ValamData safety
A clear summary of what Valam collects, what it shares, how it is protected and how you can delete it. For the full legal wording, read the Privacy Policy.
The short version
Last updated 9 November 2026.
Your ledger stays on your phone
Transactions, accounts, goals and chats with Mathi are stored in an encrypted vault on your device. We never receive them.
No ads, no tracking
No advertising, no third party analytics or tracking SDKs, and we never sell or rent your personal data.
No account needed
The free app works fully without signing in. An account exists only if you choose Plus, sync, shared groups or the free month.
Encrypted, with keys only you hold
Data is encrypted on the device and in transit. Because we do not hold your keys, we cannot read your data.
Delete any time
Delete your account and cloud data yourself in Settings. Server data is erased immediately.
Optional means optional
Sync, groups and cloud reasoning are off until you turn them on, and you can turn them off again whenever you like.
What data is collected
Collected means sent off your device to us or a service provider. Everything else stays on your phone.
| Data type | Collected | Shared | Why, and when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial info (transactions, balances, budgets, loans, cards) | No | No | Stays encrypted on your phone. If you turn on sync or groups, it is sealed on your phone first, so we only hold data we cannot read. |
| Personal info (email address, phone number) | Optional | No | Only if you sign in for Plus, sync, shared groups or the free month. Used to sign you in and let friends find you if you allow it. |
| User IDs (sign in ID, app user ID) | Optional | Yes | Used to sign you in and verify your subscription. Handled by Google Firebase and RevenueCat on our behalf. |
| Purchase history | Optional | Yes | Plus purchases are handled by Apple or Google. We only learn whether your subscription is active. We never see card details. |
| Messages (chat with Mathi) | No | No | Mathi runs on your device by default. Chats stay encrypted on your phone. |
| Cloud reasoning question (Think harder, Plus) | Optional | Yes | A sanitised question and a summary of numbers go to a cloud language model. Transaction text and your own merchant and people names are removed first. |
| SMS (Android only) | No | No | If you allow it, bank messages are read on your device at unlock to find transactions. They are not uploaded. |
| Audio (voice mode) | No | No | Processed on the device where supported. Optional. |
| Files and attachments | No | No | Imports and backups happen on your phone. Backups are encrypted with your passphrase. |
| Support emails and launch list | Optional | No | Kept only so we can reply to you or tell you about the launch. |
| Location, contacts, photos, health data | No | No | Not collected. |
| Advertising ID, analytics, crash tracking | No | No | Not collected. The app has no ads and no analytics SDKs. |
Who we share data with
We do not sell data. A small number of providers process data on our behalf, only to run optional features.
Google Firebase
Sign in, hosting of encrypted sync and group records, and cloud functions.
RevenueCat, Apple and Google
Subscriptions and purchases. They hold purchase records under their own policies.
Cloud language model provider
Only for optional Think harder requests, using sanitised input. We ask the provider not to use the content to train its models.
Apple iCloud or Google Drive
Optional sync into your own storage account. We cannot read what is stored there.
How your data is protected
Hardware sealed master key
A random 256 bit key is sealed by the Secure Enclave on iPhone or the Keystore on Android, and released only after Face ID, fingerprint or PIN.
Encrypted on the device
Your database, attachments and chat history are encrypted with keys derived from the master key. Keys are wiped from memory when the app locks.
Encrypted backups
Backups are encrypted with a key derived from your passphrase. Restore them on a new phone.
End to end encrypted groups
Shared group entries are encrypted between members. Our servers hold encrypted events and the minimum identifiers needed to deliver them.
Recovery key
A recovery key shown once at setup is the only other way in. Lose it and your device access, and nobody, including us, can recover your data.
Privacy mode
Hide amounts with one tap when someone is looking over your shoulder.
App permissions
Valam asks only when a feature needs it. The app works without the optional ones.
| Permission | Required | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Face ID, fingerprint or device PIN | Optional | Unlocking your vault. |
| Notifications | Optional | Bill, EMI and card reminders. |
| SMS (Android only) | Optional | Reading bank messages on your device at unlock. |
| Microphone and speech | Optional | Voice mode with Mathi. |
| Files | Optional | Importing statements and exporting backups. |
Keeping and deleting your data
- Data on your phone stays until you delete it or remove the app.
- Delete your account in the app (Settings, then Delete account) and the data our servers hold is erased immediately.
- If you cannot open the app, email privacy@valam.io. After verifying it is you, we delete your data within 30 days.
- Limited security and abuse logs are kept for up to 90 days. Purchase records are kept by Apple, Google and our subscription provider as the law requires.
- Entries you added to a shared group stay with the other members, because their balances depend on them.
Children
Valam is not directed to children under 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from them.
How to delete your accountRead the Privacy Policy
Questions about data safety? Email privacy@valam.io and we will reply within 7 days.
Ready to try Valam?
Join the launch list and we will email you once, the day it is available.