Privacy Policy
1. Your data stays on your phone
Vhsly uses your camera and microphone only to record video on your device. The VHS look and the tape sound are applied in real time on the phone and the finished MP4 is saved to your Gallery through Android's media store, where you control it. Nothing you record is uploaded or shared, and we operate no servers that process your content. Nothing is recorded in the background; recording runs only while you press REC. If you import a video from your gallery, you pick it with Android's photo picker, which gives the app access to that one file only; it is converted on the device and saved as a new video. Vhsly has no accounts and does not use your location, contacts or files other than the videos you choose. Cloud backup of the app's private storage is disabled.
2. Permissions
- Camera — asked the first time you open the viewfinder; used only to show and record the live picture.
- Microphone — asked the first time you record with sound; used only to record tape sound into your video. If you decline, you can still record silent video.
- Photo picker (no permission needed) — used only when you choose a gallery video to import (Pro).
- Notifications — free users only, can be turned off: one short note a day.
- Internet — ads, analytics, purchases and consent. Your content is never sent.
3. Analytics and crash reports (Google Firebase)
With your consent where required, we use Google Analytics for Firebase and Firebase Crashlytics to understand how the app is used and to fix crashes. We log anonymous events such as “paywall viewed” or “purchase completed”, plus device model, OS and app version, approximate region and an app-instance identifier. We never log your content; the app enforces this with an allow-list of event parameters. Crash reports contain the error type and stack trace only. Firebase Remote Config is used to tune paywall and ad settings.
4. Advertising (Google AdMob and Unity Ads)
The free version shows ads: one slim banner on a list screen, an occasional full-screen ad after you save something, and optional rewarded ads you choose to watch to unlock a Pro tool for a while. Ads never cover a live tool, onboarding or the paywall, and never appear in the first two minutes of first use. Vhsly Pro removes all ads.
Ads are served by Google AdMob, with Unity Ads competing through AdMob mediation and serving the banner directly. These partners may collect the advertising ID, device and usage information and approximate location derived from your IP address to serve and measure ads. See Google's and Unity's privacy policies.
5. Your choices (GDPR, UK GDPR, Swiss FADP, US state laws)
In the EEA, the UK and Switzerland, Vhsly asks for your consent through Google's consent message (IAB TCF) before personalised ads or analytics are used. If you decline, ads are non-personalised and analytics stays off. In US states with privacy laws (such as California, Virginia, Colorado), you can opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of personal information and targeted advertising. You can change your choice at any time in Settings → Privacy choices.
Legal bases (GDPR): consent for analytics and personalised ads; performance of a contract for the features you use and for purchases; legitimate interest for crash diagnostics where consent is not required. You may request access, deletion, correction or portability of data we control, object to processing, or lodge a complaint with your supervisory authority. California residents (CCPA/CPRA): we do not sell personal information for money; ad partners may receive identifiers as described above, which you can opt out of in Privacy choices. We do not discriminate against users who exercise their rights.
6. Purchases
Subscriptions and the lifetime purchase are processed by Google Play. We never receive your payment details; Google tells the app whether Pro is active.
7. Retention and deletion
Your content remains on your device until you delete it or uninstall the app. Analytics data is retained by Google for up to 14 months. See how to delete your data.
8. Children
Vhsly is not directed to children under 13 (under 16 in the EEA) and we do not knowingly collect their data.
9. Changes
We will update this page if our practices change and revise the date above.