Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains what information the Chirp desktop app ("Chirp") and the chirp.la website handle, and why. The short version: your voice and your transcripts stay on your computer.
Your Voice and Your Transcripts
Chirp turns speech into text on your own device, using the open-source whisper.cpp engine and a speech model that ships inside the app.
- Your audio is never sent to us or to anyone else.
- Each recording is saved to a temporary file only while it is being transcribed, and is deleted as soon as transcription finishes (whether it succeeds or fails).
- The transcribed text is stored in a local database on your computer so you can search and export your history. It is not uploaded anywhere. You can delete entries from the History screen, and uninstalling Chirp and removing its app data folder removes everything.
- We cannot see, access or recover anything you have dictated.
- No account or login is needed to use Chirp.
What the App Sends Over the Network
Chirp does not include analytics, telemetry or crash-reporting services. The first time it runs, it creates a random install ID: a random number stored on your computer, not derived from your computer name, username or hardware, so it cannot be traced back to you. Chirp makes only these network requests:
- Update checks: when the app starts, it downloads a small file describing the latest version from our download host (Cloudflare) and, if you accept, downloads the update. The request includes the install ID, the app version, your operating system (macOS or Windows) and whether the copy is free, at the free limit or licensed. We use this only to count how many copies are in use and on which versions. We store one row per install per day, and our server forwards an anonymous launch event (install ID, version, operating system and plan) to PostHog, our analytics provider; PostHog never receives your IP address and records no location. Like any web request, the request itself reveals your IP address to Cloudflare.
- Upgrade screen: when you reach the free limit, Chirp loads the upgrade details from our license server and sends the install ID with that request. Our payment provider, Lemon Squeezy, keeps the install ID with the checkout it creates, so a purchase can be matched to this copy. Our license server also records anonymous events in PostHog, keyed by the install ID: when the upgrade screen is shown, when a license is activated or checked (and whether it succeeded), and when an order is placed (amount and currency only, never your name or email).
- License activation and checks: if you buy a license, Chirp sends your license key, the install ID and the app identifier to our license server to activate it. After that it re-checks the license about once a day. A licensed copy keeps working for up to 7 days without a successful check. Copies activated before October 2026 keep using the identifier they were activated with, a one-way hash of the computer name and username. No audio or transcript text is ever included.
Speech transcription itself never uses the network.
Purchases
Payments are handled by our payment provider, which receives the details you enter at checkout (such as your email address and payment information) under its own privacy policy. We receive what we need to issue and manage your license.
The Website
The chirp.la website does not require an account and has no forms or logins. Our hosting provider keeps standard server logs (such as IP address, browser type and the page requested) for security and troubleshooting.
To understand how people find and use the website, chirp.la uses PostHog (PostHog Cloud, hosted in the United States). This applies to the website only; the Chirp app sends no analytics. When you visit chirp.la, PostHog records:
- the pages you view and how long you stay, the referring site and any campaign tags in the link;
- clicks on links and buttons, including which installer you download (platform and version);
- a session recording of how the page was used (scrolling, clicks, page layout), with anything typed into a form field masked;
- technical details such as browser, operating system, device type and screen size, and an approximate location (country and city) derived from your IP address.
We do not identify you: visits are linked only to a random identifier stored in a first-party cookie and your browser's local storage, and we never send your name, email address or other personal details to PostHog. Requests go to PostHog through chirp.la itself. If your browser sends a Do Not Track signal, PostHog records nothing. We use this data only to improve the website, and we do not sell it or use it for advertising. See our Cookie Policy for details of the cookie.
Local Machine Learning Model
Chirp bundles whisper.cpp (MIT license) and an English speech model derived from OpenAI's Whisper. The model runs entirely on your device and does not need an internet connection.
Data Retention
We do not hold any of your recordings or transcripts, so there is nothing for us to retain. Your local history stays on your computer until you delete it. License records are kept for as long as the license is active and as needed for accounting and legal obligations.
Children's Privacy
Chirp is not directed to children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the new version on this page and update the "Last Updated" date.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:
[email protected]