Stop buying things
you already own.

The questions worth asking.

Why would I give you photos of everything I own?

It is a fair question, and the honest answer is that you should not do it for an app that won't tell you how it works. So Stowbook publishes its architecture, its data retention periods, and its security model in plain language. Read the security page and the privacy policy before you decide — they are written to be read, not to be clicked past.

What happens to a photo when I scan it?

It is uploaded to your account, and a copy is sent to a cloud AI vision service to identify what is in it. The AI provider processes the image to return a result under a data-processing agreement and does not use it to train its models. The photo then lives in your account, in your chosen region, until you delete it.

Where exactly is my data stored?

In the region you choose at signup: the United States (AWS Ohio) or the European Union (AWS Frankfurt). These are two independent deployments. Your data is never copied from one to the other, and the choice is fixed to your account so it cannot be quietly migrated later.

Do I have to use the phone app?

No. Stowbook runs in the browser at app.stowbook.app, with the same inventory. The phone is better for capture — the camera, barcode scanning, and offline access are all on the phone — but nothing is locked to it.

Does it work without a signal?

Yes. Your whole inventory is stored on your device as well as in the cloud, so the basement, the attic, and the storage unit behave exactly like the kitchen. Changes sync when you get a connection back.

What happens to my inventory if I stop paying, or if Stowbook disappears?

You can export your entire inventory, with photos, at any time, for free, without upgrading and without asking us. That is deliberate: an inventory you cannot get out of the app is not a record, it is a hostage.

If I delete my account, is it actually deleted?

Yes — your inventory, your photos, and your account data are deleted. Two things survive, and both are disclosed in the privacy policy: anonymous financial transaction records that tax law requires us to keep, and server access logs on their normal retention schedule. Neither contains any of your inventory.

We apply Europe's GDPR standard — access, portability, correction, erasure — to every Stowbook user, wherever you live, whether or not we are legally required to in your jurisdiction. We would rather run one honest policy than a good one for Europeans and a worse one for everyone else.