Cookie Policy
Last updated: May 20, 2026
1. What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files that websites store in your browser. In this policy we use "cookies" broadly to also cover similar browser-storage technologies such as localStorage and sessionStorage, since they serve the same purposes from a privacy standpoint. Some cookies are essential for the site to function; others are optional and used to understand how the product is used so we can improve it.
2. Cookies we use today
PlotMyGarden sets the following first-party cookies:
Session cookies (better-auth)
HTTP-only, secure cookies that keep you signed in. Set on login, refreshed on activity, and deleted on logout. These cannot be turned off without breaking login, but they carry no analytics payload and are never shared with third parties.
Retention: Up to 7 days of inactivity
PostHog (ph_*)
PostHog cookies and localStorage entries attribute usage events (page views, feature clicks) to a stable distinct ID. In production we also enable session replay so we can debug UX issues; form inputs are masked. PostHog respects the browser Do Not Track header and can be disabled with most privacy extensions. We never use PostHog for advertising.
Retention: Up to 1 year
Locale (NEXT_LOCALE)
If you switch language, your choice may be remembered with a small cookie so the next visit opens in the same language. Contains nothing but the locale code (e.g. "de").
Retention: Up to 1 year
3. Third-party cookies
When you start a Pro subscription, you are redirected to Stripe to enter payment details. Stripe sets its own cookies on stripe.com for fraud prevention and session continuity. These are governed by Stripe's cookie policy — we do not control them and we do not receive any data from them.
PlotMyGarden does not use any advertising cookies, social-media tracking pixels, ad networks, or cross-site identifiers.
4. How to manage cookies
You can manage cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers let you block third-party cookies, delete cookies for a specific site, or refuse cookies altogether. Look for the "Privacy" or "Cookies" section in your browser preferences (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge all expose this).
- • Enabling Do Not Track tells PostHog to skip you.
- • Privacy extensions (uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger) typically block PostHog.
- • Disabling the essential session cookies will break login — you will be signed out on every page navigation.
5. Changes to this policy
We may update this Cookie Policy when the cookies we use change — for example, if we add a new analytics tool or remove an existing one. Any changes are reflected by the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Material changes will be highlighted in-app on your next sign-in.
6. Contact
For questions about cookies or our broader data practices, see our Privacy Policy or reach out through our contact page.