QRadio

QRadio - Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 7, 2026

Overview

QRadio is an internet radio player for iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and macOS. Your privacy is important to us. This policy explains what data the app handles and how.

Data Controller

QRadio is developed and maintained by Qbus Systems, based in Poland (European Union). For privacy-related inquiries, contact radio@qbus.pl.

Data We Do Not Collect

QRadio does not collect, store, or transmit any personal data. Specifically:

• No account or registration required
• No analytics or tracking
• No advertising
• No cookies
• No device identifiers collected
• No usage data sent to us or any third party

Data Stored on Your Device

The app stores the following data locally on your device only:

• Favorite stations - names, stream URLs, and logos you add, including a custom name or logo you set for a catalog station
• Settings - your app preferences (theme, buffering, display options, song history retention). If you use Add to Playlist, the app also remembers which Apple Music playlist you picked - its identifier and name - on that device only.
• Song History - title, artist, station, timestamp, and a small thumbnail of every track that the app recognises while you listen, plus which of your devices logged it: its type (iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple Watch) and an identifier for it, so History can show where you heard each song. Retention is configurable in Settings (1 week to forever, or off), and recording can be limited to stations in your Favorites.
• Station merges - when you merge two stations in history, the app stores which station identifiers you treated as one. Identifiers only; no names or listening data beyond the history entries themselves.
• Cached images - station logos and album artwork cached for faster loading
• Diagnostics log (optional) - off by default. When you switch on Settings → Diagnostics Logging, the app keeps a rolling record of playback events - stream starts, drops, reconnects, song recognition - on the device for 48 hours. It is never uploaded and we cannot see it; switching the option off stops new entries and the existing ones age out.

Favorites and a small set of preferences (including the song-history retention choice and whether history is limited to favorites) sync across your Apple devices via Apple's iCloud Key-Value Store. If Stop Other Devices on Play is on, the same store carries a short-lived note of which of your devices is playing - the device's name, an identifier for it, and the station - so your other devices know to stop. It expires by itself and stays inside your own iCloud. Song history records and your station merges sync via Apple's CloudKit private database under your Apple ID. Both are end-to-end controlled by Apple's iCloud infrastructure - we don't host or see this data. You can disable iCloud for QRadio in your device's Settings → Apple ID → iCloud at any time.

Backup & Restore. You can manually export your favorites and settings to a single .qradio file via Settings → Backup & Restore. This file is created and stored only where you save it (Files, AirDrop, etc.); QRadio does not upload it anywhere. Restoring from a file replaces the current favorites and settings on the device.

Third-Party Services

The app connects to the following external services:

• Audio streams - the app connects directly to stream servers to play audio. These connections are initiated by you when selecting a stream.
• iTunes Search API - used to look up album artwork and song information for currently playing tracks. Only the song title and artist name are sent; no personal data is included.
• Apple Music (MusicKit) - used as a fallback for song lookups when the iTunes Search API is unavailable. Requires your permission on first use. No personal data is sent.
• Apple Music library (optional, iPhone and iPad) - if you turn on Add to Playlist and allow Apple Music access, QRadio reads the names of your playlists so you can pick one. When you swipe a song in History to add it, QRadio reads that playlist's songs to avoid a duplicate and asks Apple Music to add the song. This happens between your device and Apple under your own Apple ID, only on your tap; QRadio never sees or keeps your library. Apple Music is governed by Apple's privacy policy.
• ShazamKit - used when you tap the Shazam icon to identify the currently playing song. QRadio sends the audio it is already streaming to Apple's ShazamKit service for matching; no microphone audio is captured or transmitted. ShazamKit is an Apple service governed by Apple's privacy policy.
• Spotify links (optional) - if you set Open Songs In to Spotify, tapping an identified song opens the Spotify app or website with a search for that song (title/artist or its ISRC code embedded in the link). QRadio itself sends nothing to Spotify - the link opens like any web link, and this happens only on your tap. Spotify is governed by Spotify's privacy policy.
• Apple iCloud (Key-Value Store) - syncs your favorites and selected app preferences across your devices, governed by Apple's privacy policy.
• Apple iCloud (CloudKit private database) - syncs your song history and station merges across your devices under your Apple ID. Records remain in your private iCloud container; QRadio does not have a server-side copy.
• Station catalog updates - the app downloads the station list, a public file published by Qbus Systems, from radiocdn.qbus.pl, served by Cloudflare's content delivery network. The download is anonymous (a plain HTTPS GET); no identifiers are sent. With Hotel Mode on, catalog updates wait for Wi-Fi.
• Station logos - loaded from the station's own website or from qbus.pl, and cached on your device. A plain image download; no identifiers are sent.

All connections to external services are initiated by your explicit actions (selecting a stream, playing audio, tapping Shazam, etc.) or by built-in app behaviour (catalog refresh, iCloud sync). QRadio does not make background network requests for analytics, telemetry, or data collection.

Reporting a Station

The Report Station action in the catalog opens a pre-filled email to radio@qbus.pl in your own mail app. It contains the station's name and its identifier in our catalog, so we can find the entry - not its stream address, and nothing about you or your listening. Nothing is sent until you send it, and you can edit or discard the draft.

Intellectual Property

Stream names, logos, and broadcast content are the property of their respective owners. QRadio does not claim ownership of any third-party content. Stream metadata and logos are provided by the user or the stream operators themselves. If you believe any content infringes your rights, please contact us at radio@qbus.pl.

Children's Privacy

QRadio is not directed at children under 13. Because the app does not collect any personal data, no information is knowingly gathered from children of any age.

Your Rights Under GDPR

Because QRadio does not collect or process any personal data, there is no personal data to access, correct, delete, or export. All app data (favorites, preferences, cache) is stored exclusively on your device under your control. You can remove all app data at any time by uninstalling the app or by clearing it through iOS Settings. If you use iCloud Sync, you can manage or delete that data through your Apple ID settings. As an EU-based developer, we comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Governing Law

This privacy policy is governed by the laws of Poland and the European Union, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in the app or applicable regulations. The "Last updated" date at the top of this policy will indicate when the most recent changes were made. Material changes will be communicated through the app or via App Store release notes. Continued use of QRadio after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

Contact

If you have questions about this privacy policy, contact us at radio@qbus.pl.