Privacy policy

Effective date: September 22, 2026.

This policy covers Shoal for macOS, including its planned Mac App Store release.

Data collection

Shoal collects no data. It has no accounts, tracking, analytics or crash reporting of its own. The planned App Store privacy label is “Data Not Collected”.

Network access

The aquarium works offline. Its images, sounds and other files are included with the app. Shoal’s own code opens no network connections.

The system component that draws the aquarium requires macOS’s outgoing-network permission to run. Shoal doesn’t use that permission to send data. The aquarium blocks web requests and loads only local app files. If that blocking rule can’t be set up, the aquarium won’t load.

Buying or restoring Shoal Pro uses Apple’s services, as described under Purchases below.

What stays on your Mac

Shoal stores its settings and fish data in its own app folder on your Mac:

• Your aquarium, sound, pause and login preferences; feeding reminder settings; and whether you’ve seen the Welcome window.
• With Living Tank on, fish names, hunger, growth, feeding dates and streaks, and the reminder schedule. This data is saved when it changes.
• A local record of your Pro status, first launch, feeding count and which version last asked for a rating.
• Still images set as desktop pictures, along with a list of those images.

These records aren’t sent anywhere. Save Still Image… saves a PNG to the location you choose. Set as Desktop Picture saves a PNG for each display in Shoal’s app folder and passes it to macOS to use as wallpaper.

What Shoal reads from your Mac

Shoal checks how much of the desktop is covered to decide when to slow or pause the aquarium. It reads window positions and sizes, their stacking order, which process owns them, and their opacity. It does not read window titles or contents.

Shoal also checks the power source, Low Power Mode, whether the screen is locked or asleep, and Reduce Motion. It reads the pointer position so the fish can react to your cursor. These readings aren’t saved or sent anywhere.

Notifications

Feeding reminders are off by default. Turning on Feeding Reminder in Settings › Fish asks macOS for permission to notify you.

Reminders are scheduled locally on your Mac, one at a time. They say only that the tank is ready for a pinch of food. You can turn them off in Shoal or in System Settings › Notifications.

Purchases

Apple handles the one-time Shoal Pro purchase and keeps the purchase record. Shoal never sees your payment details. Restore Purchases asks Apple to check your purchases and may show an Apple sign-in window. Apple’s privacy policy applies to the purchase.

Shoal may also ask you to rate the app, at most once per version. Apple provides that prompt and controls when it appears.

Changes to this policy

Updates will appear on this page with a new effective date.

Contact

For privacy questions, see the support page.