We built Nearbys around the principle that social discovery shouldn't require surrendering your personal data.
Last updated: April 7, 2026
Nearbys is an iOS application developed by Maximusdevs (Bundle ID: maximusdevs.Nearby). This privacy policy explains how the Nearbys app handles your information. If you have questions, please visit our Support page. Support page.
Nearbys does not collect, store, transmit, or process any of the following:
Nearbys uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to communicate directly between nearby devices. The following data is broadcast from your device to other Nearbys users within Bluetooth range (~20 meters). This data is never sent to any server.
Nearbys has no backend infrastructure. There are no servers, no databases, no cloud storage, and no API endpoints. All communication happens exclusively between devices via Bluetooth LE, directly phone-to-phone. This means that we as developers have no technical ability to access, view, or retrieve any data related to your usage of Nearbys — even if compelled by law, because the data does not exist anywhere outside of your device.
Nearbys stores the following locally on your device only (UserDefaults): your display name, status tag, profile photo, random UUID, block list, and local reports. All of this data is permanently deleted when you uninstall the app.
Nearbys requires Bluetooth permission to function. It uses Bluetooth in both foreground and background modes (bluetooth-central, bluetooth-peripheral) to maintain discovery when the app is not actively open.
Nearbys requests camera and photo library access only when you choose to set or update a profile photo. You can remove your profile photo at any time in the app.
With your permission, Nearbys sends local notifications when new peers are discovered while the app is in the background. These notifications are generated entirely on your device and are not sent through any notification server.
Nearbys does not include any third-party analytics, advertising, crash-reporting, or tracking SDKs. The app uses only Apple's native iOS frameworks.
Nearbys is rated 17+ on the App Store. Because we collect no personal information, we have no means to identify or verify user age.
Bluetooth LE communications are subject to Bluetooth pairing security available on iOS. Because all data is ephemeral and broadcast (not stored on servers), there is no central point of data breach risk.
If we update this privacy policy, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top and post a notice in the app on the next launch.
If you have questions about this privacy policy or Nearbys' data practices, please visit our to get in touch. Support page to get in touch.