Your Notes, Your Data: How SimpleMD Keeps Your Content Private
In an age where most apps want to store your data on their servers, track your usage, and monetize your information, SimpleMD takes a different approach: your notes are none of our business.
We built SimpleMD with privacy as a core principle, not an afterthought. Here is exactly how we keep your content private.
Local-First: Your Notes Never Leave Your Device
When you write a note in SimpleMD, it saves directly to your browser's local storage. That means:
No cloud storage by default: Your notes exist only on your device
No account required: Start writing immediately, no sign-up needed
Offline access: Your notes are available even without an internet connection
Instant performance: No waiting for server responses
This is what "local-first" means. Your data lives on your machine, under your control.
Optional Google Drive Sync: YOUR Drive, Not Ours
Want to access your notes across devices? SimpleMD Pro offers Google Drive sync. Here is the key difference from other apps:
Your notes sync to YOUR Google Drive account, not our servers.
When you enable Google Drive sync:
You authenticate directly with Google
SimpleMD creates a folder in YOUR Drive
Your notes are uploaded to YOUR storage
We never see, access, or store your content
Think of SimpleMD as a bridge between your browser and your Drive. The data flows directly between the two. We are not in the middle copying anything.
What About the Google Drive API?
Yes, we use the Google Drive API to sync your files. But here is what that means in practice:
We request only necessary permissions: Access to Drive files and your email (to identify your account)
OAuth authentication: We never see your Google password
Direct transfer: Files go straight from your browser to Google's servers
We could not read your notes even if we wanted to. The architecture simply does not allow it.
No Analytics. No Tracking. No Telemetry.
Many apps include "anonymous" analytics to track how you use their software. SimpleMD includes zero tracking:
No Google Analytics
No Mixpanel, Amplitude, or Segment
No usage telemetry
No crash reporting that sends your data anywhere
We do not know how many notes you create, how often you use the app, or what you write about. And we like it that way.
What We DO Store
To be completely transparent, here is what SimpleMD does store:
On Your Device (Chrome Local Storage)
Your markdown files and folder structure
Your preferences (theme, font size, language)
Sync state (if Drive sync is enabled)
Authentication tokens (if you sign in for Pro features)
On Our Servers
If you purchase Pro: Your email address and subscription status
That is it. No notes. No usage data. No "anonymized" analytics.
What We DO NOT Store
Let us be equally clear about what we never store on our servers:
Your note content
Your file names or folder structure
Your browsing history
Your Google Drive contents
Any analytics or usage patterns
Crash reports containing your data
Why This Matters
Your notes often contain your most private thoughts: journal entries, business ideas, personal reflections, sensitive information. We believe you should be able to write freely without wondering who might be reading over your shoulder.
That is why SimpleMD is built to be:
Private by default: No data leaves your device unless you explicitly enable sync
Transparent: You can inspect our extension's network requests anytime
Minimal: We collect only what is absolutely necessary for Pro features to work
The Bottom Line
You own your data. Period.
SimpleMD is a tool that runs in your browser. It is not a service that holds your information hostage. Whether you use the free version (100% local) or Pro with Google Drive sync (your Drive, your data), you remain in complete control.
That is not just a privacy policy. It is how we built the software from day one.
Questions about privacy? Contact us and we will be happy to explain any technical details.
