Your data, your device.
Last updated: 27 April 2026
Giftwise stores everything you type into it on your own device, using your browser's local storage. None of that data is ever sent to any server, including ours. There is no account system, no tracking, no analytics, and no profiling. If you clear your browser data, your Giftwise data is gone with it.
Who runs Giftwise
Giftwise is operated by Coldharbour Tech Limited, a company registered in England and Wales (Company Number 17185625). For the purposes of UK GDPR, Coldharbour Tech Limited is the data controller for any personal data processed in connection with the Giftwise app and this website.
To exercise any of your rights under UK GDPR (described below), or for any privacy question, please email contact@coldharbourtech.com.
What data Giftwise stores about you
The honest answer is: almost nothing. The app is designed to work without ever sending your personal data anywhere. Specifically:
Stored on your device only (local storage)
- The names, relationships and interests of people you add to track gifts for
- Their birthdays, anniversaries, and other occasions you record
- Sizes (clothes, shoes, ring) you choose to record
- Gift ideas, prices, and notes you save
- Wishlists you create
- App preferences (e.g. whether reminders are enabled)
None of this is transmitted to Giftwise's servers — because Giftwise has no servers. It lives in your browser's local storage, which is bound to that specific browser on that specific device. Other websites cannot read it. Other devices of yours cannot read it. We cannot read it.
Briefly transmitted to third parties when you take certain actions
A few features rely on third-party services. When you use them, data is sent to those services as described:
- Barcode lookups (Open Food Facts) — when you scan a barcode, the barcode number is sent to Open Food Facts to retrieve product details. No personal data is sent. See their privacy notice.
- Affiliate retailer links — when you click through to a retailer (John Lewis, Amazon UK, etc.) from a Giftwise gift suggestion, you go to that retailer's website and their privacy policy applies. The link may carry an affiliate tag identifying Giftwise as the referrer.
- CDN-hosted libraries — Giftwise loads JavaScript libraries (React, Tailwind CSS, ZXing) from public content delivery networks (jsDelivr and unpkg). When you load Giftwise, your browser will make connections to those CDNs. The CDN providers may log standard request information (IP address, user agent) as part of their normal operation. Giftwise does not receive or store any of this information.
Wishlists shared with others
When you share a wishlist via Giftwise's "share link" feature, the wishlist contents are encoded directly into the URL. Anyone with the link can view the wishlist. The data is not stored on a server — it's transmitted via the URL itself. Be careful about who you share the link with, and treat them like any private information.
Cookies and tracking technologies
Giftwise does not use cookies. Giftwise does not use analytics tools (no Google Analytics, no Plausible, no anything). Giftwise does not have pixels, beacons, or tracking scripts of any kind.
Giftwise does use your browser's local storage, which is a different mechanism — it stores the data on your device, not on a remote server. Browsers treat local storage similarly to cookies for consent purposes. By using Giftwise you consent to this storage; you can clear it at any time via your browser's "Clear data" menu, or via Giftwise's own Settings → Delete everything option.
How long data is kept
Indefinitely, by you, on your device — until you delete it yourself. Giftwise has no retention policy because Giftwise has no copy of your data to retain.
Your rights under UK GDPR
Even though Giftwise stores almost no personal data about you on its end, UK GDPR still applies to anything that is processed. You have the right to:
- Access — request a copy of any personal data we hold about you
- Rectification — ask us to correct inaccurate data
- Erasure — ask us to delete personal data ("right to be forgotten")
- Restriction — ask us to stop processing in certain cases
- Portability — receive your data in a machine-readable format
- Object — object to certain types of processing
- Withdraw consent — at any time, where we rely on consent
To exercise any of these rights, email contact@coldharbourtech.com. We'll respond within one calendar month as required by UK GDPR.
For data that lives on your own device only (which is most of it), you can exercise these rights yourself directly:
- Access: open the app and view it
- Portability: Settings → Your data → Export backup (JSON)
- Erasure: Settings → Delete everything from this device, or simply clear your browser data
How to complain
If you're unhappy with how we've handled your data, you have the right to complain to the UK's data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):
- Website: ico.org.uk
- Helpline: 0303 123 1113
Children
Giftwise is not directed at children under 13 and we do not knowingly process data of children under 13. If you believe a child has supplied us with personal data, please contact us and we will take appropriate steps.
Changes to this policy
If we change this privacy policy, we'll update the "Last updated" date at the top. For material changes, we'll display a notice in the app on your next visit. Continued use of Giftwise after a change constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact
Email: contact@coldharbourtech.com
Data Controller: Coldharbour Tech Limited
Registered in: England and Wales
Company Number: 17185625