DAD is built so the private work of raising your children stays private. We don't show ads, we don't track you across other apps, and we never sell your data. DAD is available on iPhone and on Android, and — as explained below — the two versions currently store your content differently.
The short version.
• On iPhone, your children's profiles, notes and photos stay on your device and sync only through your own iCloud. We can't see them.
• On Android, that content is currently kept in our secure cloud (Google Firebase), in a private area tied to your device by an anonymous ID — no account, no name, never sold or used for advertising. We're working to bring Android in line with the iPhone's on-device model.
• Some AI features send the relevant text to Anthropic (the makers of Claude) to generate a response — used only to answer you, never to train models or to advertise.
• No ads. No selling. No cross-app tracking. Analytics are anonymous and off by default on iPhone; the Android app collects no analytics at all.
DAD is made for fathers and other parents and carers — adults. It is not directed at children, and we don't knowingly collect information directly from children. The information you record about your children is entered by you, the parent, and remains under your control.
When you use DAD you may create child profiles and add journal notes, photos, check-ins, milestones and reflections. Where that content is kept depends on your device:
Your content is stored on your device using Apple's on-device database, and — if you have iCloud enabled — synced privately through your own iCloud account (Apple's private CloudKit database). We, the developer, do not run a server that holds this content and cannot read it. Photos stay on your device and in your iCloud; they are not uploaded to us.
Your content is currently stored in our secure cloud, provided by Google Firebase (the Firestore database and Firebase Storage), in a private area scoped to your installation by an anonymous identifier. There is no account, and we do not attach your name, email or a login to it. This data is protected by Google Cloud's encryption in transit and at rest and by security rules that keep each installation's data separate. Because this differs from the iPhone's on-device model, we are actively working to move the Android version to the same local / private-cloud approach; we'll update this policy when that lands.
Some features (the activity plans, devotions, conversation prompts and related guidance) are generated with the help of AI, and are available on the paid tier. To produce a response, the relevant text — for example a journal note you wrote, the profile details and notes for the child you're viewing, or your chosen suburb — is sent securely to Anthropic, the provider of the Claude models, which returns the generated result.
This text is used only to generate your response. Under Anthropic's API terms it is not used to train their models, and it is not used for advertising. Requests are relayed through a secure Google Firebase function so that no third-party keys are stored in the app; that relay passes the request through and does not retain your content. Content you have marked as sensitive is excluded from what is sent. If you use the free tier, or you don't use these features, this text isn't sent.
To show a Bible passage, DAD sends only the verse reference (not your content) to Crossway's ESV API, which returns the passage text.
To suggest things to do nearby and to factor in the weather, DAD uses the home location (a suburb) you set in Settings. DAD does not read your device's GPS and does not track your precise or continuous location in the background — only the suburb you type, converted to an approximate coordinate, is used. The services differ by platform:
DAD is free to use, with an optional Premium subscription. Subscriptions are handled through your app store — the Apple App Store on iPhone and Google Play on Android — and managed by our subscriptions provider, RevenueCat. Your actual payment is processed by Apple or Google; we never receive your card or bank details. RevenueCat processes an anonymous purchase identifier and your subscription status so the app knows what to unlock.
On iPhone, optional, privacy-first analytics (via TelemetryDeck) help us understand how the app is used in aggregate. They are opt-in and off by default, contain no advertising identifier (IDFA), and do not store your IP address. They never include anything you typed, your children's names, ages, photos, or any verse, plan or devotion content. Apple's standard crash reporting may also be available if you have enabled it in your device settings. On Android, the app currently collects no analytics and no crash reporting at all.
We don't sell your data or share it for advertising. We rely on a small set of service providers, each only for the purpose listed:
| Apple iCloud | Stores and syncs your content privately in your own account (iPhone). |
| Google Firebase | Stores your content in a private, device-scoped area (Android); and, on both platforms, securely relays AI requests and verifies the app (App Check). The AI relay does not retain your content. |
| Anthropic | Generates AI guidance, plans and devotions from the text you send. Not used to train its models. |
| Crossway (ESV API) | Returns licensed Scripture text for a verse reference. |
| Google (Places / Maps) | Suggests nearby venues for activities; map display on Android. |
| Apple (Weather / Maps) | Weather and map lookups from your suburb (iPhone). |
| Open-Meteo | Weather from your suburb (Android). |
| RevenueCat | Manages your subscription status via an anonymous purchase ID (billing is handled by Apple or Google). |
| TelemetryDeck | Anonymous, opt-in usage analytics (iPhone only). |
You're in control of your content. You can delete individual notes, photos and entries in the app (deleted items pass through a Recently Deleted area before they're removed for good). Removing a child, or deleting the app, removes the associated information — on iPhone from your device and iCloud, and on Android from our cloud as well. Content synced to iCloud is governed by your Apple account settings.
Your content is protected in transit by encrypted connections, and the app carries no third-party API keys. On iPhone it stays on your device and in your private iCloud; on Android it is held in a private, device-scoped area encrypted in transit and at rest by Google Cloud. You can also lock the app with Face ID, a fingerprint, or your device passcode so your notes stay private to you.
The information about your children in DAD is provided by you as their parent or carer and is treated as your private content. DAD does not create accounts for children, does not advertise to children, and does not knowingly collect information directly from a child. If you believe a child has provided information to us directly, contact us and we will help remove it.
DAD is operated from Australia and handles personal information in line with the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). You can ask to access or correct the information held about you. If you have a privacy concern, contact us first; if you're not satisfied with our response, you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at oaic.gov.au.
If you are in the EU, UK or EEA, you have rights under the GDPR — including access, correction, erasure, restriction, portability and objection — and may lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. If you are a California resident, you have rights under the CCPA/CPRA, including the right to know, to delete, and to opt out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information). To exercise any of these rights, email us.
If this policy changes, we'll update the date at the top and, where appropriate, note the change in the app. Continued use after an update means you accept the revised policy.
DAD is operated by TheDADapp, based in Australia, who is responsible for the information described in this policy. Questions about your privacy, or a request to access or delete your information? Email DadAppAdmin@gmail.com.
This policy describes DAD's current practices and is provided in good faith. It is not legal advice.