Overview
We're the team behind PearTools, a free set of online utility tools. This policy explains what information we collect when you use the site, why we collect it, and what choices you have. If you've ever read a privacy policy and given up halfway through, we hear you. We've tried to keep this one short and direct.
By using PearTools you agree to this policy. If you don't agree with something in here, please don't use the site, and feel free to email us with concerns at privacy@peartools.com.
Information We Collect
We try to collect as little as we can get away with. Here's the full list.
Things we don't collect
- We don't ask you to create an account, so we don't have your name, email, or password.
- For most tools, your files never leave your device. We can't see what you uploaded because we never received it.
- We don't sell your data to anyone. Ever.
Basic technical data
Like most websites, our servers automatically log basic technical information when you visit. This usually includes:
- Your IP address (used to figure out roughly which country you're in and to block abuse)
- Your browser type and version
- The page you're visiting and the page you came from
- The date and time of your visit
We use this to keep the site running smoothly and to spot problems. These logs are kept for a short period and then deleted.
Analytics
We use [ANALYTICS_PROVIDER] to understand which tools are popular and which pages aren't working well. This is privacy-respecting analytics: it tracks page views and rough device info but doesn't follow you around the internet.
How We Use Your Information
The little data we do collect is used to:
- Keep the site running and the tools working correctly
- Fix bugs, improve performance, and design new tools people will actually use
- Prevent abuse, spam, and security threats
- Comply with the law if we're legally required to
We don't use your data for advertising profiles, we don't sell it, and we don't share it with data brokers. Full stop.
File Handling and Data
This is the part most people care about, so we want to be very clear.
Tools that run in your browser
Most of our tools (image resizing, text converters, calculators, and many PDF operations) run entirely on your device. Your file is processed locally in your browser and is never uploaded to our servers. We literally cannot see it.
Tools that need server processing
A few tools need to send your file to our servers to work. For those tools:
- Files are processed and the result is sent back to you
- The original and the result are automatically deleted within 1 hour
- We don't open, read, copy, or analyze the contents of your files
- Files are sent over an encrypted connection (HTTPS)
We'll always indicate clearly on the tool's page whether it runs in your browser or on our servers.
Third-Party Services
We use a small number of outside services to help run the site. Each of these has its own privacy policy, and we encourage you to read them if you're curious.
- Vultr: hosts our website and processes any data that passes through it.
- Cloudflare: serves our pages quickly from servers around the world. They may see your IP and request info as part of delivering content.
- Cloudflare: helps us understand how the site is used in aggregate.
We don't share personal information with anyone outside this list unless we're legally required to.
Data Security
We take reasonable steps to protect any data that does pass through our systems:
- All connections to PearTools are encrypted with HTTPS
- Server-processed files are deleted automatically after a short window
- We keep our software and dependencies updated to patch known vulnerabilities
- Access to our servers is limited to people who need it
That said, no system is ever 100% secure. If something goes wrong and your data is at risk, we'll tell you as soon as we reasonably can.
Children's Privacy
PearTools isn't designed for children under 16. We don't knowingly collect personal information from anyone in that age group. If you're a parent or guardian and you believe your child has shared personal data with us, please contact us and we'll delete it.
Your Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have specific rights about your personal data. We try to honor these rights for everyone, regardless of jurisdiction.
You can ask us to:
- Tell you what we have: we'll share what data we hold that relates to you.
- Correct it: if any of it is wrong, we'll fix it.
- Delete it: we'll remove it from our systems, with limited legal exceptions.
- Export it: we'll give you a copy in a common file format.
- Opt out: we'll stop processing your data for analytics or similar purposes.
How to make a request
Email us at privacy@peartools.com with what you'd like. We'll respond within 30 days. We may need to verify it's actually you before acting on the request.
If you're in the EU or UK, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. If you're in California, you have additional rights under the CCPA, including the right to know and the right to delete personal information.
International Users
PearTools is operated from [COMPANY_JURISDICTION], and our servers are located in [DATA_REGION]. If you're visiting from another country, the information we collect may be processed in a country with different data protection rules than your own. By using the site, you're okay with that.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy now and then, usually because we've added a feature or changed a tool. When we do, we'll update the "Last updated" date at the top.
For significant changes (like a new use of your data), we'll do something more visible, such as a banner on the homepage. The latest version is always here on this page.
Contact Us
Questions, concerns, or just want to say hello? Reach us at privacy@peartools.com. We're a small team, but we read everything that comes in and try to respond within a few business days.
For formal data requests, please put "Privacy Request" in the subject line so it doesn't get lost.