Sapling
Privacy policy
Last updated 22 October 2026
Who we are
Sapling is made by Light Scout Ltd, a UK company. We are the data controller for the personal data described here. For anything about privacy, email contact@lightscout.co.uk.
What we collect
Sapling does not ask for your location. You can play without signing in; if you choose to sign in with Google or Apple, we receive your email address and name from that provider, and with Google also your profile picture. To run the game and plant the trees you pay for, the following data is processed:
| Who processes it | What | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Firebase (Google) | An account ID and app settings. If you sign in: your email address and name, and with Google sign-in your profile picture | Running your account and the app |
| Firebase Crashlytics (Google) | Crash logs, device model, operating system version | Finding and fixing crashes |
| Light Scout Ltd (our servers) | Pledge and purchase records: account ID, pledge ID, status, timestamps and the details of the tree planted. The number of rewarded ads you have watched | Making sure each paid pledge is planted exactly once, and granting ad rewards |
| RevenueCat | Account ID, purchase and transaction details, deleted with your account | Processing and verifying purchases |
| Apple, Google Play | Payment and card details. We never see these. | Taking payment |
| AdMob (Google) | Your device's advertising identifier (depending on the choice you make in the ad consent dialog), your IP address, used to estimate your approximate location, and your interactions with ads | Showing rewarded ads, measuring them and preventing fraud |
| Tree-Nation | The pledge only. No personal data. | Planting the tree |
Your game progress, tree names, dedications and reminder settings stay on your device and are not sent to us.
Why we use it
Under UK data protection law (the UK GDPR), we rely on:
- Contract to run the app, process your purchases and plant your trees.
- Consent for personalised ads, and legitimate interest for non-personalised ads.
- Legitimate interest for crash reports, so we can keep the app working.
Who we share it with
Only the services listed above, each bound by its own privacy policy: Google (Firebase, Crashlytics, AdMob and Google Play), RevenueCat, Apple and Tree-Nation. We do not sell your data.
International transfers
Some of these services process data in the United States. Those transfers are covered by the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or by UK adequacy arrangements.
How long we keep it
We keep your account data for as long as your account exists. When you delete your account, we delete your sign-in and your count of rewarded ads, and RevenueCat deletes its record of you and your purchase history. We keep a record of each tree your pledges funded and each purchase you made, with nothing that identifies you, for 6 years for our accounts, then delete it. A pledge still waiting for its tree is cancelled. Trees already funded stay funded, and their certificates stay online at Tree-Nation. The App Store and Google Play keep their own records of your purchases. Crash reports are removed automatically after 90 days.
Your rights
You can ask to see the data we hold about you, ask us to delete it, object to how we use it, and withdraw your ads consent at any time. To make a request, email contact@lightscout.co.uk. To delete your account, use Settings → Account → Delete account in the app, or follow the steps on Delete your Sapling account. If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office.
Ads and tracking
Sapling shows rewarded ads through Google AdMob. Personalised ads use your device's advertising identifier to pick ads that suit you; non-personalised ads do not. Either way, AdMob may use your IP address to work out your approximate location (to country or city level, never your precise location) and records how you interact with ads, such as views and taps. You choose in the consent dialog when the app first opens, and you can change your choice later in the app's settings.
Age
Sapling is for people aged 18 and over and is not directed at children. If you believe a child has used the app, email us and we will delete their data.
Purchases
When you buy a tree pledge, you are buying a tree that Sapling plants on your behalf through Tree-Nation; it is a purchase, not a donation. Payment is handled by Apple or Google Play, and refunds are requested through them.
Changes to this policy
When we change this policy we will update the date at the top of this page, and tell you in the app if the change is significant.