TrailTimer
Privacy Policy
The short version: TrailTimer has no accounts, no ads, and no analytics. The developer does not collect your data. Your runs, tracks, and settings live on your iPhone and sync only through your own private iCloud. The only things that ever leave your device are the things you deliberately publish or share.
What we don't collect
We do not operate servers that gather your data. TrailTimer contains no advertising SDKs, no third-party analytics, and no tracking. We do not build a profile on you, and there is nothing to sign up for. In App Store terms, the app's privacy nutrition label is "Data Not Collected."
What stays on your device (and your iCloud)
Everything you create in TrailTimer — courses, runs, split times, leaderboards, vehicle and driver info, and settings — is stored on your iPhone. If you are signed in to iCloud, that data also syncs to your private iCloud (CloudKit) database so it is backed up and available on your other devices. This private database is controlled by your Apple ID; we cannot read it.
Location
TrailTimer uses your device's GPS to time checkpoints, map courses, and record the line you drove. Location is processed on your device for these features. It is stored with your runs (again, on your device and in your private iCloud) and is not sent to us.
If you turn on the optional automatic start feature, the app may monitor when you arrive near one of your own courses so it can offer to start timing. This uses iOS region monitoring on-device; it does not record anything in the background and shares nothing externally.
Bluetooth
TrailTimer can connect over Bluetooth to two optional accessories: an OBD-II adapter for live vehicle gauges, and — for DIY builders — a UHF RFID timing reader. Bluetooth is used only to talk to these devices. No Bluetooth data is collected by us.
Maps, terrain, and trail import
To draw maps and 3D terrain, and to import public trails, the app requests data from third-party map services. When you use those features, standard network requests (which include your device's IP address, as any web request does) go to:
- Apple Maps / MapKit — base maps and reverse geocoding (turning coordinates into place names).
- MapTiler and public elevation tile sources (USGS 3DEP / Terrarium) — terrain and elevation for the 3D flyover.
- OpenStreetMap (Overpass API) — when you use "Discover" to import an existing trail.
These providers handle those requests under their own privacy policies. TrailTimer sends them only what is needed to fetch map data (such as the area you are viewing) — not your identity, your runs, or your results.
Publishing and sharing (opt-in)
Some features send data outside your device only when you choose to use them:
- Publishing a track to the public catalog, or sharing a track or vehicle with friends, uploads that item to a shared CloudKit database so others can install it. Vehicle sharing strips the VIN.
- Sharing results with friends (a setting you turn on) posts a distilled record of your times so it can appear on a shared leaderboard.
- Group events and the live rider map share a coarse, temporary location (only while you have the event map open, and only if you enable position sharing) so others at the meetup can see approximately where riders are. These records expire on their own.
A device identity for the friends feature is a self-generated code and a display name you choose — not an email or phone number. You can stop sharing at any time; deleting your iCloud data (below) removes what you published.
Purchases
Optional one-time purchases (full results history and additional published-track slots) are handled by Apple through the App Store and StoreKit. We never see your payment information. Apple's handling of purchases is governed by Apple's privacy policy.
Deleting your data
You can delete TrailTimer's data at any time. In the app, Setup → Data & Sync offers a factory reset (wipes the app's local data) and a "Delete iCloud Data" option that removes your private records and anything you published or shared. Deleting the app also removes its on-device data.
Children
TrailTimer is rated 4+ and contains no objectionable content, but it is designed for adults timing motorsport activities. It does not knowingly collect information from children — it does not collect personal information from anyone.
Changes to this policy
If this policy changes, the updated version will be posted on this page with a new effective date.
Contact
Questions about privacy? Email tyler@tylerfit.ch.