Word First is built to be a quiet place. We don't run ads, we don't sell your data, we don't use analytics SDKs, and we don't track you across other apps or websites. The data the app handles stays on your device or inside your own iCloud account — except for one feature, Companions, where you can choose to share two things with up to three people you invite: your first name and whether you've completed today's reading. That's the substance; the rest is detail.
Who we are
Word First is published by Land Run Brands (“we,” “us”). For questions about this policy or your data, write us at support@landrunbrands.com.
What the app collects, by feature
Reading and devotional content
- The devotional library — verses, reflections, prayers, commentary — is bundled inside the app and read locally. No network calls fetch reading content.
- Your reading completion times, saved verses, written reflections, bookmarks, and personal collections are stored on your device only, in iOS local storage.
- Your selected topic, preferred Bible translation, and reading duration are stored locally.
App blocking (Screen Time)
- When you choose which apps to block, iOS gives the app an opaque token — we never see the names or icons of your installed apps. The token is stored on your device only, in the App Group container our Screen Time extension reads.
- Apple's Screen Time API runs the actual blocking. This feature never leaves your device.
Sign in with Apple (optional)
- Used only for the Companions feature.
- Apple provides a stable user identifier (an iCloud record ID) and, if you choose to share it, your first name. We store these inside your private iCloud account.
- If you choose “Hide My Name,” we use the first name you entered during onboarding as your display name instead.
- You can sign out or delete your account from Settings at any time. Deleting your account removes the records we've stored about you in iCloud.
Companions (optional)
This is the only feature where data about you can be seen by anyone other than you. If you don't invite anyone or accept an invite, the feature is dormant and no data leaves your device.
When you join a Companions ring, three kinds of records are written to Apple's CloudKit public database (which only people inside your ring can see, because only they know your record ID to look you up):
- Your invite code, if you create one — a short alphanumeric code, your iCloud record ID, your display name (first name only), and the code's creation/expiration dates.
- A “companion link” when someone accepts your code (or you accept theirs) — both record IDs, both first names, and the timestamp of acceptance.
- A “reading event” each time you complete a reading — your iCloud record ID, the date (your local timezone), the devotional you read, and the completion time rounded to the nearest 15 minutes as a privacy mitigation. Your companions see this so your candle lights on their dashboard.
What companions can see about you: your first name and whether you read today. They cannot see your reflections, your saved verses, the apps you block, your subscription status, or anything else. You can leave a ring at any time from the Companions screen — leaving removes you from your companions' dashboards.
Subscriptions
- Purchases run through Apple's StoreKit. Apple, not Word First, processes payment information.
- We receive only what Apple tells us: whether your subscription is active.
- We don't store your name, email, payment method, or billing address. Apple does.
Notifications (optional)
- If you allow notifications, the app schedules them locally on your device. We don't send push notifications from a server. No data leaves your device for this feature.
Universal Links (invite codes)
- When a friend sends you a link like
wordfirst.app/invite/ABC123, our website receives the request and, if Word First is installed, iOS passes the path to the app. The website may keep a standard access log (IP address, timestamp, browser) for ordinary security and operations reasons; we don't tie that to your identity inside the app.
What we do NOT collect
We do not collect, track, or store:
- Analytics or usage telemetry from the app (no Firebase, Mixpanel, Amplitude, etc.)
- Advertising identifiers, IDFA, or any cross-app tracking
- Location data, GPS, geolocation, or IP-derived location
- Contacts, calendar, photos, microphone, or camera data
- Crash reports beyond what Apple may automatically collect with your consent at the OS level
- Your name beyond a first name for display in your own ring
- Email address or phone number
- Names, icons, or usage of the apps you block
Where the data lives
| Data | Where it lives |
|---|---|
| Reflections, saved verses, reading history, schedule | Your device only |
| Selected apps to block (opaque tokens) | Your device only, App Group storage |
| Account record (display name + record ID) | Your private iCloud database |
| Companions records (invite codes, links, reading events) | Apple's CloudKit public database, inside our app's container |
| Subscription status | Apple's StoreKit |
We do not operate our own servers that hold your data. Everything is either on your device or inside the iCloud container Apple hosts for our app. We can't access your iCloud private database; only you can. The public database records are visible to us as records inside our container, but we have no analytics or product reason to read them and don't.
Sharing
We do not sell, rent, or trade your information. We do not share your information with third parties for advertising, marketing, or analytics.
The only third party that processes data on our behalf is Apple — through iCloud (storage), Sign in with Apple (authentication), the App Store (distribution), and StoreKit (purchases). Apple's handling of that data is governed by Apple's own privacy policy. We may disclose information if compelled by valid legal process; since we hold almost no data ourselves, the disclosable surface is small.
Children's privacy
Word First is intended for users 13 and older. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13. If you believe a child has signed in, contact us at the email above and we will remove their account.
The app's content is designed for self-blocking (you choose what to block yourself); it is not a parental control product. We use Apple's “individual” Family Controls authorization, not “child” authorization.
Your rights
You can, at any time:
- See what's stored about you — your reflections, saved verses, reading history, and Companion connections are all visible in the app. The diagnostics view (Settings → tap version 5 times) shows the record IDs and Companion links your device is using.
- Delete your data — uninstalling removes everything stored on your device. From Settings, “Delete account” removes your Companions records from iCloud. Reflections and saved verses in your iCloud private database can be removed via iCloud's data management tools at appleid.apple.com.
- Export your data — saved verses and reflections can be shared via the iOS share sheet at any time.
- Stop using Companions — leave any ring from the Companions screen. Your reading events stop being written.
- Stop the subscription — manage or cancel from the App Store at any time.
Residents of California (CCPA), the European Economic Area (GDPR), the UK, and other regions with comprehensive privacy laws have additional rights including access, correction, deletion, and the right to object. We honor those requests for any data we directly control. Contact us at the email above to exercise these rights.
Security
- Data on your device is protected by iOS's standard sandboxing and file protection.
- iCloud data is protected by Apple's encryption at rest and in transit.
- Communication between the app and CloudKit uses HTTPS with certificate pinning provided by Apple.
- We do not use custom cryptography. We do not handle, store, or transmit payment information.
No system is perfectly secure. If we ever learn of a breach affecting your data, we will notify affected users without unreasonable delay.
International users
Word First is available globally on the App Store. iCloud data is hosted by Apple in regions determined by your Apple ID; we don't control which region. By using the app you agree that your data may be transferred to and stored in the regions Apple operates.
Changes to this policy
If we change this policy, we will update the “Last updated” date above and, for material changes, surface a notice inside the app on next launch. Continuing to use Word First after a change means you accept the updated policy.
Contact
Questions, concerns, requests, or complaints: support@landrunbrands.com
Land Run Brands
If you are not satisfied with our response, residents of the EEA or UK may also contact their local data protection authority. Word First is built quietly — this page is long because privacy policies have to be, not because there's much to disclose.