Does MealCost require an account?
No — MealCost does not require an account.
Support
Questions, feature requests, or bug reports — email us and we'll help.
Contact
Email: mealcostapp@gmail.com
If you're reporting a bug, include your device model and iOS version.
Quick FAQs
Common questions we see.
Where is my data stored?
Your meal, item, and cost data is stored locally on your device. If you enable iCloud sync, it's stored in your personal iCloud account.
Do you track me or run ads?
No — MealCost does not use advertising, analytics tracking, or third-party data collection services.
Do you upload my receipt images?
Only if you use the Receipt Import feature. When you import a receipt, the image is sent to a secure proxy server, then to Mindee (OCR) and Anthropic (Claude) for processing. Images are used only to extract item names and prices and are not stored or used for any other purpose.
Do you share or sell data?
No — MealCost does not sell, share, or disclose user data to third parties beyond what is required to process receipt imports (see above).
How do I request a feature?
Email what you're trying to do and what you expected to happen. Short is fine.
Privacy Policy
Effective Date: May 2026
MealCost helps users track the cost of meals and food spending.
Data Storage
MealCost stores meal, item, and cost data locally on your device. If iCloud sync is enabled, data is stored securely in your personal iCloud account and is not accessible to the developer. Extracted item names and prices from receipt imports are stored locally on your device and, if iCloud sync is enabled, in your personal iCloud account.
Data Collection
MealCost does not collect personal information, does not require an account, and does not transmit user data to external servers, except as described below for receipt image processing and in-app purchases.
Camera and Photos
MealCost may access the camera or photo library to scan or import receipts. If you use the Receipt Import feature, receipt images are transmitted to a Cloudflare-hosted proxy server for processing. That server sends the image to Mindee for optical character recognition (OCR) and to Anthropic (Claude) for item name expansion and food classification. Images are transmitted solely to extract receipt data. Per their respective privacy policies, these services do not retain images beyond request processing.
Third-Party Services
Receipt Import uses the following third-party services:
- Cloudflare — secure proxy server infrastructure
- Mindee — optical character recognition (OCR) for receipt parsing
- Anthropic (Claude) — AI-assisted item name expansion and classification
- Apple (StoreKit) — processes in-app purchases for Receipt Import credits. Apple's privacy policy applies to payment processing.
These services receive only the receipt image and return structured data (item names and prices). No personal information is sent. Each service's own privacy policy applies to their processing.
Tracking and Advertising
MealCost does not use advertising, analytics tracking, or third-party data collection services.
Data Sharing
MealCost does not sell, share, or disclose user data to third parties, except as described above for receipt image processing and in-app purchase handling.
Contact
If you have questions about this policy, contact: mealcostapp@gmail.com