Privacy Policy

1. Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to Gradient Drive’s website, web application, user accounts, vehicle discovery tools, AI-powered analysis, communications, and subscription services.

It does not apply to third-party websites, vehicle listings, payment pages, or services that have their own privacy policies. For example, when you visit a listing hosted by Craigslist or complete payment through Stripe, those companies handle information under their own policies.

2. Information we collect

Information you provide

• Account information, such as your name, email address, username, password, and login details.
• Vehicle-search preferences, including desired makes and models, locations, price range, model year, mileage limits, and excluded keywords.
• Messages and questions you submit through AI chat, support, contact, or feedback features.
• Subscription-related information, such as plan status and Stripe customer or subscription identifiers.

Information collected automatically

• Device and browser information, IP address, operating system, referring page, and approximate location derived from network information.
• Usage information, such as pages viewed, searches initiated, buttons clicked, feature usage, errors, and timestamps.
• Cookies, session identifiers, security tokens, and similar technologies needed to keep you signed in and operate the service.

Information from third parties

We may receive information from payment processors, hosting providers, email providers, analytics services, authentication services, and public vehicle-listing sources. This may include payment status, account events, delivery status, listing information, and service logs.

3. How we use information

We use information to:

• Create, secure, authenticate, and maintain your account.
• Save your vehicle preferences and return relevant listing recommendations.
• Generate vehicle scores, summaries, comparisons, risk notes, and AI responses.
• Process subscriptions and determine whether your account has access to paid features.
• Send account verification, security, billing, service, and support communications.
• Diagnose errors, prevent fraud and abuse, improve performance, and protect Gradient Drive and its users.
• Comply with applicable legal obligations and enforce our agreements.

4. AI features

Gradient Drive uses artificial intelligence to analyze vehicle listings, generate buyer-focused explanations, answer questions, and rank potential matches.

Information sent to an AI provider may include listing details, your question, limited conversation history, and relevant search preferences. Do not submit sensitive personal information, payment-card information, government identification numbers, medical information, or confidential third-party information through AI chat.

5. How information is shared

We do not sell your personal information for money.

We may disclose information to:

• Service providers that host the application, process payments, deliver email, provide AI functionality, monitor errors, or support security and analytics.
• Professional advisers, insurers, auditors, or legal representatives when reasonably necessary.
• Government authorities or other parties when required by law, legal process, or a valid request.
• A successor or transaction participant in connection with a merger, financing, acquisition, reorganization, bankruptcy, or sale of assets.
• Other parties when you direct us to share information or provide consent.

6. Payments

Subscription checkout is handled by Stripe. Gradient Drive does not receive or store your complete payment card number. Stripe may provide us with limited billing information, such as customer identifiers, subscription status, payment status, plan information, and the last four digits or brand of a payment method.

Stripe’s processing of payment information is governed by Stripe’s own terms and privacy policy.

7. Cookies and analytics

We may use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Keep you signed in.
• Protect forms and prevent unauthorized requests.
• Remember preferences and session state.
• Measure usage and diagnose technical problems.
• Protect the service from fraud, abuse, and attacks.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Blocking essential cookies may prevent login, checkout, saved preferences, or other features from working.

8. Data retention

We retain information for as long as reasonably needed to provide the service, maintain your account, comply with legal and financial obligations, resolve disputes, prevent fraud, enforce agreements, and maintain security.

Retention periods vary by information type. For example, active account information may be retained while your account remains open, while transaction records may be kept longer when required for accounting, tax, dispute, or legal purposes.

9. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect information. These may include encrypted connections, access controls, password hashing, authentication protections, restricted administrative access, and service monitoring.

No online service can guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for protecting your password and notifying us if you believe your account has been accessed without authorization.

10. Your choices and rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

• Request access to personal information we hold.
• Request correction of inaccurate information.
• Request deletion of certain information.
• Object to or restrict certain processing.
• Request a portable copy of certain information.
• Withdraw consent where processing relies on consent.
• Appeal a decision concerning a privacy request.

Some rights are subject to exceptions. We may need to verify your identity before completing a request.

You may also update certain account and search preferences directly through your Gradient Drive account.

11. California privacy rights

California residents may have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended, including rights to know, access, correct, delete, and receive information about certain disclosures of personal information. Eligible residents may also have rights to opt out of certain sales or sharing and to receive non-discriminatory treatment for exercising privacy rights.

Gradient Drive does not sell personal information for monetary compensation. If our practices change in a way that creates an applicable sale or sharing opt-out obligation, we will update this Policy and provide the required choice.

To submit a California privacy request, contact us using the information below. An authorized agent may submit a request where permitted by law, but we may require proof of authorization and identity verification.

12. Children’s privacy

Gradient Drive is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided personal information, contact us so we can review and delete it where appropriate.

13. International users

Gradient Drive is operated from the United States. Information may be processed and stored in the United States or other locations where our service providers operate. Those locations may have data-protection laws that differ from the laws in your jurisdiction.

Where required, we will handle applicable international privacy requests and use appropriate safeguards for cross-border processing.

14. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as Gradient Drive, applicable laws, or our service providers change. We will post the updated Policy on this page and revise the effective date above. When required, we may provide additional notice by email or within the service.

15. Contact us

Contact Gradient Drive with privacy questions, requests, or concerns: