Privacy Policy
Last updated: October 14, 2026
What the app does
Prices Nearby reads product price tags and compares nearby price observations. Uploaded photos stay owner-only. When you confirm a scan, its validated product, price, conditions, observation time and public store location may be shared in other users’ comparisons. Your original photo and precise capture coordinates are not shown in those comparisons.
Information we process
We process your email and account identifier for sign-in, the photo you choose or take, capture time and time zone, photo GPS when present, and the phone location available when you capture or select the photo. Recognition, store matches, corrections and feedback are linked to the scan. Service identifiers, errors, processing times and model usage help operate and diagnose the app. Apple product and transaction information, credit purchases, balance changes and funded-result records support purchase delivery, charging and fraud prevention. We do not receive payment-card details from Apple.
Providers and location
AWS provides account authentication, protected photo storage and store matching. Store matching uses OpenStreetMap and AWS location services; location information may be sent to AWS. OpenAI processes a photo copy without embedded metadata to recognize product and price information. Raw GPS coordinates are not sent to OpenAI, but information visible in the photo is included. Provider use and retention follow OpenAI API data controls. Processing may occur outside your country, including the United States. Phone location access is optional and used while the app is in use; denying it does not remove location information already present in a selected photo. The system photo picker accesses only the selected photo.
Retention and local cache
Cloud photos, scan records and individual price facts are scheduled for cleanup seven days after upload or creation. Service diagnostics are also kept for approximately seven days. Account information and purchase balances remain for your use while you maintain your account; this short-term schedule does not expire purchased Credits. Account deletion starts cleanup of associated personal records and photos without waiting for the routine seven-day schedule. Price facts already irreversibly de-identified may remain only within their original seven-day period. Local photos are protected, excluded from backups and kept for you to reopen them until local cleanup, sign-out or account deletion. The app does not add photos to the Photos library.
Completed comparisons are saved separately in protected local History, excluded from backups, until you clear local data, sign out, delete your account or remove the app. Cloud and photo-cache cleanup do not remove those saved results.
Your choices and assistance
You may deny phone location access, select only photos you wish to upload, mark incorrect information and sign out. Taking or choosing a photo starts upload and recognition. Use only photos you have permission to share and avoid including people or unnecessary personal information. Use Delete Account in account settings to delete your account, associated personal scan information and cloud photos. Only price facts that have already been irreversibly de-identified may remain, as described in the Terms. Removing the app clears local files but does not delete online records. Contact support@ideaspike.com for access, correction or privacy questions; we may verify that you control the account. Applicable privacy rights remain available.
Optional diagnostic feedback
You can send issues and corrections for a scan to help diagnose a problem. Sending this feedback is separate from uploading the photo or confirming a price observation. It does not publish a price record or charge Credits. Unsent feedback may remain on your device until sent or removed.
Other services and updates
The app includes no advertising or cross-app tracking SDK. Apple’s App Store and device services have their own policies. Opening website links sends normal web request information to the destination; information you send to support is used to respond. We update this product-specific policy when processing changes. For information about our privacy practices and our service providers, including processing outside your country, contact the IDEASpike Privacy Contact at support@ideaspike.com.