Privacy Policy
Last updated: 11 February 2026
This policy describes how steelcalculator.app collects, uses, and protects information when you use the site.
What this site does
Steel Calculator is a browser-based website hosted on Cloudflare Pages. Core structural-steel calculations run in your browser, and calculation inputs are not sent to our servers during normal calculator use. Supporting features such as analytics, authentication, billing, or exports may use hosted services when enabled.
Information we collect
Information you provide voluntarily
If you contact us via the mailto link on the site, we receive your email address, name, and message contents. We use this only to respond to your enquiry.
Analytics (consent-gated)
We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4). The GA4 script loads only after you accept the cookie consent banner. If you decline, no analytics data is collected. When active, GA4 may collect page views, referral source, approximate location, and device/browser attributes. Google processes this data under its own privacy policy.
Local device storage
Calculator inputs may be saved in your browser's localStorage so that values persist between sessions. A service worker caches static assets (HTML, CSS, JS, WASM) for faster page loads. Both are stored on your device only and are not transmitted to us.
How we use information
- To operate the website and serve calculations.
- To understand which pages and calculators are most useful (via GA4, when consented).
- To respond to support enquiries sent by email.
We do not use your data for advertising, profiling, or marketing.
Cookies and similar technologies
The site sets cookies only when you accept the analytics consent banner. These are GA4 cookies used to distinguish unique visitors and sessions. No cookies are set if you decline the banner or do not interact with it.
Explanatory context
This privacy policy describes the data handling practices of SteelCalculator.app in a transparent and accessible manner. The following sections provide additional context and explanation for key privacy concepts.
Why calculations run in the browser
Core structural steel calculations run entirely in your browser using WebAssembly (WASM). This design choice was made for several privacy and performance reasons:
- Your design data stays on your device: Beam dimensions, connection geometry, load values, and other engineering inputs are never transmitted to any server during normal calculator use. This means sensitive project information does not leave your control.
- Faster calculations: WASM executes at near-native speed in the browser, providing responsive interactive design tools without network latency.
- Offline capability: Because the calculation engine runs locally, static assets cached by the service worker can enable limited offline functionality.
- Reduced server load: Compute-intensive engineering calculations do not consume server resources, keeping the site fast and available for all users.
Analytics and consent
The site uses Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to understand which pages and calculators are most useful to visitors. This information helps prioritize development and content creation. Key points about analytics:
- Consent is required before GA4 loads. The cookie consent banner must be accepted before any analytics code executes. If you decline, no GA4 data is collected from your session.
- No advertising or profiling. Analytics data is used for aggregate understanding of site usage patterns only. It is not used for advertising, remarketing, or user profiling.
- Anonymous data only. GA4 is configured to anonymize IP addresses. No personally identifiable information is collected through analytics.
- You can change your mind. Cookie consent preferences can be updated at any time through the cookie settings control in the site footer.
Data protection principles
The site operates on several key data protection principles:
- Data minimization: Only the minimum data necessary for each function is collected. Calculator inputs are not stored on servers. Analytics collects only aggregate usage data, not individual user behavior.
- Purpose limitation: Data is used only for the purposes described in this policy: operating the site, understanding usage patterns, and responding to enquiries. Data is not used for any other purpose.
- Transparency: This policy describes what data is collected, why, and how it is handled. If you have questions, contact us using the information on the site.
- User control: You control whether analytics data is collected (via cookie consent). You can clear locally stored data through your browser settings. You can request access to or deletion of any personal data we hold.
International data transfers
The site is hosted on Cloudflare's global content delivery network, which means pages may be served from edge nodes located in various countries around the world. When you access the site, your request may be handled by a server in a different country from where you are located.
Analytics data processed by Google may be transferred internationally under Google's Data Processing Terms and the Google Ads Data Processing Terms. For users in the European Economic Area (EEA), Google has committed to Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) for international data transfers, as approved by the European Commission.
Your rights
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Right of access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Right to rectification: You can request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Right to deletion (right to be forgotten): You can request deletion of personal data we hold, subject to certain legal exceptions.
- Right to restrict processing: You can request that we limit how we use your data.
- Right to data portability: You can request a copy of your data in a structured, commonly used format.
- Right to object: You can object to the processing of your data for specific purposes.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the email address provided on the site. We will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law.
Updates to this policy
This privacy policy is reviewed and updated periodically. Updates may reflect:
- Changes to the site's functionality or features
- Changes to third-party services used by the site
- Changes in legal or regulatory requirements
- Changes in data handling practices
The "Last updated" date at the top of the page reflects the most recent revision. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
Third-party services
| Provider | Purpose | Data shared |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare Pages | Hosting and CDN | Standard server logs (IP, user agent, timestamps) |
| Google Analytics 4 | Usage analytics (consent-gated) | Page views, referrer, device info, approximate location |
We do not sell, rent, or trade personal information to anyone.
Data retention
- Cloudflare server logs are retained per Cloudflare's standard policy (typically 72 hours).
- GA4 data is retained for the default period configured in Google Analytics (14 or 26 months, depending on the property setting).
- Support emails are retained as long as necessary to resolve the enquiry, then deleted.
Security
All traffic is served over HTTPS/TLS. Core calculations run in the browser, so routine engineering inputs do not leave your device during normal calculator use. Cloudflare provides DDoS protection and edge caching. Authentication and account-related data are handled through hosted providers with their own security controls; we do not operate a custom password database.
International users
The site is hosted on Cloudflare's global CDN, so pages may be served from edge nodes in various countries. Analytics data processed by Google may be transferred internationally under Google's data processing terms. If you are located in the EU/EEA, you may exercise your rights under the GDPR (access, correction, deletion) by contacting us at the email address on the site.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top of the page reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you collect my calculator inputs? Routine calculator inputs stay in your browser during normal use. Hosted services may process account, billing, analytics, or export data where those features are enabled.
What happens if I decline cookies? Google Analytics does not load at all. The site works identically without it. No tracking cookies are set.
How do I clear stored inputs? Open your browser settings, navigate to site data or storage for steelcalculator.app, and clear it. This removes any localStorage entries and service worker caches.
Do you sell personal data? No. We do not sell, rent, or share personal data with any third party for commercial purposes.
How do I contact you about privacy? Use the contact email linked in the site footer. We aim to respond within a reasonable timeframe.
Is an account required to use the site? No. Most calculators can be used without an account, but registration and login are available for account-based features and higher usage limits.
Does the site use any tracking beyond analytics? No. The site does not use tracking cookies, fingerprinting, social media pixels, or any other tracking technology. The only third-party script that loads on the site is Google Analytics 4, and it loads only after you accept the cookie consent banner. No advertising or marketing tracking is used.