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It belongs with our wider practice of asking for as little as a feature needs, which we describe in why some of our apps need no account. The facts below come from the privacy policies of Cuelift, Spareday and Cardday, and we quote their wording where it matters.
What analytics and crash reports are for
The policies give one purpose for both: to understand how the app is used, and to find and fix crashes. They are two different things.
- Usage statistics count how the app is used. They answer questions such as how many people reach the plan screen.
- Crash reports record a crash so that we can fix it. A report holds technical details, such as the device model, the operating system version, the app version and the state of the app at the time of the crash.
Each policy names the services behind the two functions, and the policy of your version is the place to read them. The apps use no other analytics software and no advertising or attribution service. Because a policy is the authority on what an app does, each section below points back to it.
Versions differ, so the table shows when each app started and when it began to ask.
| App | Versions before this send none | Analytics and crash reports from | Consent screen where required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuelift | before 1.0.7 | 1.0.7 | from 1.0.8 |
| Spareday | before 1.0.6 | 1.0.6 | from 1.0.6 |
| Cardday | before 1.0.3 | 1.0.3 | from 1.0.3 |
Two separate switches
Usage statistics and crash reports have two separate switches, so you can accept one and refuse the other. On the consent screen they are called “Usage statistics” and “Crash reports”. In Settings they are called “Share usage statistics” and “Share crash reports”. Each of them works in every region.
The policies add two sentences we think matter. Analytics and crash reports are optional, and the app works the same without them. Switching them off also does not affect what was sent before, which is why the sections on retention below matter.
Where the app asks and where it only tells
Whether to ask is decided on your device, from your region setting and your time zone, not from your IP address. When the two point to different rules, the stricter one applies to each service.
- Where it asks. When your region or time zone points to the EU or EEA or a related territory, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man or Quebec, the app asks for consent and the service stays off until you agree. It also asks if it can read neither setting. In Türkiye it asks for usage statistics only.
- Where it only tells. In the UK, Switzerland, the rest of Canada and everywhere else, and for crash reports in Türkiye, the app does not ask. The services are on, a one-time notice tells you so, and each has its switch in Settings.
Deciding on the device lets the app choose before anything is sent. For Cuelift, the policy notes that version 1.0.7 asked in more places than later versions do.
What the consent screen says and when it appears
Where the app asks, the screen is titled “Your privacy choices” and has two sections, “About your data” and “Choose what to share”. The information and the consent sit under separate headings, and the information part links to the privacy policy. The switches start off.
“Reject all” and “Accept all” are equally prominent, beside “Save my choices”. Closing the screen counts as “Reject all”. The app works the same whatever you choose.
The timing is part of the design. The screen waits until you have used the app for a moment, and it comes before anything is sent.
| App | The screen appears after | Or at |
|---|---|---|
| Cuelift | your first saved take, or the first script you read to the end | the third launch |
| Spareday | your first check-in that extends the streak of a habit you are building | the third launch |
| Cardday | your first finished study session in which you rated at least one card | the third launch |
It never covers the moments when you are in the middle of the app’s main job or buying: the prompter, recording and Pro screens in Cuelift, and the onboarding and Pro screens in the other two. It appears again only when a new version of its text adds a new purpose. Your device keeps a record of your choice for each purpose, with the time, the version of the text and your region. In Türkiye the screen is in Turkish and names the basis it relies on.
Where the app does not ask, the notice is shorter. It says that usage statistics (kept for 2 months) and crash reports (kept for 90 days) are on, and that you can turn either off in Settings at any time. It has two buttons, “Settings” and “OK”, and it never blocks anything. Nothing is sent before it has been shown.
What the events are, and what they are not
Every usage event is listed in the policy. They share two properties: whether the build comes from the store or is a test build, and whether you are on the free plan, in a free trial or have Pro. They cover:
- the plan and purchase steps shared by all three apps: the Pro screen is shown and closed, a Pro feature is reached, plans load, you choose a plan, a purchase starts and ends, and purchases are restored;
- one or two moments particular to the app: Cuelift sends an event when you save a take. Spareday sends one when you finish onboarding, when a check-in, skipped day or spare day extends a streak, and when you create a habit, with only whether you build it or quit it. Cardday sends one when you finish onboarding and when you finish a study session, with the number of cards you rated.
The service also records its own standard events, such as first open, session start and app update.
What the events are not matters as much. The policies say they contain none of your scripts or recordings (Cuelift), none of your habits or notes (Spareday), none of your study progress or saved words (Cardday), and none of your personal details. The same holds for crash reports. The app has no sign-in, so we set no user ID, and it does not use your device’s advertising identifier. The policy does say that the service processes your approximate location, worked out from your IP address, as well as your device model, operating system and app version, so we do not claim that nothing is processed. We say what is.
What happens when you turn a switch off
The policies describe each switch’s effect exactly.
- Usage statistics stop sending straight away, and the analytics data held on your device is reset.
- Crash reports waiting to be sent are deleted. The switch takes full effect when you restart the app, so a crash in between can still be reported.
- Crash reports that the app collected on your device before you agreed are never sent, even after you agree.
- What was already sent stays until it is deleted at the end of its retention period: 2 months for usage statistics and 90 days for crash reports, as the policy states.
One exception we state openly
Two of the policies describe a case where an Android version registered the installation with a service named in the policy at first start, before the consent screen or notice appeared. The versions are Spareday 1.0.6, and Cuelift 1.0.7 and 1.0.8. The policies say that no usage event and no crash report was sent this way, that the app does not use the record, and that the next version (Spareday 1.0.7, Cuelift 1.0.9) turns it off. iPhone and iPad were not affected. We repeat it here because a plain account has to include the awkward parts too.
Where to read the full policy
Each app has its own privacy policy and support page, reached from its Store page: Cuelift, Spareday and Cardday. The policies are the source of every statement above, and they hold the full details, including the sections for readers in Türkiye and Brazil. If this post and a policy ever differ, the policy is right for your version. The platforms ask for the same openness from developers: Apple’s App Privacy details list Usage Data and Diagnostics among the categories an app must declare, and say that data collected by third-party analytics tools has to be declared too. For a reader’s view of the same subject, see how to read app privacy labels before you install.
What to look for in any app
- Separate switches for separate purposes.
- A consent screen where “no” is as easy as “yes”.
- Switches that start off where consent is required.
- An app that works the same whichever way you answer.
- A way back in Settings, in the words the screen used.
- A policy that names the events, not just the category.
Frequently asked questions
What does "usage statistics" mean in an app?
Can I use the app without sharing crash reports?
Why does the app ask in some countries and not others?
What do you collect?
How do I change my choice later?
Products mentioned
Products from the Store that this post mentions.