This policy explains what information Ballpoint collects, how we use it, and the choices you have. We've written it in plain English because you shouldn't need a lawyer to understand what happens to your data.
Ballpoint ("Ballpoint", "we", "us") is a mobile app for tradespeople that turns photos of handwritten notes, sketches, receipts and documents into finished, professional paperwork.
Who we are
Ballpoint is provided by Ballpoint, based in England, United Kingdom. If you have any question about this policy or your data, email us at [email protected].
The short version
- We collect the minimum we need: your account details, the business content you create, and the photos or files you choose to process.
- Photos, PDFs and spreadsheets you capture are sent through our Supabase Edge Functions to Google's Gemini AI, with OpenAI as a non-PDF extraction fallback, only to read them and generate your paperwork or drawings. We never sell your data and never use it for advertising.
- Your business content lives on your device first, and signed-in accounts sync business records and documents through Supabase. Original capture image files and generated visual files are device-local in the current app.
- You can export everything, for free, any time — and you can delete your account and data whenever you want.
- On ballpointapp.com, optional TikTok advertising measurement runs only if you actively allow it. It is separate from the Ballpoint app and never receives your documents, captures, account details or form entries.
Information we collect
Account information. When you sign in with Apple, Google or email, we receive your email address, your name (if provided), and a provider account identifier so we can recognise you and secure your account. If you use Sign in with Apple, Apple may pass us a private relay email address rather than your real one.
Business content you create. Quotes, invoices, customers, your price book, business/branding details (like a logo you add), and the documents you generate. This is your content — see "Your content is yours" in our Terms of Service.
Captures you process. The photos, PDFs and spreadsheets you point the camera at or import so the app can turn them into paperwork or AI drawings. These are treated as your business records.
Subscription status. Whether you're on the free trial or a paid subscription, and related purchase/entitlement information from the app stores (via RevenueCat). We never see or store your card or payment details — those are handled by Apple, Google and RevenueCat.
Minimal app diagnostics. Basic, largely anonymous technical information (such as crash reports and error logs) so we can keep the app stable. The Ballpoint app does not use advertising identifiers and does not track you across other apps or websites for ads.
Optional website advertising measurement. If you actively choose “Allow measurement” on ballpointapp.com, the website loads the TikTok Pixel. It may receive the page URL, advertising/click information, timestamp, basic browser/device information, and whether you pressed the App Store or Google Play button. We use this only to measure whether our TikTok adverts work. We do not send document contents, captures, account details, email addresses, phone numbers or form entries to TikTok. If you decline, the TikTok Pixel does not load.
How captures are processed by AI
This is the core of what Ballpoint does, so we want to be clear about it.
- When you capture or import a photo, PDF or spreadsheet, the app compresses and resizes the file on your device, then sends it to an authenticated Supabase Edge Function. Gemini/OpenAI API keys are kept in Supabase secrets and are not shipped in the app.
- The Edge Function sends that image or file to Google's Gemini AI to work out what kind of document it is, extract the text, figures, line items, dates and totals, or generate an AI drawing from your sketch. For non-PDF extraction, OpenAI may be used as a fallback if the primary Gemini call fails.
- The extracted data comes back to your device as an editable draft. Totals and VAT are always recalculated in our own code — we never trust the AI's arithmetic. You then review and correct what the AI read before anything is sent.
We send captures to Gemini/OpenAI only to provide these features. Your captures are not used to serve you ads and are not sold. We configure our AI processing to use no-training / zero-retention tiers where available, meaning your content is not used to train the AI models.
In the current app, original capture files and generated visual files are kept on your device. Synced business records may include the extracted document data produced from a capture, but not the device-local source file itself unless cloud file sync is added later.
Where your data is stored
Your business content is stored locally on your device first, so the app works fully offline. When you're signed in, it is also backed up to our servers (Supabase), which use PostgreSQL with per-user row-level security — meaning your data is walled off so only your account can access it. Data is encrypted in transit and encrypted at rest. Capture and visual image files are currently stored locally on your device rather than synced as cloud files.
Because our providers operate globally, your information (including captures being processed by AI) may be processed and stored in the United States and/or the EU. Where you're in the UK/EU, we prefer EU-region processing and endpoints where our providers offer them.
Who we share data with
We don't sell your data, and we don't share it with anyone for their own marketing. We use a small set of trusted service providers purely to run Ballpoint:
- Supabase — hosts your account, backed-up business content and our backend, under per-user access controls.
- Google (Gemini AI) — reads your captures and generates drawings, only to provide the feature, on no-training/zero-retention terms where available.
- OpenAI — fallback provider for non-PDF extraction when Gemini is unavailable or fails.
- RevenueCat — manages your subscription and trial status. It does not receive your payment card details.
- Apple / Google — handle sign-in and process your subscription payment through the App Store / Google Play.
- TikTok — only if you allow optional website measurement, receives website visit and app-store button events so we can measure our TikTok advertising. This does not include content from the Ballpoint app.
We may also disclose information if required by law, or to protect the rights, safety and security of our users and our service.
Your choices and rights
- Website measurement choice. You can allow or decline the optional TikTok Pixel in the banner on ballpointapp.com and reopen the choice at any time using “Privacy choices” in the website footer.
- Export everything, free, any time. Getting your data out is a built-in feature and always will be — no charge, no lock-in.
- Delete your account and data. You can ask us to delete your account in the app from Settings, which wipes your stored content from our servers and clears Ballpoint's local app data from that device. If you no longer have the app, you can use our account deletion page or email [email protected].
- Correct your information. You can edit your business content and account details in the app.
- Access / portability / objection. Depending on where you live (for example under UK/EU GDPR), you may have rights to access, correct, port, restrict or object to our processing, and to complain to your local data protection authority. Contact us to exercise any of these.
- Subscriptions. You can cancel your subscription any time through your App Store or Google Play account settings.
How long we keep your data
We keep your account and business content for as long as your account is active, because it's the paperwork you rely on. Current capture and visual image files live on your device. When you delete your account, we delete your stored account and business content from our servers (some minimal records may be retained only where the law requires, such as basic billing records).
Children
Ballpoint is a business tool and is not intended for anyone under 16. We don't knowingly collect data from under-16s. If you believe a child has provided us data, contact us and we'll delete it.
Changes to this policy
If we make material changes, we'll update this page and the "Last updated" date, and where appropriate notify you in the app. Continuing to use Ballpoint after an update means you accept the revised policy.
Contact
Questions, requests, or a data deletion? Email [email protected].