# Privacy Policy for Substack PDF Downloader
Last Updated: February 12, 2026
## Introduction
Substack PDF Downloader ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your data when you use our browser extension and associated services.
## Data Collection and Usage
### 1. User Authentication
We use Google Sign-In via `chrome.identity` to authenticate users. This process provides us with your email address and basic profile information solely for the purpose of identifying your account and managing subscription status.
### 2. PDF Generation
When you request a PDF download, the extension temporarily sends the HTML content of the current article page to our secure backend servers.
- **Purpose**: This data is used exclusively to render the PDF file.
- **Retention**: The HTML content is processed in memory and is **never stored** on our servers. Once the PDF is generated and returned to you, all data is immediately discarded.
- **Cookies**: To access paid or subscription-only content, your session cookies for Substack are included in the request. These are used only to authenticate the page fetch and are never logged or stored.
### 3. Usage Data
We collect minimal, anonymized usage statistics to improve our service and monitor system health.
- **Metrics Collected**: Number of downloads, success/failure rates, and error logs.
- **Purpose**: To enforce daily quota limits for free and paid tiers and to troubleshoot technical issues.
### 4. Local Storage
The extension stores your preferences (e.g., file naming conventions, theme settings, download history) locally on your device using `chrome.storage.local`. This data never leaves your browser unless you explicitly enable Cloud Sync.
## Cloud Sync & Third-Party Services
### Google Drive & Dropbox
If you choose to enable the Cloud Sync feature:
- We request permission to access your Google Drive or Dropbox account (`https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.file` scope).
- This access is used **solely** to upload the PDF files generated by our extension to a designated folder in your cloud storage.
- We do not read, delete, or modify any other files in your cloud storage.
### Stripe
Payments and subscriptions are processed securely by Stripe. We do not store or have access to your credit card information. Stripe provides us with the status of your subscription to unlock Pro features.
## Data Sharing
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal identification information to others. We do not share data with third parties except as necessary to provide the core functionality of the service (e.g., payment processing via Stripe).
## Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data. All communication between the extension and our servers is encrypted via HTTPS. Authentication tokens are handled securely and never exposed.
## Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new policy on this page.
## Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at: neocrtxai@gmail.com