Your manuscripts stay on your Mac.
This is the long version of that promise.
The short version. The Manuscripts app does not collect, transmit, or store your manuscript data on any server. Everything you write, track, and import lives in a local SwiftData store on your Mac. The website you are reading collects standard web request information. Purchases are handled by Gumroad, who has their own privacy policy.
Who we are
Manuscripts is built and sold by James Forrest, a sole proprietor based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In this policy, “we” and “our” refer to James Forrest; “you” refers to the person using the Manuscripts macOS app or visiting manuscripts.app.
What the app does with your data
Local storage only
The Manuscripts macOS app stores all of your manuscripts, authors, journals, deadlines, attachments, and submission history in a local SwiftData database on your Mac. This database lives in your user Library folder (specifically, ~/Library/Application Support/com.drjforrest.Manuscripts/). We do not have access to it. We do not back it up. We do not synchronise it. If you delete the app and the data folder, your data is gone, and we cannot recover it for you.
What we do not collect
- The contents of your manuscripts
- Author names, affiliations, or contact details you enter
- Journal targets, submission dates, or revision history
- Attachments, peer review letters, or response documents
- Any usage telemetry, analytics, or crash data from the app itself
What the app does send out, and only when you ask it to
Some features in Manuscripts call third-party services. These calls happen only when you trigger them, using API keys you provide and store in your own macOS Keychain. We do not proxy, log, or intercept these requests. See AI & Data Handling for the full breakdown.
What the website collects
Server logs
When you visit manuscripts.app, our hosting provider records standard web request information: IP address, user agent string, the page requested, and the time of the request. These logs are used for security and reliability, and are retained for no longer than 30 days.
Analytics
The website does not currently use any third-party analytics (Google Analytics, Plausible, Fathom, etc.). If this changes, we will update this policy and choose a privacy-respecting provider that does not set cross-site tracking cookies.
Cookies
The website does not set cookies for tracking. If we add functional cookies (for example, to remember a theme preference), they will be first-party only and will not be shared with any third party.
If you write to us at [email protected], we will receive your email address and the contents of your message. We use this only to reply to you and to keep a record of support conversations. We do not add you to any mailing list.
What our payment processor collects
Manuscripts is sold through Gumroad. When you buy a licence, Gumroad collects your name, email address, billing country (and any tax information required by your jurisdiction), and payment details. Gumroad shares with us your name, email, country, and the fact of your purchase. We do not see your full payment details.
Gumroad's handling of your data is governed by their own privacy policy, available at gumroad.com/privacy. If you have a Gumroad account, you can manage and delete your information directly with them.
Licence emails
After you buy Manuscripts, Gumroad sends you a licence key by email. We retain a record of issued licence keys (the key itself, the purchase date, and the associated email address) so we can verify activations, help you recover a lost key, and support refund requests. We do not use this list for marketing.
Your rights
Under Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and BC's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), you have the right to:
- Ask us what personal information we hold about you
- Ask us to correct any personal information that is inaccurate or out of date
- Ask us to delete your personal information from our records
- Withdraw consent for any processing we are doing
To exercise any of these rights, write to us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days. Some information (for example, purchase records required for tax purposes) we may need to retain to meet legal obligations, and we will tell you if that is the case.
Children
Manuscripts is intended for adult researchers and academic professionals. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
International users
Manuscripts is sold worldwide. The website and our records are hosted in Canada and the United States. By buying or using the app, you consent to your information being processed in those jurisdictions. Where applicable law (such as the GDPR for EU residents) provides additional rights, those rights also apply.
Changes to this policy
If we make material changes to this policy, we will update the version and date at the top of this page, and (where we have your email from a purchase) we will email registered customers to flag the change. Continued use of the app or website after a change constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.