Legal
Privacy Policy
Last updated November 13, 2026
Optimal Coffee is a brew journal. To make it work we store your account, your notes and the things you choose to share. We don't sell your data, we don't show ads and we don't track you across other apps or websites.
Who we are
Optimal Coffee (the iOS app "Optimal Coffee Notes" and optimalcoffee.app) is made by Andrew Daniels ("we", "us"). If you have a question about this policy or your data, Email support.
What we collect
Your account
- Your name, email address and the sign-in you use (Sign in with Apple, Google, or email and password). If you use Sign in with Apple with "Hide My Email", we only see the relay address.
- Your profile: username, display name, profile photo, and the answers you give during setup (the brewers you use, your roast and flavor preferences, your brewing goal and starting recipe).
What you create
- Brew notes: coffee, recipe (dose, water, ratio, grind, temperature, brew time), pour maps from the timer, extraction readings, ratings, tasting notes and photos.
- Coffees and equipment you add, including bag photos.
- Social activity: who you follow, likes, comments, shared brews and reports you file.
- Support requests you send from the app or by email.
Invites
If you invite friends from your contacts, your contact list stays on your phone. For each person you actually invite, we save the name you see for them and a one-way hash (SHA-256) of their phone number or email, so we can connect you when they join. We never upload your full contact list or anyone's raw phone number or email.
Purchases
Optimal Coffee Pro is sold through Apple. We receive your purchase history and subscription status (for example, trial, active or expired) from Apple and RevenueCat. We never see your payment card.
Device information
A notification token so we can send the notifications you allow, and basic technical information such as app version. Home Screen widgets and Live Activities show data that's already on your phone.
What we don't collect
We don't collect your precise location, we don't use advertising identifiers, and we don't use third-party analytics or ad tracking.
How we use it
- To run the app: save and sync your notes, show your history and stats, and power the brew tools.
- To run the social features you use: profiles, the friends feed, comments, likes, invites and share cards.
- To send notifications you've turned on, such as friend activity or a trial reminder.
- To provide Pro, check your subscription and restore purchases.
- To answer support requests, keep the community safe and fix problems.
AI features
Two Pro features use Claude, an AI model from Anthropic, PBC:
- AI coffee scan: the bag photos you take, or the page at a link you paste, are sent to Claude to read the roaster, origin, process and tasting notes.
- AI brewing analysis: details of your recent brew notes (recipes, ratings and tasting notes) are sent to Claude to write your analysis and next-brew suggestion.
Nothing is sent to Anthropic unless you use these features. We use Anthropic's commercial API, under terms that don't allow Anthropic to train its models on this content. Anthropic may keep it for a limited time to operate the service and prevent abuse. AI results can be wrong, so check anything that matters.
Who can see your content
Each note has a visibility setting: Public, Friends or Private. Your profile (name, username and photo) is visible to other Optimal Coffee users so friends can find you. Share cards you export (brews, your coffee profile, invites) can be seen by anyone you send them to.
Service providers
We use a small number of companies to run the app. They process data on our behalf and only for these purposes:
- Google Firebase: sign-in, database, photo storage, server functions and push notifications.
- Anthropic: the AI features described above.
- RevenueCat: subscription status and purchase restore.
- Apple: App Store purchases, Sign in with Apple and notification delivery.
- Google: Sign in with Google, if you choose it.
We don't sell or rent your personal information, and we don't share it for advertising. We may disclose information if the law requires it, or to protect people's safety.
Keeping and deleting your data
We keep your data while your account is open. You can delete your account at any time in the app: Profile → Edit profile → Delete Account. This deletes your profile, notes, coffees, comments and activity. Photos you uploaded and invites you sent are deleted within 30 days. Anything you shared outside the app (for example, an exported share card) stays with the people you sent it to.
Your choices and rights
- Change a note's visibility, or delete notes, coffees and photos, at any time.
- Turn notifications and contacts, camera and photo access on or off in iOS Settings.
- Ask us for a copy of your data, or to correct or delete it, through Email support. Depending on where you live (for example, under the GDPR or California law), you may have additional rights, and we honor those requests.
Children
Optimal Coffee isn't directed to children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect their personal information. If you believe a child has created an account, contact us and we'll delete it.
Security
Data is encrypted in transit, stored with Google Firebase, and protected by access rules so only you (and the people you share with) can see your private content. No system is perfectly secure, but we work to protect your information.
International users
We're based in the United States, and our service providers may process data in the United States and other countries.
Changes
If we change this policy in a way that matters, we'll update the date above and let you know in the app.
Contact
Andrew Daniels · Email support (hello@andrewdaniels.design)
Legal
Terms of Use
Last updated November 13, 2026
These terms are an agreement between you and Andrew Daniels ("we", "us"), the maker of Optimal Coffee. By using the app or website, you agree to them. If you don't agree, please don't use Optimal Coffee.
1. Your account
You need to be at least 13 to use Optimal Coffee. Keep your sign-in secure. You're responsible for what happens under your account. Use Email support if you think someone else is using it.
2. Your content
Your notes, photos, comments and recipes are yours. To run the app, you give us permission to store, process and display your content as your settings allow (for example, to friends or the public), and to make share cards when you ask. This permission ends when you delete the content or your account, except for copies others have already received from you.
Only post content you have the right to share.
3. Community rules
Be kind. Don't post anything illegal, hateful, harassing, sexually explicit, or anything that invades someone's privacy. Don't spam, impersonate others, scrape the service, or try to break or overload it. You can report posts in the app. We may remove content or suspend accounts that break these rules.
4. Optimal Coffee Pro
- Pro is an auto-renewing yearly subscription, purchased and billed through your Apple ID. The price is shown in the app before you buy.
- New subscribers may get a 7-day free trial. If you don't cancel at least 24 hours before the trial ends, the subscription starts and you're charged.
- The subscription renews automatically each year unless you turn off auto-renew at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel it in Settings → your name → Subscriptions on your iPhone.
- Refunds are handled by Apple under its policies.
- Founding members (accounts created before Pro launched) keep the Pro tools they were given at launch for as long as we offer them. Some features, such as AI brewing analysis, need a subscription.
- We may change Pro features or pricing. Price changes apply at your next renewal, and Apple will notify you as required.
5. AI features
AI coffee scan and AI brewing analysis produce automated suggestions. They can be inaccurate or incomplete. Check scanned details before you save them, and use suggestions at your own judgment.
6. Brew safely
Brewing involves hot water and equipment. Recipes, ratios, timers and suggestions in the app are general guidance, not professional or safety advice. Follow your equipment maker's instructions.
7. Our app
We own Optimal Coffee, its design, code and brand. We give you a personal, non-transferable license to use the app for your own non-commercial use. Don't copy, modify, reverse engineer or resell it. Apple's standard Licensed Application End User License Agreement also applies to the iOS app. Apple isn't responsible for the app or its support.
8. Third-party services
Some features rely on Apple, Google, Anthropic, RevenueCat and Firebase. Their availability is outside our control, and their own terms may apply.
9. Ending your use
You can stop using Optimal Coffee and delete your account at any time. We may suspend or end access if you break these terms or if we have to stop offering the service. If we shut Optimal Coffee down, we'll try to give you notice first.
10. Disclaimers
Optimal Coffee is provided "as is" and "as available". To the extent the law allows, we don't make warranties of any kind, including that the app will be error-free or always available, or that data will never be lost.
11. Limitation of liability
To the extent the law allows, we're not liable for indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages, or for lost data or profits. Our total liability for any claim is limited to the amount you paid us for Optimal Coffee in the 12 months before the claim, or $50 if that is more. Some places don't allow these limits, so they may not apply to you.
12. Changes
We may update these terms. If a change matters, we'll update the date above and let you know in the app. Using Optimal Coffee after a change means you accept the new terms.
13. Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of the State of [State], USA, without regard to conflict-of-law rules, except where the law where you live gives you rights that can't be waived.
14. Contact
Andrew Daniels · Email support (hello@andrewdaniels.design)
Help
Support
Questions, bugs or ideas? Email support and include your app version and iPhone model. You can also send a bug report or feature request in the app from Profile → Support → Submit a bug or Request a feature. We read everything, usually within two business days.
Send us a message
Account
How do I sign in?
Use Sign in with Apple, Sign in with Google, or an email and password. Use the same method each time so you see the same account.
How do I delete my account?
In the app, go to Profile → Edit profile → Delete Account and confirm. This permanently deletes your profile, notes, coffees, comments and activity. It doesn't cancel an App Store subscription, so cancel that separately (see below).
How do I change who sees my notes?
Each note can be Public, Friends or Private. Set it when you save a note, or edit the note later.
Optimal Coffee Pro
What's included?
Brew timer and pour map, Extraction, AI brewing analysis and AI coffee scan. Notes, ratings, unlimited coffees, Brew Ratio and the friends feed are always free.
How do I cancel?
On your iPhone, open Settings → your name → Subscriptions → Optimal Coffee and tap Cancel. You keep Pro until the end of the period you've paid for.
I paid but don't have Pro.
Open the Pro screen in the app and tap Restore. Make sure you're signed in to the same Apple ID you bought with. If that doesn't fix it, email us.
How do I get a refund?
Refunds are handled by Apple. Request one at reportaproblem.apple.com.
What's a Founding member?
If your account existed before Pro launched, you keep the brew timer, Extraction and coffee scan for free. AI brewing analysis needs a subscription for everyone.
Brewing tools
Why are my last values already filled in?
New notes start from your last recipe: coffee, water, ratio, grind, water temperature, brewer and grinder. Change only what changed.
How do I switch between °F and °C?
Tap the °F / °C control next to water temp in a new note. Your choice is remembered.
The coffee scan got something wrong.
Fields the scan isn't sure about are marked Check. Tap any field to fix it before you save. Bag photos with the label flat and well lit work best.
Friends and sharing
How do I invite friends?
Share your coffee profile or invite card, or pick people from your contacts. When they sign up with your code, you're connected automatically. Your contacts stay on your phone.
How do I report a post?
Tap the options on the post and choose Report Post. We review reports and remove content that breaks our community rules.
Privacy
See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.