SofiLingo Privacy Policy
Last updated: 22 August 2026
SofiLingo is a translation app. This policy explains what happens to your information when you use it.
We have written this to match what the app actually does, not to describe every possibility. If a section seems short, it is because there is genuinely little to say.
The short version
- SofiLingo has no accounts. We never ask for your name, email, or phone number.
- Almost everything happens on your device and never reaches us.
- Photos you scan in Greek, Thai and Arabic are sent for text recognition, because your phone cannot read those scripts offline. Nothing else is sent.
- We do not sell your information, and we do not run advertising.
What stays on your device
Everything you type and its translation. Translation for all supported languages runs on your device using downloaded language models. What you type is never transmitted.
Your scan history. Photos you scan, the text found in them, and the translations are stored in the app's private storage on your device. They are not uploaded, backed up to us, or visible to anyone else. Deleting the app removes them permanently.
Photos scanned in the other eleven languages. Scanning in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Turkish is handled entirely on your device. Those images never leave your phone.
What is sent, and why
Photos scanned in Greek, Thai or Arabic
Your phone's built-in text recognition cannot read these three scripts. When you tap to scan in one of them, that single photo is sent to our server, forwarded to Google Cloud Vision to extract the text, and the text is returned to your device.
- Only the photo you deliberately captured is sent. The camera preview is not streamed anywhere.
- The image is reduced to about 400 KB before sending.
- We do not store the image on our servers. It exists only for the duration of the request.
- Google processes the image under the Google Cloud Platform Terms and does not use it to train its models.
- The translation of that text still happens on your device.
If you scan one of these languages while offline, the photo is saved on your device and sent only when you next have a connection and open the app.
A usage counter
To keep the service affordable we limit how many Greek, Thai and Arabic scans each person can make. To do this we store, on our server:
- An anonymous identifier generated by RevenueCat when you install the app
- The number of such scans you have made, by date
- Which plan you have (free, pass, weekly, or yearly)
This identifier is not linked to your name, email, device, or advertising ID. It tells us nothing about you except how many scans you have made.
Scan counts older than 60 days are deleted automatically.
Purchases
Purchases are handled by Apple or Google. We never see your card details.
We use RevenueCat to manage subscriptions. RevenueCat receives your purchase history and the anonymous identifier above so it can tell the app what you have paid for.
What we do not do
- We do not collect your name, email address, or phone number
- We do not track your location
- We do not use analytics or advertising SDKs
- We do not sell or share your information with data brokers
- We do not build a profile of you
- We do not read, store, or analyse your translations
Camera and permissions
SofiLingo asks for camera access solely to read text you point it at. You can refuse, and everything except scanning will still work.
The app does not request access to your photo library, contacts, location, microphone, or files.
Children
SofiLingo is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect information from them. There is nothing in the app that identifies a user, so we have no way to detect a child's use of it. If you believe a child has used the app and you want their scan counter removed, contact us at the address below.
Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or export your information, and to object to how it is used. This includes people in the UK, the EU, and several US states.
Because we hold so little, most of these are simple:
To delete everything on your device: delete the app.
To delete your scan counter from our server: email us at support@sofilingo.com from any address, including the anonymous identifier shown in the app under Settings. We will delete it within 30 days and confirm when done. You do not need to give a reason or identify yourself further.
To see what we hold: email the same address with your identifier. We will send you the row, which is a date, a count, and a plan name.
We do not require an account to exercise any of these rights, and we do not charge for them.
The legal basis for the processing described here is our legitimate interest in providing and protecting the service, and performance of our contract with you where you have purchased a plan.
Where information is processed
Our server infrastructure is provided by Supabase and text recognition by Google Cloud. Depending on your region, information may be processed in the United States or the European Union. Transfers out of the UK and EEA rely on Standard Contractual Clauses with those providers.
Retention
| What | How long |
|---|---|
| Photos sent for recognition | Not retained; discarded after the request |
| Scan counts | 60 days, then deleted automatically |
| Plan status | Until you request deletion |
| Anything on your device | Until you delete it or the app |
Changes
If we change this policy we will update the date at the top and note what changed. If a change materially affects how we handle your information, we will tell you in the app before it takes effect.
Contact
Email: support@sofilingo.com
If you are in the EU or UK and are unhappy with our response, you may complain to your local data protection authority.