Overview
PennyCalc ("we," "us," or "our") operates the website pennycalc.com. This page describes what data we collect, how we use it, and your choices regarding that data. The short version: we collect limited usage analytics, selected reference and calculator pages display ads, we do not exchange personal information for money, and calculator computations happen in your browser. Google Analytics and Google AdSense do not receive the numbers you enter or the results calculated for you.
Information We Collect
Data You Enter into Calculators
Calculator inputs (income, loan amounts, tax figures, and similar values) are processed in your browser using client-side JavaScript. Changing an input keeps the scenario in page memory; it does not silently add those values to the page's query string. Refreshing a normal calculator page restores its defaults.
If you choose Copy link, PennyCalc creates a shareable scenario in the part of
the URL after the #. Browsers do not send that fragment to PennyCalc, Cloudflare,
Google Analytics, or a destination website in the HTTP request or referrer header. The values
are visible to anyone who receives the link and are restored when that link is opened, so treat
a scenario link as information you have chosen to share.
Older PennyCalc share links used query parameters. Opening one of those older links can expose its query string to Cloudflare in the initial request. PennyCalc keeps those links functional, marks the query variant as not indexable, and converts the visible browser URL to the new fragment format. We do not intentionally store those calculator values in an application database.
Automatically Collected Data
We may collect standard web analytics data, including:
- Pages visited and time spent on each page
- Referring website or search engine
- Browser type and version
- Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)
- Approximate geographic region derived by the analytics provider
- Whether a browser on an ad-supported page appears to block Google's advertising or recovery scripts
- Value-free events such as calculator start, result viewed, share, download, and related-tool click
This data helps us understand which calculators are useful and where the site needs improvement. It is collected through Google Analytics 4. PennyCalc sends the site origin and page path without the query string or fragment. Custom calculator events contain event names and page identifiers, not input values or calculated results. Google signals and ad-personalization signals are disabled in our analytics configuration.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Local Browser Storage
PennyCalc does not require an account or session cookie to run its calculators. Some interface features, such as pinned states in a comparison tool, may use your browser's local storage. That preference stays on your device unless you clear it.
Analytics Cookies
We use Google Analytics 4 to understand site usage patterns. Google Analytics may set or read first-party analytics cookies and process device, browser, referral, and approximate-location information under Google's terms. Where consent is required, PennyCalc uses Google's Privacy & Messaging controls and does not load the Analytics tag until the applicable consent choice permits analytics storage. You can also opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
Advertising Cookies
PennyCalc uses Google AdSense to display clearly labeled ads on a limited set of reference and calculator pages. Google and its advertising partners may use cookies, local storage, IP address, device and browser information, page context, and ad interactions to deliver, secure, limit the frequency of, personalize where permitted, and measure ads. Non-personalized ads may still use data for contextual selection, frequency capping, aggregated reporting, fraud prevention, and security.
PennyCalc uses Google's certified Privacy & Messaging platform for visitors in the EEA, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland, plus Google's U.S. state regulations opt-out flow where applicable. Advertising and analytics storage default to denied before Google's European controls resolve the applicable choice. The control routes to the applicable Google European consent or U.S. Do Not Sell or Share dialog.
On the same limited set of ad-supported pages, PennyCalc uses Google's Ad blocking recovery tag to estimate aggregate ad-blocking rates and the potential effect on advertising revenue. The associated recovery message is currently unpublished, so PennyCalc does not show an ad-blocking recovery prompt. The tag can undercount blockers that prevent the measurement script itself from loading, and PennyCalc does not receive an individual visitor's identity from this reporting.
PennyCalc does not send calculator inputs, calculated results, scenario fragments, or query strings to AdSense for ad targeting. Ad placement and revenue do not influence our math, sources, rankings, corrections, or editorial conclusions. Learn more about how Google uses information from sites that use its services and manage ad personalization in Google My Ad Center.
Third-Party Services
Google Analytics and Google AdSense
Google acts as a service provider for site measurement and advertising and may process the limited technical and usage information described above under its own terms and privacy policies. PennyCalc may earn revenue when an ad is viewed or interacted with. We do not receive the identity of an individual visitor from AdSense.
Affiliate Links
PennyCalc's affiliate calls to action and monetized resource links are currently disabled.
If affiliate links are enabled later, each affected page will identify them and the link will
use a rel="sponsored" attribute. The destination site may collect data under its
own privacy policy, and PennyCalc may earn a commission on a qualifying action.
Affiliate relationships will not influence calculator math or editorial conclusions, and PennyCalc will not receive the calculator inputs you entered from an affiliate partner.
Hosting
PennyCalc is hosted on Cloudflare Pages. Cloudflare may collect standard server logs (IP address, request time, page requested). See Cloudflare's Privacy Policy for details.
Data Sharing
We do not exchange personal information for money or rent it to data brokers. We disclose limited technical and usage information to service providers such as Google and Cloudflare for analytics, advertising, hosting, security, fraud prevention, and site operation as described above. Some U.S. state laws may define advertising-related disclosures as a "sale," "sharing," or targeted advertising even when no money is paid for the information. Where applicable, use to opt out. We may also share aggregated analytics data that is not intended to identify an individual visitor.
Children's Privacy
PennyCalc is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it.
Your Rights
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:
- Request access to data we hold about you
- Request deletion of your data
- Opt out of analytics tracking, personalized advertising, targeted advertising, or advertising-related sale or sharing where applicable
- Withdraw consent for cookies
Because our calculators process calculations in your browser and we don't maintain user accounts, we typically hold minimal directly identifying data. For any privacy-related requests, contact us at the email below.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Continued use of PennyCalc after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
Contact
For privacy questions or data requests, email us at privacy@pennycalc.com.