Privacy Policy

Effective August 13, 2026 · Marten Maps

This policy describes how Marten (“the app,” “we”) collects, uses, and shares information when you use the Marten mobile and web apps at app.martenmaps.com and this website at martenmaps.com.

Information we collect

• Account. Email address, password (stored as a hash) if you create an email login, optional display name, and membership tier. If you use Google, Apple, or Facebook to sign in, we receive the email (or Apple’s Hide My Email address) and name those services share with the app. We send confirmation and password-reset codes by email for email accounts. Friend relationships and invite tokens are stored with your account if you use Friends. You can link additional sign-in methods (including when the emails differ) from Manage account.
• Location. With your permission, the app uses GPS on the device to show your position, drop waypoints, measure, and record tracks. Location is sent to our servers when you save or sync waypoints, tracks, lines, areas, or map-data reports, or when you share that content. If you use Marten Family and turn on sharing, your live position is sent so members of your party can see where you are, until you pause sharing.
• Physical activity (Family). On the device, Marten Family may use the phone’s motion sensors to tell sitting from walking or driving so GPS can sleep while you are still. This never leaves the phone and is not uploaded.
• Your map content. Waypoints, tracks, lines, areas, names, notes, and optional waypoint photos you add. Signed-in content syncs to our servers so it is available on your other devices.
• Camera / photos. If you attach a photo to a waypoint, it is stored on the device and uploaded when you are online.
• Map-data reports. If you report a map issue, we store your account id, the location, the layer, and your message so we can review it.
• Device and technical data. IP address, timestamps, and basic request logs when the app talks to our API (authentication, sync, tiles, search).

Offline map packs stay on your device. We do not use third-party advertising, analytics, or crash-reporting SDKs.

How we use information

• Provide the map, account, sync, sharing, and membership features
• Send transactional email (sign-up confirmation, password reset)
• Improve map data when you submit a report
• Secure the service and prevent abuse

We do not sell your personal information.

Sharing

• Share links. If you create a live share link, anyone with that link can view the shared waypoint, track, line, area, and attached photos until you revoke it.
• Friends. If you add friends, we store the relationship and any invite-link tokens you create. Friends see your display name. Friend lists are not used for live location sharing in this version.
• Service providers. We use DigitalOcean to host the app and database, and Resend to send transactional email. They process data only to provide those services.
• Map tile providers. Basemaps and satellite imagery are requested directly by your device from providers such as OpenFreeMap / OpenStreetMap, Esri (and imagery sources they credit, including Maxar), and AWS (elevation tiles). Those providers may see your IP address and the map tiles you load.
• Legal. We may disclose information if required by law or to protect the service or users.

In-app purchases and billing are not enabled in this version.

Retention

Account and synced content are kept until you ask us to delete them. Server logs are kept only as long as needed for operations and security. Content on the device remains until you delete it or uninstall the app.

Your choices

• You can deny or revoke location, camera, and (Family) motion permission in system settings. Sharing still works without motion; GPS uses more battery while you are still.
• You can use the app without an account; then waypoints, tracks, and photos stay on the device and are not synced.
• To access or correct your account, email privacy@martenmaps.com.
• To delete your account and server-side data, use Delete account (or Manage account in the app). Cancel any subscription first. Deleting the account does not stop Apple, Google Play, or web billing. You can also email privacy@martenmaps.com.

Children

Marten is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

Security

We use HTTPS, hashed passwords, and access-controlled APIs. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure.

Changes

We may update this policy. The effective date at the top will change, and we will post the new version at this URL.

Contact

Questions or deletion requests: Contact us, Delete account, or email privacy@martenmaps.com.