Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly to us, such as when you create an account, use our services, or contact us for support.

1.1 Information You Provide

• Account information: Name, email address when you sign in via Google or GitHub
• Profile data: Hardware preferences and saved configurations
• Communications: When you contact us for support or feedback

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Usage data: Pages visited, features used, time spent on site
• Device information: Browser type, operating system, screen resolution
• IP address: Hashed for analytics, not stored in raw form
• Cookies: Essential and analytics cookies (see Section 6)

1.3 Information We Do NOT Collect

• Credit card numbers or payment details (handled by Stripe)
• Social Security numbers or government IDs
• Precise geolocation data
• Biometric data

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to provide, maintain, and improve our services:

• To provide and maintain our AI hardware compatibility tools
• To personalize your experience and remember your preferences
• To send you technical notices and support messages (only if you opt-in)
• To monitor and analyze usage patterns to improve our service
• To detect, prevent, and address technical issues
• To track affiliate link clicks for revenue attribution (anonymized)

3. Information Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: Stripe (payments), Vercel (hosting), Supabase (database)
• Analytics: Google Analytics (anonymized usage data)
• Affiliate Partners: Only click timestamps and anonymized session IDs for revenue attribution
• Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect our rights

4. Payment Processing (Stripe)

All payment processing is handled by Stripe, Inc., a PCI-DSS Level 1 certified payment processor.

• We never receive, store, or process your credit card numbers
• Stripe collects payment information directly through their secure forms
• We only receive confirmation of successful payments and subscription status
• Stripe may collect additional data as described in their Privacy Policy

5. Affiliate Links & Disclosures

HardwareHQ participates in affiliate programs with hardware vendors and cloud providers. This helps us keep our tools free for all users.

5.1 What We Track

• Click timestamps on affiliate links
• Anonymized session identifiers (hashed, not personally identifiable)
• Referring page within HardwareHQ
• General geographic region (country-level only)

5.2 What We Do NOT Track

• Your purchases or order details on affiliate sites
• Your browsing history on affiliate sites
• Any personally identifiable information tied to clicks

5.3 Our Affiliate Partners

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience:

You can disable cookies in your browser settings. Note that disabling essential cookies may affect site functionality.

7. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures:

• Encryption: TLS 1.3 for all data in transit
• Database: Supabase with row-level security and encrypted at rest
• Authentication: OAuth 2.0 via Google/GitHub (we don't store passwords)
• Access Control: Principle of least privilege for all systems
• Monitoring: Automated security scanning and alerting

8. Data Retention

• Account data: Retained until you delete your account
• Usage analytics: Aggregated data retained for 26 months (Google Analytics default)
• Affiliate click data: Anonymized data retained for 90 days
• Support communications: Retained for 2 years

Upon account deletion, personal data is removed within 30 days. Some anonymized/aggregated data may be retained for analytics.

9. Your Rights (GDPR/CCPA)

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

9.1 For All Users

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data
• Correction: Update inaccurate information
• Deletion: Delete your account and personal data
• Opt-out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails

9.2 GDPR (European Users)

• Right to data portability
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to object to processing
• Right to withdraw consent
• Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

9.3 CCPA (California Residents)

• Right to know what personal information is collected
• Right to know if personal information is sold or disclosed
• Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell data)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising CCPA rights

10. Third-Party Services

Our service integrates with third-party services. Each has their own privacy practices:

11. Children's Privacy

Our service is not intended for children under 13 years of age (or 16 in the EU). We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

12. International Data Transfers

Your data may be transferred to and processed in the United States and other countries where our service providers operate. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place:

• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) with EU data subjects
• Data Processing Agreements with all service providers
• Compliance with EU-US Data Privacy Framework where applicable

13. 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 on this page with an updated date
• Sending an email to registered users (for significant changes)
• Displaying a notice on our website

Your continued use of the service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights:

We aim to respond to all inquiries within 30 days.

This Privacy Policy is effective as of January 26, 2026. HardwareHQ is operated by Clark Thomas. By using our services, you agree to this Privacy Policy.