Privacy Policy

Effective date: May 13, 2026

This Privacy Policy describes how Timezone Explorer ("we," "us," "the Service") collects, uses, stores, and protects information when you use our website at timezoneexplorer.com. We aim to keep data collection limited and proportionate to the features you actually use.

Short version

You can use core parts of Timezone Explorer without creating an account. If you choose to continue with email, save a workspace to an account, subscribe to Pro, or use optional features such as Locate me, we process the limited data needed to operate those features. We do not sell personal data, run advertising trackers, or store your payment card details ourselves.

1. Information We Collect

Timezone Explorer is designed to keep most activity in your browser, but some features now depend on server-side account, subscription, and workspace handling. Depending on how you use the Service, we may process the following categories of information:

Category Method Purpose Storage
Browser timezone JavaScript Intl API Display local time; suggest relevant cities Client-side only
Temporary workspace & browser preferences Browser sessionStorage, localStorage, and in-browser state Keep your current globe, planner state, UI preferences, and temporary workspace available on your device Client-side browser storage
Account identity & authentication data Email address, one-time code flow, secure session cookie, and server-side session records Create/sign in to an account, verify ownership of the email address, and maintain an authenticated session Secure server-side account/session storage, essential browser cookie, and Resend for email delivery
Saved account workspace data Workspace snapshots you choose to save while signed in Restore your workspace across sessions and devices tied to your account Secure server-side account storage plus a browser-side mirror for continuity
Optional location coordinates Browser geolocation API or coordinates you manually pin/select Resolve timezone and country for a location, show it on the globe, and optionally include it in your current workspace Client-side cache, lookup infrastructure, and any saved workspace you choose to store
Limited security and abuse-prevention metadata Request IP address, user agent, route context, rate-limit counters, and selected security event logs Protect authentication flows, rate-limit abuse, and investigate security issues on sensitive routes Cloudflare infrastructure and limited internal security records
Aggregated usage metrics Cloudflare Web Analytics Understand page views, country-level traffic patterns Cloudflare (aggregated, anonymized)
Payment & billing data Lemon Squeezy Process Pro subscription transactions and reflect subscription state in the Service Lemon Squeezy plus limited subscription/customer references in your Timezone Explorer account record; we never store card details ourselves

2. Information We Do Not Collect

We want to be explicit about what we do not do:

3. Shared Links

The Service allows you to generate shareable comparison URLs. These URLs encode product-state data such as city names, timezone identifiers, and optional meeting parameters. They are designed not to include your account email address or payment details by default. By sharing a link, you acknowledge that the encoded board state becomes accessible to anyone who receives that URL.

4. Browser Storage and Saved Workspaces

Timezone Explorer uses browser storage for temporary workspaces, UI preferences, and continuity features. Signed-out usage is primarily temporary: depending on context, current workspace state may live in sessionStorage or localStorage on your device.

If you create or sign in to an account, the Service may also keep a browser-side mirror of your workspace and synchronize a workspace snapshot to our server-side account storage so it can be restored later. That synchronized workspace can include items such as selected cities, saved pins, active location context, planner state, dashboard layout, and related workspace settings.

You may clear browser-stored data through your browser settings or developer tools. Clearing browser storage does not by itself delete account-linked workspace data already saved to our servers.

5. Cookies and Session Data

When you sign in, Timezone Explorer sets an essential session cookie to keep you authenticated. This cookie is not used for advertising or cross-site tracking. Server-side session records are also maintained to validate that session securely and expire according to operational session timeouts.

6. Third-Party Services

The Service relies on the following third-party providers, each subject to their own privacy policies:

7. Data Retention

Retention depends on the type of data involved:

8. Data Security

We use industry-standard security measures through our infrastructure provider (Cloudflare), including TLS/SSL encryption for data in transit, DDoS protection, and secure server-side handling for authentication and workspace APIs. Sensitive flows such as email-code authentication, session issuance, and subscription webhook handling also include rate limiting and abuse-prevention controls.

9. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have rights relating to access, deletion, correction, portability, or objection. In practical terms:

10. International Data Transfers

The Service relies on infrastructure and providers that may process data in countries outside your home jurisdiction, including through Cloudflare's global network and other service providers used for email delivery and subscription handling. Those providers maintain their own data transfer mechanisms and contractual safeguards where applicable.

11. Children's Privacy

The Service is not directed to individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that a child under 16 has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete such information.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect product changes, operational changes, or legal requirements. Material changes will be posted on the website, and the "Effective date" at the top of this page indicates when this version took effect. Your continued use of the Service after an updated policy becomes effective constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

13. Contact

For privacy-related inquiries or to exercise your data rights, please contact us at hello@timezoneexplorer.com.