Privacy Policy
Effective date: March 4, 2026 — Last updated: March 5, 2026
Madeleine is a French vocabulary learning app published by Madeleine ("we", "us", "our"). We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data.
What we collect
Account information
When you sign in with Apple, we receive an opaque, app-scoped user identifier and, optionally, your name (if you choose to share it). Your Apple ID credentials are stored securely in the device Keychain and are never shared with third parties.
Authentication tokens
When you first sign in, a one-time authorization code is exchanged with our server for an Apple refresh token. This token is stored in Cloudflare KV, keyed by your anonymous user identifier, with a 365-day expiry. It exists solely so we can revoke your credentials with Apple if you delete your account, as required by Apple (Technical Note TN3194). The token is deleted immediately upon account deletion.
Learning data
Your vocabulary progress and review scheduling data are stored locally on your device using Apple's SwiftData framework and synced across your own devices via your private iCloud account. We do not have access to this data. Detailed review history (individual card swipes) is stored locally only and never leaves your device.
Stories
If you subscribe to Madeleine Max, daily stories are generated on our server. The only user-specific information used in story generation is your current vocabulary stage (a number from 1 to 8) and your voice preference (male or female). No personal information is included in story generation requests. Stories are cached locally on your device for offline reading.
Audio
Pronunciation audio for daily stories is generated using ElevenLabs text-to-speech. ElevenLabs receives only the AI-generated French story text — no user identifiers, no names, no personal data. Vocabulary word audio is bundled within the app and requires no network requests.
What we don't collect
- No analytics or usage telemetry
- No crash reporting or diagnostics sent to us
- No advertising identifiers or tracking frameworks
- No cookies or fingerprinting
- No location data
- Your data is never sold, shared with third parties, or used for advertising
Server infrastructure
Our backend runs on Cloudflare Workers. API requests are authenticated using your Apple identity token (a JWT signed by Apple). We validate the token signature and issuer but do not store identity tokens server-side. The only server-side storage per user is the refresh token described above.
Third-party services
| Service | What it receives | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Apple (Sign in with Apple) | Authentication credentials | Account sign-in |
| Apple (iCloud) | Learning progress data | Cross-device sync via user's private iCloud |
| Apple (StoreKit) | Subscription transactions | Payment processing |
| Cloudflare Workers | Anonymous user ID, stage number, voice preference | Story generation and authentication |
| Cloudflare AI Gateway | AI model prompts (no user data) | Story text generation |
| ElevenLabs | French story text (no user data) | Text-to-speech audio |
No service listed above receives your name, email address, or any data that could identify you personally.
Subscriptions
Madeleine Max subscriptions are processed entirely by Apple through the App Store. We do not receive or store your payment information. Subscription status is verified locally on your device using Apple's StoreKit 2 framework.
Data retention
Learning data is stored on your device and in your private iCloud account. We do not maintain a separate copy. The server-side refresh token expires after 365 days or is deleted immediately upon account deletion.
Account deletion
You can delete your account at any time from Settings within the app. This action:
- Deletes all local data (learning progress, cached stories, profile photo, preferences)
- Revokes your Apple sign-in token via Apple's servers
- Deletes the server-side refresh token
- Is permanent and cannot be undone
Children's privacy
Madeleine is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The "last updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of Madeleine after changes constitutes acceptance.
Contact
Questions about this privacy policy? Contact us at support@madeleineapp.com.
© Madeleine, a Lore Studio LLC company.