Overview
Drift is a private dream journal. It is built around a single principle: your dreams stay yours. No account is required to use the app. No personal data is stored on any server we operate. No data is sold, shared, or used for advertising — ever.
This policy explains precisely what data Drift handles, where it goes, and how you remain in control of it.
Data stored on your device
All dream entries, tags, symbols, transcriptions, and patterns are stored exclusively on your device using SwiftData (on iOS) or an encrypted SQLite/Room database (on Android). This data never leaves your phone unless you explicitly share it yourself.
- Dream text, titles, tags, and emotion metadata
- Recording dates and journal history
- Symbol library and detected patterns
- Your Anthropic API key, encrypted in the iOS Keychain (iOS) or Android Keystore (Android)
Drift does not operate a backend. There is no Drift account, no user profile, and no cloud sync.
Voice & transcription
Transcription happens locally in real time. Once a recording session ends, only the resulting text is retained — audio is discarded immediately. On-device speech frameworks are governed by the respective platform policies: Apple's Privacy Policy (iOS) or Google's Privacy Policy (Android).
AI dream analysis (Claude API)
When you request an AI interpretation of a dream, Drift sends the transcribed text only to the Anthropic Claude API using your own API key. The following applies:
- Only the dream text is transmitted — no name, device ID, or metadata
- Drift does not log, store, or forward API responses to any server
- Your API key is stored securely (iOS Keychain or Android Keystore) and transmitted only over HTTPS
- Anthropic may process transmitted text per their own usage policies
AI analysis is always user-initiated. Drift never sends data to the Claude API automatically or in the background.
Purchases & subscriptions
Drift offers an optional Pro subscription through Apple's In-App Purchase system (StoreKit) on iOS, and Google Play Billing via RevenueCat on Android. All billing, payment processing, and subscription management is handled entirely by Apple, Google, or RevenueCat. Drift never sees your payment information.
These operations are governed by their respective privacy policies: Apple's Privacy Policy, Google's Privacy Policy, and RevenueCat's Privacy Policy.
Analytics, advertising & tracking
- No analytics SDKs (no Firebase, Mixpanel, Amplitude, etc.)
- No advertising networks or ad identifiers
- No crash reporting services that transmit data externally
- No third-party trackers or cross-app tracking
Drift does not request permission to track you across other apps or websites, and does not participate in any advertising ecosystem.
Permissions requested
- Microphone — required to record your voice for dream transcription. Audio is processed on-device only.
- Speech Recognition — required to transcribe recordings locally via SFSpeechRecognizer (iOS) or system SpeechRecognizer (Android).
No other system permissions (location, contacts, photos, camera, health, notifications) are requested or used.
Children's privacy
Drift is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has used the app in a way that has transmitted data to third parties (such as via the Claude API), please contact us at [email protected] so we can assist you.
Users between the ages of 13 and 17 should review this policy with a parent or guardian before using AI analysis features.
Your data, your control
Because all data lives on your device, you are always in full control:
- Delete all data — available in Settings → Delete All Data. This permanently removes all dreams, symbols, and patterns from the app's SwiftData or SQLite/Room store.
- Remove your API key — you can clear or replace your Anthropic API key at any time in Settings → API Key.
- Uninstall — deleting the app from your device removes all associated local data permanently.
EU & UK users (GDPR)
If you are located in the European Union, European Economic Area, or United Kingdom, the following applies to you under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable national or UK law.
Because Drift stores all data locally on your device and does not operate any backend or user database, Drift does not act as a data controller for your journal content. You retain full ownership and control of all on-device data at all times.
When you use the AI dream analysis feature, dream text is transmitted to Anthropic, PBC (United States). This transfer occurs based on your explicit, user-initiated request and is governed by Anthropic's own data processing terms. You may exercise rights regarding that data directly with Anthropic at anthropic.com/privacy.
For any questions about your rights under GDPR — including the right of access, rectification, erasure, or portability — you may contact us at [email protected].
Disclaimer
All dream interpretations and analyses provided by Drift are symbolic and for entertainment purposes only. They do not constitute medical, psychological, legal, financial, or any other form of professional advice.
Drift and its developers assume no responsibility or liability for any decisions, actions, or outcomes arising from the use of the app or its AI-generated interpretations. Always consult a qualified professional for matters affecting your health, wellbeing, or any other significant area of your life.
Changes to this policy
If this policy changes materially, the updated version will be posted at this URL with a revised effective date. For significant changes — such as new data sharing practices or new third-party integrations — we will notify you via an in-app notice the next time you open Drift, giving you the opportunity to review the update before continuing use.
Continued use of Drift after a policy update constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.
Contact
Questions about this policy or Drift's data practices can be sent to:
[email protected]