Effective Date: April 4, 2026

General Inquiries: support@buddypass.com

 

 

1. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of information to provide, operate, and improve our services:

a. Personal Information

When you create an account or interact with Buddypass, we may collect personal information including:

•       Full name (first, middle, and last)

•       Email address and username

•       Profile photo

•       Phone number (if provided)

•       Device token for push notifications

•       Agora details, where relevant to real-time audio/video communications features

•       Payment information submitted during bookings (processed by third-party payment processors — we do not store full card numbers)

b. Trip Information

When you use Buddypass to plan or join trips, we collect information about those trips, including:

•       Trip names, destinations, and travel dates

•       Group members associated with a trip

•       Itinerary details and shared trip notes

•       Expense and financial information shared within a group

c. Chat & Communication Data

Buddypass enables group chat and real-time communications. We collect the following data associated with your communications:

•       Message content

•       Message sender and recipient information

•       Timestamps of messages sent and received

•       Chat group names, descriptions, and member information

•       Real-time communication session data via Agora (where applicable)

d. Device & Usage Information

We automatically collect information about your device and how you use the App, including:

•       Device type and operating system version

•       Unique device identifiers

•       IP address and approximate geographic location derived from IP

•       Browser type (if using the web platform)

•       App usage data, features accessed, and interaction patterns

•       Crash reports and diagnostic data

e. Location Information

We may collect location data when you use certain location-based features of Buddypass, such as trip-related services or when you voluntarily share your location within a group. You can control the collection of precise location data through your device settings at any time.

f. Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third-party sources, including:

•       Travel providers and booking platforms when you complete a booking through the App

•       Analytics providers that help us understand how users interact with the App

•       Social platforms, if you choose to connect a social account to Buddypass

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

•       Create, maintain, and manage your account

•       Facilitate group chats and real-time communications between users

•       Enable trip planning, coordination, and management within groups

•       Facilitate flight searches and bookings through third-party travel providers

•       Process payments through third-party payment processors

•       Send transactional notifications and alerts (e.g., trip updates, group messages, booking confirmations)

•       Send promotional communications and travel recommendations — you may opt out at any time

•       Personalize your experience and surface relevant content

•       Analyze usage trends to improve App performance and features

•       Ensure platform security and prevent fraud or abuse

•       Provide customer support

•       Comply with applicable legal obligations

3. How We Share Your Information

a. With Group Members

When you participate in a group chat or join a trip on Buddypass, your profile information — including your name, profile photo, and messages — will be visible to other members of that group or trip. Publicly visible activity (such as liked or followed trips on your profile page) may be visible to other users of the App.

b. With Third-Party Service Providers

We share your information with trusted third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf, including:

•       Cloud hosting and infrastructure providers

•       Real-time communications providers (Agora)

•       Push notification delivery services

•       Flight booking and travel data providers

•       Payment processors

•       Analytics and crash reporting services

•       Customer support platforms

These providers are contractually obligated to use your information only as directed by us and in a manner consistent with this Privacy Policy.

c. Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court order or government agency subpoena), or where we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Buddypass, our users, or the public.

d. Business Transfers

If Buddypass undergoes a business transaction such as a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email or a prominent in-app notice before your information becomes subject to a materially different privacy policy.

e. With Your Consent

We may share your information for other purposes with your explicit prior consent.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

4. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide our services. If you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal data within 90 days of the deletion request, except where we are required to retain it by law or for legitimate business purposes such as:

•       Resolving disputes or enforcing agreements

•       Preventing fraud or abuse

•       Complying with legal retention obligations

Chat messages and trip data associated with group activity may be retained for a limited period after your account deletion to preserve the integrity of shared group records for remaining participants.

5. Security of Your Information

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

•       Encryption of data in transit using TLS/HTTPS

•       Secure storage practices and access controls

•       Regular security assessments and monitoring

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for keeping your account credentials confidential and notifying us immediately of any unauthorized access.

6. Your Choices

a. Profile Information

You may update or delete your profile information at any time through your account settings within the App.

b. Location Services

You can control whether Buddypass accesses your device’s precise location by adjusting your device settings. Note that disabling location access may limit certain location-based features.

c. Push Notifications

You may opt out of receiving push notifications at any time by disabling them in your device’s notification settings.

d. Marketing Communications

You may opt out of receiving promotional emails or in-app marketing communications at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions in any such communication or by contacting us at the address below. Opting out of marketing does not affect transactional messages related to your account or bookings.

e. Account Deletion

If you wish to delete your account, you may do so by contacting us at support@buddypass.com. Please note that certain information may be retained for legal or security reasons as described in Section 4 above.

7. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

•       Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you

•       Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information

•       Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal exceptions

•       Portability: Request a machine-readable copy of your data

•       Objection: Object to certain processing activities, including direct marketing

•       Restriction: Request that we limit how we process your data in certain circumstances

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at legal@buddypasstrips.com. We will respond within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

California Residents — CCPA

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information we collect, use, and disclose; the right to request deletion of your personal information; and the right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights. As noted above, Buddypass does not sell your personal information.

European Residents — GDPR

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), we process your personal data on the following legal bases: contractual necessity (to provide the App’s services), legitimate interests (to improve the App and ensure security), consent (for marketing communications, which you may withdraw at any time), and legal obligation (where required by law). You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

8. Children’s Privacy

Buddypass is not directed to individuals under the age of 13 (or the applicable age of digital consent in your jurisdiction, which may be higher — up to 16 in certain EU member states). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children below the applicable age threshold.

If we discover that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child below the applicable age, we will take prompt steps to delete such information. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately at support@buddypass.com.

9. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies on our web platform to enhance your experience, analyze usage, and deliver personalized content. You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our web platform.

The App itself may use device identifiers and mobile analytics SDKs (such as those used for crash reporting and usage analytics) for similar purposes on mobile devices.

10. Third-Party Links & Services

The App integrates with third-party services — including airline booking platforms, payment processors, and real-time communications providers — and may contain links to third-party websites. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you interact with through the App.

11. International Data Transfers

Buddypass Incorporated is based in the United States. If you access the App from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States or other countries where data protection laws may differ from those in your home jurisdiction.

Where required by law (such as the GDPR), we implement appropriate safeguards for international transfers, including Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission. By using the App, you acknowledge that your information may be transferred internationally as described in this policy.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last Updated” date at the top of this document and post the updated policy within the App. For material changes, we will provide additional notice through the App or by email.

Your continued use of Buddypass after such changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

 

Buddypass Incorporated

General & Support: support@buddypass.com

Privacy & Legal: legal@buddypasstrips.com

Website: www.buddypasstrips.com