Legal
Privacy Policy
Last updated 28 August 2026
The short version
- We collect the least we can to make one button reach the right people.
- We never sell your information, and we never share it for advertising.
- Nobody — including a church or organization that paid for your access — is told when you ask for help.
- You can delete your account and everything in it from inside the app.
What we collect
When you create an account
- Email address and password. Authentication is handled by Google Firebase; we never see your password.
- Your first name or preferred name, which appears in the message your circle receives.
Your mobile number
We ask you to verify a mobile number so a supporter who chooses to reach you has a number that works. It is shared only with someone in your circle, and only at the moment they choose to call or text you.
The people in your circle
For each person you add we store the name you give them and their mobile number, so we can send them an invitation and, later, an alert. If you choose someone from your phone's contacts, we read only the contact you pick at the moment you pick it. We do not upload, store, or scan your address book.
When you ask for help
We record that a request happened, when, who was contacted, whether each person responded, and who connected. This is what makes the app work — your screen has to show you who is coming.
Your private plan
Whatever you write in your personal plan is stored for you and is not shown to your circle, to sponsors, or to anyone else.
Technical information
- A device identifier and push token, if you turn notifications on.
- Standard security and diagnostic logs. Phone numbers in logs are stored only as an irreversible fingerprint, never in full.
What we do not collect
- Your address book. Only the single contact you select, at the moment you select it.
- Location.
- Health records, diagnoses, or treatment information.
- The content of calls or text messages between you and your circle. Those happen on your phone, through your carrier, and we never see them.
Who we share it with
Only the companies that make the product function, and only what each one needs:
| Service | What they receive | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Twilio | Supporter mobile numbers and message text | To send the invitation and the alert |
| Google Firebase | Account, circle and request data | Hosting, database, authentication |
| Expo | Push token | To deliver notifications |
| RevenueCat, Apple, Google | Subscription status | To know whether your access is active |
We do not sell personal information, and we do not share it with advertisers or data brokers.
What sponsors are told
If a church, employer, or other organization paid for your access, they are told how many seats were claimed and nothing else. They are not told who claimed them, whether you have ever asked for help, when, how often, or who is in your circle.
How long we keep it
- Help request history: 30 days by default, then deleted automatically.
- Supporter links sent by text: 24 hours, then they stop working.
- Account, circle and plan: until you delete your account.
- Opt-out records: kept indefinitely, because we must not text someone again after they have told us to stop.
Your choices
- Leave a circle. Every message contains a link to leave, and replying STOP to any text stops all of them.
- Delete your account. Settings, inside the app. See deleting your account.
- Turn off notifications in Settings, or in your phone's settings.
Children
Help Now is not intended for children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect information from them.
Changes
If we change this policy in a way that materially affects you, we will tell you in the app before it takes effect.
Contact
Questions about this policy, or about your information: privacy@helpnowcircle.com.