Have you ever wondered: "Does my privacy policy actually match what my app does today?"
It's a question every developer should ask, but few have the tools to answer. You might have written your privacy policy months ago, or copied a template from another app. Since then, you've added Firebase Analytics, integrated Stripe payments, requested location permissions, and added a dozen other features.
Your policy? It probably hasn't been updated.
Today, we're introducing Compliance Check—a new feature that answers this question in seconds.
What is Compliance Check?
Compliance Check is a verification tool that compares your existing privacy policy against your app's actual behavior, detected from code scans. It identifies gaps, missing disclosures, and potential compliance risks—all before you submit to app stores or face regulatory scrutiny.
The Problem It Solves
Most developers face one of these scenarios:
- You wrote your policy months ago - Your app has evolved, but your policy hasn't
- You used a template - Generic templates don't reflect your specific SDKs and permissions
- You're not sure what to disclose - You know you use Firebase, but don't know if your policy mentions it correctly
- You're preparing for app store submission - You need confidence that your policy is accurate
Compliance Check solves all of these by giving you an instant, automated reality check.
How Compliance Check Works
The process is simple and takes just a few minutes:
Step 1: Select Your Document Type
Currently, Compliance Check supports Privacy Policy verification (with more document types coming soon). Select "Privacy Policy" from the document type dropdown.
Step 2: Paste Your Existing Policy
Copy and paste your current privacy policy text into the editor. No file uploads, no complex setup—just paste and go.
Step 3: Automatic Comparison
AppClerk automatically:
- Checks for existing scan data - If you've already scanned your project, we use that data
- Triggers a new scan if needed - If no scan exists, we automatically scan your repository
- Compares policy text with detected behavior - Matches your policy disclosures against:
- Detected SDKs (Firebase, Stripe, Mixpanel, etc.)
- Requested permissions (Location, Camera, Contacts, etc.)
- Data collection practices
- Third-party service integrations
Step 4: Get Your Compliance Score
You receive:
- Compliance Score (0-100%) - Overall alignment between your policy and app behavior
- Verdict - Aligned, Partial Alignment, or High Risk
- Issue Breakdown - Specific gaps with severity levels (Critical, High, Medium, Low)
- Recommendations - Actionable steps to fix each issue
Why This Matters
App Store Compliance
Both Apple and Google require accurate privacy policies. If your policy doesn't match your app's behavior, you risk:
- App Store rejection
- App removal after review
- Delayed launches
- User trust issues
Regulatory Compliance
GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations require accurate disclosures. Non-compliance can result in:
- Fines (up to 4% of annual revenue under GDPR)
- Legal action
- Reputational damage
User Trust
Users are increasingly privacy-conscious. A policy that doesn't match your app's behavior erodes trust and can lead to:
- Negative reviews
- Uninstalls
- Support requests
Getting Started with Compliance Check
Compliance Check is available to all users, including those on the Free plan. Here's how to use it:
- Navigate to Compliance - Go to your dashboard and click "Compliance" in the navigation
- Click "Check Compliance" - You'll see a card at the top of the compliance page
- Follow the wizard - The feature guides you through:
- Introduction and overview
- Document type selection
- Pasting your policy text
- Viewing results
What You Need
- An AppClerk account (sign up at appclerk.dev)
- A project with a connected GitHub repository (or we'll scan it automatically)
- Your existing privacy policy text (copy-paste ready)
Understanding Your Results
Compliance Score
Your score represents how well your policy aligns with detected app behavior:
- 90-100% (Aligned) - Your policy accurately reflects your app. Minor improvements may be suggested.
- 60-89% (Partial Alignment) - Some gaps exist. Review the issues and update your policy.
- 0-59% (High Risk) - Significant gaps detected. Immediate action recommended.
Issue Severity
Each issue is categorized by severity:
- Critical - Missing disclosures for high-risk data collection (e.g., location, payment data)
- High - Missing disclosures for analytics or advertising SDKs
- Medium - Missing disclosures for optional features or permissions
- Low - Minor clarifications or improvements
Recommendations
For each issue, Compliance Check provides:
- What's missing - Specific SDK, permission, or data type not disclosed
- Why it matters - Compliance and legal implications
- How to fix - Suggested policy language or updates
Real-World Example
Let's say you run Compliance Check on your e-commerce app:
Detected:
- Firebase Analytics
- Stripe payment processing
- Location permissions
- Camera access
Your Policy Mentions:
- Analytics (generic)
- Payment processing
- ❌ Location (missing)
- ❌ Camera (missing)
Result:
- Score: 65% (Partial Alignment)
- 2 High-severity issues
- Recommendations to add location and camera disclosures
You update your policy, re-run Compliance Check, and now score 95% (Aligned).
What's Next?
Compliance Check is just the beginning. We're working on:
- More document types - Terms & Conditions, Cookie Policy, and more
- Automated policy updates - Suggestions that you can apply with one click
- Continuous monitoring - Alerts when your policy drifts from your app's behavior
- Integration with document generation - Fix issues automatically by generating updated policies
Try Compliance Check Today
Compliance Check is available now for all AppClerk users. It's free to use and takes just minutes to verify your policy.
Ready to check your compliance?
- Sign in to AppClerk
- Navigate to Compliance in your dashboard
- Click Check Compliance
- Paste your privacy policy and get instant results
