Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 16, 2026

This policy explains what information Vurb ("Vurb", "we", "us") collects when you use the Vurb desktop app (the "App") and the website at vurb.me (the "Site"), and what we do with it. The short version: your voice stays on your computer, and we collect as little as we can.

1. Your audio and transcripts

Audio. When you hold your dictation key, the App records from your microphone and transcribes the recording on your computer using an on-device speech model. Audio is never sent to us or to anyone else. The microphone is only on while you are dictating, and each recording is discarded after it is transcribed.

Transcripts and history. The text you dictate, your dictation history, and your stats (such as word counts and words per minute) are stored only on your computer, in the App's data folder. We do not receive them. You can delete your history at any time in the App (History › Clear all) or by uninstalling the App and removing its data folder.

Weekly word limit. The Free plan's weekly word count is calculated on your computer from your local history. It is not sent to us.

2. Optional AI cleanup

AI cleanup is off unless you turn it on and add your own Anthropic API key. When it is on, the transcribed text of each dictation (never the audio), plus any custom vocabulary you have entered, is sent directly from your computer to Anthropic's Claude API to fix punctuation and remove filler words. That request is made under your own Anthropic account and is governed by Anthropic's terms and privacy policy. We do not receive or store it.

If we later offer built-in AI cleanup that does not require your own key, we will update this policy before it launches to explain how those requests are handled and how long anything is kept.

3. Information we and our providers do receive

Purchases. Paid plans are sold through our payment provider and reseller, Lemon Squeezy, which acts as the merchant of record. Lemon Squeezy collects your payment details, billing address, and tax information under its own privacy policy. We receive your name, email address, the plan you bought, order and subscription status, and your country (for tax purposes). We never see your full card number.

License activation. When you activate a Pro or Growth license, the App sends your license key and a generic device label (for example, "Vurb (macos)") to Lemon Squeezy to check that the key is valid and to count activated devices against your plan's limit. The App re-checks the license about once a week.

Speech model downloads. On first launch, and when you choose a different model, the App downloads speech model files from Hugging Face. Like any download, this reveals your IP address to Hugging Face. No audio or text is sent.

Support emails. If you email us, we receive whatever you include and use it to reply.

The Site. The Site is hosted on GitHub Pages, which logs visitors' IP addresses and request details for security and operations. The Site loads fonts from Google Fonts, which receives your IP address. The Site saves your light/dark theme choice in your browser's local storage. We do not use analytics, advertising trackers, or cookies on the Site.

4. How we use information

We use the limited information we receive to provide and support the App, process purchases and licenses, prevent abuse, comply with legal obligations, and send you emails about your purchase or account. We do not sell or rent personal information, and we do not use it for advertising.

5. Sharing

We share information only with the service providers described above (Lemon Squeezy, GitHub, Google Fonts, Hugging Face), with your instruction, or when required by law, to protect our rights or users' safety, or as part of a merger or sale of the business (in which case this policy will continue to apply).

6. Retention

Purchase and license records are kept for as long as you have an active plan and afterward as required for tax and accounting purposes (typically up to 7 years). Support emails are kept as long as needed to help you. Data stored on your computer stays there until you delete it.

7. Your rights

Depending on where you live (for example, in the EU, the UK, or California), you may have the right to access, correct, delete, or export personal information we hold about you, and to object to or restrict certain processing. Because transcripts and history never leave your computer, you control them directly. To make a request about information we hold, email hello@vurb.me. We will respond within the time required by law and will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights. California residents: we do not sell or share personal information as those terms are defined under the CCPA.

8. Security

We keep processing on your device wherever possible, and we rely on established providers for payments and hosting. On macOS and Linux, the App stores your settings (including any API key you enter) in a file readable only by your user account. No method of storage or transmission is completely secure, so please keep your computer and API keys protected.

9. Children

The App and Site are not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided us information, contact us and we will delete it.

10. International users

We are based in the United States. If you buy a plan or contact us from outside the US, the limited information described above may be processed in the US and other countries where our providers operate.

11. Changes

If we change this policy, we will update the date at the top and, for material changes, give notice on the Site or by email before the change takes effect.

12. Contact

Questions or requests: hello@vurb.me.