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PRIVACY

Privacy Policy

Mäuse is local-first. Manual expense tracking stays on your iPhone. Optional Voice Mode offers two ways to dictate: Apple · On device, which keeps audio and expense details on your iPhone, and OpenAI · Cloud, which sends data to OpenAI only after you explicitly agree. This policy also explains the privacy-focused analytics used on this website.

Updated: October 24, 2026 · Version 1.2

Who is responsible?

Mäuse is developed and provided by Michael Diestelberg in Germany. For privacy questions or requests, email support@mäuse.app.

1. Manual expense tracking

Expenses you enter manually - including amount, description, date, and split - are stored locally on your device using Apple’s SwiftData framework. Mäuse does not operate an account system or an app backend, and the developer does not receive this information.

You can edit or delete individual expenses in the app. You can also replace all local expenses by importing a backup.

2. Backup and restore

When you export a backup, Mäuse creates a JSON file containing your expense records. You choose where to save or share that file using Apple’s system interface. Mäuse does not upload backups to a developer-operated server. Your OpenAI API key and Voice Mode consent settings are never included in backups. Your Voice Mode choice (Apple or OpenAI) is stored in Settings, not in the JSON backup.

3. Optional Voice Mode

Voice Mode is disabled by default. You choose Apple · On device or OpenAI · Cloud in Settings. Manual entry remains available if you use neither.

Apple · On device

Apple · On device uses on-device speech recognition and Apple Foundation Models. Audio and expense details stay on your iPhone and are never sent to OpenAI or another third party. Mäuse doesn’t save the audio; recognized text and drafts stay in memory until you close the session, and only expenses you save are added to your local expense database.

Apple mode needs iOS 26 or later, an Apple Intelligence–compatible iPhone with Apple Intelligence turned on, and a downloaded speech model for the app language. The first download uses the internet; after that, capture works offline. iOS will ask for microphone access and Speech Recognition; Mäuse uses Speech Recognition on-device only. If Apple mode is not available, Mäuse explains why and does not switch you to OpenAI.

OpenAI · Cloud

OpenAI · Cloud is disabled until you verify your own API key and accept a dedicated disclosure. Manual entry and Apple · On device remain available if you decline.

When you verify an API key, the key is sent directly over HTTPS to OpenAI to request a short-lived Realtime client secret. The API key is stored in Apple Keychain on your device. It is not sent to the Mäuse developer and is not included in backups.

Only while you run an OpenAI · Cloud session, Mäuse sends the following directly to OpenAI:

OpenAI returns interpreted request summaries, clarification questions, and structured expense drafts. “What I understood” shows those interpreted requests and corrections, not a verbatim transcript. Drafts are saved to your local expense database only when you choose to save them.

According to OpenAI’s current API data controls, API content is not used to train OpenAI models unless the API account owner explicitly opts in. For the Realtime API, abuse-monitoring logs may retain customer content for up to 30 days by default, unless longer retention is required by law or needed for safety. See OpenAI’s API data controls and OpenAI’s Privacy Policy.

OpenAI · Cloud uses your own OpenAI API project. OpenAI may charge that project for usage. Mäuse does not receive any part of those charges.

Your Voice Mode choices

4. Microphone and Speech Recognition

iOS asks for microphone access the first time Voice Mode needs it. Apple · On device also asks for Speech Recognition. Mäuse uses the microphone only during an active Voice Mode session, and Speech Recognition only for on-device Apple capture. You can revoke both in iOS Settings. Revoking Speech Recognition does not affect OpenAI · Cloud.

5. App analytics, advertising, and tracking

The Mäuse iPhone app contains no advertising SDK, analytics SDK, telemetry service, or cross-app tracking. It does not use Apple’s advertising identifier.

6. Website hosting and Vercel Web Analytics

The Mäuse website is hosted by Vercel and uses Vercel Web Analytics. Vercel receives technical request information needed to deliver and protect the site. Web Analytics records page views using privacy-focused, aggregated data such as the visited page, referrer, country or region, browser, operating system, and device type.

Vercel states that Web Analytics does not use third-party cookies, does not associate analytics data with an individual or IP address, and uses a request-derived visitor hash that is discarded after 24 hours. See Vercel’s Web Analytics privacy information and Vercel’s Privacy Policy.

The website stores only your language and theme preferences in browser local storage. These preferences stay in your browser until you clear them.

7. Legal bases for processing

Where the EU General Data Protection Regulation applies, OpenAI · Cloud transmits data on the basis of your consent and at your request to provide that feature. Apple · On device processes speech and expense drafts on your iPhone only; it does not transmit that data to Mäuse or a third party. Website delivery, security, and aggregated traffic measurement are based on legitimate interests in operating, protecting, and improving the website.

8. International processing

This section applies to OpenAI · Cloud and to this website. OpenAI and Vercel may process information outside your country. Their applicable contracts, privacy policies, and transfer safeguards govern that processing. Because OpenAI · Cloud uses your own OpenAI project, any project-level data residency or retention settings are controlled by the owner of that OpenAI account.

9. Retention

10. Your rights

Depending on applicable law, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, or object to processing, and to withdraw consent. You may also complain to your local data protection authority. Most app data is controlled directly by you on your device; the developer cannot retrieve local expenses or your API key.

11. Children

Mäuse is not directed specifically at children. Do not dictate another person’s sensitive information without their permission.

12. Changes to this policy

This policy may be updated when Mäuse, its service providers, or legal requirements change. Material changes to Voice Mode data sharing will require renewed in-app consent.

Contact

Questions about privacy or the app are welcome.

Email privacy support