Last updated: March 21, 2026
Dearly ("we," "our," or "the app") is a parent journal and sealed letter delivery app. We are committed to protecting your privacy and your family's data. This policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights.
The vast majority of your data never leaves your device. Journal entries, child profiles, photos, videos, milestone tags, and free-write text are stored locally using Apple's SwiftData framework and synced across your personal devices via Apple's iCloud/CloudKit service. We do not have access to this data. Apple's CloudKit privacy policy governs this sync.
We collect only the minimum data necessary to deliver sealed letters:
We do not collect names, phone numbers, physical addresses, device identifiers, IP addresses, analytics data, or any other personal information beyond what is listed above.
Sealed letter content and delivery email addresses are used exclusively to deliver your letters on the dates you specify. Parent email addresses are used only to send an annual verification email confirming delivery addresses are still correct. We do not use your data for advertising, analytics, profiling, or any purpose other than letter delivery.
Sealed letter data is retained on our delivery server until the letter is successfully delivered, plus 30 days for delivery confirmation. After that, letter content and associated media are permanently deleted from our servers. Delivery logs (date sent, recipient email) are retained for 12 months for support purposes, then deleted.
On-device journal data is retained indefinitely on your device and iCloud account until you delete it. Deleting the app removes all local data. iCloud data can be managed through your Apple ID settings.
Dearly is designed for parents to journal about their children, not for children to use. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13. The app does not require or support child accounts. All data is entered by the parent.
You can export all your data at any time using the Vault Backup feature in Settings, which creates a complete ZIP archive of all journal entries, sealed letters, photos, and videos. To delete your data from our delivery servers, email support@dearlyjournal.app and we will remove all your sealed letter data within 30 days.
Dearly contains no advertising, no analytics SDKs, no tracking pixels, no third-party frameworks that collect user data, and no social media integrations. We do not sell, share, or monetize your data in any way.
If we make material changes to this privacy policy, we will notify you through the app or via email (if you've provided one). The "last updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision.
If you have questions about this privacy policy or your data, contact us at support@dearlyjournal.app.