Pocket Backlog is designed with your privacy in mind. We don’t sell your data, and we don’t use it to track you across other apps or websites. What little we collect is only to make the app work and to improve it. Your backlog stays yours.
1. Who We Are
Pocket Backlog is developed and published by PocketLab Studio, a sole trader based in the United Kingdom. If you have any questions about this policy, you can reach us at hello@pocketlab.studio.
2. What Data We Collect
Pocket Backlog stores all of your data locally on your device using Apple’s native frameworks. If you subscribe to the Pro plan, your data can sync across your Apple devices via iCloud. This sync is governed by Apple’s own privacy policy and is entirely within your control.
Aside from the optional Steam connection and the anonymous analytics described below, we do not operate servers that hold your personal data, and we never receive or store your library on our own systems.
The following types of data may reside on your device or in your personal iCloud account:
- Items you add to your backlog, including titles, notes, and status
- Collections, tags, or categories you define
- App preferences and settings
3. iCloud Sync
If you are subscribed to Pocket Backlog Pro and have iCloud enabled on your device, Pocket Backlog uses CloudKit to sync your data across your Apple devices signed in to the same Apple ID. This data is stored in your personal iCloud account and is subject to Apple’s Privacy Policy. We have no access to your iCloud data.
You can disable iCloud sync at any time in your device’s Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud.
4. Connecting Steam
Pocket Backlog lets you connect your Steam account to import your game library and view your achievements. This is entirely optional — nothing is read from Steam unless you choose to connect.
When you connect, we read your public Steam profile (your SteamID, persona name, and avatar) and your public list of owned games to build your library. When you open a game, we read your achievements for it — their names, whether you’ve earned them, and when. Steam only shares achievement data when your game details are set to public; if they’re private, we simply show a short note and a link to your Steam settings rather than working around it.
This information is stored on your device, and — for Pro subscribers with iCloud Sync — in your private iCloud account. We have no access to it. Your Steam sign-in token is held securely in your device’s Keychain, is never synced or included in any diagnostics, and expires on its own.
To talk to Steam, your requests pass through a small relay service we operate. It reads the data from Steam on your behalf and passes it straight back to your app — it does not store your Steam data, and the key that authorises these requests lives only on that service, never inside the app. Your Steam data is never sold or shared with anyone else, and is never used to track you.
Pocket Backlog is not affiliated with or endorsed by Valve Corporation.
5. Analytics
Pocket Backlog uses PostHog, a privacy-respecting analytics tool, to understand how the app is used so we can improve it — for example, which features people reach and where they run into trouble. This is limited to product-interaction and basic device information. It is never used to track you across other apps or websites, is never sold, and contains none of your game library, your notes, or your Steam data. We do not use advertising SDKs or tools such as Firebase, Mixpanel, or the Facebook SDK.
Apple may also collect certain anonymous diagnostic and usage data through the App Store as part of standard iOS operation. This is governed by Apple’s Privacy Policy and can be managed in your device Settings → Privacy & Security → Analytics & Improvements.
6. Purchases
Any in-app purchases are processed entirely by Apple via StoreKit. We do not receive or store your payment information. Purchase receipts are handled by Apple and are subject to Apple’s Privacy Policy.
7. Children’s Privacy
Pocket Backlog is intended for a general audience aged 13 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can address it.
8. Your Rights
Because we do not collect or store your personal data on our servers, there is no data held by PocketLab Studio for us to access, export, or delete on your behalf. To delete your app data, simply delete the app from your device. To remove iCloud data, manage this from iCloud settings on your device. To disconnect Steam, remove the connection in the app’s Settings at any time.
If you are based in the UK or EU, you have rights under UK GDPR and GDPR respectively. Given that we hold no personal data on our own systems, those rights are most practically exercised through Apple for any data in your iCloud account.
9. Changes to This Policy
If we make material changes to this privacy policy, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
Contact Us
Questions or concerns? We’d love to hear from you: hello@pocketlab.studio