This page explains what data ScoutMyTool collects, why we collect it, and what choices you have. We try to keep this readable rather than legalistic. If you have a question this page does not answer, email admin@scoutmytool.com.
What we collect
ScoutMyTool does not require an account. We do not ask for your name, email address, phone number, or any other personal information to use any of our calculators, PDF tools, document templates, or unit converters.
We do collect anonymous usage analytics so we can see which tools are popular and where the site is slow. Specifically:
- Page views and session duration, via Google Analytics 4 — no individual user identification.
- Approximate location (country/region level) inferred from IP, used by Google Analytics for aggregated reporting.
- Browser and device type, used to make sure the site works on the platforms our visitors use.
- Referrer URL (the link that brought you here), used to understand traffic sources.
What we do NOT collect
- We never see the contents of files you process with our PDF tools — every PDF tool runs entirely in your browser, and your files never leave your device. Read more on each PDF tool page.
- We never see the inputs you put into our calculators or the documents you generate from our templates — same browser-only model.
- We do not collect, store, or sell email addresses, phone numbers, or any other personal contact information.
- We do not build user profiles, do not run cross-site fingerprinting, and do not sell data to data brokers.
How we use what we collect
- To improve the service: aggregated analytics tell us which tools to build next, which pages are slow, and where users hit dead ends.
- To serve advertising: we use Google AdSense to show ads on most pages. AdSense may use cookies and similar technologies to show personalised ads based on your visits to this and other websites. Read more in Google’s Advertising policy.
- To respond to your messages: if you email us we use the email address only to reply to that conversation.
Cookies and similar technologies
We use a small number of cookies. These fall into two groups:
- Analytics cookies set by Google Analytics 4 to measure aggregated site usage. You can opt out by installing Google’s Analytics opt-out browser add-on.
- Advertising cookies set by Google AdSense and its advertising partners. You can manage these via your Google Ads Settings or by visiting aboutads.info for a broader opt-out.
We also use a small amount of localStorage and sessionStorage on your device to remember your theme preference (light/dark) and prevent duplicate analytics pings from embedded widgets. None of it is sent to us.
Third-party services
- Google Analytics 4 — privacy: policies.google.com/privacy.
- Google AdSense — privacy and ad personalisation: policies.google.com/technologies/ads.
- Hosting — the site is hosted on a single VPS we operate; no third-party CDN logs your requests beyond standard server access logs.
Children’s privacy
ScoutMyTool is not directed at children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect information from children under 13 (COPPA). If you believe a child has provided personal information through this site, please contact us at admin@scoutmytool.com and we will delete it.
Your rights (GDPR & CCPA)
If you are in the EU/EEA, UK, or California, the GDPR and CCPA give you certain rights about your personal information. Because we do not collect personal information directly, most of these rights are exercised through the third-party services above (Google Analytics, Google AdSense). You may also:
- Opt out of analytics using the link in “Cookies and similar technologies” above.
- Opt out of personalised advertising via your Google Ads Settings.
- Request access, correction, or deletion of any personal data we may hold about you by emailing admin@scoutmytool.com. We will respond within 30 days.
Data retention
Aggregated analytics are retained per Google Analytics’ default retention (currently 14 months). Server access logs are kept for 30 days for security and abuse-prevention purposes, then rotated and deleted.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy occasionally. The “Last updated” date at the top shows when. Substantive changes are noted in our changelog and, where they affect data collection, surfaced on the home page.
Contact
Questions about this policy? Email admin@scoutmytool.com. See also our Terms of Service and the About page.