Your privacy matters to us
DirectoryCompare Pro is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding your information.
When you activate a license key, we collect:
| Data Type | Purpose | Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Machine ID | Hardware fingerprint for license binding (CPU ID, disk serial, machine name) | Local only - stored in %APPDATA%\DirectoryComparePro |
| License Tier | Determine available features | Local only |
| Activation Date | Trial expiration tracking | Local only |
Important: License validation happens offline. No internet connection is required after initial activation. Your machine ID never leaves your computer during normal usage.
When you submit a bug report or feedback via the in-app dialog, we collect:
| Data Type | Purpose | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Personalize communication and reward emails | Yes |
| Email Address | Send license key rewards, follow-up questions | Yes |
| Machine ID | Generate hardware-bound reward license keys, track duplicate reports | Yes (automatic) |
| Bug Description | Understand and fix reported issues | Yes |
| System Info | OS version, build date for troubleshooting | Yes (automatic) |
How We Use This Data:
Reward System: If your bug report or feedback is particularly helpful (e.g., identifies a critical bug, suggests a valuable feature), we may email you a free license key upgrade as a thank you. The machine ID you submit allows us to generate a hardware-bound key that works only on your computer.
DirectoryCompare Pro stores your preferences locally on your computer:
%APPDATA%\DirectoryComparePro\config.json (Windows) or ~/.dircompare/config.json (Linux)If you use the GitHub integration feature, DirectoryCompare Pro connects to GitHub's public API to fetch repository file trees. This connection is made directly from your computer to GitHub - we do not act as a proxy.
If you use the FTP integration feature, DirectoryCompare Pro connects directly to your specified FTP server. Your credentials are sent directly from your computer to your FTP server - not through our systems.
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| License activation data | Stored locally on your computer indefinitely (you can delete anytime) |
| Bug reports | Retained until issue resolved, then archived (typically 1-2 years) |
| Application settings | Stored locally on your computer until you uninstall |
You can request a copy of any data we have about you by emailing [email protected].
You can request deletion of your data by emailing us. Note that deleting bug report data may prevent us from sending you reward license keys in the future.
If your email address or name in a bug report is incorrect, contact us to update it.
All your local data (settings, bookmarks) is stored in plain JSON files at
%APPDATA%\DirectoryComparePro (Windows) or ~/.dircompare (Linux).
You can copy these files to another computer anytime.
We protect your data through:
DirectoryCompare Pro is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected data from a child, please contact us immediately.
DirectoryCompare Pro is developed and supported from the United States. If you use our software from outside the US, your data may be transferred to and processed in the US. By using DirectoryCompare Pro, you consent to this transfer.
We may update this Privacy Policy occasionally. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. Continued use of DirectoryCompare Pro after changes constitutes acceptance of the new policy.
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us:
What we collect:
What we DON'T collect:
How we use it:
Who we share with: