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Privacy Policy

Last updated: 2 July 2026

1. Introduction

Appointly ("we", "our", or "us") is a booking platform for service providers in the UK. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you use our service at appointlyuk.app.

2. Information We Collect

For Service Providers

  • Account information: name, phone number, email address
  • Business information: business name, address, services offered
  • Availability and booking settings
  • Payment information (processed securely via Stripe)

For Customers

  • Booking information: name, phone number, email (optional)
  • Appointment details: date, time, services selected
  • Payment information for deposits (processed via Stripe)

Instagram Comment Picker Tool

When you connect your Instagram Business or Creator account to use our comment picker tool, we access:

  • Your Instagram profile basics (username, account ID, account type, profile picture, name)
  • A list of your own posts/media, so you can choose which post to run a giveaway on
  • The public comments on the post you select (commenter username, comment text, timestamp, like count)

We only access the account you explicitly connect. We do not access your direct messages, and we do not access accounts you do not own. Comments are fetched only for the specific post you choose to pick a winner from.

3. How We Use Your Information

  • To provide and operate the Appointly booking service
  • To send booking confirmations, reminders, and notifications via SMS and email
  • To fetch the comments on a post you select and pick a random giveaway winner (for connected accounts)
  • To process payments and deposits
  • To improve our service and user experience

4. Instagram Data Usage

When you connect your Instagram Business or Creator account to use the comment picker tool:

  • We fetch the comments on the post you select and display them so you can pick a winner
  • Comments and post data are processed only to run the picker — we do not store them in our database
  • We store a daily usage counter (your Instagram account ID and a date) to enforce fair-use limits on the free tool
  • Your Instagram access token is stored encrypted in a secure session cookie, not in our database
  • We do not sell, share, or use your Instagram data for advertising
  • We do not access your direct messages or accounts you haven't connected

You can disconnect your Instagram account at any time, which immediately ends our access. Your session token also expires automatically.

5. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored securely on servers in the European Union. We use:

  • Encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS) for all data transmission
  • Secure, encrypted database storage
  • Access tokens stored with encryption
  • Regular security audits and updates

6. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal data. We share data only with:

  • Stripe - for payment processing
  • Twilio/ClickSend - for SMS notifications
  • Resend - for email notifications
  • Meta/Instagram - for the comment picker tool (when you connect your account)
  • PostHog - for analytics (EU servers, only with your consent)
  • Vercel - for hosting and infrastructure

7. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Access your personal data
  • Correct inaccurate data
  • Request deletion of your data
  • Object to processing of your data
  • Data portability
  • Withdraw consent at any time

8. Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account or disconnect a service:

  • Account data is deleted within 30 days
  • Instagram comment and post data is not stored — it is discarded once the picker run completes; your access token is cleared when you disconnect or when the session expires
  • Booking records may be retained for legal/tax purposes for up to 7 years

9. Cookies and Analytics

We use the following types of cookies:

Essential Cookies

Required for the service to function. These handle authentication and session management. You cannot opt out of these cookies.

Analytics Cookies (Optional)

With your consent, we use PostHog to understand how visitors use our site. This helps us improve the service. PostHog may collect:

  • Pages visited and time spent
  • Device and browser information
  • Anonymised session recordings (sensitive inputs are masked)
  • Click patterns and user journeys

Analytics data is stored on PostHog's EU servers. You can accept or decline analytics cookies when you first visit the site. You can change your preference at any time by clearing your browser's local storage and refreshing the page.

We do not use advertising cookies or share data with advertisers.

10. Contact Us

For privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights, contact us at:

Email: privacy@appointlyuk.app
Website: appointlyuk.app

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any significant changes via email or through the Appointly dashboard.