Privacy Policy

Last updated: 2 August 2026

1. Who we are

Solstily is a booking management platform for service businesses, operated by Deon Engel ("we", "us", "our"). Our registered contact email is deonengel@gmail.com.

2. What data we collect

We collect the following categories of data:

  • Account information — name, email address, username and password (stored as a salted hash)
  • Business data — business names, services, pricing, and booking records you create
  • Client data — names, phone numbers, email addresses and notes you add for your clients
  • Usage data — pages visited, features used, and device/browser information
  • Payment data — subscription status processed by PayFast. We do not store card numbers
  • Google Calendar data — if you connect Google Calendar, we store a refresh token to sync your bookings. We access only your calendar events and do not read, store or share any other Google account data

3. How we use your data

  • To provide and operate the Solstily service
  • To sync your bookings with Google Calendar (only if you connect it)
  • To send WhatsApp reminders and confirmations (only if you enable this)
  • To process subscription payments via PayFast
  • To generate income reports and insights for your business
  • To send transactional emails about your account
  • To improve the app and fix bugs

We do not sell your data. We do not use your data for advertising.

4. Google Calendar integration

When you connect Google Calendar, Solstily:

  • Stores a refresh token to create, update and delete calendar events on your behalf
  • Creates a calendar event for each confirmed booking
  • Reads your calendar to show blocked times and prevent double-booking
  • Does not read, store or share your emails, contacts or any other Google data
  • Does not use your Google data for any purpose other than calendar sync

You can disconnect Google Calendar at any time from Settings. This immediately revokes our access and deletes your refresh token from our servers.

Our use of Google Calendar APIs complies with the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.

5. Data sharing

We share data only with the following third-party services required to operate Solstily:

  • Neon — PostgreSQL database hosting (EU West)
  • Vercel — Application hosting and deployment
  • PayFast — Subscription payment processing
  • Google — Calendar sync (only if you connect it)
  • Meta (WhatsApp Business Platform) — sending WhatsApp booking confirmations and reminders (only if you enable this)
  • Expo — mobile app push notifications (only if you use the mobile app)

All providers are contractually bound to protect your data and may not use it for their own purposes.

6. Data retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active. If you cancel your subscription and delete your account, all your data is deleted immediately, except where we are required by law to retain it longer.

If you delete an individual record while your account stays active — for example removing a client or a booking — that record is first marked as deleted and excluded from the app immediately, then permanently purged from our database within 90 days.

7. Security

We use industry-standard security measures including HTTPS encryption, bcrypt password hashing, HTTP security headers, rate limiting and regular security audits. No system is 100% secure, but we take reasonable steps to protect your data.

8. Your rights

You have the right to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you
  • Correct inaccurate data
  • Request deletion of your data
  • Export your data — account owners can self-serve a full export of their data (account, businesses, clients, bookings, staff and more) at any time from Settings, downloaded as a single file
  • Withdraw consent at any time (e.g. disconnect Google Calendar)

To exercise any of these rights, email us at deonengel@gmail.com.

If you are a client of a Solstily business (i.e. someone who books appointments through the platform, rather than an account holder), the business you booked with is the controller of your personal information — contact them directly to access, correct or delete your details, or to opt out of automated reminder/marketing messages. Every business on Solstily has a built-in setting to mark an individual client as opted out of automated messages, which they can apply on your request. If you're unable to reach the business, email us at the address above and we will assist.

9. Cookies

We use essential session cookies to keep you logged in. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by email. Continued use of Solstily after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact

Questions about this policy? Email us at deonengel@gmail.com.