Privacy Policy
Version privacy-v1 · Last updated August 2026
This policy explains what data MoneyBuddy processes, why, and the choices you have. It mirrors the privacy summary shown inside the app. MoneyBuddy is offered for users in the United States.
Who we are
The service is operated under the name MoneyBuddy. For privacy questions, contact privacy@moneybudy.net.
Using MoneyBuddy as a guest vs. with an account
As a guest, your plans, favorites, drafts, theme, and currency stay on your device. If you create an account, we store your email address (and, for email sign-in, a hashed password) so you can sign back in. Optional bank linking and shared-money data sync to our servers while you are signed in. Planning tools still work offline either way.
Why we process data
- To authenticate you and keep your session secure.
- To show the balances, transactions, and holdings you chose to link.
- To power planning tools and optional shared-money features.
- To operate, secure, and improve the service, including rate limiting and abuse prevention.
Categories of data
Depending on how you use MoneyBuddy, we may process:
- Account identifiers — email address, user ID, and OAuth provider IDs.
- Authentication metadata, including multi-factor authentication status.
- Optional Plaid-linked data — account balances, roughly 90 days of transactions, and investment holdings where the institution supports it.
- Loan and credit-card terms from linked accounts — APR, minimum payment, statement balance, and due dates — used by the debt-payoff planner.
- Circle / shared-money membership data that you create.
- Technical logs needed to run the API.
Guest and planning inputs stay on your device unless you use a signed-in sync feature. We do not collect bank passwords, payment card numbers (PAN) or CVV, or full account credentials.
Bank connections (Plaid)
Optional account linking is provided by Plaid. Your bank credentials are entered with Plaid and are never shared with MoneyBuddy. We request read-only access to balances, about 90 days of transactions, and investment holdings when available. We store AES-256-GCM–encrypted connection tokens and synced account data — not card numbers, CVV, or full account credentials. MoneyBuddy cannot move money. You can disconnect any institution at any time in the app's Banks screen, which revokes access and deletes our copy of that bank's data. Plaid's handling of your data is governed by Plaid's privacy policy.
Service providers
- Plaid — bank, brokerage, and credit-card account connections.
- Email delivery — a third-party email provider sends account verification and security messages.
- Hosting — the MoneyBuddy API and database run on infrastructure operated for the service; access tokens and MFA secrets are encrypted at rest.
Security
You can enable authenticator-app (TOTP) multi-factor authentication in Settings. Production API traffic uses HTTPS. Plaid access tokens and MFA secrets are encrypted at rest on the server (AES-256-GCM). Passwords are hashed. System secrets are never shipped to the app. Support staff cannot view your balances, and there is no administrative override of user financial data.
Your rights
- Access / export — signed-in users can download a JSON pack of server-held account and synced data from Settings → About. Sensitive exports require recent re-authentication.
- Deletion — delete your account in Settings to remove the account, disconnect banks, and revoke sign-in. Plans stored only on your device are not wiped by account deletion; clear them on-device.
- Withdraw bank consent — disconnect any institution in the Banks screen at any time.
Retention
Bank-synced data is kept while the connection is active and removed when you disconnect that bank or delete your account. Guest data remains on your device until you clear it. Audit and security logs may retain limited, non-sensitive metadata for a shorter operational window.
What we don't do
We do not sell your personal financial data. We do not collect PANs or CVVs. We do not use your plan inputs to build an advertising profile.
Children
MoneyBuddy is not directed at children under 13. Account registration requires confirming you are 18 or older.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy as the service evolves. Material changes will be reflected by a new version identifier and updated date, and where appropriate you may be asked to re-confirm your consent in the app.
Contact
Privacy questions: privacy@moneybudy.net.
This document is provided for transparency about how the app works and is not legal advice.