Your Privacy & No Subscription
No Required Subscription, No Hidden Costs
When you buy a Tidesy, you get the complete device experience. There is no monthly fee, no premium tier, no "pro" unlock, and no in-app purchases to use the device itself. Every feature works on day one and keeps working forever. Tide data comes from NOAA, weather from MET Norway, and alerts from the National Weather Service. All three are free public government APIs that require no authentication and no payment.
Firmware updates are delivered automatically over WiFi at no charge. New features, performance improvements, and bug fixes arrive on your device without you doing anything beyond keeping it plugged in and connected.
The only subscription Tidesy offers is Tidesy Premium, the optional cloud-hosted dashboard for remote access from outside your home network. Every device includes a free 6-month trial; if you never convert it, your device keeps working exactly as it always has — the local dashboard at tidesy.local stays available forever on your home network.
No App Required
Tidesy does not require a phone app. Setup happens through a web browser (any browser on any device). The web dashboard at tidesy.local gives you the full interactive experience, also through a browser. There is nothing to install, nothing to keep updated on your phone, and no app permissions to grant.
Local by Default
The Tidesy device operates fully locally by default. There is no cloud service, no login, no email registration, and no account of any kind to use it. The device connects directly to public APIs for its data and serves the web dashboard from its own built-in web server on your local network. The optional Tidesy Cloud opt-in (described below) is the only way data ever leaves your home network — and it requires you to explicitly click the Cloud button on the local dashboard.
Privacy by Design
AES-128 Encrypted Passwords
Your WiFi password is encrypted using AES-128 on the device's flash memory. It is never transmitted anywhere beyond the initial WiFi connection.
No Telemetry
Tidesy does not include any analytics, telemetry, or third-party tracking. The device does not phone home, report usage statistics, or share data with anyone.
Minimal Data Sent
The only data Tidesy sends to external services are geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) to fetch weather and tide data. No names, email addresses, or other personal information is transmitted.
Everything Stays Local
The web dashboard, device settings, station data, and all configuration are stored on the device and served over your local network. Nothing is stored in the cloud.
Public APIs We Use
| Service | Data | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| NOAA Tides & Currents | Tide predictions and station directory | Free, public |
| National Weather Service | Weather alerts | Free, public |
| MET Norway | Temperature, wind speed, wind direction | Free, public |
| ip-api.com | Location detection (optional, during setup only) | Free, public |
| Open-Meteo | Hourly rain forecast | Free, public |
| Iowa State Mesonet | Live weather radar (web and cloud maps) | Free, public |
Tidesy Cloud (Optional)
Tidesy Cloud lets you view your tide data from any browser, anywhere. It’s completely optional and off by default. You activate it by tapping the Cloud button on your web dashboard.
When enabled, your device sends only your station list and display preferences to a secure server. No WiFi passwords, no home address, no personal information. The online dashboard then fetches live data from the same public sources listed above.
If you perform a factory reset, your cloud data is automatically deleted. Learn more about Tidesy Cloud.
The bottom line: Tidesy is a one-time purchase. The device works out of the box, stays up to date automatically, and never asks you for money, personal information, or an account. The optional Tidesy Premium cloud subscription is the only paid service, and your device works fully without it. Your data is your data. See how the data flows or get started.