Privacy Policy

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

At GradPilot (“GradPilot”, “we”, “us”, “our”), your privacy is critically important to us. We have a few fundamental principles:

• We are thoughtful about the personal information we ask you to provide and that we collect through the operation of our services.
• We store personal information for only as long as we have a reason to keep it.
• We aim to make it simple for you to control what information is shared and permanently deleted.
• We aim for full transparency on how we gather, use, and share your personal information.

Who We Are and What This Policy Covers

GradPilot is operated by Shri Hacker Enterprise, a sole proprietorship registered in Washington, USA, providing automated college essay review services. Our mission is to help students improve their college application essays through AI-powered analysis and feedback.

This Privacy Policy applies to information we collect about you when you use:

• Our website at https://gradpilot.com
• Our essay review and analysis services
• Our customer support services
• Any other services we provide

Information We Collect

Information You Provide to Us

• Account Information: When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, and authentication credentials through our authentication provider (Clerk).
• Essay Content: We collect the essays you submit for review, including the text content and any metadata you provide (university, program, essay type).
• Payment Information: When you purchase credits or subscriptions, we collect payment information through our payment processor (Stripe). We do not store credit card numbers or banking information on our servers.
• Communications: When you contact us for support, we collect the information you provide in your messages.
• Social Media Profiles: If you choose to connect your social media accounts, we may collect basic profile information.

Information We Collect Automatically

• Usage Information: We collect information about how you use our services, including pages visited, features used, and actions taken.
• Device Information: We collect information about the device you use to access our services, including IP address, browser type, and operating system.
• Analytics Data: We use Vercel Analytics to collect aggregated usage statistics to improve our services.

Information from Third Parties

• Authentication Providers: We receive basic profile information from Clerk when you sign up or log in.
• Payment Processors: We receive transaction information from Stripe when you make a purchase.

How We Use Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide Our Services: Process and analyze your essays, generate reviews, and deliver results.
• Maintain Your Account: Manage your account, credits, and subscriptions.
• Process Payments: Handle transactions and send receipts.
• Communicate With You: Send service updates, respond to support requests, and provide important notices.
• Improve Our Services: Analyze usage patterns, fix issues, and develop new features.
• Ensure Safety and Security: Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and other harmful activities.
• Comply with Legal Obligations: Meet legal requirements and respond to legal requests.

How We Share Information

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties except in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: We share information with third-party services that help us operate our business:
  • Clerk (authentication)
  • Stripe (payment processing)
  • Supabase (database hosting)
  • Vercel (website hosting and analytics)
  • AI detection services (essay analysis)
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law or legal process.
• Protection of Rights: We may share information to protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users or the public.
• Business Transfers: If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred.
• With Your Consent: We may share information with your explicit consent.

Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes described in this policy:

• Account Information: As long as account is active
• Essay Content: As long as account is active
• Payment Records: 7 years for tax compliance
• Deleted Accounts: 30 days after deletion

Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of the information we have about you.
• Correction: Request corrections to inaccurate information.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data.
• Export: Request an export of your data in a portable format.
• Opt-Out: Opt out of marketing communications at any time.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at support@gradpilot.com.

Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Regular security audits and assessments
• Access controls and authentication requirements
• Regular backups and disaster recovery procedures

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

In the event of a data breach, we will notify affected users within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we learn that we have collected information from a child under 18 without parental consent, we will delete that information promptly. If you believe we have information from or about a child under 18, please contact us at support@gradpilot.com.

Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

• Keep you logged in to your account (essential cookies)
• Understand how you use our services (analytics cookies via Vercel Analytics)

We only use essential cookies required for authentication and security, and analytics cookies to improve our services. Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. However, limiting essential cookies will prevent you from logging in to our services.

International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws different from those in your country. We take appropriate safeguards to ensure your information remains protected in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including:

• The right to know what personal information we collect, use, disclose, and sell
• The right to request deletion of your personal information
• The right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• The right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the “Last Updated” date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at: