Privacy Policy
Your financial data is yours. Here's exactly how we handle it.
The short version: CD Ladder stores all of your data locally on your device. We have no servers, no user accounts, and no way to see your financial information. The only data that ever leaves your device is bank logo image requests to logo.dev and bank-name searches to the FDIC’s public database — neither includes any personal or account information.
Who we are
CD Ladder ("we," "us," or "our") is an iOS application developed and maintained as an independent project. You can reach us at .
Information we collect
CD Ladder does not collect personal information. We have no backend servers, no user accounts, no registration process, and no analytics platform. The app cannot identify you.
The financial data you enter in CD Ladder — goal names, CD balances, APY rates, bank names, term lengths, notes — is stored exclusively on your device using Apple's SwiftData framework. It never leaves your device unless you choose to enable iCloud sync (see below).
Data stored on your device
The following data is stored locally on your device and is protected by iOS file-system encryption:
- Goal names, emoji identifiers, and target amounts you set
- Certificate of deposit records: bank name, opening balance, APY, term length, start and maturity dates
- Interest calculations and projected values (computed locally)
- Notes and event history associated with your goals
- App preferences: theme, notification lead time, app-lock settings
This data is subject to the iOS data-protection class you have configured on your device and is included in encrypted device backups made via iCloud Backup or iTunes/Finder, per Apple's standard behavior.
iCloud sync (planned feature)
CD Ladder does not currently sync your data to iCloud — all data stays on your device. A future version of the app plans to offer optional, opt-in iCloud sync using Apple's CloudKit infrastructure. If and when that feature ships, your synced data would live in your private iCloud account, governed by Apple's Privacy Policy; we still would not be able to access, view, or decrypt it, and you could turn sync off at any time. We will update this policy before enabling any such feature.
Bank logo images — logo.dev
CD Ladder fetches bank and credit-union logo images from logo.dev, a third-party logo API. When the app displays a bank logo, it sends the institution's domain name (e.g., ally.com) to logo.dev's servers to retrieve the image. No personal data, account information, or balances are transmitted in these requests. logo.dev's use of that data is governed by logo.dev's Privacy Policy. If no logo is available, a local initials-based fallback is shown instead.
Institution search — FDIC data
CD Ladder's bank search feature may query the FDIC's public institution database to help you find and identify banks. These queries contain only the search text you type (a bank name or partial name) and are sent to FDIC's public API. No personal or account information is included. The FDIC is a U.S. government agency; see fdic.gov/privacy for their policy.
Push notifications
If you grant notification permission, CD Ladder schedules local push notifications on your device to alert you when a CD is approaching maturity. These notifications are generated and delivered entirely on-device by iOS — no notification data is sent to our servers or any third party. Notification content is kept generic and does not include balances, APYs, or bank names, in keeping with our privacy-first approach. You can disable notifications at any time in iOS Settings.
App Store and Apple
CD Ladder is distributed through Apple's App Store. Apple may collect certain usage and diagnostic data as described in Apple's Privacy Policy. We receive only aggregate, anonymized statistics through App Store Connect (e.g., total downloads, crash counts) and cannot link them to any individual.
Children's privacy
CD Ladder is not directed at children under the age of 13 and does not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided personal information, please contact us at .
Your rights and data deletion
Because we hold no personal data on our servers, there is no account to delete and nothing for us to erase on your behalf. To remove all of your CD Ladder data:
- Use "Delete All Data" in CD Ladder's Settings screen, or
- Delete the app from your device (removes all locally stored data)
- If iCloud sync was enabled, also remove the app's data from iCloud Drive in your device's iCloud settings
Security
Your data is protected by iOS file-system encryption and the device's passcode/biometric lock. CD Ladder's optional App Lock feature adds a biometric re-authentication layer within the app. We do not transmit financial data over the network. To report a security concern, email us at .
Changes to this policy
If we make material changes to this Privacy Policy, we will update the effective date above and note the change in the app's release notes. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
Contact
Questions about this policy? Reach us at . We aim to respond within 48 hours.
This policy was drafted in good faith based on the app's technical architecture. It is not a substitute for legal advice. If you have specific compliance requirements, consult a qualified attorney.