Privacy Policy

1. What we collect

When you use Bandly, we collect:

• Account information: username, email address, and a securely hashed password (we never store your actual password).
• Test activity: your mock test results, band scores, and answers, so we can show your progress over time.
• Speaking recordings: audio recordings of your spoken answers, stored so you (and, in the future, our AI feedback tool) can review them.
• Writing answers: the text you submit for Writing tasks.
• Payment information: if you subscribe to a paid plan, payment is handled entirely by our payment processor, Halyk ePay - we do not see or store your full card number.
• Basic technical data: stored locally in your browser (see "Cookies & Local Storage" below) to keep you logged in.

2. How we use it

We use your information to:

• Provide the mock tests, scoring, and progress tracking you signed up for.
• Send you account-related emails: email verification codes, password reset links, and (if you're on a plan that includes it) progress digests.
• Process your subscription payments and keep your plan up to date.
• Improve the platform and, in the future, power AI-based feedback on your Writing and Speaking answers.

3. Who we share it with

We don't sell your data. We do share it with the services that help us run the platform:

• Email delivery (currently Brevo) - to send verification codes and account emails.
• Payment processing (currently Halyk ePay) - to securely handle subscription payments.
• Our hosting/database provider, to store the data described above.

These providers only receive what they need to do their job, and are not permitted to use your data for their own purposes.

4. Cross-border data transfer

Bandly's servers and database are located outside the Republic of Kazakhstan. By creating an account, you consent to your personal data (as described in Section 1) being transferred to, stored on, and processed on servers located outside Kazakhstan, in accordance with Article 16 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Personal Data and Their Protection" (No. 94-V). Our providers only process your data to operate the platform, as described in Section 3.

5. Data retention & deletion

We keep your account data for as long as your account is active. You can request deletion of your account and associated data (test results, recordings, written answers) at any time by contacting us - see below.

6. Your rights

You can access, correct, or request deletion of your personal data at any time. Most of this you can do yourself from your Profile page; for anything else, contact us and we'll handle it.

7. Cookies & Local Storage

We use your browser's local storage (not tracking cookies) to keep you logged in between visits - it stores your session token and a couple of display preferences (like light/dark theme). We don't use third-party advertising or tracking cookies.

8. Children's privacy

Bandly is intended for users preparing for the IELTS exam, generally aged 16 and older. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the platform changes. We'll update the date at the top of this page when we do.

10. Contact

Questions about this policy or your data? See our Contact Us page.