What We Collect
Shoute collects the minimum data necessary to provide the service:
- Audio recordings — When using cloud transcription, audio is sent to our proxy server and forwarded to a third-party speech-to-text provider (currently Groq or ElevenLabs). Audio is processed in real time and immediately discarded — it is never stored on our servers or by our transcription providers.
- Device identifiers — Shoute uses two separate identifiers:
- A hardware UUID (your Mac's built-in identifier) is used solely for license activation and device management. It is not used for analytics or tracking.
- A random analytics UUID (generated on first launch and stored in your macOS Keychain) is used for crash reports, usage metrics, and rate limiting. It is not linked to your identity or hardware.
- License key — Stored locally on your device and sent to our server for validation.
- App analytics — We use Firebase Analytics to collect anonymized usage events such as recording started, transcription success/failure, and settings changes. These events include the name of the active application (to improve formatting accuracy) but never include transcription text. Analytics can be disabled in macOS system settings.
- Crash reports — If the app crashes, a report containing the error type, app version, OS version, and a tail of the debug log is sent to help us fix bugs. Debug logs never contain transcription text.
- Formatting context — When AI formatting is enabled, the name of the active application is sent alongside your transcription to improve output formatting (e.g., email vs. code editor). No other application data is sent.
What We Don't Collect
- We do not collect your name, email, or personal information through the app (email is only collected if you make a purchase via Stripe).
- We do not store your transcription text on our servers.
- We do not sell or share any data with third parties for advertising or marketing.
- We do not track which websites you visit, which apps you use (beyond the active app name for formatting), or your location.
Local Mode
When using Local mode (on-device transcription via WhisperKit), no audio or text data ever leaves your Mac. All processing happens entirely on your device. Analytics events are still sent unless disabled in macOS settings.
Cloud Transcription
When using Cloud mode, your audio is:
- Sent over HTTPS to our Cloudflare Worker proxy
- Forwarded to the transcription provider (Groq for batch uploads, ElevenLabs for real-time streaming)
- The transcription result is returned to your device
- No audio or text is retained on any server
Both providers process audio transiently and do not retain it after transcription is complete.
Audio Retention on Your Device
Shoute saves audio recordings locally on your Mac so you can retry failed transcriptions. You control how long recordings are kept:
- Delete after transcription — audio is deleted immediately after successful transcription
- 1 day, 7 days, or 30 days — audio is automatically deleted after the chosen period
You can change this at any time in Settings. Audio files are stored in ~/Library/Application Support/Shoute/recordings/ and never leave your device.
Data Storage
All app settings, transcription history, and usage metrics are stored locally on your Mac in ~/Library/Application Support/Shoute/. This data never leaves your device unless you explicitly use Cloud transcription mode.
Data Deletion
You can delete all server-side data associated with your account at any time:
- Visit getshoute.com and click "Delete my data" in the footer
- Enter the email you used to purchase — we'll send a confirmation link
- Clicking the link permanently deletes your license, device activations, and all associated records
To delete local data, remove the ~/Library/Application Support/Shoute/ folder.
Third-Party Services
- Groq — Batch audio transcription. Audio is processed and not retained. Subject to Groq's Privacy Policy.
- ElevenLabs — Real-time audio transcription via WebSocket. Audio is processed in real time and not stored. Subject to ElevenLabs' Privacy Policy.
- Cloudflare — Proxy infrastructure and data storage (KV). Subject to Cloudflare's Privacy Policy.
- Firebase / Google Analytics — Anonymized app usage analytics. Subject to Google's Privacy Policy.
- Stripe — Payment processing. We never see or store your payment details. Subject to Stripe's Privacy Policy.
- SendGrid — Transactional email (license delivery, data deletion confirmation). Subject to Twilio's Privacy Policy.
- Sparkle — Update checking. Sends only your app version and OS version to check for updates.
Your Rights
Regardless of where you live, you have the right to:
- Access your data — contact us and we'll tell you what we have
- Delete your data — use the self-service deletion flow or contact us
- Opt out of analytics — disable analytics in macOS system settings
We respond to all data requests within 30 days.
Contact
Questions about this policy? Email us at [email protected].