Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 26, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how BarberShops.net ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and shares information when you visit our website, create an account, claim or add a listing, create a barber profile, subscribe to a paid plan, or contact a barber or shop through the site (collectively, the "Service"). By using the Service, you agree to the practices described here. If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.

1. Information We Collect

Account information

When you register, we collect your email address and password (stored as a secure hash, never in plain text), or, if you sign in with Google or Apple, the name, email address, and profile photo those providers share with us. If your Apple or Google account doesn't share an email with us, we generate a placeholder address so your account can still function. We also record whether you've agreed to these Terms and this Policy, and the date you did so.

Listing, profile, and business information

If you claim or add a shop listing, or create an individual barber profile, we collect the information you provide: business or display name, bio, years of experience, specialties, languages, services and pricing, address, business email, website, and social media links, along with any photos you upload (a profile photo and a gallery, up to the limits we set). This information is displayed publicly on the Service.

Payment information

Subscription payments are processed by Stripe. Card numbers and other sensitive payment details are entered directly into Stripe's secure payment form and are transmitted to Stripe — we never receive or store your full card number. We do store a reference to your Stripe customer record, the card type and last four digits (for display purposes, e.g. "•••• 4242"), and subscription/billing status.

Information submitted by site visitors (not just account holders)

Anyone can submit a "Book Appointment" request on a barber's profile, use our general contact form, or report inaccurate listing information — you do not need an account to do this. These forms collect the name, email address, and message (and, for booking requests, phone number and preferred service/date/time) that the visitor chooses to enter. That information is emailed directly to the relevant barber, shop, or to our support team, and is used only to deliver and respond to that specific request.

Information collected automatically

Like most websites, we automatically log standard technical information when you visit — IP address, browser and device type, pages viewed, referring page, and timestamps. We use cookies and similar technologies as described in Section 2 below.

2. Cookies and Similar Technologies

The Service uses the following cookies:

  • Session cookie — keeps you logged in and remembers your session while you browse.
  • CSRF token (XSRF-TOKEN) — a security cookie that protects forms on the site from being submitted by malicious third-party sites.
  • "Remember me" token — set when you choose to stay logged in, or when you sign in with Google or Apple, so you don't have to log in again on your next visit.
  • OAuth security cookie — a short-lived (10-minute) cookie used only during Google/Apple sign-in to verify the login attempt came from your own browser.
  • Google Analytics and Google AdSense cookies — used to understand site usage and to show relevant advertising, described further in Section 4.

You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but some parts of the Service — including staying logged in and completing forms — may not work correctly without them.

3. How We Use Information

We use the information we collect to:

  • Operate the Service, including creating and securing your account and displaying listings and profiles;
  • Process subscription payments and manage billing, renewals, and cancellations through Stripe;
  • Deliver booking requests, contact form messages, and inaccurate-listing reports to their intended recipient;
  • Send account-related email, such as registration confirmations, password resets, and billing notices;
  • Monitor and fix errors and technical issues (via Sentry);
  • Understand how the Service is used and improve it; and
  • Detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, abuse, or violations of our Terms.

4. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share information with the following categories of service providers, only as needed for them to perform services for us:

  • Stripe — payment processing and subscription billing.
  • Google and Apple — to support "Sign in with Google/Apple," and, for Google, also for Analytics, AdSense advertising, address geocoding (used to place shop/barber locations on the map), and reCAPTCHA spam protection on our forms.
  • MapTiler — powers the interactive maps on listing and search pages; loading a map shares your IP address with MapTiler in order to serve map tiles.
  • Sentry — error monitoring, configured not to collect personal data such as IP addresses or request details by default.
  • Our email delivery provider — used to send account and transactional emails.

We may also disclose information if required by law, to enforce our Terms, to protect the rights, property, or safety of BarberShops.net or others, or in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets (in which case we'll make reasonable efforts to notify affected users).

Content you make public — such as your shop listing, barber profile, business details, and uploaded photos — is visible to anyone who visits the Service, including search engines that may index it.

4a. Booking Requests and Barber-Facing Data

If you submit a booking request or message through a barber or shop's profile, that message — including your name, contact information, and any details you include — is sent directly to that barber or shop by email. BarberShops.net does not control, and is not responsible for, how a barber or shop stores, uses, or protects information they receive this way once it's delivered to them.

5. Advertising

The Service displays advertising through Google AdSense and uses Google Analytics to understand site traffic. These tools may use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertising tailored to your interests. To learn more or opt out, visit Google Ads Settings or the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page. You can also learn more about Google's practices at Google Privacy & Terms.

6. Data Retention and Account Deletion

We retain account information for as long as your account is active. You can delete your account at any time from your dashboard. Deleting your account will:

  • Cancel any active subscription (you will not be billed again);
  • Permanently delete your barber profile, portfolio photos, and profile photo, if you have one;
  • Remove your claim on a shop listing — the listing returns to unclaimed status, but the underlying business listing itself is not deleted, since it reflects a real-world business, not personal data about you; and
  • Permanently delete your login credentials and account record.

Some information may persist after account deletion: emails already sent (such as a copy of a booking request or contact form submission retained in our support inbox), records Stripe retains for its own tax, accounting, and legal purposes, and de-identified or aggregated analytics and error-monitoring data. We retain this residual information only as long as reasonably necessary for those purposes.

7. Data Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect information, including encrypting passwords, using HTTPS across the Service, and never storing full payment card numbers. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, however, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Your Choices and Rights

You can review and update your account information, or delete your account entirely, from your dashboard at any time. You can also contact us at support@barbershops.net to ask what information we hold about you, request a copy of it, or request that we correct or delete it, subject to the retention needs described in Section 6.

If you are a California resident, you may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information we collect, to request deletion, and to not be discriminated against for exercising these rights. We do not sell personal information as defined by the CCPA. You can exercise these rights by contacting us at the email above.

9. Children's Privacy

The Service is not directed to, and accounts may not be created by, anyone under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us at support@barbershops.net and we will delete it.

10. Third-Party Links

The Service may link to, or embed content from, third-party websites and services we don't control, including individual barber shop or barber websites and social media profiles. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of any third party. Review their privacy policies before providing them with information.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes are effective when posted on this page, and we will update the "Last updated" date above. If we make material changes, we will make reasonable efforts to notify account holders, such as by email.

12. Contact Us

Questions about this Privacy Policy, or requests regarding your information, can be sent to support@barbershops.net. See also our Terms and Conditions.