Dirt Map — Privacy Policy

Last updated 10 August 2026

This policy explains what Dirt Map collects, why, who processes it on our behalf, and the choices you have. It applies to the Dirt Map mobile apps and the services behind them. Dirt Map is operated by DIRT MAP PTY LTD (Australia).

Location

Location is the core of the app, and it is the most sensitive thing we handle. Dirt Map requests precise location so it can:

• show your position on the map;
• record a trip as a track log while you drive or walk;
• give turn-by-turn navigation and route guidance;
• optionally share your live position with your own other devices (see Sharing features).

Location is captured only while the app has permission and is in use, or in the background while you have a recording or navigation session running. You can revoke location access at any time in iOS or Android system settings; the app keeps working as a map, but recording, navigation and live sharing stop.

Where your location data goes. Recorded trips, planned routes and markers are written to a database on your device first, so the app works with no signal. When you have connectivity they sync to our backend under your account identifier, and back down to your other signed-in devices. Access is enforced per row by the database: a request carrying your account’s credentials can read only rows belonging to that account.

Background location. If you grant background location, recording and navigation continue when the app is not on screen. We use this only to keep your track log and guidance correct. We do not collect location when you have no recording, navigation or sharing session active.

Your account

Dirt Map creates an anonymous account for you silently on first launch. That account is a random identifier — it has no name, email or phone number attached, and we do not ask you for any. Its only purpose is to own your data so it can sync between your devices.

If you later choose to add a sync account, you can link an email address and password, or Sign in with Apple. Linking attaches that credential to the same identifier you already had, so your existing trips carry across. At that point we hold your email address (or, with Sign in with Apple, whatever address Apple passes us — which may be a private relay address). We use it only for authentication and account-related contact. You may also set a display name, which is used for labelling shared content.

One account across Dirt Map and 4wdtrip

We also operate 4wdtrip, a companion community and trip-organising product. The two share a single sign-in: the same account identifier is you in both, and a subscription purchased in one unlocks the paid features of both. A small amount of information is shared between them for that reason — your account identifier, your display name and your subscription tier. If you record vehicle details in 4wdtrip, Dirt Map can read your default vehicle’s specifications to estimate whether a track suits your rig. Your Dirt Map trips, routes and markers are not exposed to 4wdtrip’s community features.

Sharing features you control

Two features publish data deliberately, and both are off unless you turn them on.

Live location sharing

When you turn on live sharing, your device broadcasts its position, speed, heading and a device label on a private channel named after your own account. Only devices signed into your account can join that channel — this feature is for keeping your own phone, tablet and head unit in sync, not for sharing with other people. Live positions are transmitted as ephemeral messages that are not stored. Alongside them we keep a single last-known position row per device so a device that joins late can draw the pins immediately; that row is readable only by your own account, is overwritten as you move, and is marked stopped when you turn sharing off.

Shared routes

When you share a route, its geometry is published to our backend under a share link, and anyone who has that link can open it — that is what makes the link work. Treat a route share link as public: only send it to people you intend to have it. Shared routes contain the route line you plotted, not your recorded trips or your live position.

Track ratings and track history

If you rate a track’s difficulty, we store your rating, the conditions you selected, an optional note, and a small summary of that visit computed on your device — things like distance driven on the track, average crawl speed, steepest grade and total climb. These summaries let us improve difficulty estimates for everyone. The underlying GPS points never leave your device for this purpose — only the derived numbers are sent. The same applies to the passive log of which named tracks you have travelled, which powers your “tracks travelled” history and arrival-time estimates.

Diagnostics and crash reports

When the app hits an error or crashes, we send a report to Sentry so we can fix it. A report contains the error, a stack trace, and technical context such as device model, OS version and app version. If you have set up a sync account, the report is also tagged with your account identifier and display name so we can tell whether a crash affects one person or everyone. Performance tracing and session replay are switched off, and crash reports never carry your GPS coordinates.

Product analytics

We run our own analytics on our own servers — not a third-party advertising or analytics network. Events tell us which features are used and where people get stuck, for example “a trip finished”, “a map pack downloaded” or “the paywall was shown”.

Each event carries a per-installation identifier, a per-session identifier, your account identifier once one exists, the app version, and the platform. Event details are restricted by design to categories, ranges and counts — for example a region code such as au-vic, or a trip’s distance and duration. Our server rejects any event property that is not on an approved list, so free text and coordinates cannot reach the analytics store even by accident. Analytics are queued on device and uploaded only when the network is already awake, so the feature does not cost you battery or data in the field.

Purchases

Dirt Map Pro is sold through the App Store. Apple processes the payment — we never see your card details. We use RevenueCat to validate receipts and tell the app what you are entitled to; RevenueCat is given your account identifier so your subscription follows you across devices, along with purchase records supplied by Apple. Your resulting plan (free or Pro) is stored on your account.

Links and installs

We use Branch for deep links — the links that open a shared route or a specific screen in the app. Branch receives standard technical information when you tap such a link (approximate device and app details) so it can route you to the right place after install. We do not use Branch, or anything else, for advertising attribution or cross-app tracking, and Dirt Map does not request App Tracking Transparency permission because it does not track you.

Map downloads

Offline map, terrain and track packs are served from Cloudflare. Like any web server, it processes the request — including your IP address — in order to deliver the file, and keeps short-lived operational logs. We do not attach your account to map requests, and the map service does not know who you are.

Who else processes your data

These providers act on our instructions and may store data outside Australia, including in the United States and the European Union. We do not sell personal information, and we do not disclose it for advertising. We may disclose data if we are legally required to, or where it is necessary to protect someone’s safety or our legal rights.

How long we keep it

Your trips, routes, markers, ratings and account details are kept until you delete them or ask us to delete your account — this is your map history, so we do not expire it on you. Live-share last-known rows are overwritten continuously and hold only the most recent position per device. Crash reports and analytics events are retained for a limited period for debugging and product measurement.

Deleting your data

You can delete individual trips, routes and markers in the app at any time; deletions sync to your other devices.

To delete your whole account and everything attached to it, open Account in the app and choose Delete Account. You will be asked to confirm; the deletion is immediate and permanent. It removes your trips, routes, markers, folders, ratings, track history, live-share rows and your analytics events. Because Dirt Map and 4wdtrip share one sign-in, deleting your account removes it from both.

Deleting your account does not cancel an App Store subscription — Apple handles that billing. Cancel it in Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions before you delete, or you will keep being charged.

If you cannot reach the in-app option, email kelvin@dirtmap.com from the address on the account and tell us your display name, and we will action the request and confirm when it is done.

Your rights

Dirt Map is an Australian app and we handle personal information in line with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles. You may ask for a copy of the personal information we hold about you, ask us to correct it, or ask us to delete it. If you are unhappy with how we have handled a privacy matter you may complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

If you are in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, you also have rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability and objection under the GDPR. We process your data to provide the app you asked for (contract), to keep it working and secure (legitimate interests), and — for location — on the basis of the permission you grant and can withdraw at any time.

If you are a California resident, you may request access to or deletion of your personal information and are entitled not to be discriminated against for doing so. We do not sell or share personal information as those terms are defined by the CCPA/CPRA.

Use the contact address below for any of these requests.

Children

Dirt Map is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect their personal information. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

Security

Data in transit is encrypted with TLS. Your synced data is protected by per-row access rules enforced by the database, so a request can only reach rows belonging to the account that made it. Payment details are handled entirely by Apple and never reach us. No system is perfectly secure, but we take this seriously and fix problems promptly when we find them.

Changes to this policy

If we change this policy we will update the date at the top of the page, and for significant changes we will tell you in the app.

Contact

Privacy questions and requests: kelvin@dirtmap.com
DIRT MAP PTY LTD, Australia

Dirt Map is a navigation aid, not a substitute for proper trip planning, a paper map or your own judgement in the field. See also our Terms of Use.