Privacy Policy
Last updated: July 29, 2026
Summary: UsageScope is local-first by default. The optional ranking feature sends only your monthly token summary and masked email after you explicitly confirm the first submission. After you join, opening Ranking can refresh that monthly summary up to 12 times per day. The UsageScope website uses Reddit Pixel only to measure page visits and clicks to the Mac App Store or Microsoft Store, as described below.
1. Overview
UsageScope ("the App") is a menu bar (macOS) / system tray (Windows) application that monitors your AI service usage quotas. We are committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains how the App and the UsageScope website handle your data.
2. Data Collection
The App's local monitoring mode does not collect data by default. The App operates primarily on your local machine. Specifically:
- No personal information is collected during normal local monitoring
- No App usage analytics or telemetry is transmitted
- The App does not use tracking cookies or advertising identifiers; the website's limited Reddit Pixel use is described in Section 7
- No ranking data is sent unless you choose the optional "Check My Tier" flow
3. Optional Ranking
If you choose to use "Check My Tier," UsageScope submits a minimal monthly usage summary so the ranking service can calculate your tier. After you join, opening Ranking can refresh that monthly summary up to 12 times per day.
- Uploaded: monthly token totals by board, app version, consent version, and masked email
- Never uploaded: API keys, OAuth tokens, prompts, responses, raw local logs, full email address, or local file paths
- Opt-in first: the first ranking submission happens only after you explicitly confirm it
4. API Keys
To function, UsageScope requires API keys from the AI services you choose to monitor (e.g., Codex, Anthropic, Google, xAI, Perplexity). These keys are handled as follows:
- Stored locally only: API keys are securely stored in your operating system's credential store — macOS Keychain or Windows Credential Manager, the same system your OS uses for passwords and certificates
- Never transmitted: Your API keys are never sent to any server other than the respective AI service's official API endpoint for usage queries
- Encrypted at rest: the OS credential store (macOS Keychain / Windows Credential Manager) encrypts stored credentials at rest
- User-controlled: You can add or remove API keys at any time through the App's settings
5. Network Communication
For usage monitoring, the App makes network requests to the official API endpoints of your connected AI services:
- Codex: api.openai.com
- Anthropic (Claude): api.anthropic.com
- Google (Gemini): generativelanguage.googleapis.com
- xAI (Grok): api.x.ai
- Perplexity: api.perplexity.ai
These requests are used to retrieve your usage and billing information. If you opt into optional ranking, the App also contacts the UsageScope ranking API to submit or refresh the limited monthly summary described above.
6. Local Data Storage
The App stores the following data locally on your Mac:
- App preferences: Settings such as polling interval, notification thresholds, and theme preference (stored via UserDefaults in the App's sandbox)
- Cached usage data: The most recent usage data and local token summaries from each service, enabling instant display on App launch (stored locally in the App's sandbox)
- API keys: Stored in the OS credential store (macOS Keychain / Windows Credential Manager, encrypted)
- Ranking participant credential: Stored locally to identify your optional ranking submissions without requiring an account
All local data is contained within the App's sandbox (macOS) or per-user app data directory (Windows) and is removed when you uninstall the App.
7. Third-Party Services
The App communicates with third-party AI service APIs as listed above. Each service has its own privacy policy governing how they handle API requests:
- Codex Privacy Policy
- Anthropic Privacy Policy
- Google Privacy Policy
- xAI Privacy Policy
- Perplexity Privacy Policy
Website advertising measurement: The UsageScope website uses Reddit Pixel for limited advertising measurement. It measures visits to the website and clicks on links to the Mac App Store or Microsoft Store.
- Reddit technology: Reddit may use cookies or advertising identifiers when processing these events under its own privacy policy
- No directly identifying fields: UsageScope does not intentionally send email addresses, phone numbers, or other directly identifying fields through Reddit Pixel
- Advanced matching disabled: Reddit's automatic advanced matching feature is disabled
For more information about Reddit's data practices, see the Reddit Privacy Policy.
8. Children's Privacy
UsageScope is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect any information from children.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be reflected on this page with an updated revision date. Continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
10. Contact
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:
Email: support@usagescope.app
In short: UsageScope is local-first, does not transmit in-app usage analytics, and does not have access to your API keys. Optional ranking sends only a monthly summary and masked email after you approve it. The website uses Reddit Pixel only for the limited advertising measurement described in Section 7.