Privacy Policy

Overview

Pollinator Patch LLC ("we," "our," or "us"), operating the Pollinator Patch app, is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or use our mobile application.

By using Pollinator Patch, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide

• Email address: when you sign up for our early access list, newsletter, or create a Pollinator Patch account
• Account credentials: if you create an account, your email and an encrypted password are stored by our authentication provider so you can sign in to the app and website
• Name: if you choose to provide it during signup
• ZIP code: to provide region-specific plant recommendations and find nearby nurseries
• Garden preferences and saved data: such as sun exposure, space size, watering habits, plant wishlist or favorites, and garden notes. This data is stored locally on your device. Cross-device sync is not yet available.
• Out-of-area waitlist: if you sign up to be notified when we expand to your area, we store the email and ZIP code you provide
• Ask Patch questions: when you use the Ask Patch feature, the text of your questions is stored on our servers. We use this to improve responses, detect misuse, and understand what people are asking about. Questions may include garden details you describe in your message.
• Device location (optional): if you grant permission, the app uses your device's GPS to determine your ecoregion and city. GPS coordinates are never stored. Only your ecoregion name and city name are saved locally on your device.

Information Collected Automatically

• Usage data: pages visited, features used, and time spent in the app
• Device information: device type, operating system, and browser type
• Analytics data: aggregated, anonymized data to improve our services
• Location preferences: your ecoregion, city name, and ZIP code are stored on our servers to personalize plant recommendations, show nearby nurseries, and surface relevant rebate programs. GPS coordinates are never stored or transmitted.

Rebate Finder Searches

When you use the Rebate Finder, we collect the ZIP code you enter along with basic information about your visit — including what page referred you, your general device type (mobile or desktop), and whether your search returned results. This data helps us understand where rebate coverage is needed and improve the service over time. We do not collect your precise location or identify you personally unless you choose to provide your email address. If you provide your email to join our waitlist, we use it only to send you the updates you requested. You can unsubscribe at any time.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide personalized native plant recommendations for your region
• Send you updates about Pollinator Patch, including new features and expansion to your area
• Improve our app and website based on how users interact with our services
• Respond to your questions and provide customer support
• Generate AI-assisted recommendations via Ask Patch using the garden and location context you provide
• Send occasional educational content about native plants and pollinators (you can opt out anytime)

Email Communications

When you join our early access list, you'll receive occasional emails about:

• App launch announcements and early access invitations
• Regional expansion updates
• Seasonal gardening tips and native plant education

Every email includes an unsubscribe link. You can opt out at any time, no questions asked.

Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your data only in these limited circumstances:

• Service providers: We use trusted third-party services (like email delivery) that process data on our behalf
• Legal requirements: If required by law or to protect our rights
• With your consent: If you explicitly agree to share your information

Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services that may collect information:

• Resend: for transactional and newsletter email delivery (welcome emails, waitlist confirmations, weekly notes, account-related messages)
• Supabase: for authentication and storage of your account, garden data, waitlist entries, and rebate finder searches. Supabase is our primary backend database and auth provider.
• Stripe: for processing subscription payments made through our website. Stripe receives your email and payment details directly; we never see or store full card numbers. Subscriptions purchased on iOS or Android are handled by Apple or Google instead.
• Vercel: for website hosting and infrastructure
• Expo / App Stores: for mobile app distribution
• RevenueCat: for managing mobile subscriptions and in-app purchases on iOS and Android
• PostHog: for product analytics and usage tracking. PostHog collects app events, feature usage, and performance data to help us understand how the app is used. If you are signed in, your account email may be associated with your PostHog person record so we can connect activity across web and mobile.
• Anthropic: when you use Ask Patch, your questions and relevant garden context (such as your region, plant wishlist, and garden setup) are sent to Anthropic's API to generate responses. Anthropic's privacy policy governs how they handle this data.
• OpenAI: we use OpenAI's API to generate search embeddings that power Ask Patch's plant matching. Your question text is sent to OpenAI as part of this process.

Each of these services has their own privacy policy governing how they handle data.

Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your personal information. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your data, but cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your data
• Opt out of marketing communications at any time
• Export your data in a portable format

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at thepollinatorpatchgarden@gmail.com. We aim to respond to deletion and data-access requests within 30 days. When we delete your account, we remove your account record, garden data, wishlist, and stored Ask Patch question history from our active systems. Backups are overwritten on our normal retention cycle. Aggregated analytics that cannot identify you may be retained.

California Resident Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) gives you specific rights regarding your personal information. In addition to the rights above, you have the right to:

• Know what categories of personal information we collect, the sources, and the purposes for which we use it
• Know what categories of personal information we disclose to service providers (listed in the Third-Party Services section above)
• Request deletion of personal information we have collected from you
• Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information. We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising
• Be free from discrimination for exercising any of these rights

To make a CCPA request, email us at thepollinatorpatchgarden@gmail.com with the subject line "California Privacy Request." We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling the request. You may also designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf.

Children's Privacy

Pollinator Patch is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected such information, please contact us immediately.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: