COOKIE_POLICY
EFFECTIVE: MARCH 30, 2026 · LAST UPDATED: JULY 15, 2026
1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored by your browser when you visit a website. They help websites remember your preferences, keep you logged in, and understand how you use the site. BalanceBoard uses a minimal set of cookies — we do not use advertising cookies, and the student app itself (your dashboard, tasks, check-ins, and AI conversations) contains no third-party analytics or tracking. We use Google Analytics on our public marketing and informational pages only, as described in Section 2.
2. Cookies We Use
| Cookie Name | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| next-auth.session-token | Essential | Maintains your login session securely | 30 days |
| next-auth.csrf-token | Essential | Prevents cross-site request forgery attacks | Session |
| next-auth.callback-url | Essential | Remembers where to redirect after login | Session |
| __Secure-next-auth.session-token | Essential | HTTPS-only secure session cookie | 30 days |
| bb-theme | Functional | Remembers your dark/light theme preference | 1 year |
| bb-color | Functional | Remembers your primary color preference | 1 year |
| _ga / _ga_* | Analytics | Google Analytics — measures visits to our PUBLIC marketing pages only (homepage, blog, legal pages). Never set or read inside the student app: dashboards, tasks, wellness check-ins, and AI conversations send nothing to Google Analytics. | 2 years |
3. Local Storage
In addition to cookies, BalanceBoard uses your browser's localStorage to provide an offline-capable experience and instant UI performance:
- Guest-mode data — if you use BalanceBoard without an account, your tasks and sliced steps live only in your browser's localStorage (they are migrated to your account if you later sign in)
- Test prep goals and deadlines (SAT, ACT, AP exam dates) — stored locally for fast access
- Target college lists — Dream/Target/Safety schools stored locally
- Notification preferences — quiet-hours settings, which deadline alerts were already shown (so you aren't re-notified), and whether you dismissed the enable-alerts offer
- UI state preferences — dashboard layout, aesthetic mode and accent color, collapsed sidebars, active tabs, etc.
localStorage data stays on your device and is not sent to our servers unless you explicitly sync it. You can clear it at any time via your browser's privacy settings.
4. Cookies We Do NOT Use
Our Cookie Commitment
- No advertising or marketing cookies
- No cross-site tracking cookies
- No analytics of any kind inside the student app — your dashboard, tasks, wellness check-ins, and AI conversations are never sent to Google Analytics or any other third-party analytics service (Google Analytics runs only on our public marketing pages; see Section 2)
- No advertising pixels (Facebook Pixel, TikTok Pixel, etc.) anywhere
- No behavioral profiling or retargeting
- No selling of cookie data to data brokers
5. Third-Party Cookies
Some third-party services we use may set their own cookies:
- Google Fonts: When we load the Bebas Neue font from Google Fonts CDN, Google's servers may set a short-lived cookie. This is controlled by Google's cookie policy. We preconnect to their servers for performance.
- Google OAuth: When you sign in with Google, Google's authentication flow sets cookies on Google's domain (not ours) to manage your Google session.
- Google Analytics: On our public marketing and informational pages (and only there), Google Analytics sets first-party cookies (_ga, _ga_*) to help us understand how visitors find BalanceBoard. IP addresses are anonymized, Google Signals / advertising features are disabled, and no logged-in student activity is ever sent to it. See Google's Privacy Policy for details on their processing.
We do not have control over third-party cookies on their domains. Refer to Google's Privacy Policy for their cookie practices.
6. Managing Cookies
You can control cookies through your browser settings:
- Block all cookies: You can configure your browser to block all cookies, but this will prevent BalanceBoard from functioning (you won't be able to stay logged in).
- Clear cookies: You can delete all stored cookies at any time. This will log you out of BalanceBoard.
- Essential cookies: Session cookies (next-auth tokens) are necessary for the app to work. They cannot be opted out of while using the service.
Browser-specific instructions for managing cookies:
- Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies
- Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
- Firefox: Options → Privacy & Security → Cookies
- Edge: Settings → Privacy, Search and Services → Cookies
7. Contact
Questions about our cookie practices? Email support@balanceboard.app with subject "Cookie Policy Question."