Privacy Policy

Verkilo is offline-first, so most of what other apps collect, we never see. Here's exactly what we do and don't handle.

Last updated: February 18, 2025

Verkilo is built on a simple idea: your work is yours, and it lives on your computer, not ours. That principle shapes this entire policy. Because Verkilo is an offline-first desktop application, most of the data other writing tools collect never reaches us in the first place.

This policy explains what we collect, what we don’t, and why.

Your manuscripts stay on your device

Verkilo stores your books, characters, locations, notes, and every other piece of your work as files on your own computer. We do not upload, sync, copy, or store your manuscripts on our servers. We cannot read your writing, because we never receive it.

If you back up or sync those files yourself using a service like iCloud, Dropbox, or an external drive, that data is handled under that service’s terms, not ours.

What we do collect

To sell and license the app, we handle a limited amount of information:

  • Purchase information. When you buy Verkilo, our payment processor collects the details needed to complete the transaction (such as your name, email, and billing information). We receive a record of the purchase and your license, but we do not store your full card number.
  • License and account details. We keep the email address associated with your purchase so we can deliver your license, verify it, and provide support.
  • Email you give us. If you subscribe to our newsletter or contact us for support, we keep that email and correspondence so we can reply and send what you asked for.
  • Basic diagnostics, only if you opt in. If you choose to send crash reports or anonymous usage data, we use it solely to fix bugs and improve the app. This is optional and off unless you turn it on.

AI and agents

Verkilo ships no built-in AI, and we do not send your writing to any AI service. If you choose to connect your own AI agent to your work, that agent and its provider handle your data under their own terms, not ours. We never see that exchange. You can read more about how we think about this on The author is human.

What we don’t do

  • We don’t sell your personal information.
  • We don’t rent or trade your email to advertisers.
  • We don’t track you across the web or build an advertising profile of you.
  • We don’t require an account or an internet connection to write.

Third parties we rely on

We use a small number of service providers to run the business, such as a payment processor to handle purchases and an email provider to send newsletters and support replies. These providers only receive the information needed to perform their function, and they are bound by their own privacy obligations.

Your choices

  • You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time using the link in any email.
  • You can turn optional diagnostics on or off in the app’s settings.
  • You can ask us what information we hold about you, ask us to correct it, or ask us to delete it. Contact us using the details below.

Children

Verkilo is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect information from them.

Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we’ll update the date at the top of this page. Meaningful changes will be noted so you can see what’s different.

Contact

Questions about privacy? Email us at email support and we’ll help.