Privacy Notice

Browser and TTS data

ReadAlongPDF.online is operated by Jianbo Ying in Shanghai, China. You can contact us at privacy@readalongpdf.online.

Your PDF files, extracted page text, reading position, skip rules, and non-secret TTS settings are stored in your browser. We do not upload your PDF files. Sentences requested for built-in voice do pass through our servers. Browser storage can be cleared by you or your browser, so it is not a backup service.

Built-in voice sends each requested sentence through our Cloudflare Worker to DeepInfra (Kokoro). Audio returns through the same path. We do not store sentence text or audio in our application database or application logs. Text and audio are processed temporarily in memory. Recent audio is cached in your current tab for replay and discarded on reload, tab closure, or cache eviction. DeepInfra processes text under its Privacy Policy. Cloudflare and DeepInfra may process data outside your country. Do not submit text you lack permission to process this way.

Guest listening sends only the current sentence. Verified free listening may prefetch one upcoming sentence; paid listening may prefetch up to two. Successful prefetch can use allowance even when not heard. The optional advanced endpoint mode sends sentences and your API key directly from your browser to the provider you select; they do not pass through our server. That key stays in tab memory. The connection test sends a fixed phrase. Advanced endpoint mode may prefetch two upcoming sentences using provider credit even if you do not hear them. Review a BYO provider's terms before connecting.

Accounts, payments, and support

For guest voice, we create a first-party anonymous browser identity, a necessary guest cookie, and a request-verification cookie. We record its allowance, request counts, timestamps, and a hash of the network IP for abuse controls; clearing cookies can make remaining guest allowance unrecoverable. If you create an account, we process your email address, account status, license status, browser activation identifiers, and minimal security logs. For built-in voice we also record request IDs, input character counts, generated duration, reserved and remaining allowance, order references, timestamps and a hash of the requesting IP address for abuse limits. We do not record the PDF filename or sentence text in these records. We use this information to sign you in, deliver and protect your license, respond to support, and prevent abuse. For purchases through Creem (Armitage Labs OÜ), Creem processes payment as merchant of record under its Privacy Notice. We receive minimal order and status references and do not receive full card details.

If you choose Google sign-in, Google verifies your identity and sends us your email address, email verification status, and a stable Google account identifier. We use these to sign you in and connect the same verified email to your existing ReadAlongPDF.online license. We request no Gmail, Drive, or profile access and do not store Google access or refresh tokens. Email-link sign-in remains available.

Support and privacy messages are hosted by Purelymail. We generally retain closed support messages for 24 months. Security logs are retained for 30 days. Guest identity and voice abuse IP hashes are cleared after 30 days; voice accounting records are kept with your active account to resolve allowance and refund questions. Active account data is kept while your account exists and removed from active systems within 30 days after a valid deletion request, except minimal transaction records retained for up to seven years where needed for accounting, disputes, fraud prevention, or legal obligations. Local browser data must be deleted on each browser using the product controls or browser settings.

We may use Cloudflare Web Analytics for aggregate traffic and performance measurement. It does not use cookies or localStorage for analytics and is not used to build cross-site profiles. Necessary account and security cookies may still be used. We do not sell personal information or use behavioral advertising.

Cookies and local browser storage

ReadAlongPDF.online uses strictly necessary secure cookies for a guest voice identity and request verification, and a session cookie to keep signed-in users authenticated. Cloudflare may use strictly necessary security cookies when a challenge or security feature is triggered. We plan to use Cloudflare Web Analytics for aggregate performance and traffic measurement; Cloudflare states that this analytics product does not use cookies, localStorage, or fingerprinting to identify visitors.

The product also uses IndexedDB and local browser storage at your request to keep PDFs, reading progress, skip rules, and non-secret TTS settings on your device. This storage is required for the local reading function and is not used for advertising. At launch we will not use advertising, cross-site tracking, or optional marketing cookies. If that changes, we will update this notice and add the consent controls required before enabling the new technology.

Age, choices, and rights

ReadAlongPDF.online is for adults and is not directed to children. If we learn that an account belongs to a child under 13, we will stop processing and delete the account information, subject to required transaction records.

You may ask for access, correction, deletion, or a portable copy of account information by emailing privacy@readalongpdf.online. We will verify requests using the account email or another proportionate method. Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights and may complain to your local authority. Material changes will be dated and shown before they take effect where notice is required.