Privacy Policy
Last updated: September 12, 2026
Introduction
GroupUp ("we," "our," or "us") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application. By using GroupUp, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.
Information We Collect
We collect the following types of information: Account Information • Display name and username • Email address (for account creation, recovery, and optional marketing communications if opted in) • Account type (standard or business) Location Data • Your approximate location when using the Discover feature to find nearby places and events • We only access location when the app is in use and you have granted permission • Location coordinates are used in real time to find nearby places and are not permanently stored in your profile • EXIF location metadata embedded in photos you submit through the Contributor Program is used solely to verify that photos were taken at the location being described. This metadata is processed at the time of submission and is not stored separately in your profile. Activity Data • Places and events you like, dislike, or save to favorites • Groups you create, join, or are invited to • Messages sent within groups • Votes cast on places within groups • Event RSVPs and pre-event dining plans • Swipe history Reviews and Ratings • Star ratings and written reviews you submit for places User Content • Photos and posts you share within the app • Place submissions: photos, hours, amenities, pricing, and other venue information you contribute through the Contributor Program • Contributor credit balance and credit adjustment history • Vouch votes you cast on other users' place submissions • Content is stored on our servers and may be visible to other users per your activity and settings • Approved place photos may remain visible in the app even after account deletion, as they have become part of the public place record Business Account Data (if applicable) • Business name and claimed place information • Business phone number (for identity verification only) • Subscription tier and billing status Device Information • Device type and operating system version • App version • Push notification token (if notifications are enabled) • Crash reports and diagnostic data collected via Firebase Crashlytics to help us identify and fix bugs Payment Information • We do not collect or store your payment card information. App Store purchases are processed by Apple; business subscription payments are processed by Stripe. We only receive confirmation of transaction status. Advertising Data • Advertising identifier (IDFA) used by Google AdMob to serve personalized ads (free-tier users) • Ad interaction data collected by Google AdMob
How We Use Your Information
We use your information to: • Provide and improve the GroupUp service • Show you relevant places and events based on your location and preferences • Enable group features, voting, and messaging • Display and surface your ratings, reviews, and approved place contributions to other users • Display your posts in the public photo gallery of any place you associate them with (for accounts that are not set to private) • Operate the Contributor Program, including tracking credits earned, redeemed, and adjusted • Send push notifications for group activity, votes, and events (only if you have granted permission) • Process in-app purchases and business subscriptions • Serve relevant advertisements to free-tier users • Analyze app usage to improve features • Verify and manage business accounts • Respond to customer support requests • Enforce our Terms of Service and protect the safety of users
Data Sharing
We do not sell your personal information. We may share data with: Service Providers • Supabase (database and authentication infrastructure) • Apple (App Store, StoreKit in-app purchases, push notifications, MapKit) • Firebase (Google) (crash reporting via Crashlytics and usage analytics) • Stripe (business subscription billing) • Google AdMob (advertising for free-tier users) • Ticketmaster and SeatGeek (live event discovery) • Viator and GetYourGuide (experience and activity listings) Each service provider is given only the data necessary to perform their function. Where a formal data processing agreement exists, service providers are contractually prohibited from using your data for other purposes. Event discovery services (Ticketmaster, SeatGeek) and experience services (Viator, GetYourGuide) receive location coordinates as query parameters to return nearby results; their use of such data is governed by their own terms and privacy policies, not by a contract with GroupUp. Other Users • Your display name and profile are visible to group members • Messages and votes you send in groups are visible to group members • Your star ratings and written reviews are publicly visible on place cards • Approved place contributions may display your username unless you have opted out in settings • Posts you associate with a place may appear in that place's public photo gallery, visible to all users of the app, unless your account is set to private Business Verification • Business account claims are reviewed by GroupUp administrators Moderation • When messages or content are reported by users, GroupUp administrators may review the reported content solely for the purpose of evaluating the report and taking appropriate enforcement action. This access is limited to reported content. Legal Requirements • We may disclose information if required by law, subpoena, or court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of GroupUp, our users, or the public
Advertising
Free-tier users may see advertisements served by Google AdMob. AdMob may collect and use data in accordance with Google's Privacy Policy to serve personalized or non-personalized ads. You can opt out of personalized advertising in your device settings under Privacy → Tracking. Premium subscribers do not see advertisements.
Data Retention
• Account data is retained while your account is active • Liked places and events are stored and expire based on your subscription tier • Swipe history is retained until you clear it or delete your account • Written reviews and ratings remain associated with places after account deletion unless you request removal • Approved place photos you submitted may remain visible in the app after account deletion, as they have become part of the public place record and removing them would degrade the experience for other users • You can delete your account at any time from Profile settings • Upon account deletion, your personally identifiable data is removed within 30 days. Aggregated or anonymized usage data — from which all directly and indirectly identifying information has been removed — may be retained for analytics and service improvement.
Your Rights
You have the right to: • Access your personal data • Correct inaccurate data • Delete your account and associated data • Request export of your data • Opt out of marketing and promotional communications (transactional messages such as security alerts, account notifications, and billing confirmations will continue) • Withdraw location permissions at any time via iOS Settings • Opt out of personalized advertising via iOS Settings → Privacy → Tracking • Opt out of having your username displayed on your approved contributions (toggle in Profile settings) To exercise these rights, contact us at groupup.support@protonmail.com
California Privacy Rights (CCPA)
If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA): • Right to Know — You may request information about the categories and specific pieces of personal data we have collected about you, the categories of sources, our business purpose for collecting it, and the categories of third parties we share it with • Right to Delete — You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions • Right to Opt Out of Sale — We do not sell your personal information. We do not sell data to third parties for their own marketing purposes • Right to Non-Discrimination — We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA rights To submit a CCPA request, contact us at groupup.support@protonmail.com. We will respond within 45 days. We may extend this response period by an additional 45 days when reasonably necessary, and will notify you of any extension within the initial 45-day period.
Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data, including: • Encryption of data in transit (TLS) and at rest • Secure authentication via Supabase • Row-level security policies on database access • Limited internal access to personal data • Regular security assessments Data Breach Notification In the event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you via the email address associated with your account within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach, or as required by applicable law. We will describe the nature of the breach, the data affected, and the steps we are taking to address it. No method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Children's Privacy
GroupUp is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we discover that a user is under 13, we will promptly delete their account and all associated data. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at groupup.support@protonmail.com.
Third-Party Links and Services
GroupUp may surface links to third-party services such as OpenTable (restaurant reservations), Ticketmaster, SeatGeek, Viator, and GetYourGuide. Tapping these links takes you outside the app. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. Please review their privacy policies before providing personal information.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the new policy in the app and updating the "Last updated" date above. For significant changes, we may also send an in-app notification or email.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us: Email: groupup.support@protonmail.com