Privacy policy

At a glance

• Your pool data stays on your device only.
• No accounts, no registration, no user profiles.
• No advertising and no cookie tracking.
• The public information pages use a cookie-free visitor count (Umami) — see below.
• You can delete all data at any time.

Controller

The controller for this app within the meaning of the GDPR is:

Dominik Graham Pritchett
Galgengraben 2
90574 Roßtal
Germany

Web: pool-buddy.de
E-mail: info@pool-buddy.de

Last updated: July 2026

What data is stored?

Pool Buddy only stores data that you enter yourself. It is stored locally on your device (browser local storage) and never leaves it.

No transfer of your pool data

Your pool data is not transmitted to any server, not stored in the cloud and not passed on to third parties. There are no user accounts and no sign-in.

All pool data exists exclusively in the storage of your smartphone or browser. The only exceptions are feedback messages you deliberately send via the contact form, the anonymous Umami statistics on the public information pages described below, and the optional weather feature, which transmits coordinates to Open-Meteo only after your explicit consent.

Contact form & feedback

If you send a message via the feedback form in the app, it is transmitted to the operator by e-mail. The following is transmitted: the category of your request, your message and an anonymised IP hash (the last 12 characters of a SHA-256 hash, which cannot be reversed).

For bug reports you may voluntarily provide your e-mail address so that we can reply. This address is used solely to answer your report, is not stored for any other purpose and is deleted once the matter is closed. Providing it is optional — without an e-mail address the report is processed anonymously.

Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR (performance of a contract) or Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interest in communication). You can request information, correction or deletion of your data at any time: info@pool-buddy.de

Hosting & server logs

The website and the app are hosted by IONOS SE, Elgendorfer Straße 57, 56410 Montabaur, Germany. A data processing agreement pursuant to Art. 28 GDPR exists between the operator and IONOS.

When the website is accessed, the hosting provider briefly stores technical access data in what are known as server logs: IP address of the requesting device, date and time, URL accessed, referrer, user agent (browser/operating system) and HTTP status code.

This data is technically necessary in order to deliver the website and to fend off attacks. It is not combined with other data sources.

Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interest in the secure and stable operation of the website). Retention period: a maximum of 14 days, after which IONOS deletes it automatically.

Third-party services

The installable app loads no external resources. Fonts, icons, CSS and app scripts are contained entirely locally. The only exception is Umami Analytics on the public information pages, as described below.

No advertising networks, no social media trackers, no Google Analytics, no Firebase, no Sentry.

Weather feature (optional)

Pool Buddy can warn you about heat or heavy rain at your pool location. This feature is disabled by default and is only activated after your explicit consent in the settings.

What happens when the weather feature is enabled?

• Postcode resolved locally: your postcode is converted into coordinates exclusively on your device. A local postcode directory (based on GeoNames, CC BY 4.0) is included in the app for this purpose. Your postcode does not leave your device.
• Weather request to Open-Meteo: only the anonymous coordinates (latitude/longitude of your postcode, not your device location) are transmitted to Open-Meteo in order to retrieve the forecast. Open-Meteo briefly stores your IP address in server logs (see the provider's privacy policy).
• Provider: Open-Meteo GmbH, Herrenschwendi 4, 6438 Ibach, Switzerland. Website: open-meteo.com. Privacy: open-meteo.com/en/terms
• Data transfer to Switzerland: an adequacy decision of the EU Commission exists for Switzerland (Art. 45 GDPR). An additional data processing agreement is not required.

Legal basis and withdrawal

Legal basis: your consent pursuant to Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR. Without active consent neither the postcode is processed nor a weather request made.

Withdrawal: you can withdraw your consent at any time under Settings → Weather notices → “Withdraw consent”. The stored postcode, the coordinates and the local weather cache are deleted immediately. The withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out up to that point.

Postcode directory attribution

The local postcode directory is based on data from GeoNames, published under the Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 licence.

Your rights (GDPR)

Because all pool data is stored only on your device, you have full control:

• Access & export: you can see all stored values directly in the app (history, settings).
• Rectification: you can change settings at any time.
• Erasure: delete all app data via your device settings (clear app data / uninstall the app).
• Objection: you can uninstall the app at any time — all data is removed in the process.
• Complaint to a supervisory authority: you have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority (Art. 77 GDPR). The competent authority for the operator is the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision (BayLDA), Promenade 18, 91522 Ansbach, lda.bayern.de.

Because the actual pool data is stored only on your device, a request for access to us in practice only concerns feedback messages, the Umami statistics or — if the weather feature is enabled — the coordinates transmitted to Open-Meteo.

Deleting data

You can remove all stored data in two ways:

• Individual measurements: in the history (feature coming in a later version)
• All data at once: your device settings → Apps → Pool Buddy → Clear data
• Uninstall the app: removes all local data completely

Children and young people

Pool Buddy is aimed at pool owners aged 16 and over. Since no personal pool data is collected or transmitted, there are no particular risks in this respect.

Changes to this policy

In the event of significant changes (for example if future versions add optional cloud features) we will update this privacy policy and point this out to you in the app.

You can always find the current version under Settings → Privacy.

Disclaimer

Pool Buddy provides non-binding guide values and general guidance on pool care only. The app does not replace professional advice from a pool expert or chemical manufacturer.

All recommendations, dosage instructions and steps in the app are based on general empirical values and are provided without warranty. Factors such as water quality, pool material, ambient temperature, the products used and individual circumstances can considerably affect the amount of chemicals actually required.

The user bears sole responsibility for the independent use of chemicals and for observing the safety and dosage instructions of the respective manufacturers. Pool Buddy accepts no liability whatsoever for personal injury, property damage or consequential damage arising from the use or non-use of the recommendations contained in the app.

Always observe the safety data sheets and product information for the chemicals used and keep them out of the reach of children.

Contact

If you have questions about data protection you can reach us at:

info@pool-buddy.de