Privacy · DriveTracks
DriveTracks privacy.
DriveTracks records your own driving shifts so you can see mileage, routes, and earnings. Here's exactly what it accesses and where your data goes.
Last reviewed: June 13, 2026 · All privacy classifications
Permissions & why
DriveTracks requests only what it needs to record a shift. It does not request camera, microphone, contacts, SMS, phone, storage/photos, Bluetooth, calendar, or body-sensor access.
| Permission | Why DriveTracks needs it |
|---|---|
| Precise location | The core feature — records your shift's GPS trail, live mileage, and where you mark each pickup, dropoff, and stage. |
| Background location (optional) | Keeps recording when your phone is pocketed or mounted with the screen off. Optional — recording also works with the "while using" grant. |
| Notifications | Shows the persistent "Recording your location trail" notice that Android requires while a shift is recording. |
| Internet & network state | Loads map tiles, reverse-geocoded area names, and weather; checks connectivity and falls back gracefully offline. |
| Foreground service & wake lock | Keeps the GPS trail continuous and accurate while the screen is off mid-shift. |
How location is used
- Location is used only to record your own shift — the GPS trail, distance, and where you marked each event. It powers the live map, mileage, and trip/earnings reports.
- Recording only happens during an active shift you start, and stops when you end it. There is no always-on tracking.
- A persistent notification is always shown while recording, so you're never tracked silently.
Your data & where it goes
Stored on your device only. There is no DriveTracks account, login, or server. Everything lives in the app's private storage:
- Shift records — GPS trail, pickup/dropoff/stage events, distance, and earnings you enter
- Settings — units, tax/vehicle-cost figures, map and location preferences
- Your map/geocoding API keys, stored AES-encrypted on the device
- Generated reports (PDF/CSV/XLSX) — created on-device; they leave only when you tap Share and pick a destination
Shared with third-party services
These calls send coordinates only to provide a feature. They are not used by DriveTracks to build a profile, and DriveTracks runs no backend that aggregates your data.
| Service | What's sent | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mapbox | Map view / shift area coordinates | Render the live map and report basemap |
| OpenStreetMap (Nominatim) | Pickup/dropoff coordinates | Turn coordinates into readable area names |
| Open-Meteo | Current coordinates | Show current weather |
| Google Geocoding (optional) | Address or coordinate | Only if you add your own Google API key |
| Ad provider (free tier) | Standard ad-request data (e.g. IP) — no advertising ID | Serve banner ads in menu screens |
Advertising
The free version shows banner ads in menu screens only — never while you're recording a shift. Pro removes ads entirely. When ads do show, they're web-served banners in a sandboxed in-app view, not a native ad SDK, which means they:
- Can't read your app data — no access to your shifts, routes, markers, or files.
- Don't get your precise location — the in-app web view blocks the browser location API, so ads receive no GPS. (An ad server still sees your IP address, which gives only rough, city-level location — the same as any website.)
- No advertising ID — DriveTracks does not use the Android advertising identifier (AD_ID).
Built with Unity
DriveTracks is built with Unity. If analytics or crash reporting are enabled for a build, Unity may collect limited diagnostic/device data under Unity's own privacy policy. Google Play location services operate under Google's terms.
Your controls
- Decline location or limit it to "while using" — the app still works (recording pauses when fully backgrounded without the "all the time" grant).
- Revoke background location anytime in Android Settings → Apps → DriveTracks → Permissions.
- Turn off notifications (Android still requires the recording notification during an active shift).
- Delete a shift to remove its data; uninstalling the app removes all on-device data.
What is not collected
- No account, email, password, or contacts
- No call/SMS, microphone, camera, or photo access
- No selling of personal data
- Your location is never sent to a DriveTracks-operated server — there isn't one
Questions about DriveTracks data? Get in touch.