Your data is yours

Alocasia is built on a simple promise: your library lives on your device, in a format you can read, and you can take it with you the day you stop using us. This page spells out the specifics so you can decide whether to trust us with your tasks, notes, trips, flashcards, and everything else you create.

Local-first by default

On macOS and iOS, every task you create, every note you write, and every photo you attach is stored on your device in a SQLite database we maintain. The full library exists on each device you use. Sync — when you turn it on — is a copy mechanism, not the source of truth.

This means:

• The app works fully offline. Airplane mode is fine.
• If our servers go down, your data is unaffected.
• If you uninstall, your data is removed from that device. Other devices and any backups you've made keep the data.

Where your library lives

The actual file path on each platform:

Time Machine (macOS) backs up the library file automatically. iCloud Backup (iOS) includes it by default unless you've disabled app backups in Settings.

Open format, no lock-in

The library file is a SQLite database. SQLite is an open format used by Apple, Google, Mozilla, NASA, and countless others. You can open it with any SQLite tool right now:

• The sqlite3 command-line tool (preinstalled on macOS)
• DB Browser for SQLite (free, cross-platform)
• Any programming language with a SQLite driver

We publish the database schema at docs/schema.md so you can read and write to the file yourself if you want.

Export everything, anytime

From Settings → Data → Export Library, you can produce a single .alocasiabundle zip containing your complete library in human-readable formats:

• Tasks, habits, goals, time sinks, projects, tags, finance, board, pomodoro, pet — JSON files
• Notes — Markdown files with YAML frontmatter. Drop them into an Obsidian vault and they just work.
• Flashcards — Anki .apkgfiles. Import them into Anki, Mochi, RemNote, or any SRS app that supports the format.
• Photos and attachments — original files in their original formats (JPG, PNG, PDF, HEIC), organised by trip or task.
• Finance transactions — JSON + CSV (for QuickBooks, Excel, Numbers).

Export does not require sign-in. It works on local-only libraries.

No account required

You can use Alocasia without ever creating an account. All features that don't depend on a server (which is nearly all of them) work fully on a local-only library:

• ✅ Tasks, projects, tags, habits, goals, time sinks
• ✅ Trips and itineraries
• ✅ Notes with markdown editing
• ✅ Flashcards with FSRS-5 scheduling
• ✅ Finance tracking
• ✅ Pomodoro and time tracking
• ✅ Board, pet, widgets

Sign-in unlocks:

• Cross-device sync (Mac ↔ iOS ↔ web)
• Cloud backups
• Pro subscription features (priority sync, advanced AI, ad-free on iOS/macOS, premium themes)

What happens if Alocasia shuts down

We've committed in writing to a continuity plan if we ever stop operating:

1. 90 days' notice. We'll email every registered user at least 90 days before shutting down the service. The notice will explain what's changing and when.
2. Local-perpetual release. We'll publish a final version of the Mac and iOS apps that removes the sign-in requirement and the sync feature. The app will continue to work indefinitely offline. No subscription required, no server dependency.
3. Bulk export reminder. Every user gets a direct download link to their full library export (.alocasiabundle) so they can pull their data out before the cutover.
4. Schema stays public. The database schema documentation and the export-format spec remain publicly hosted (mirrored on GitHub) so future tools can read your library.
5. Open-sourcing the export tools. The code that reads and writes the .alocasiabundle format will be released under a permissive open-source license so anyone can build a successor importer.

What we promise NOT to do

• We will not read your content. The Supabase row-level security policies that gate every query reference your user ID — even our own service-role key is restricted to support tasks you explicitly request.
• We will not sell, rent, or share your data with advertisers or data brokers. Ever.
• We will not lock your data behind a subscription. The full library and export functionality work on the free tier, no exceptions.
• We will not introduce a proprietary format that's harder to leave. The schema is SQLite; the export is JSON + markdown + Anki .apkg; the storage is your local filesystem. None of this changes.

The trade-offs

We're not Obsidian. Some things they do better, some things we do better. Knowing the trade-off helps you choose what fits.

Questions?

Email privacy@alocasia.day with any concern about how your data is handled. We respond to every message within a few business days.

For the legal version of our data practices, see the Privacy Policy.