Privacy Policy
Penny Bank · Last updated: October 8, 2026
Penny Bank is a physical piggy bank that connects to a phone app so families can save and track money together. This policy explains what information the Penny Bank app and device collect, why, who else handles it, and the choices you have. The service is operated by Lili Rachowin ("we", "us").
The short version
- We collect only what we need to run your account and your Penny Bank.
- We don't sell your information. We don't show ads. We don't track you across other apps or websites.
- Penny Bank tracks virtual balances. It doesn't connect to your bank accounts or handle real money.
- You can delete your account at any time from inside the app.
What we collect
Account information
- Your email address and a password. Your password is stored in scrambled (hashed) form by our sign-in provider; we can't read it.
Information you add about your bank
- Bank names, emoji and colors, time zone, deposit shortcuts, and your savings "bucket" percentages and goals.
- Parents often use a child's first name as the bank name. Please use a nickname if you'd prefer not to use a real name.
Money activity you record
- Deposits and withdrawals: the amount, type, any note you add, the date and time, and the resulting balances. These are numbers inside the app; no money moves.
Information from your Penny Bank device
- A random device ID, the pairing code shown on its screen, the firmware version it runs, the last time it connected, and the name of the WiFi network it is joined to (so the app can show you).
- Your WiFi password is never sent to us. You enter it on the device's setup page and it stays on the device.
NFC
- The app uses your phone's NFC reader to notice when you tap your Penny Bank. It doesn't read or store anything from the tag.
What we don't collect
- In the app: no location, contacts, photos, microphone or camera data, no advertising identifiers, and no analytics or tracking tools.
How we use it
- To create and secure your account, and to sign you in.
- To show your banks, balances and history in the app and on the device.
- To keep your device connected and up to date, including delivering software updates to it.
- To respond when you contact us for help.
Who else handles your information
We use a small number of service providers to run Penny Bank. They process information only on our behalf:
- Supabase: account sign-in and our database.
- HiveMQ: the messaging service that lets the app and device talk to each other. Messages contain a bank ID and short signals, not your balances.
- Apple: distributes the app (App Store and TestFlight).
- Vercel: hosts our website.
We may also disclose information if the law requires it.
Our website
Our website (pennybank.app) has no accounts and no forms. We use Vercel Web Analytics to count visits to our pages. It doesn't use cookies or build profiles of individual visitors; it records things like which pages are viewed, the site you came from, and your browser, device type and country. Our hosting provider, Vercel, also keeps routine server logs. If you email us, we receive your email address and your message, and we use them only to reply.
Sharing a bank
A Penny Bank can be shared with other people, such as another parent. Anyone a bank is shared with can see that bank's balances and history. You can leave a bank at any time with Settings > Disconnect "bank name" from my account.
How long we keep it, and deleting your data
We keep your information while your account exists. To delete it, open the app, tap the menu, choose My account, then Delete my account and type the confirmation phrase. When you do:
- Your account and sign-in information are deleted.
- Banks that only you use are erased and reset: their history is deleted and the device returns to its setup screen.
- Banks shared with other people stay for them. Your past deposits stay in that bank's history, no longer linked to you.
Routine backups kept by our providers may hold deleted information for a short time until they expire. You can also email us to ask for a copy of your information or its deletion.
Security
Information is sent over encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS), passwords are hashed, and access to your bank history is limited to the people connected to the bank. No system is perfectly secure, and we keep improving ours.
Children
Penny Bank is designed for parents and guardians, who create the accounts and manage the banks. Children don't create accounts. We don't knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has given us personal information, contact us and we'll delete it.
Changes to this policy
If we make important changes, we'll update the date above and, where appropriate, tell you in the app.
Contact
Questions or requests about your privacy: support@pennybank.app