What cookies are

A cookie is a small text file that a website places on your device when you visit. It lets the site recognise your browser on later page views, remember choices you have made, and understand how its pages are used. Cookies cannot read other files on your device, and they do not run programs or carry viruses.

We also use a few related technologies that work in a similar way, and which we treat as cookies throughout this policy:

• Local storage and session storage, which let your browser remember small settings, such as a chosen display theme, without sending that data back to a server.
• Pixels and tags, sometimes called web beacons, which are tiny snippets used to count page views or to confirm that an advert was shown.
• Software development kits and scripts loaded from trusted partners, such as our analytics and advertising providers, which may set their own cookies.

Cookies set by apptidal on our own domain are called first-party cookies. Cookies set by the partners whose scripts we load, such as Google, are called third-party cookies.

Why apptidal uses cookies

apptidal is an independent app review and discovery portal. We catalogue real mobile and desktop apps, write editorial reviews, and link out to the official stores where each app can be downloaded. Running the site this way costs money, and like most free editorial publishers we cover those costs with advertising served through Google AdSense.

We use cookies for a small number of clear purposes:

• To keep the site working, for example by remembering your cookie choices so we do not ask you again on every page.
• To remember your preferences, such as a light or dark theme.
• To understand which reviews and categories are read most, so we can improve our coverage.
• To fund the site by displaying advertising, and to keep that advertising relevant and free of obvious repetition.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use cookies to build a profile of you for any purpose beyond the categories described here.

The categories of cookies we use

1. Strictly necessary cookies

These cookies are required for apptidal to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually set only in response to actions you take, such as recording your consent choices, keeping a search query as you move between pages, or balancing traffic across our servers. You can block them in your browser, but parts of the site may then stop working. We rely on a legitimate interest to set these, so they do not require consent.

2. Preference cookies

These cookies let apptidal remember choices you make so the site feels consistent on your next visit. They do not track you across other websites.

3. Analytics and performance cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors use apptidal, for example which app reviews are most popular, how people reach a page, and where the experience could be faster or clearer. We use Google Analytics for this. The data is aggregated and is used to improve our editorial coverage and site performance. Where the law requires it, these cookies are only set after you give consent through our banner. We ask Google to anonymise visitor IP addresses where that option is available.

4. Advertising cookies (Google AdSense)

apptidal is funded by advertising served through Google AdSense and the wider Google advertising network. When ad slots load on a page, Google and its certified partners may set cookies on your device. These cookies are used to measure how adverts perform, to limit how often you see the same advert, to help detect invalid clicks and fraud, and, where you have agreed, to show advertising that is more relevant to your interests.

As a third-party vendor, Google uses cookies such as the DoubleClick and related advertising cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to apptidal and to other websites. Google and its partners may combine this with information they hold from other sites in their network. apptidal does not receive or store the personal data that these advertising cookies collect, and we do not control how Google processes it.

You can learn more about how Google uses information from sites that use its services, and the cookies it sets, on Google's page at policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites.

The cookie names above are examples. Exact names, providers, and durations can change as Google updates its products and as we adjust our partners. We review this list periodically and update it when it changes materially.

Your consent and ad personalisation

The first time you visit apptidal, we show a consent banner. Strictly necessary cookies are always active because the site cannot run without them. Analytics and advertising cookies are handled according to your choice and your location.

If you are in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, we use Google's consent management so that personalised advertising and analytics cookies are only set after you accept them. If you decline, you may still see advertising on apptidal, but it will be non-personalised, which means it is based on the page content and general context rather than on your past browsing. You can change your decision at any time using the cookie settings link in our site footer.

How to control or remove cookies

You are in control of cookies and can manage them in several ways.

On apptidal

Use the Cookie settings link in the footer of any page to review the categories you have allowed and to change your consent. Updating your choice takes effect immediately for new page views.

In your browser

Every major browser lets you see which cookies are stored, delete them, and block some or all cookies. Blocking all cookies will affect how apptidal and many other sites behave. The help pages below explain the steps for each browser:

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Apple Safari
• Microsoft Edge

For advertising specifically

You can control the advertising cookies and personalisation used across Google's products and its partner network through these tools:

• Google Ad Settings, where you can turn off ad personalisation for your Google account.
• YourAdChoices from the Digital Advertising Alliance.
• NAI opt-out tool from the Network Advertising Initiative.
• Your Online Choices for visitors in Europe.

Opting out of personalised advertising does not remove adverts from apptidal. It means the adverts you see will no longer be tailored using your browsing history.

Do Not Track

Some browsers can send a "Do Not Track" signal. There is no agreed industry standard for how publishers should respond to it, so apptidal does not currently change its behaviour based on that signal. We honour the choices you make through our consent banner and through the opt-out tools listed above.

A note on apps and store links

apptidal reviews apps and links out to the official stores, such as the Apple App Store and Google Play, where you can download them. We do not operate those stores or the apps we review. App icons, screenshots, and store data are provided for editorial and reference purposes, and content sourced from Apple is used under the iTunes affiliate and attribution terms. When you follow a link to an external store or developer site, that destination sets its own cookies under its own policies, which we do not control. apptidal is not affiliated with or endorsed by Apple Inc. or Google LLC.

Changes to this Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy to reflect changes in the technologies we use, in our advertising partners, or in the law. When we make a material change, we will revise the date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, ask for your consent again through the banner. We encourage you to review this page from time to time.

Contact us

If you have questions about how apptidal uses cookies, or you want to exercise your privacy rights, please reach us through our contact page. For more detail on the personal data we handle, see our Privacy Policy.