The short version: Recipes Worth Keeping doesn't run its own servers, doesn't show ads, doesn't use analytics or tracking, and never sells your data. Your recipes sync through your own iCloud account, the same way Apple Notes or Apple Reminders does. Apart from that, nothing is sent to any other company unless you choose to turn on the optional AI features and give permission in the app.
Who this policy covers
This policy describes how Recipes Worth Keeping ("the app," "we," "our") handles information when you use the app on your iPhone or iPad. It's written by an individual developer, not a company - if anything here is unclear, the Contact page has a direct way to reach us.
Information the app stores
The app stores the content you create: recipe titles, ingredients, instructions, photos, categories, tags, ratings, meal plans, and shopping lists. This content is stored on your device and, if you're signed into iCloud, synced through Apple's CloudKit service so it's available across your own devices and - only if you choose to share a cookbook - with family members you've explicitly invited.
We do not operate our own servers and never see this content ourselves. It moves directly between your device(s) and Apple's iCloud infrastructure, governed by Apple's own privacy policy.
Camera and photo access
If you grant permission, the app uses your camera or photo library only to:
- Attach a photo to a recipe you're saving or editing
- Scan a recipe from a printed card, cookbook page, or photograph, so its text can be read into a new recipe
Photos are never accessed, uploaded, or analysed for any other purpose.
Optional AI features
Recipes Worth Keeping has two optional features that use a third-party AI service. Both are off by default and only work if you turn them on in Settings and add your own API key for one of these providers: OpenAI (ChatGPT), Anthropic (Claude), or Google (Gemini).
- AI-assisted recipe import. Most recipe websites are imported automatically, on your device, without any AI. Only if a page has no readable recipe data is AI used to read the recipe from it.
- "Ask AI for ideas" in What to Eat. Suggests dish ideas based on ingredients you type.
We ask before anything is sent
The first time either feature needs to send data, the app shows a screen explaining what will be sent and who will receive it, and asks for your permission. Nothing is sent unless you tap Allow. If you switch to a different provider, you are asked again.
What is sent, and to whom
Data is sent only to the one provider you selected, directly from your device:
- When importing a recipe: the text of the web page you are importing.
- When asking for ideas: the ingredients you type and the filters you choose.
- Your API key, so the provider can identify your account.
- As with any internet request, the provider can see your device's IP address.
The following is never sent: your saved recipes, cookbooks, meal plans, shopping lists, photos, name, email address, or iCloud account.
How the data is used
The provider uses the data only to return the imported recipe or dish ideas to you. We do not operate any servers, so this data never passes through us and we never see it. Your API key is stored securely in your device's Keychain and is never sent to us.
Each provider handles this data under its own privacy policy and API terms, which include confidentiality and security protections at least equal to those described in this policy. At the time of writing, OpenAI and Anthropic state that they do not use data sent through their APIs to train their models by default. If you use a free-tier Google Gemini key, Google's terms allow it to use submitted content to improve its services; paid Gemini keys are not used this way. You can read each provider's policy here:
Changing your mind
You can withdraw permission at any time in the app under Settings → Data Sharing → Withdraw Permission. You can also remove your API key or turn off AI features entirely. The rest of the app works normally without them.
What we don't do
- No advertising, and no advertising identifiers or ad networks of any kind
- No analytics or usage-tracking services
- No account system beyond your own Apple ID / iCloud account
- No selling or renting of your data, and no sharing with third parties, except with the AI provider you choose, and only with your permission (see Optional AI features)
Shared cookbooks
If you invite a family member to a shared cookbook, the recipes in that cookbook become visible to everyone who has joined it, so they can be added to, edited, and removed by any member. Removing yourself from a shared cookbook, or deleting the app, does not delete a shared cookbook for other members who remain in it.
Children's privacy
Recipes Worth Keeping is a general-audience app and is not directed at children. It does not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Your choices
You can delete any recipe, cookbook, or shopping list at any time directly in the app. Deleting the app removes its local data from your device; content already synced to iCloud follows Apple's own iCloud data controls, which you can manage from your device's Settings app under your Apple ID.
If you use the optional AI features, you can withdraw permission, remove your API key, or turn the features off at any time in the app's Settings.
Changes to this policy
If this policy changes, the "Last updated" date at the top of this page will change too. Significant changes will be reflected here before they take effect.
Contact
Questions about this policy or your data can be sent through the Contact page.