Mandarling privacy policy
Last updated October 26, 2026
In short
Mandarling has no accounts and shows no ads today. Your cards stay on your phone. Some features use Google’s services to work; each is described below.
What stays on your phone
Your cards, review history, settings, today’s practice time and how today’s phrase went are stored only on your phone. Sharing today’s phrase sends what you choose, where you choose, through your phone’s share menu.
Speaking check and audio
When you tap Say it, your phone’s speech recognizer (usually Google’s) listens. It uses an offline model when your phone has one; otherwise your audio may be sent to Google to be recognized. On Android 13 and later, Mandarling records that attempt itself and passes it to the recognizer, so it can show your tones next to the voice’s and play the attempt back to you. The recording stays in your phone’s memory, is never saved or sent anywhere else, and is gone when you move to the next card. Cards are read aloud by your phone’s text-to-speech voice.
Translation
Translation between English and Chinese runs on your phone with Google ML Kit. The translation model is downloaded from Google once; your text stays on your phone.
Google services
The free-practice limit and the switch for the tone check come from Firebase Remote Config, and translation uses ML Kit, both from Google. They may send technical information to Google so the services work: an app-instance ID, the app and Android versions, the phone model, and your phone’s region and language settings. Mandarling adds no analytics of its own today. We may collect anonymous usage data in the future (such as which features are used and how long practice takes), with your consent where the law requires it, and will say so in this policy before we do.
Purchases
Google Play handles the payment for unlimited practice. Mandarling only learns whether you bought it; it never sees your payment details.
Ads
Mandarling shows no ads today. We may add ads to free practice in the future, for example a small banner. If we do, we will say so in this policy before ads appear, ask for your consent where the law requires it, and name the ad service and what it collects. A copy that has been unlocked will not show ads.
Backups and sharing
If Android backup is on, your cards and settings may be backed up to your Google account like other app data. Backup files you save, and cards you share, go only where you send them; shared cards leave out your progress and notes.
Notifications
If you turn on the daily reminder, Mandarling shows a notification on days you haven’t practiced. It is made on your phone; nothing is sent anywhere.
Your choices
Everything Mandarling keeps is on your phone. Delete a card in the app, or uninstall Mandarling to remove it all. A backup in your Google account can be managed in your Google account settings. Mandarling holds nothing about you on a server, so there is nothing to request, but you can write to us at any time.
Who is responsible
Karl B, the maker of Mandarling, is responsible for the personal data this policy describes. You can write to the maker at 3964 Rivermark Plaza #1087, Santa Clara, CA 95054, USA, or at support@mandarling.app.
Why we use data
The technical information sent to Google’s services (see Google services) lets Mandarling load the free-practice limit and its settings. We rely on our legitimate interest in running the app, and on the terms of use for the features you choose. If you write to us, we use your email address and message to reply, which is our legitimate interest in answering you. The microphone is used only with your permission, which you can withdraw at any time in your phone’s settings. We do not sell personal data.
Who receives it, and where
Google receives the technical information described above, your audio when your phone’s speech recognizer sends it to be recognized, and your payment details when you buy. It handles them under its own privacy policy. Email sent to support@mandarling.app is forwarded by Cloudflare to a Gmail mailbox. Mandarling shares personal data with no one else. Google may process data in the United States and other countries, under the safeguards it describes in its own terms. Mandarling does not track you across apps or websites, so a Do Not Track signal has nothing to change.
How long we keep it
Mandarling keeps nothing about you on a server. What is on your phone stays until you delete it or uninstall Mandarling. We keep emails you send us for as long as we need them to answer you and to keep a record of what was said. Google keeps the information it receives as its own policies describe.
Your rights
Mandarling holds no account or server data about you, so there is little for us to look up. You can still ask what personal data we hold about you (your emails, for example), have it corrected or deleted, ask us to limit or stop using it, and ask for a copy. Write to the maker using the contact details under Who is responsible; we will answer within one month. For data Google holds, contact Google. If you are in the EU or the UK, you can also complain to your local data protection authority, such as the Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK.
Children
Mandarling is for people 18 and over, and is not directed at children.
Changes
A changed policy is posted here with a new date.
Contact
Questions: support@mandarling.app
The terms of use are on their own page.