Privacy Policy
Welcome to VATCalc ("we", "our", "us"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our website at vatcalc.net (the "Service"). By using VATCalc, you agree to the terms described in this Privacy Policy.
Short version: VATCalc does not collect personal data to operate the calculator. Your calculations happen entirely in your browser and are never sent to our servers. We use standard third-party services for analytics and advertising which may collect anonymised data as described below.
1. Information We Collect
1.1 Information You Provide Directly
VATCalc is a free tool. To use our VAT calculator, product category tool, or invoice generator, you do not need to create an account or provide any personal information. However, if you:
- Contact us via the Contact page, we collect your name and email address to respond to your query.
- Subscribe to rate update emails, we collect your email address for that purpose only.
1.2 Automatically Collected Information
When you visit our website, we and our third-party service providers may automatically collect certain technical information, including:
- IP address (anonymised where possible)
- Browser type and version
- Operating system
- Pages you visit and time spent on each page
- Referring website or source
- Device type (desktop, tablet, mobile)
- Country of access
This data is collected for the purpose of website analytics and to improve our services. It is not used to personally identify you.
1.3 Calculator Data
Amounts, country selections, product categories, and invoice details you enter in our calculators are processed entirely within your browser. This data is never transmitted to or stored on our servers.
2. Cookies
VATCalc uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — for the following purposes:
2.1 Essential Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function correctly and cannot be disabled. They do not store any personally identifiable information.
2.2 Analytics Cookies (Google Analytics)
We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website. Google Analytics may set cookies that collect anonymised information about how you interact with our pages. This data helps us improve the tool. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
2.3 Advertising Cookies (Google AdSense)
We display advertisements from Google AdSense to keep VATCalc free. Google AdSense uses cookies to show relevant ads based on your browsing history and interests. These cookies are controlled by Google. You can manage your ad preferences at Google Ad Settings. For more information, see Google's Privacy Policy.
Cookie Consent
When you first visit our website, you will see a cookie notice. By continuing to use our website, you consent to our use of cookies as described above. You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings at any time.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- To operate, maintain and improve our website and tools
- To respond to enquiries submitted through our Contact page
- To send VAT rate update emails (if you subscribed)
- To analyse website traffic and usage patterns to improve the user experience
- To display relevant advertisements that help fund the free service
- To comply with applicable laws and regulations
4. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share information only in the following circumstances:
- Service providers: We use Google Analytics and Google AdSense, which are third-party services that may access anonymised usage data as described above.
- Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required to do so by law or in response to valid legal processes.
- Business transfers: In the event of a merger or acquisition, user data may be transferred. We will notify users before any such transfer occurs.
5. Your Rights (GDPR — EU/UK Users)
If you are located in the European Union or United Kingdom, you have the following rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):
- Right to access: You can request a copy of any personal data we hold about you.
- Right to rectification: You can ask us to correct inaccurate data.
- Right to erasure: You can request deletion of your personal data.
- Right to restrict processing: You can ask us to limit how we use your data.
- Right to data portability: You can request your data in a portable format.
- Right to object: You can object to processing of your personal data for direct marketing.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hello@vatcalc.net.
6. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)
If you are a California resident, you have the right to know what personal information we collect, the right to request deletion of your personal information, and the right to opt out of the sale of personal information. VATCalc does not sell personal information. To exercise your rights, contact us at hello@vatcalc.net.
7. Data Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including HTTPS encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and our servers. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
8. Data Retention
We retain personal information only as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected. Contact form submissions are retained for up to 12 months. Email subscribers are retained until they unsubscribe.
9. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies.
10. Children's Privacy
VATCalc is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, please contact us immediately.
11. 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 our service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
12. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us:
- Email: hello@vatcalc.net
- Contact form: vatcalc.net/contact