Privacy Policy

Updated: October 12, 2026 ยท RSearch staging

This notice explains how RSearch handles research data on your device, online account and support services, website activity, and optional subscription payments.

Your research data stays on your device in local analysis

When you open a supported research file in the local workflow, including CSV, TSV, Excel, SPSS, Stata, and supported SAS-family formats, RSearch reads it in your browser. Data previews, readiness checks, preparation, and supported R statistical methods run on your device. The local workflow does not upload your dataset or silently switch to server analysis when a method is unavailable.

The green Data stays local badge refers to this research-data workflow. It does not mean that every website feature is offline or that the website makes no network requests.

What is stored on your device

Your active dataset is processed in browser memory. When this browser permits device storage and enough space is available, RSearch also saves the original source file in this site's browser IndexedDB storage so it can be reopened after a refresh or new app session. RSearch checks source fingerprints and replays saved data-preparation steps before restoring a working dataset. Files saved this way stay in the current browser profile and site origin, not in a cloud account. Browser storage can be blocked, cleared, or evicted, so keep your own source-file backup and download any results you need.

Browser storage can retain original source files, preparation decisions, variable and construct labels, preferences, and assistant conversation history. The app also caches application files and the R runtime. A saved dataset is stored locally for that browser profile, not synchronized between different devices, browsers, or site origins. If saving fails, the file remains available for the current tab and RSearch indicates it will need to be reopened after refresh. No cloud backup is created.

Clearing this site's browser data, using private browsing, or browser storage eviction can remove locally retained dataset files and records. Explicitly deleting a browser-local dataset in RSearch removes its saved source file from this site's IndexedDB and clears its in-memory analysis session. Protect access to your browser profile on a shared device, and retain separate backups.

Using RSearch without an account

An external identity account is not required for the core browser-local research workflow. Guests can use data import, Data Readiness, qualified statistical analysis, Results, built-in Stats Assist, SEM Workspace, local exports, browser-local History, and supported PWA features. Identity-provider sign-in is used for features that depend on a verified account, such as Collaboration.

Guest use can still generate product telemetry under pseudonymous visitor and session identifiers. This may include page and feature use, browser and device characteristics, session activity, referrer information, statistical method identifiers, and a coarse two-letter country code. RSearch first uses a country code supplied by the network edge when available. When that signal is unavailable, the server may use the transient client IP address with a country-only geolocation lookup and then discard the IP from the telemetry workflow. RSearch stores only the resulting country code in this field. RSearch does not store a visitor IP address for this country field. RSearch does not use GPS, street, or precise-location data for this country field, and it does not store city or coordinates. The geolocation provider necessarily receives the IP address to perform that fallback lookup. Product telemetry does not include raw research rows from the browser-local analysis dataset.

Subscriptions and Stripe Managed Payments

RSearch offers an optional paid Founding subscription alongside its free research tools. During the current billing pilot, the Plans checkout is available only to eligible, verified @rsearch.io accounts. Choosing the Free plan does not require payment information.

When you choose to subscribe, RSearch uses the verified account email and your selected billing interval to initiate a Stripe-hosted Checkout session. RSearch uses Stripe Managed Payments, through which Stripe acts as merchant of record for eligible purchases. Stripe handles the payment transaction and related merchant-of-record services, including applicable indirect taxes, fraud and dispute management, and transaction support. Payment methods such as cards or digital wallets depend on Stripe eligibility and the customer's device.

At checkout, Stripe may collect your email, billing name, country, postal code, full billing address where needed for tax compliance, payment card or wallet details, and technical or transactional information needed to complete and secure the purchase. These details are entered into Stripe's checkout, not a RSearch payment form. RSearch does not receive or store full payment card numbers, card security codes, or the full billing address in its billing database. A full billing address may still be requested by Stripe even for a U.S. purchase.

To connect the subscription to the correct account and keep paid access accurate, RSearch stores limited billing metadata: your RSearch user identifier, Stripe customer and checkout-session references, selected monthly or annual interval, checkout-attempt and timing information, and limited payment-event audit details (event identifier, event type, observed plan, and processing time). RSearch also checks subscription and invoice status with Stripe, including whether payment succeeded, whether renewal or cancellation is pending, and the current billing period. It does not store raw Stripe webhook payloads in its billing audit tables. Research datasets and statistical analysis outputs are not included in the Stripe billing integration.

RSearch also records Plans-page views and choices, such as continuing for free, choosing a billing interval, opening checkout, and subscription activation, as limited product-usage events. A browser and account preference can remember that you have already seen Plans so that the optional prompt does not repeatedly interrupt your research. These product events do not contain card numbers or raw research rows.

Stripe may keep additional payment, billing-address, tax, invoice, refund, fraud-prevention, and dispute records as required to provide its services and meet legal obligations. Stripe's own collection, use, disclosure, international processing, and retention practices are explained in the Stripe Privacy Policy and its checkout disclosures. You can review or manage an existing subscription through the Stripe customer portal linked from your RSearch Plans page, when that option is available.

Information used by online services

  • Account services: Google sign-in and account features use online identity services and process account information such as your name and email address.
  • Contact and support: information you submit in a form or message is sent to the service handling that request. Do not put confidential research records into support or assistant messages.
  • Payment and subscription services: Stripe receives information needed for checkout, payment methods, billing-address and tax checks, subscription management, and transaction support. RSearch exchanges limited account, subscription, and payment-status information with Stripe to manage access and billing. See Subscriptions and Stripe Managed Payments.
  • Website analytics: the site uses analytics and product telemetry, including Google Tag Manager. These services can receive technical and usage information such as page visits, browser and device details, session activity, referrer information, coarse country when available, and account-linked events. RSearch's first-party country field is limited to a two-letter country code. When a trusted edge country header is unavailable, RSearch may obtain that code through a transient country-only IP geolocation lookup; the IP is not stored in RSearch telemetry. This is separate from local dataset execution.
  • Network delivery: loading the site and its resources uses hosting services, which receive ordinary network information such as your IP address.

Collaboration, account identity, support submissions, and optional external AI assistance use online services. Before optional external AI assistance sends approved context, RSearch presents a disclosure and consent step; raw research rows are excluded from that pathway. Browser-local History retains certified result evidence on the device. When a verified source file is available in local browser storage, RSearch can reopen it for new computation; otherwise the researcher must select the source file again.

Our privacy strategy

RSearch separates statistical execution from online account and website services. We prioritize keeping raw research data on the user's device, making processing boundaries visible, and giving users explicit control over preparation and exports. Local datasets are not sent to a model-training service by the local analysis workflow.

This describes the current implementation. It is not a claim that every planned feature is complete or a guarantee that every device is secure. Protect access to your device and downloaded files, particularly when using a shared computer.

Use and sharing of personal information

We use personal information to provide requested services, manage paid subscription eligibility and account access, respond to inquiries, operate and improve the website, and send communications where you have opted in. We do not sell, trade, or rent personal information. Stripe processes transaction information as merchant of record for qualifying Managed Payments purchases. Other service providers may process information needed to deliver requested services. Information may also be disclosed when required by law.

Retention and your choices

Local dataset memory and browser IndexedDB source-file storage are separate from server-held account, support, website activity, and billing records. Clearing browser data or canceling a subscription does not automatically erase RSearch account or billing audit records, or records Stripe must retain for transactions, tax, fraud prevention, disputes, or legal compliance. Billing identifiers and audit records are retained as needed for these purposes and applicable obligations; this notice does not promise a fixed deletion interval. To request access, correction, deletion, or information about retention of personal information held by RSearch, use the Contact page or email contact@rsearch.io. For data held by Stripe, consult Stripe's privacy information. This staging notice does not promise an automated deletion feature that is not yet available.

You can manage cookies and site storage through your browser. Some preferences and account functions may stop working when storage is disabled.

Third-party services and links

Third-party services have their own privacy policies. Review those policies when signing in, paying through Stripe, or following an external link. Stripe's policy is available at stripe.com/privacy.

Children's privacy

RSearch is not intended for children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect their personal information.

Changes to this notice

We will update this page as the platform's processing and storage behavior changes. The date above identifies this version.