Bulbul

Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 20, 2026

Bulbul is a free, open-source voice dictation app for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. This policy explains exactly what the app does with your data. The short version: your dictation stays on your device, your audio is sent to Groq using your own API key (and isn’t stored by us), and the only thing that ever leaves is an anonymous usage count you can switch off.

The short version

  • There is no Bulbul account and no sign-in.
  • Your dictation history, dictionary, snippets, and settings live only on your device.
  • Your audio goes straight to Groq using your own API key, never through a Bulbul server.
  • We collect anonymous usage statistics by default, which you can turn off in Settings.
  • We never sell your data, show ads, or track you across apps.

What stays on your device

The following never leave your device. They are stored locally (on Android, in the app’s private storage; on desktop, in a local database and config file):

  • Your dictation history and transcripts
  • Your custom dictionary, snippets, and transforms
  • Your settings, hotkeys, and preferences
  • Your Groq API key (used only to authenticate your requests to Groq)

You can delete all of it at any time by clearing the app’s data or uninstalling the app.

Your audio and Groq

To turn your speech into text, Bulbul sends the audio you dictate directly from your device to Groq, authenticated with your own Groq API key. Bulbul does not run its own server in between, and we never receive, see, or store your audio or transcripts.

Groq processes that audio as a data processor under its own terms. Per GroqCloud’s data policy, Groq is not permitted to use API inputs or outputs to train or fine-tune models, and by default does not retain data from inference requests. Your use of Groq is subject to Groq’s privacy policy and services agreement. Review them before dictating sensitive content.

Anonymous usage analytics

By default, Bulbul sends anonymous usage statistics to an analytics endpoint we host on Supabase, so we can understand what’s used and what breaks. This is limited to:

  • Counts and durations of dictations
  • Which features are used
  • Error categories (so we can fix crashes and failures)

It never includes your transcripts, your audio, your dictionary, or the names of the apps you dictate into. It contains no name, email, or account, because there is no account. You can turn analytics off completely in Settings → Privacy.

What we never collect or do

  • We never require an account, name, or email to use the app.
  • We never send your transcripts or audio to a Bulbul server (there isn’t one).
  • We never sell or rent your data.
  • We never show ads or use advertising trackers.
  • We never track your activity across other apps or websites.

Permissions (Android)

Bulbul asks for a small set of Android permissions, only to do the job of typing what you say into other apps:

  • Microphone — to record the speech you dictate. Recording happens only while you hold or tap to dictate.
  • Accessibility service — to insert the transcribed text into the field you’re typing in, and to detect which app is focused so the writing tone can adapt. Bulbul does not log, store, or transmit the screen content it reads, and it pauses on password fields.
  • Display over other apps — to show the floating dictation bubble above your keyboard.
  • Foreground service — to keep dictation responsive while you use other apps.
  • Internet — to send audio to Groq and, optionally, the anonymous analytics above.

Third-party services

Bulbul relies on these external services:

  • Groq — transcription and text cleanup, using your own API key. See links above.
  • Supabase — hosts the anonymous analytics endpoint (only if analytics is on).
  • GitHub — the app may check GitHub for new releases; no personal data is sent.

Data retention and deletion

Data stored on your device stays until you delete it — clear the app’s data or uninstall to remove everything. Anonymous analytics, if enabled, are retained only in aggregate and contain nothing that identifies you; turning analytics off stops any further collection. Audio sent to Groq is handled under Groq’s policies linked above.

Children’s privacy

Bulbul is a general-purpose productivity tool and is not directed to children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

Security

Your data lives on your own device and is protected by your device’s security. Requests to Groq and to the analytics endpoint are made over encrypted (HTTPS) connections. Because Bulbul is open source, you can review exactly how it handles your data on GitHub.

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, we’ll update the “last updated” date at the top. Material changes will be reflected here before they take effect.

Contact

Questions about privacy? Email support@bulbultypes.xyz.