Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 8, 2026

Information We Collect

Archive Buddy collects account information such as email address, authentication details, subscription status, saved conversations, messages submitted to the assistant, usage counts, and technical logs needed to operate and secure the service.

How We Use Information

We use information to provide the archival assistant workspace, save conversations, enforce account limits, process subscriptions, prevent abuse, improve reliability, and respond to support requests. Archive Buddy is a specialist software layer powered by mainstream foundation model providers; it is not presented as a custom AI model.

First-Party Product Analytics

Archive Buddy records limited first-party product analytics in its own database so we can understand activation, retention, conversion and feature usage. These events avoid message content, email bodies, catalogue URLs, images, audio and other sensitive work material. We do not use third-party analytics services, third-party analytics cookies or external tracking pixels.

AI Processing

When you send a chat message, the message content may be sent from our server to the configured AI provider so the assistant can respond. Archive Buddy currently uses the OpenAI API as its configured third-party AI provider. We use the OpenAI API business service, which does not use API inputs or outputs to train or improve OpenAI models by default unless an account owner explicitly opts in. We do not expose provider API keys to the browser. Users should avoid submitting unnecessary sensitive personal data and should verify all AI output before use.

Private Mode

Archive Buddy includes a sticky Private Mode setting. While it is on, new chat conversations and messages are not saved to the server; the chat remains in the browser session and disappears on refresh or close. Private Mode does not delete existing saved conversations. To enforce limits and protect the service from abuse, Archive Buddy still records minimal non-content usage records for assistant responses, such as user account, time, provider/model, token counts and estimated cost where available.

Google Connectors

If you choose to connect Google Calendar, Gmail or Google Drive, Archive Buddy requests permission from your Google account and uses that access only for the connector feature you initiate. OAuth tokens are stored server-side in encrypted form and are associated with your Archive Buddy user account. Google Calendar data is used only for calendar features you initiate, such as viewing upcoming events or creating events after explicit confirmation. Gmail access is limited to the gmail.send scope and is used only to send messages that you compose and explicitly confirm in Archive Buddy; Archive Buddy does not use this Gmail scope to read your inbox. Google Drive access is limited to the drive.file scope and is used only to create files through Archive Buddy and list files that Archive Buddy created or that you choose to use with Archive Buddy. Google connector data is not used for advertising, is not sold, and can be disconnected from the Archive Buddy interface.

Microsoft Connectors

If you choose to connect Microsoft Outlook or OneDrive, Archive Buddy requests permission from your Microsoft account and uses that access only for the connector feature you initiate. OAuth tokens are stored server-side in encrypted form and are associated with your Archive Buddy user account. Outlook access is limited to sending messages that you compose and explicitly confirm in Archive Buddy; Archive Buddy does not use this connector to read your mailbox. OneDrive access is limited to the Archive Buddy application folder, where Archive Buddy can create, list and refresh files used with the app. Microsoft connector data is not used for advertising, is not sold, and can be disconnected from the Archive Buddy interface.

Google API Limited Use

Archive Buddy's use and transfer of information received from Google APIs adheres to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements. Raw, aggregated, anonymized, or derived Google Workspace API user data is not used, transferred, or sold to create, train, or improve generalized or foundation AI/ML models. Google Workspace API data is not sent to third-party AI providers for model training or secondary AI/ML purposes. Gmail and Drive connector content is not automatically included in AI prompts. If a user deliberately copies or supplies content to the chat assistant, any AI processing is limited to providing that visible user-facing feature and is not used to train foundation models.

Audio Dictation and Attachments

When using voice dictation, the audio is sent to a transcription provider for transient processing, returned as text, and the audio file is immediately discarded. In saved conversations, file attachments and images provided to the chat assistant may be stored server-side as encrypted original files attached to that conversation so follow-up turns can refer to them; they are deleted when the conversation or account is deleted. Extracted attachment text is not stored in message content. In Private Mode, attachments are processed only for the current message and are not stored as files.

Sensitive Data Protection

Archive Buddy protects sensitive data through server-side access controls, authenticated sessions, user-scoped database queries, encrypted storage for Google and Microsoft OAuth tokens, HTTPS in production, environment-based secret management, password hashing for email/password accounts, rate limiting, CSRF-aware server routes, and limited operational logging. We avoid logging archival content, email message bodies, connector file contents, Google Workspace content and Microsoft Graph content unnecessarily. Access to production systems and data is restricted to those who need it to operate, secure, support or maintain the service.

Payments

Payments and subscriptions are handled by Stripe. Archive Buddy stores Stripe customer and subscription identifiers, plan status and usage limits, but does not store full card numbers.

Sharing and Retention

We do not sell user data. Data may be shared with service providers strictly as needed to operate Archive Buddy, including hosting, database, email, payment, authentication and AI provider services. Google Workspace and Microsoft Graph data are shared only as needed to provide the connector feature requested by the user and are not shared with AI providers for model training. Account and conversation data is retained while your account remains active unless deletion is requested or retention is required for security, billing or legal reasons.

Contact

For privacy questions or account requests, contact info@archivebuddy.ai.