Last updated: August 31, 2026
count.em is a calorie, nutrition, water, weight, workout, and body composition tracking app. Your privacy is important to us. This policy explains what data the app collects and how it is used.
All food logs, water intake logs, weight entries, nutrition goals, and personal settings are stored on your device using Apple's SwiftData framework. If you are signed into iCloud, your data is automatically synced to your private iCloud account using Apple's CloudKit. This enables your data to persist across app reinstalls and sync between your devices. Apple handles the encryption and storage — we never have access to your iCloud data.
You can delete all local app data by deleting the app. To also remove synced data from iCloud, go to Settings → [your name] → iCloud → Manage Storage → count.em → Delete Data.
count.em uses your device's camera to scan food barcodes and to capture photos for AI-based nutrition estimation. It can also access photos you explicitly pick from your photo library for the same purpose. If you are using the on-device AI mode, images stay on your device. If you have configured Google Gemini or OpenAI, images are sent to the active provider as described in the AI Nutrition Estimation section. Camera and photo library access are only activated when you explicitly use these features.
When you scan a barcode, the app sends the barcode number to the Open Food Facts API to retrieve product nutrition data. No personal information is included in these requests beyond the barcode number.
When you scan a barcode that is not found in Open Food Facts, the app queries the USDA FoodData Central API as a fallback to retrieve nutrition data. Only the barcode number is sent. No personal information is included in these requests.
The AI nutrition estimation feature supports three modes:
count.em does not relay your data through our servers — requests go straight from your device to whichever provider you configure, using your key. If both keys are present, you choose which provider is active in Settings → AI. You can remove your keys at any time in Settings → AI, which stops all data sharing with that provider.
Your API keys are stored in the iOS Keychain on your device only and are never transmitted to count.em or any third party other than the provider you use them with.
count.em can connect to Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) smart scales (such as Etekcity ESF-551 and similar models) to automatically import weight measurements. The app uses iOS CoreBluetooth to communicate directly with your scale over a local Bluetooth connection. No data from your scale is transmitted to any server — weight readings are stored locally on your device (and synced to your private iCloud account if enabled). Bluetooth is only used when you explicitly pair a scale in Settings. The app uses background Bluetooth to detect your scale even when the app is not in the foreground, so weight readings are captured automatically when you step on your scale.
If you optionally provide your height, birth year, and biological sex (in Settings or during onboarding), the app uses this information alongside impedance data from your smart scale to estimate body composition metrics such as body fat percentage, muscle mass, and BMR. This data is stored only on your device and in your private iCloud account — it is never sent to count.em or any third party. Body composition estimates are approximate and intended for fitness tracking only, not medical diagnosis.
With your permission, count.em reads your step count from Apple Health to show your daily activity on the home screen. This includes steps recorded by your iPhone, Apple Watch, or any other source that writes step data into Apple Health. Only today's cumulative step total is read, and only while you are using the app.
count.em requests read-only access and never writes any data to Apple Health. Your step count is held in memory for the current session solely to render the home screen — it is not saved to your device's database, not synced to iCloud, and never transmitted to count.em or any third party. Health data is never used for advertising or marketing, and is never shared with data brokers.
Apple Health access is optional, and is only requested the first time the feature is used. You can review or revoke it at any time in Settings → Privacy & Security → Health → count.em, or in the Health app under Sharing → Apps. Declining or revoking access simply hides the step count; the rest of the app is unaffected.
count.em does not use any analytics, advertising, or tracking SDKs. We do not collect, share, or sell your personal information to third parties.
count.em is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Any changes will be reflected on this page with an updated date.