Privacy Policy
Last updated: 5 February 2026
Important Update (5 February 2026):
This Privacy Policy has been updated to reflect our trial system (30-day free trial for service providers), client booking payments via provider-configured gateways (Paystack, PayFast, manual links), and updated third-party services. Please review Sections 1, 4, and 4.1.
At Pluq, we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our app, website, and WhatsApp Business services. Please read this policy carefully.
1. Information We Collect
We collect information from you in various ways:
• Personal Information: Name, email address, phone number, and other details you provide when creating an account, making a booking, or signing up for a trial.
• Trial Account Information: When you sign up for a 30-day free trial via our trial portal, we collect business name, email, phone, category, and other details. No payment is collected at trial signup. Expired trial providers are hidden from client listings.
• Service Provider Information: Business details, qualifications, pricing, availability, and documents required for verification.
• Booking Information: Appointment details, preferences, and communication history.
• Device Information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers, and mobile network information.
• Usage Data: How you interact with the app, pages visited, features used, and time spent in the app.
• Location Data:
- Approximate Location (IP-based): Automatically collected when you use our apps to show nearby service providers and calculate general location-based features.
- Precise Location (GPS): Only collected when you explicitly grant permission, used for:
• Showing service providers on a map
• Calculating transport costs using Google Maps API
• Facilitating location-based bookings
- You can disable location permissions in your device settings at any time. Disabling location will limit certain features (e.g., "nearby providers" search).
• Communication Data: Messages sent through the app and WhatsApp conversations, including message content, timestamps, and delivery status.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
• Provide and maintain our platform, including facilitating bookings and communication between users.
• Verify service provider credentials and qualifications.
• Process payments and manage subscriptions.
• Facilitate client booking payments via provider-configured gateways (Paystack, PayFast, manual links) when applicable.
• Create and manage trial accounts for service providers.
• Send you booking confirmations, reminders, and important updates via app notifications, email, and WhatsApp.
• Respond to your enquiries and provide customer support.
• Personalise your experience and suggest relevant services.
• Improve our apps, analyse usage patterns, and develop new features.
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Use.
• Send marketing communications (with your consent) about promotions, new features, or partnerships.
• Facilitate WhatsApp Business communications in compliance with WhatsApp's policies and applicable regulations.
3. WhatsApp Business Data
When you use Pluq's WhatsApp Business services:
• Message Content: We process and store message content to facilitate communication between service providers and customers, manage bookings, and provide customer support.
• Message Metadata: We collect message delivery status, timestamps, and phone numbers for service delivery and analytics.
• Compliance: All WhatsApp communications comply with WhatsApp's Business Policy and are limited to legitimate business purposes only.
• Data Storage: WhatsApp message data is stored securely on our servers and retained according to our data retention policy.
• Access Control: Only authorised service providers can access messages related to their business on our platform.
• Third-Party Processing: Messages are processed through WhatsApp's infrastructure (Meta) and Twilio's messaging infrastructure, and may be subject to their privacy policies and terms of service.
4. Information Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information (such as name, email, phone number) to third parties for marketing purposes. However, we may share anonymised and aggregated usage data with third parties for advertising, analytics, and business purposes as described below.
We may share your information in the following circumstances:
• With Service Providers: Your booking details are shared with the service provider you've booked with to facilitate the service.
• With Customers: Service providers' public profiles (name, business, services offered, ratings) are visible to potential customers.
• With Service Partners: We may share data with third-party services that help us operate the platform (payment processors, cloud storage, analytics, communication services like WhatsApp/Meta Business, and booking payment gateways such as Paystack and PayFast when configured by service providers).
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, regulation, or legal process.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the new entity.
• With Your Consent: We may share your information for any other purpose with your explicit consent.
• Advertising and Analytics Partners: We may share anonymised usage data (not personal information) with advertising and analytics partners to:
- Deliver targeted advertising within our app and on third-party platforms
- Measure advertising effectiveness and improve ad relevance
- Analyse app usage patterns and user behaviour
- Support our advertising operations
• Data Sales: We may sell anonymised, aggregated usage data (such as app usage statistics, feature adoption rates, and general user behaviour patterns) to third parties for business intelligence, market research, and advertising purposes. This data does not include personal information and cannot be used to identify individual users.
4.1. Third-Party Services and SDKs
Pluq integrates with the following third-party services. Your data may be processed by these services according to their privacy policies:
Supabase (Supabase Inc.)
• Purpose: Database, cloud storage, and authentication services
• Data Processed: User accounts, bookings, messages, business profiles, documents, authentication tokens
• Privacy Policy: https://supabase.com/privacy
• Location: United States (with EU infrastructure options)
Twilio (Twilio Inc.)
• Purpose: WhatsApp messaging and communication infrastructure
• Data Processed: Phone numbers, message content, delivery status, timestamps
• Privacy Policy: https://www.twilio.com/legal/privacy
• Location: United States
Google Maps API (Google LLC)
• Purpose: Location services, geocoding, and route calculations
• Data Processed: Location data (if permission granted), addresses, route information, map coordinates
• Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy
• Location: United States
Google Sign-In (Google LLC)
• Purpose: Authentication services
• Data Processed: Email address, name, profile picture (if provided), Google account information
• Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy
• Location: United States
Meta/WhatsApp Business API (Meta Platforms Inc.)
• Purpose: WhatsApp messaging infrastructure
• Data Processed: Message content, phone numbers, delivery status, timestamps, profile information
• Privacy Policy: https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/privacy-policy
• Location: United States
Payment Processors – Subscriptions (Pluq billing)
• Purpose: Processing subscription and message credit payments
• Providers: Apple In-App Purchase
• Privacy Policy: Available at time of payment (Apple App Store)
Payment Processors – Client Booking Payments (Provider-configured)
• Purpose: Processing payments from customers to service providers for bookings
• Providers: Paystack, PayFast, or provider's payment link (e.g. Yoco, SnapScan, EFT)
• Privacy Policy: Paystack: paystack.com/terms; PayFast: payfast.co.za/privacy-policy
• Location: Varies by provider
We ensure all third-party service providers have appropriate data protection measures in place through Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) and Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) where applicable.
5. Analytics, Advertising, and Performance Data
We collect analytics and advertising data to improve our services, deliver targeted advertising, and measure app performance:
• App Usage Patterns: Features used, screens visited, time spent in the app, interaction patterns
• Performance Metrics: App crashes, loading times, error rates, performance bottlenecks
• Device Information: Device type, operating system version, app version, device identifiers
• Advertising Data: Ad interactions, clicks, impressions, conversion events
• Location Data (for advertising): General location information (city/region level) may be used for ad targeting
Analytics and Advertising Processing:
• In-App Analytics: Processed locally on your device for app functionality
• Third-Party Analytics: We use third-party analytics services (such as Firebase Analytics, Google Analytics, or similar) to track usage patterns and app performance
• Advertising Networks: We work with advertising networks and partners to deliver targeted advertising
• Data Aggregation: Usage data is aggregated and anonymised before being shared with advertising and analytics partners
Advertising Purposes:
• Deliver personalised advertisements within our app
• Show relevant ads on third-party platforms based on your app usage
• Measure advertising effectiveness and return on investment
• Prevent fraud and ensure ad quality
You can manage analytics and advertising preferences:
• App Settings: Settings > Privacy & Tracking > Analytics Collection / Advertising Preferences
• Device Settings: iOS Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking, Android Settings > Google > Ads
6. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. This includes:
• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Secure authentication and access controls
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Employee training on data protection
• Compliance with industry standards and regulations
However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
7. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for the following periods:
• Active Accounts: Data retained while your account is active
• Trial Accounts: Trial data retained while trial is active. Expired trial providers are hidden from client listings. You may request deletion of trial data if you do not convert.
• Deleted Accounts: Personal data deleted or anonymised within 30 days of account deletion
• WhatsApp Messages: Retained for 12 months for customer support and dispute resolution purposes
• Booking History: Retained for 7 years for legal and tax compliance purposes (South African tax law)
• Payment Records: Retained for 7 years as required by South African tax law
• Service Provider Verification Documents: Retained for 5 years after account closure
• Analytics Data: Retained for 24 months for service improvement purposes
After retention periods expire, data is permanently deleted or anonymised in a manner that prevents re-identification, except where we are required by law to retain it.
8. Your Rights and Choices
You have the following rights regarding your personal information:
• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal requirements).
• Objection: Object to processing of your personal information for marketing purposes.
• Portability: Request transfer of your data to another service.
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for data processing at any time.
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications via WhatsApp or email at any time.
• Location Controls: Disable location permissions in your device settings at any time.
• Tracking Controls: Manage tracking preferences through device settings (iOS: Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking, Android: Settings > Google > Ads) or app settings.
• Advertising Preferences: Opt out of personalised advertising through device settings or app settings. Note that you may still see ads, but they will be less relevant to your interests.
To exercise these rights, contact us at support@pluq.co.za.
9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies, tracking pixels, and similar tracking technologies to collect and store information about your use of our apps and website. These technologies help us:
• Functionality: Enable core app features and improve user experience
• Analytics: Understand how you interact with our app, analyse usage patterns, and identify areas for improvement
• Advertising: Deliver targeted advertising that may appear in our app or on third-party platforms, measure advertising effectiveness, and enable advertising personalisation
Types of Tracking We Use:
• Device Identifiers: Unique device identifiers (IDFA on iOS, GAID on Android) for advertising and analytics
• Cookies and Local Storage: Small data files stored on your device to remember preferences and track usage
• Tracking Pixels: Invisible images that track when content is viewed or clicked
• SDK Tracking: Third-party software development kits (SDKs) integrated into our app for analytics and advertising
Third-Party Tracking:
We work with advertising and analytics partners who may use their own tracking technologies. These partners may collect information about your use of our app and other apps/websites over time to deliver targeted advertising and analytics services.
Your Choices:
• iOS: You can control tracking through Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking. You can also reset your Advertising Identifier.
• Android: You can opt out of personalised ads through Google Settings > Ads > Reset advertising ID or Opt out of Ads Personalisation.
• App Settings: You can manage certain tracking preferences within our app settings.
Required Tracking:
Certain tracking technologies are necessary for our app to function properly and cannot be disabled. These include essential cookies and tracking required for authentication, security, and core app functionality.
Impact of Disabling Tracking:
Disabling tracking may limit certain features, reduce ad relevance, and affect your overall app experience. However, you can still use core app features even if you disable non-essential tracking.
10. Third-Party Links and Services
Our apps and website may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any information.
11. Children's Privacy
Pluq is not intended for individuals under the age of 18. Service providers must be 18 or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.
12. International Data Transfers
Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own, including:
• United States: Supabase (hosting), Twilio (messaging), Google (maps, authentication), Meta (WhatsApp)
• European Union: Supabase (some infrastructure)
We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information:
• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs): We use EU-approved standard contractual clauses with our service providers
• Data Processing Agreements (DPAs): We have data processing agreements with all third-party processors
• Compliance: We comply with applicable data protection laws, including South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI Act) and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) where applicable
13. WhatsApp and Meta Policies
Pluq's WhatsApp Business services are provided in compliance with Meta's WhatsApp Business Policy and Terms of Service. By using our WhatsApp Business features, you acknowledge that:
• Messages are processed through Meta's infrastructure (via Twilio)
• Your use of WhatsApp via Pluq is subject to Meta's terms and policies
• We are not responsible for Meta's handling of data on their platform
• Meta may access, use, and share data according to their policies
For more information, please review WhatsApp's Privacy Policy and Business Policy.
14. South African Privacy Rights (POPI Act)
If you are located in South Africa, you have specific rights under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI Act):
• Right to Access: You may request access to your personal information
• Right to Correction: You may request correction of inaccurate information
• Right to Deletion: You may request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal requirements)
• Right to Object: You may object to processing of your personal information
• Right to Complain: You may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator
To exercise these rights, contact us at support@pluq.co.za.
15. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the 'Last updated' date. Your continued use of Pluq after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
16. Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:
Email: support@pluq.co.za
We will respond to your enquiry within 48 hours.