Privacy by design
A gut symptom diary is one of the most personal datasets you can keep. Minthe is built so that we do not hold it.
Where your data actually lives
On your device. If you enable sync, it goes to your own private iCloud container, which is tied to your Apple account and which we have no access to. There is no Minthe server holding a copy of your food diary, because there is no Minthe account to hold it against.
The one thing that leaves your phone
Optional AI scans. When you photograph a meal or a packaged label, that image goes to our proxy and on to the model that extracts the food items or ingredient list, and the structured result comes back. It happens when you tap the button and not otherwise. Type your meals instead and nothing ever leaves the device.
We do not store the image. We do keep the list of foods the scan identified, against a random identifier the app generates on first launch, so we can spot foods missing from our catalogue and keep an eye on running costs. Section 3 of the privacy policy sets out exactly what is retained and for how long.
What we do not do
- We do not sell your data.
- We do not show ads, and there are no advertising SDKs in the app.
- We do not build advertising or health profiles about you.
- We do not require an account, an email address or a social login to use the app.
Apple Health
If you allow it, Minthe reads sleep, resting heart rate, steps and menstrual cycle so those can be considered as drivers alongside food. It is read-only for context, you choose which categories to grant, and you can revoke any of them in the Health app at any time.
Frequently asked
Do you have a copy of my food and symptom logs?
No. Your logs are stored on your device and sync through your own private iCloud account, which we cannot read. We do not operate a server that holds your diary.
What happens when I use an AI scan?
The image is sent to our proxy and on to the AI model that extracts the food or ingredient list, then the result comes back to your device. That is the only time your content leaves your phone, and it only happens when you tap scan.
What exactly do you keep from an AI scan?
Not the image. We keep the list of food or ingredient names the model returned, plus a random app-generated identifier and technical metadata such as timing and cost, so we can find gaps in our food catalogue and monitor what the service costs to run. Section 3 of the privacy policy sets this out in full.
Do you sell data or show ads?
No, to both. There are no advertising SDKs in the app and no advertising profiles are built. The business model is subscriptions, which is precisely why it can be this way.
Can I use Minthe without iCloud?
Yes. iCloud sync is optional. Turn it off and your data simply stays on the one device, though you will lose sync and the iCloud backup that comes with it.
How do I delete everything?
Delete your data in the app, or delete the app to remove the local store. If you used iCloud sync you can also remove Minthe data from your iCloud settings.