple rides and delete them together.
• Complete removal: Uninstalling the app from your device removes all locally stored data permanently.
• Cloud backup: Delete the backup in iCloud Drive (Files app) or in your Google Drive (folder "Heading").

If you have questions about deleting your data, contact us at info@freekvanderhorst.com.

Your Rights

You have full control over your data:

• Access: View all your stored rides, favorites, and flags within the app.
• Export: Export your ride data as GPX or JSON files (Pro feature).
• Delete: Delete individual rides, favorites, or flags at any time (see Data Deletion above).
• Complete Deletion: Uninstalling the app removes all locally stored data.

Children's Privacy

Heading Compass is not intended for use by children under 16. We do not knowingly collect data from children.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Any changes will be reflected on this page with an updated revision date.

Contact

If you have questions about this privacy policy or your data, please contact us at:

info@freekvanderhorst.com