Privacy Policy for ExpenseAI

1. Information We Collect

a) SMS Data — Core Functionality (Strictly Limited Use)

SMS-based expense import is the core functionality of ExpenseAI. The App uses the READ_SMS permission to read recent bank and payment alert SMS from your device inbox in order to automatically extract and categorize your expenses.

On-device processing: All SMS parsing and transaction extraction happens entirely on your device using TensorFlow Lite (on-device machine learning). Full SMS message text is processed in memory on your device and is never stored, uploaded, or transmitted to any server. Only the extracted expense summaries (merchant, amount, date, category) are stored locally in the App's database.

b) Financial & Expense Data

Whether imported from SMS, Gmail, or entered manually, the following expense data is stored:

• Transaction amount
• Merchant or payee name
• Date and time of transaction
• Expense category and sub-category
• User-added notes (if any)

c) Account & Login Information

• Gmail email address (for authentication and optional Gmail import)
• Encrypted user ID
• Authentication tokens

d) Device & Technical Information

• Device model and OS version
• Crash logs (for stability improvements)
• IP address (for connection security)

2. Permissions Used

The App requests the following Android permissions:

• READ_SMS — Core functionality. Reads recent bank and payment transaction SMS to automatically extract expenses for budgeting. This permission is requested with a full-screen prominent disclosure and requires explicit user consent before activation. Users may decline and use Gmail import or manual entry instead.
• INTERNET — Required for optional cloud sync of extracted expense data, AI-powered financial insights, and user authentication.
• POST_NOTIFICATIONS — Sends notifications about expense summaries and sync status.
• CAMERA (Optional) — Allows users to take profile pictures.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use the data we collect for the following purposes only:

• Automatic expense detection — Extracting transactions from SMS on-device
• Transaction categorization — Classifying expenses using on-device ML
• AI-based spending insights — Providing personalized budget recommendations
• Cloud backup & multi-device sync — Optional sync of extracted expense summaries (not raw SMS)
• Customer support — Resolving issues when you contact us
• Account security — Preventing unauthorized access to your ExpenseAI account

4. On-Device Processing & Cloud Storage

On-device processing: SMS text is read and parsed entirely on your device. The App uses TensorFlow Lite, an on-device machine learning framework, to classify transactions into expense categories. The full SMS message body never leaves your device.

Cloud sync (optional): If you sign in and enable cloud sync, only extracted expense summaries — merchant name, amount, date, and category — are encrypted and synced to our servers. Raw SMS text is never included in cloud sync.

Encryption: All data transmitted to our servers is encrypted in transit using HTTPS/TLS. Stored data is encrypted at rest.

We never collect or store bank passwords, ATM PINs, UPI PINs, CVV numbers, or any other financial credentials.

5. Data Sharing & Third Parties

We do not sell, rent, or trade any user data — including SMS data — to any third party.

SMS data specifically: Raw SMS text is never shared with any third party. It is processed entirely on your device and discarded from memory after extraction. Only extracted expense summaries are stored, and these are never shared with advertisers, analytics providers, or data brokers.

Service providers: We may use trusted service providers for cloud hosting (to store encrypted expense summaries) and crash reporting (to improve app stability). These providers receive only the minimum data necessary and are contractually bound to protect it. They never receive raw SMS text.

6. Data Retention & Deletion

Expense records older than 30 days are automatically deleted from the App's local database. You can also manually delete individual transactions or all data at any time within the App.

To request complete deletion of your account and all associated data from our servers, contact us at anshulnigam111@gmail.com. Deletion requests are processed within 7–15 business days.

7. User Privacy Controls

You have full control over your data and permissions:

• Decline SMS permission — Use Gmail import or manual entry instead; the App works without SMS access
• Revoke SMS permission — Disable at any time via your device's Settings > Apps > ExpenseAI > Permissions
• Disable cloud sync — Keep all data local on your device only
• Export your data — Download your expense records
• Delete all data — Remove all stored expenses from the App and our servers

8. Data Security

We implement the following measures to protect your data:

• HTTPS/TLS encryption for all network communication
• Encrypted local database on your device
• Secure Google authentication (OAuth 2.0)
• On-device SMS processing — raw SMS text never transmitted over the network
• Restricted internal access to server-side data

9. Children's Privacy

The App is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child under 13, we will promptly delete it.

10. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate data
• Withdraw consent for data collection at any time
• Request complete deletion of your data
• Be informed about how your data is used

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at anshulnigam111@gmail.com.

11. Policy Updates

This Privacy Policy may be updated periodically to reflect changes in the App's features or legal requirements. The latest version will always be available at this page. We encourage you to review it periodically.

12. Contact Information

Developer: Anshul
Email: anshulnigam111@gmail.com
App: ExpenseAI