Privacy Policy
1. Data Protection at a Glance
The following information provides a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit this website or use ExpensesCalc (groups, friends, quick splits, emails, and optional analytics/ads after consent). Personal data is any data with which you can be personally identified.
2. Data Controller
The controller within the meaning of Art. 4(7) GDPR is:
Shoaib Sarwar
Rigaer Str 11
18107 Rostock
Germany
Email: info@expensescalc.com · Imprint
The controller and operator is Shoaib Sarwar. ExpensesCalc is the project/brand name of the website; ExpensesCalc is not a legal entity. The operator decides the purposes and means of processing personal data in this online service.
3. Legal Bases (Art. 6 GDPR)
We process personal data only when a legal basis applies: (a) your consent (e.g. analytics/advertising cookies; optional product tips), (b) performance of a contract or pre-contractual steps (providing the expense calculator, your account, friend features, and transactional emails), (c) legitimate interests (security, fraud prevention, improving the service, optional activity notifications you can turn off), and (d) legal obligations (e.g. retaining server logs where required). You may withdraw consent at any time with effect for the future via the cookie settings link in the footer or by disabling optional emails on the Account page.
We also follow the GDPR principle of data minimisation (Art. 5(1)(c)): we collect and retain only what is necessary to operate shared expense groups — account details, group membership, expense amounts and splits, and optional receipt attachments. We do not request fields or documents beyond what the service needs.
4. Data We Collect and Store
We collect data you provide and limited technical data needed to run the service. This includes: account registration (name, email, hashed password); group data (names, membership, PIN hash, expenses, settlements, optional receipts, activity log); friendships and friend invites (including invitee email when you invite someone); friend-to-friend expenses and settlements; notification preference settings; and quick splits without an account (event name, participant names, expenses, token hashes — see section 8a). When you visit the site we also process limited technical data (browser, IP address, access time — see section 11). Application data is stored in a MySQL database on our Hostinger hosting solely to operate ExpensesCalc and is not sold to third parties.
ExpensesCalc is not intended for sensitive, special-category, or business-critical data (Art. 9 GDPR). Member emails, expense splits, and optional receipts are relational financial data for informal private use only — not for professional accounting, tax filing, payroll, or regulated financial processing. Do not store health, employment, or fully readable payment-card details in groups or receipt uploads. Use the service only with people you trust and for data you are willing to share within the group.
5. Browser Storage (localStorage)
In addition to storage in our database (see section 4), the app may keep helper data on your device in the browser (localStorage): a list of groups you opened (group ID, name, and the email you used on this device); theme preference; cookie consent choices (also mirrored in a first-party cookie); and, for quick splits, view/edit link tokens after creation so you can copy them again. Group PINs are not stored in localStorage. Optionally, a PIN may be kept in memory for the current browser tab only for a short time you choose. This browser data stays on your device until you remove it or clear site data. We do not use localStorage for advertising or cross-site tracking. The actual group data is stored in the database; group PINs there are stored hashed. Do not share PINs or edit links publicly.
Webfonts
We do not load fonts from Google Fonts or other third-party CDNs. The “Outfit” typeface is served from our own server (Hostinger). Font requests may appear in server logs like any other page asset (see section 11). Legal basis: legitimate interest in a consistent presentation (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).
6. Receipt Uploads
You can optionally attach receipt photos or PDF files when adding an expense (JPG, PNG, or PDF, up to 5 MB per file). You may choose files from your device or take a photo with your camera. Uploading is voluntary and serves only to document shared costs within your group.
- Files are sent to our server, stored as separate files under a random name outside the public web root, and linked from the expense as metadata only (not as Base64 in the database). Where configured, files may also be encrypted at rest.
- For account groups: only logged-in members who joined with the group ID and PIN can download attached receipts via an access-controlled endpoint. For quick splits: anyone with the secret edit or view link can download receipts for that split. Treat those links like passwords.
- If you use “Take photo”, your browser asks for camera access. We only use the camera when you start capture; no background recording.
- Receipt files are deleted together with the related expenses when the group or quick split is deleted or reaches its auto-delete date.
- We do not use receipts to train AI, for marketing profiles, or for purposes unrelated to displaying them in your group.
Note: Receipts may show card numbers, addresses, or other personal details. Only upload documents you are allowed to share with everyone in the group. Do not upload business, medical, or other sensitive documents unless all members agree.
The Account page export does not include receipt files. To request copies (GDPR access or portability), email us via the imprint from your registered account email. Include the group ID and, if possible, which expense(s) you mean. We verify that you belong to that group, then provide the files within one month (usually as a ZIP or secure download link).
7. User Accounts
If you register, we store your name, email address, and a hashed password. A first-party session cookie keeps you logged in (up to 1 year, or until you log out / clear cookies). On the Account page you can manage notification preferences, export a copy of core account/group metadata, or delete your account. You can also email us via the imprint.
7a. Friends, invites & friend expenses
With an account you can add friends, send email invites, and record shared expenses or settlements between two people (outside a trip group). We store friendship links, invite details (invitee name/email, status, hashed invite token), friend expenses/participants, and settlement notes. Invite emails are transactional. Friend-related notification emails follow your Account notification settings (see section 9).
8. Who Can See Group Data
Groups are private shared spaces: only logged-in members who joined with the group ID and PIN can view that group's member list, expenses, receipts, and activity history.
The group PIN is an access-control mechanism — it limits who can join or change data. It is not encryption and does not by itself constitute a technical security measure under the GDPR. Choose a PIN known only to your group.
Only add people if you agree they may see your name, email, and shared expense details. Do not share the group ID and PIN publicly.
8a. Quick splits without an account (“Schnell teilen”)
You can create a shared expense split without registering. We store the event name, participant names (no email required), expenses, base currency, and activity log in our MySQL database (hosted with Hostinger). Access is controlled by two secret links: an edit link (can add or change data) and a view-only link (read-only). Only SHA-256 hashes of these tokens are stored in the database; the full links are shown to you once when the split is created. Anyone who has a link can access the split according to its type — treat edit links like passwords. Quick splits are automatically deleted after 30 days unless configured otherwise. No marketing emails are sent for quick splits. Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (providing the service you request) and Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (fraud prevention and abuse limits via token hashing and auto-deletion).
Share only the view-only link with friends. Do not post edit links publicly. If an edit link is lost, we cannot restore it — create a new split or use a registered account group for long-term access from multiple devices.
9. Emails & notifications
We send emails through the mail system of our hosting provider (Hostinger), where email is set up for the domain, using PHP mail() from an address such as noreply@expensescalc.com. Emails fall into two categories: (1) transactional service messages required for the action you or another user requested, and (2) optional notification / digest emails controlled on your Account page.
Email addresses (recipient data) are processed solely to deliver messages you requested or enabled, and are not shared with third parties for advertising or used for external marketing lists. Optional product tips are sent only if you explicitly turn them on. We do not keep a separate archive of sent emails; recipient addresses remain in our system only as long as needed for your account, group, invite, or notification settings (see retention). Hostinger processes recipient data and technical delivery metadata (e.g. delivery attempts) as a processor solely for email delivery; any server or mail logs follow the host’s settings and retention periods.
Transactional examples: group created (group ID, PIN, delete date), password reset, group delete or PIN-change confirmation, delete requests to the creator, and friend invites. Preference-gated notifications (defaults shown on Account): group/friend added, expense added or removed, payment recorded, and a monthly activity summary. Optional product tips (“product news”) are off by default and only sent if you enable them. You can change or disable optional emails anytime under Account → notifications. Quick splits without an account do not send marketing or digest emails.
Password-reset links use a random token stored as a hash in our database, valid for 1 hour and deleted after use or when you delete your account. We do not store the plain reset link.
Messages are sent from addresses on expensescalc.com. Domain authentication (e.g. SPF, DKIM, DMARC) may be configured via the host where set up.
10. Cookies, Consent & Google Services
Essential cookies: PHP session (login) and language preference (up to 1 year). Non-essential scripts (Google Analytics GA4 with measurement ID G-3RYC2M9GW3 via gtag.js, Google Tag Manager, Google AdSense) are loaded with Consent Mode; analytics/advertising cookies are set only after you consent via the cookie banner. You can change your choice anytime using “Cookie settings” in the footer or the cookie button at the bottom left after you have made a choice. Rejecting non-essential cookies does not limit use of the calculator.
With your consent we load Google Analytics 4 (measurement ID G-3RYC2M9GW3) via the Google tag (gtag.js) and Google Tag Manager, plus Google AdSense. Google may set cookies and process usage or advertising data on servers in the USA. Google Analytics 4 processes IP addresses only in truncated form. The exact processing depends on the settings of the Google service. Google privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy. You can change consent anytime via “Cookie settings” in the footer or opt out in your Google account.
Data sent to Google Analytics
Google Analytics is loaded only after you consent in the cookie banner. When active, Google may receive the following types of information about your visit:
- Device and browser type, operating system, screen size, and language settings
- Referrer URL (which page or site linked you here)
- Unique identifiers (e.g. cookies or client IDs created by Google)
- Approximate location derived from your IP address (country/region level)
- How you use the website (pages viewed, clicks, session duration, and similar usage events — not the content of your expense groups, receipts, or account data)
How we use this data
- Monitor website performance, traffic, and errors
- Support our business operations, including understanding reach and marketing (Google AdSense when you consent to advertising cookies)
- Improve and optimize the ExpensesCalc website and services
Legal basis: your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). You can withdraw consent at any time via “Cookie settings” in the footer; this does not affect the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
11. Hosting, Server Logs & Technical Backups
This site is hosted by Hostinger (web server and the MySQL database operated there). The host processes server log files (IP address, browser, time of request, referrer) on our behalf to deliver the site securely. The specific server location depends on the data centre / plan selected at Hostinger. Logs are not merged with other data unless required for security investigations.
The provider of the pages automatically collects and stores information in so-called server log files, which your browser automatically transmits to us. These are: browser type and browser version, operating system used, referrer URL, hostname of the accessing computer, time of the server request, and IP address. This data is not combined with other data sources.
Where Hostinger offers technical backup copies of the server and/or database for the relevant plan, those copies may temporarily still contain deleted live data until overwritten. ExpensesCalc does not provide its own user backup feature. We do not actively restore individual deleted groups from host backups; such copies are used only for disaster recovery of the entire service. Whether and how long backups exist depends on your Hostinger plan settings and documentation.
12. SSL or TLS Encryption
This site uses SSL or TLS encryption for security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the address line of the browser changes from "http://" to "https://" and by the lock symbol in your browser line.
13. Retention & Deletion
Each group or quick split has an auto-delete date (default: 30 days after creation; extendable within the app limits). You can also delete a group manually (creator with PIN and/or confirmation email). Friend expenses and settlements remain until you delete them or delete your account. Notification preference rows are removed when the account is deleted.
When a group or quick split is deleted, we remove it from the live database together with related members, expenses, receipt files on disk, settlements, activity logs, currency settings, split participants, and delete tokens. ExpensesCalc does not keep a separate archive or in-app backup of deleted groups.
If the host provides technical backup copies, deleted data may temporarily still be contained there until overwritten (section 11). Such copies are used only for disaster recovery of the entire service, not for individual restore requests.
14. Data Security
We use technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal data against manipulation, loss, destruction, or access by unauthorized persons. Our security measures are continuously improved in line with technological developments.
15. Your GDPR Rights
Under the GDPR you have the rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, data portability, and objection to processing based on legitimate interests, as well as the right to withdraw consent at any time (without affecting prior lawful processing). You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority (section 17).
Use the Account page (export or delete account), cookie settings in the footer, or email us via the imprint. For receipt files not included in export, email from your registered address with the group ID (see section 6). We respond within one month (Art. 12(3) GDPR); complex requests may take up to three months with notice.
16. Processors & International Transfers
Processors under the GDPR include in particular Hostinger (web hosting, operation of the MySQL database, server logs; email delivery and technical backups only where used/enabled in the plan) and — only after cookie consent — Google Ireland Limited / Google LLC (Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Google AdSense). They may use your data only to provide their services to us.
Hostinger and Google processing is based on their respective Art. 28 GDPR data-processing terms / customer DPAs, where you have accepted or concluded them for the services you use (hosting; Analytics, Tag Manager, and AdSense only after consent). Please check in your Hostinger account and with Google that the DPA/AVV is active for your plan.
Google may process analytics and advertising data on servers in the United States. Transfers are based on the EU–US Data Privacy Framework and/or Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) as applicable. Google's data processing terms: https://business.safety.google/intl/en/privacy/
17. Supervisory Authority
You have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority. For users in Germany — based on the operator’s location in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Rostock) — the competent authority is: Der Landesbeauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schloss Schwerin, Lennéstraße 1, 19053 Schwerin, https://www.datenschutz-mv.de. You may also contact the authority in your place of residence.
18. Account Deletion
Logged-in users can delete their account on the Account page (enter your password to confirm) or by emailing info@expensescalc.com. We remove your user profile, group memberships, password-reset tokens, friendships/invites, friend expenses and settlements tied to your user ID, and notification preferences. Deleting your user account does not automatically delete groups you created that still have other participants — those groups may remain until their auto-delete date so other members can keep using them. After account deletion you are no longer listed as a member. To remove a group sooner, delete it separately (as creator with PIN and/or confirmation email) before or after deleting your account.
19. Changes to This Policy
We reserve the right to adapt this privacy policy so that it always complies with current legal requirements or to implement changes to our services in the privacy policy. The current privacy policy can be accessed at any time on this page. When we publish a new version date, we email registered account holders about the update as a service notice.
Last updated: July 23, 2026
20. Contact
If you have questions about data protection, you can contact us via the imprint.