In short: Alpingo needs no account and collects no personal data from you. Your location, recordings, samples and photos stay on your iPhone; we run no server that receives them. We use no advertising, analytics, crash reporting or any third-party tool that tracks you.
Data kept on your device
| Data | Why |
|---|---|
| Current location | To show your position, navigate, and power the map, Peak Finder, the Live Activity and widgets. Processed on the device and never sent to us. |
| Waypoints, overlays, routes, tracks and drawings | Because you saved them |
| Samples, structural measurements, licence areas, traverses, assays and LiDAR scans | Because you saved or imported them |
| Photos you attach to waypoints and samples | To show them with the record and include them in field reports |
| Downloaded maps, terrain data, peaks/huts/water, the path network and weather forecasts | Offline use |
| Settings and pressure history | To run the app and the storm warning |
All of this is stored only on your device and is removed when you delete the app.
Permissions
| Permission | Used for | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Location (While Using the App) | Showing your position and navigating. While a track is recording, a route is being followed or an arrival/off-course alarm is on, it is also used in the background; iOS shows the location indicator at the top of the screen. | Needed for the core features; without it you can still use the map and tools |
| Camera | Peak Finder, the outcrop camera and LiDAR scan, scanning waypoint QR codes and taking photos. The image is processed on the device and never uploaded. | No — asked only when you use it |
| Motion & Fitness | The barometric altimeter and step counting (dead reckoning) | No |
| Add to Photos | Saving the 3D fly-over videos you create to your photo library (add only) | No — asked only when you save a video |
| Notifications | Arrival, off-course, storm and turnaround alarms (scheduled on the device) | No |
Photos are attached through the iOS photo picker; Alpingo never asks to read your whole photo library. Contacts, calendars, the microphone, health data and the advertising identifier are not used.
Optional iCloud sync
When Settings → Data → iCloud sync is on, your waypoints, overlays and routes are stored in your own iCloud account (Apple's iCloud key-value storage) so they sync across your devices. We cannot access this copy; Apple's privacy policy applies. Tracks and other records are not synced and stay on the device. You can turn sync off at any time and delete the iCloud copy from the same section.
When you are online
Some features fetch data directly from the services below. These requests contain only the map area or coordinates needed and, as with any internet connection, your IP address reaches the service. No name, account ID or device ID is sent. These services are independent and have their own privacy policies.
| Service | When | What is sent |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Maps (MapKit) | While the Apple map engine is shown | The map area being viewed |
| OpenFreeMap | When viewing the vector map or downloading an area | Map tile numbers (area) |
| OpenTopoMap, OpenStreetMap, Esri, USGS or a custom source you add | When you choose that map source, or while satellite imagery is on in 3D terrain | Map tile numbers (area) |
| Waymarked Trails | While the hiking trails layer is on | Map tile numbers (area) |
| Macrostrat | While the geology map layer is on | Map tile numbers (area) |
| Mapzen Terrain Tiles (Amazon Web Services) | When downloading terrain data | Terrain tile numbers (area) |
| Overpass API (OpenStreetMap) | When downloading peaks, huts, water sources and the path network | The bounding coordinates of the area |
| BRouter (brouter.de) | When drawing a trail route and a leg cannot be found in the downloaded path network | The start and end coordinates of that leg |
| MET Norway (api.met.no) | When you open the mountain weather forecast | Your position (latitude, longitude, altitude) |
| OpenTopoData | When you request an online elevation profile for a route | Coordinates of sample points along the route |
MET Norway's terms require apps to identify themselves, so its requests carry the app name and our support e-mail address. They contain nothing about you.
Widgets and Live Activity
Widgets, the Live Activity and the Dynamic Island display information on your device. None of this goes through a server of ours.
Notifications
Alarms are local notifications scheduled on the device. We do not use remote (push) notifications and collect no device tokens.
Purchase
You buy Alpingo from Apple on the App Store as a one-time purchase. Your payment details stay with Apple and never reach us; purchase records are covered by Apple's privacy policy.
Emergency and sharing
The SOS screen's call and message go through the iOS Phone and Messages apps; you see the message and you send it. Your position, waypoints, routes, project file, field report and videos (GPX, KML, CSV, PDF, QR) are shared only when you choose to, with the person or app you pick.
Children
Alpingo collects no personal data from anyone, including children under 13.
Your choices and rights
- Delete data on the device: delete the app. Individual waypoints, routes, tracks, drawings and samples can also be deleted in the app.
- Delete the iCloud copy: Settings → Data → Delete iCloud copy.
- Questions and requests: support.gepgo@gmail.com
Because we hold no data about you, there are no records for access or portability requests; we still answer GDPR and KVKK requests within 30 days.
Changes
If this policy changes materially, we will say so with an app update. Last updated: 11 October 2026.