Privacy Policy

Overview

ELI5 is a Chrome extension that explains text in plain English. We collect only what is strictly necessary to provide the service and run the business. We do not sell your data, share it with advertisers, or use it for any purpose beyond what is described here.

What we collect

When you create an account, we collect:

• Your email address — used for login and account management only.
• Your subscription status (free or pro) — to determine which features you can access.
• A monthly usage count — to enforce the 10 explanations/month limit on free accounts.
• Your Stripe customer ID — stored when you subscribe to Pro, used only to manage billing.

How your text is processed

The text you paste into ELI5 is sent to our backend server, which forwards it to Anthropic's AI API solely to generate your explanation. The text is processed in real time and is not stored or logged by our server. Anthropic does not retain API inputs beyond generating the response and does not use them for model training. Each request is fully independent. We do not read, analyze, or retain any content you submit.

Data stored on your device

The extension stores the following in your browser's local storage:

• Your login token (JWT) and email — so you stay logged in between sessions.
• Your subscription status and trial expiry — to avoid a network call every time you open the extension.
• Your explanation history — Pro users only, stored locally on your device. We do not have access to it.
• Free-tier usage state — tracks whether your monthly limit has been reached.

This data never leaves your device except for the login token, which is sent to our server on each request to verify your identity.

Authentication

Account creation and login are handled by Supabase, a third-party authentication provider. Your password is never visible to us — it is hashed and stored by Supabase. We access only your user ID and email.

Payments

Payments are processed by Stripe. ELI5 never sees or stores your credit card information. When you subscribe, Stripe notifies us that your payment was successful and we update your account status to Pro. We store your Stripe customer ID for subscription management purposes only.

Third-party services

ELI5 uses the following third-party services to operate:

• Anthropic — AI API used to generate explanations. Receives the text you submit, processes it in real time, and does not retain it.
• Supabase — authentication and user data storage.
• Stripe — payment processing and subscription management.
• Vercel — backend infrastructure hosting.
• Resend — transactional email (password reset, account notifications).

Each of these services has its own privacy policy. We share only the minimum data required for each service to function.

Data retention

Your account data (email, subscription status, usage count) is retained for as long as your account exists. If you'd like your data deleted, email us at support@eli5.it.com and we will delete your account and all associated data within 7 days.

Children's privacy

ELI5 is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

Changes to this policy

If we make material changes to this policy, we will update the date at the top of this page. Continued use of ELI5 after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact

Questions about this policy? Email us at support@eli5.it.com.