What Footman is
Footman is a native macOS app that watches folders on your Mac and automatically sorts, renames, tags and unpacks files based on rules you create. All folder watching, rule matching and file actions happen locally on your Mac, and Bertie runs on your Mac with Apple Intelligence. Footman never uploads your files or folder contents to us. If you choose to connect your own Claude API key (Settings → Bertie → Advanced), Bertie's requests go straight from your Mac to Anthropic using your key, including your question and the file details needed to answer it, such as file names, recent activity and, for rules that sort or rename by content, text from the file.
What we collect
We collect very little data. The only information we hold is:
- Your email address, if you buy a licence or use licence recovery. We need it to send you your licence key.
- Your email address, if you ask us to email you a download link (for example from your phone). We store it only to send that one email, and delete it after 30 days. It isn't added to any list and we won't send follow-ups.
- Payment details are handled by Stripe. We receive your email and a payment reference, never your card details.
- Your licence record: your key, its status and how many times it has been activated, plus an activation record for each Mac (see Licence activation).
- Website analytics: anonymous page-view counts. When you click Download we also record a random ID stored in your browser, your browser's user agent and which button you clicked, so we can count downloads.
- Footman sends anonymous usage statistics through TelemetryDeck, such as when rules are created or run and when Bertie is used. Each one also carries standard details: app version, macOS version, Mac model and architecture, screen size, time zone, language, region and light or dark mode, plus session counts and length and a hashed, randomly generated ID that isn't linked to you. It never sends file names, paths, folder contents or anything you type to Bertie, and you can turn it off in Settings → General → Privacy.
What we do not collect
We do not collect your file names, file paths, folder contents, anything you type to Bertie, or any personal files. Footman does not send crash reports. The app only goes online to check for updates, activate or re-check a licence, send the optional anonymous usage statistics, and talk to Anthropic if you have connected your own Claude key.
Licence activation
When you activate Footman, the app sends your licence key and a random ID created for that Mac to our server. We store that ID with your IP address, the app's user agent and when it last activated, so we can spot misuse. There is no limit on how many of your own Macs you can activate. Every so often the app re-checks your licence by sending the same key and ID, so a refund takes effect. Our server briefly logs IP addresses to stop abuse and deletes those logs after about an hour.
Updates
Footman checks footmanapp.com for new versions using Sparkle. It simply downloads our update feed. Like any web request, this reveals your IP address and a user agent showing the app version, but Footman does not send a system profile or any identifier, and we do not use update checks to track you.
How we use your data
We use your email address only to deliver and recover your licence key, to send you a download link if you ask for one (for example from your phone), and to reply when you contact support. A download-link address is stored only to send that one email and is deleted after 30 days; it isn't added to any list and we won't send follow-ups. We do not send marketing emails, and we never sell your data. We use a small number of services to run Footman: Stripe for payments, Lovable for website hosting, our database and licence emails (sent from notify.footmanapp.com through Mailgun), and TelemetryDeck for the anonymous usage statistics. Each only gets what it needs to do that job.
Data retention
We keep your email address, licence record and activation records for as long as your licence exists, so we can support you and recover lost keys. If you want your data deleted, email us and we will remove it within 30 days.
Contact
If you have any questions about this privacy policy or want to exercise your data rights, email us at support@footmanapp.com.