Privacy Policy

1. Overview

EarlyBirder ("we", "us", "our") operates earlybirder.com. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding your data. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data responsibly.

2. Information We Collect

Account information: When you register, we collect your name, email address, and optionally your Google account information if you sign in with Google.

Payment information: Subscription payments are processed by Stripe. We never see or store your credit card number, CVV, or full card details. We store only your Stripe customer ID and subscription status.

Usage data: We collect information about how you use the Service, including listings you view, click, or save as favorites, and Early Bird Alerts you create.

Device and analytics data: We use Google Analytics to collect anonymized data about site visits, browser type, device type, and general location. This data is aggregated and cannot be used to identify you personally.

Communications: When you contact support, we retain your messages to help resolve your issue.

3. How We Use Your Information

• To create and manage your account
• To process subscription payments via Stripe
• To send Early Bird Alert emails when matching listings are found
• To send transactional emails (welcome, email verification, billing notifications)
• To improve the Service based on usage patterns
• To respond to support requests
• To detect and prevent fraud or abuse

We do not send marketing emails, sell your data, or use your information for advertising purposes.

4. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate EarlyBirder:

• Stripe — payment processing. Your payment data is subject to Stripe's Privacy Policy at stripe.com/privacy.
• Resend — transactional email delivery. Emails are sent via Resend's infrastructure. See resend.com/privacy.
• Google OAuth — optional sign-in with Google. If used, Google shares your name and email with us. See Google's Privacy Policy at policies.google.com/privacy.
• Google Analytics — anonymized site analytics. See Google's Privacy Policy at policies.google.com/privacy.
• Cloudflare — security, DDoS protection, and content delivery. See cloudflare.com/privacypolicy.
• Apify — web scraping infrastructure used to collect listing data from Craigslist. Apify does not process your personal data.
• HostGator — web hosting. Your data is stored on servers managed by HostGator.

5. Cookies

We use essential session cookies to keep you logged in. Google Analytics sets cookies to track anonymized usage. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies. You can disable cookies in your browser settings, though this may affect your ability to log in.

6. Data Retention

We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. Listing data is automatically purged after 3 days. Alert match history is retained to prevent duplicate notifications. If you delete your account, we will delete your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law.

7. Your Rights (CCPA)

As a California resident, you have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to know — request what personal data we have collected about you
• Right to delete — request deletion of your personal data
• Right to opt-out — we do not sell your data, so there is nothing to opt out of
• Right to non-discrimination — we will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@earlybirder.com.

8. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including HTTPS encryption, password hashing, CSRF protection, and Cloudflare's security layer. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Children's Privacy

EarlyBirder is not directed at children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify you of material changes by email or by posting a notice on the site. Your continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact

Questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy? Contact us at support@earlybirder.com or through our support page.