Byson iOS Privacy Policy

1 · What Byson is

Byson (“Byson”, “the app”, “we”) is a mobile application that gives developers a graphical interface to their MongoDB databases on iPhone. This policy applies to the iOS version of Byson distributed through TestFlight and the App Store. The product is operated under the brand Byson at getbyson.com.

Byson is built around a single principle: your database is yours. Nearly all of the data the app needs to function lives on the device, encrypted where appropriate, and never leaves it unless you take an action that involves a network request to a service you configured - your MongoDB cluster or your AI provider.

2 · Information stored on your device

The following information is created and maintained locally on your iOS device:

• Saved MongoDB connections - the names, hostnames, authentication settings, TLS preferences, and optional SSH tunnel configuration you enter.
• Connection secrets - passwords and key material, encrypted at rest using iOS Keychain and Data Protection.
• App preferences - theme, accent colors, default views, and similar UI state.
• Query history and saved queries - the queries and pipelines you save or run, including filters, projections, and sort orders.
• BYO AI provider configuration - the provider you selected, base URL, model name, and encrypted API key.
• AI generation history - previous drafts produced by AI features, retained locally so paid provider generations are not lost.

This information is not transmitted to Byson’s servers. If you delete the app or its data, this information is removed from the device.

3 · MongoDB connection information

When you add a connection, Byson stores the metadata required to connect to your MongoDB deployment. Saved connections may include encrypted secrets such as passwords or SSH key material.

Byson connects directly from your device to your MongoDB cluster using the connection details you provide. Byson does not proxy your database traffic through Byson-operated infrastructure. Documents you read, write, or aggregate flow only between your device and your cluster.

Connection metadata is stored on the device only. Connection secrets are encrypted at rest using iOS Keychain and are not shown again in plaintext after you save them.

4 · iOS TLS & SSH behavior

Transport security on iOS follows the platform’s networking model. To keep connections secure and predictable for App Store users, Byson on iOS behaves as follows:

• System-CA TLS is supported. Connections to MongoDB deployments whose certificates chain to a certificate authority trusted by iOS (for example, MongoDB Atlas) work out of the box.
• Custom CA / X.509 certificate TLS is not supported on iOS. Importing a private certificate authority, a self-signed server certificate, or an X.509 client certificate for mutual TLS is not available in the iOS build.
• SSH tunneling is supported where included in the app, allowing you to reach clusters that are only accessible through a bastion or jump host. SSH credentials and key material are stored encrypted on device.

If your deployment requires a custom certificate authority or X.509 client certificates, use a system-trusted certificate or an SSH tunnel to reach it from iOS.

5 · API keys and BYO AI providers

Byson includes an optional bring-your-own-AI feature. If you use it, you provide your own API key from a supported provider (Anthropic, an OpenAI-compatible endpoint, or Google AI Studio), and you are responsible for any provider usage costs.

• API keys are encrypted at rest using iOS Keychain and Data Protection.
• A saved API key is never displayed in plaintext after saving. The app exposes status and the last few characters at most.
• Byson does not log API keys in error reports, crash logs, or analytics.
• AI requests are sent to the provider only when you explicitly trigger an AI feature, and only with the prompt material described below.

6 · AI Copilot and schema summaries

By default, Byson does not send raw, full MongoDB documents to AI providers. Instead, when you use an AI feature, the app constructs a prompt locally using:

• A schema summary of the selected collection - field names, inferred types, sparsity, and small redacted or truncated example values.
• The natural language instruction you typed.
• Optional workflow context, such as an existing draft pipeline you are refining.

The constructed prompt is sent to the provider you configured. The provider’s response is treated as a draft suggestion and presented in the app for your review. If you opt into sending fuller examples for a specific request, that is shown clearly before the request is sent.

7 · Aggregation generation safety

Generated aggregation pipelines are validated by Byson and require manual review before running. Specifically:

• Generated pipelines are presented as drafts with assumptions; nothing is executed automatically.
• Risky stages such as $out, $merge, or unindexed $lookup raise warnings.
• Result previews are capped for mobile safety; you must explicitly opt into larger windows.
• You can edit any draft before pressing Run, and you can refuse to run it.

8 · Purchases, subscriptions, RevenueCat, and the App Store

Byson offers a Pro entitlement through monthly, yearly, and lifetime products. On iOS, Pro purchases are processed using Apple’s App Store In-App Purchase and managed through RevenueCat, which acts as our subscription management provider.

• RevenueCat receives a pseudonymous identifier for your installation to determine entitlement status.
• The App Store receives the information required to complete the purchase, governed by Apple’s privacy policy.
• Byson does not receive or store your payment instrument details.

BYO AI provider costs (calls to Anthropic, OpenAI-compatible endpoints, or Google AI Studio) are billed by your provider directly. Byson does not resell AI credits.

9 · Diagnostics, crash logs, and analytics

Byson on iOS does not include any third-party analytics, advertising, or crash-reporting SDKs, and does not collect usage analytics or crash telemetry.

The only data that leaves your device goes to services you configure yourself (your MongoDB cluster, and your AI provider if you use AI features), or to Apple’s App Store and RevenueCat for processing purchases and checking your subscription status (see section 8). RevenueCat receives a pseudonymous installation identifier and your purchase/entitlement status for that purpose only. Byson never transmits your API keys, MongoDB connection strings, queries, documents, schema summaries, or AI prompts.

10 · Data sharing

Byson does not sell your data and does not share it with advertising networks. The only third parties involved in normal operation are:

• Your MongoDB cluster, contacted directly from your device.
• Your configured AI provider, contacted only when you trigger AI features.
• Apple’s App Store and RevenueCat, for app distribution and subscription management.

11 · Data retention and deletion

Most data Byson uses is stored on your device. You can remove it at any time by:

• Deleting the app, which removes its local data and Keychain items associated with the app.
• Clearing in-app histories (query history, AI generation history) from the relevant Settings screens where available.
• Removing individual saved connections or AI provider configurations in-app.

RevenueCat retains the entitlement records required to honor purchases. Apple retains purchase records per its own policy. AI providers retain prompt and response data per their own policies.

12 · Children’s privacy

Byson is a developer tool intended for adults working with MongoDB. It is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

13 · International users

Byson is available globally through the App Store. Because most data stays on your device, cross-border transfers in normal operation are limited to your own MongoDB cluster and your own AI provider, both of which you choose and configure. Purchases are processed by Apple and RevenueCat in their respective jurisdictions.

14 · Changes to this policy

We may update this iOS Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, surface a notice in the app. Material changes will be communicated before they take effect.

15 · Contact

Questions, requests, or privacy concerns can be sent to support@getbyson.com. Please do not include real database passwords, connection strings, or API keys in any message you send us.

For bug reports and general help, visit the Byson support page. See also: the Android Privacy Policy, or return home.