Starbounce privacy policy

Last updated: 18 October 2026

Starbounce ("the app") is made by Hitchhiker ("we"), hello@hitchhikertech.com. We are the data controller for the information described here.

The short version

• No accounts, and we never ask for your name, email or contacts.
• Your progress is saved on your device.
• The free game shows ads from Google AdMob. In the UK and EU you choose, on first launch, whether ads may be personalised. You can change this any time.
• We use Google Analytics for Firebase to see how the game is played (which levels are too hard, where people stop). In the UK and EU this is only on if you agree to it.
• Purchases go through Google Play or the App Store; we never see your payment details.
• Google Play Games, if you use it, is run by Google.

What stays on your device

The app saves your progress (levels restored, best scores, stars, awards, stardust, cosmetic choices) and your settings (volume, vibration, controls) on your device only. It is deleted if you uninstall the app. You can erase it any time in Settings → Reset progress.

Ads (Google AdMob)

Free players see short ads: a video you choose to watch for a reward (an extra go, more comets or stardust), and now and then a short ad between levels. The Stargazer Pass removes the ads between levels.

To show ads, Google AdMob collects from your device: the advertising ID, IP address (from which it works out your rough location, such as the country or city), device type and settings, and how you interact with the ads. Google uses this to show ads, limit how often you see the same one, measure them and prevent fraud.

Your choice: in the UK, the EU and Switzerland, a Google consent form asks you on first launch whether ads may be personalised (based on your interests). If you say no, you still see ads, but they are not personalised. You can change your answer any time in Settings → Privacy choices. On Android you can also reset or delete your advertising ID in your phone's settings under Privacy → Ads.

Ads in Starbounce are limited to content suitable for all ages. See how Google uses information from apps that use its services: https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites

Analytics (Google Analytics for Firebase)

To improve the game, the app sends anonymous usage events to Google Analytics for Firebase: for example which level was played, whether it was won, the score and stars, which screens were opened, and whether something was bought (never your payment details). Firebase also records a random app ID, the device model, operating system and app version, and your rough location (country or region) worked out from your IP address.

This is not linked to your name or used for advertising. In the UK, the EU and Switzerland it is only collected if you agree in the consent form on first launch; you can change your answer in Settings → Privacy choices. We keep analytics data for no longer than 14 months. See Google's privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Purchases

The Stargazer Pass (a one-time purchase) and stardust packs are bought through Google Play or the Apple App Store. Those stores handle your payment details; we never see them. To confirm purchases and let you restore the Pass on another device, the app uses RevenueCat, a purchase-processing service. RevenueCat receives a random app-specific identifier and the purchase receipt, and nothing else about you. See RevenueCat's privacy policy: https://www.revenuecat.com/privacy

Google Play Games (Android)

On Android, Starbounce uses Google Play Games, if you have it, for achievements, two leaderboards (Tonight's Sky and Stars Collected) and a cloud copy of your progress so it follows you to a new phone. Play Games is run by Google: it shares your Play Games gamer name and avatar with the game, stores your achievements, scores and saved progress, and collects diagnostics about how its own features work. We can't see your email address. You can control who sees your scores, and delete your Play Games data, in your Play Games profile or Google Account. If you don't sign in to Play Games, nothing is sent and your progress stays on your device. See Google's privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Why we may use this information (UK GDPR)

• Personalised ads and analytics: your consent, which you can withdraw at any time.
• Non-personalised ads: our legitimate interest in keeping the game free to play, and preventing ad fraud.
• Purchases: to provide what you bought.

Your rights

You can ask us for a copy of information we hold about you, to correct it, to delete it, or to stop using it. Email hello@hitchhikertech.com. We hold almost nothing that identifies you: ad and analytics data is held by Google against random device IDs that we cannot link to you. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office: https://ico.org.uk

Deleting your data

Progress and settings: delete them in Starbounce under Settings → Reset progress, or by uninstalling the app.

Ads and analytics: say no in Settings → Privacy choices to stop analytics and personalised ads. Uninstalling the app resets its analytics ID; deleting your advertising ID in your phone's settings stops it being used for ads.

Purchase record: to ask us to delete the purchase record held by RevenueCat, email hello@hitchhikertech.com with the subject "Starbounce data deletion" and the order number from your Google Play or App Store receipt. We delete the RevenueCat record (the random app identifier and purchase history) within 30 days and confirm by email. Google Play and Apple keep their own record of the payment under their own policies. After deletion, "Restore purchase" will need the store to re-confirm your purchase.

Permissions

The app uses the internet for ads, analytics, purchases and Google Play Games, and the advertising ID permission for ads. It may use your device's vibration motor for haptic feedback; you can turn this off in Settings. It does not use your camera, microphone, precise location, contacts or photos.

Children

Starbounce is a game for a general audience and is not aimed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

Changes

If this policy changes, we will update this page and the "Last updated" date.

Contact

Questions? Email hello@hitchhikertech.com.