Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 2026

BeeMail is a local-first app. Your email data never leaves your device. We do not collect, store, or transmit your emails or personal information to any server.

What data BeeMail stores

BeeMail stores the following data locally on your Mac, in your designated backup folder and the app's sandboxed container:

Email messages (headers, body, attachments) downloaded from your email provider and stored as EML files on your local disk or NAS
A local SQLite database of email metadata used for search and browsing
OAuth access tokens and refresh tokens for Gmail, stored in the macOS Keychain
IMAP credentials (username, password), stored in the macOS Keychain
App preferences and configuration (backup location, sync schedule, encryption settings)

What data leaves your device

BeeMail connects to the following external services:

Your email provider (Gmail, IMAP server): To download your emails. BeeMail connects using the credentials you provide and only reads your messages — it never sends or modifies email on your behalf.
Google OAuth: The Gmail authentication flow opens your default browser and redirects to Google's sign-in page. After sign-in, Google returns an access token to the app via a localhost redirect. BeeMail does not see your Google password.
Apple StoreKit (Mac App Store builds): To verify in-app purchases, BeeMail communicates with Apple's StoreKit API. No personal data beyond what Apple already has is transmitted.

BeeMail does not collect analytics, crash reports, usage data, or any telemetry. There are no third-party SDKs for tracking or advertising.

Encryption

If you enable encryption, your local email archive is encrypted with AES-256-GCM using a key derived from your passphrase with PBKDF2. BeeMail never transmits your passphrase or encryption key anywhere. If you lose your passphrase, your encrypted archive cannot be recovered.

macOS Keychain

OAuth tokens and IMAP credentials are stored exclusively in the macOS Keychain. They are protected by your login password and are not accessible to other apps. When you remove an account from BeeMail, the corresponding Keychain items are deleted.

Children's privacy

BeeMail does not knowingly collect any information from children under 13. The app has an age rating of 4+ on the Mac App Store, as it contains no objectionable content and collects no personal data.

Changes to this policy

If we make material changes to this policy, we will update the date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we will also post a notice in the app.

Contact

If you have questions about this privacy policy, email us at support@beemail.app.