Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Softwares.com (the “Site,” “we,” “us”) collects, uses, and shares information when you use the Site. By using the Site you agree to this Policy and to our Terms of Service. We aim to collect as little personal information as possible.

1. Information we collect

• Account information.If you sign in, we store your email address and basic account data needed to authenticate you (we use one-time “magic links” — we do not store passwords).
• Content you submit. Reviews, ratings, tool submissions, and any name or message you choose to provide. This may be displayed publicly (excluding email).
• Usage and device data. We collect limited analytics such as pages viewed, referring source, approximate location (country), browser/user-agent, and similar technical data.
• Click data. When you click an outbound or affiliate link, we may log the destination, the page you came from, your approximate country, your user-agent, and a one-way hashed (non-reversible) form of your IP address. We do not store raw IP addresses for clicks.
• Cookies and local storage. See the Cookies section below.

2. How we use information

• To operate, secure, maintain, and improve the Site;
• To authenticate accounts and remember your saved tools and comparison selections;
• To display and moderate reviews and submissions;
• To measure traffic and the performance of links and content;
• To attribute affiliate referrals and prevent fraud and abuse;
• To respond to your inquiries; and
• To comply with legal obligations.

3. Cookies, local storage, and tracking

We and our service providers use cookies and similar technologies, including:

• A session cookie to keep you signed in;
• A referral cookie to attribute affiliate referrals;
• Browser local storage to remember your compare selections (this stays on your device);
• Privacy-conscious analytics to understand aggregate usage; and
• Affiliate networks (such as Skimlinks or Sovrn) that may set cookies or use tracking to attribute commissions when you click outbound links.

You can control cookies through your browser settings; disabling them may affect some features.

4. Third-party services

We rely on third-party providers to run the Site, which may process limited data on our behalf or under their own policies, including: hosting and analytics (e.g., Vercel), database hosting (e.g., Neon/Postgres), email delivery (e.g., Resend or SendGrid), affiliate networks (e.g., Skimlinks, Sovrn, PartnerStack, Impact), and logo/screenshot services that fetch publicly available brand images by domain. These providers have their own privacy practices, which we do not control. Outbound links lead to third-party sites governed by their own privacy policies.

5. How we share information

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only: with service providers who help us operate the Site; with affiliate networks as needed to attribute referrals; when required by law, legal process, or to protect rights, safety, and security; and in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets. Public User Content (such as reviews and the name you attach to them) is visible to anyone.

6. Data retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes described here or as required by law. Sign-in links expire quickly; sessions expire after a period of inactivity; click logs are stored in aggregated or hashed form.

7. Security

We take reasonable measures to protect information, but no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, and you provide information at your own risk.

8. Your rights

Depending on your location (including under the GDPR and CCPA/CPRA), you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or restrict processing of your personal information, and to object to certain processing. To make a request, email advisor@fih.com. We will respond as required by applicable law. We do not “sell” or “share” personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising as those terms are defined under California law.

9. Children

The Site is not directed to children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided us information, contact us and we will delete it.

10. International users

The Site is operated from, and information may be processed in, jurisdictions that may have different data protection laws than your own. By using the Site you consent to such processing and transfer.

11. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. Changes take effect when posted on this page with an updated “Last updated” date. Your continued use of the Site constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

12. Contact

Questions about privacy? Contact us at advisor@fih.com.