Privacy policy
How we collect, use and protect personal information. Last updated: October 10, 2026.
Who we are
PhoneAnswerer is an AI phone answering service for businesses. It is operated by the company identified in the footer of this website (“we”, “us”, “our”). You can contact us about privacy at [email protected].
Two kinds of information
Our customers' information. When a business signs up, we collect and decide how to use its account information (for example the owner's name, email and business details). For this information we are responsible as the business that collects it.
Callers' information. When someone calls a business that uses PhoneAnswerer, we handle the call on that business's behalf, as its service provider. The business decides how that information is used. This includes the caller's phone number, the call recording, the transcript, the AI-generated summary and any details the caller gives (such as name, email, address or reason for calling).
What we collect
- Account information: name, email address, password (stored only as a secure hash) or Google sign-in details, team members you invite, plan and billing status.
- Business information: your business name, phone numbers, website, hours, services, FAQs, greeting and settings, including information we read from your website or Google Business Profile.
- Call information: caller phone numbers, call times and lengths, call audio and recordings, transcripts, AI-generated summaries and messages.
- Appointment information: details of appointments booked, rescheduled or canceled by phone, including the caller's name, phone number, email address, service address and ZIP code.
- Calendar information: if you connect Google Calendar or Microsoft 365 / Outlook, we access free/busy information and the events our receptionist creates (see “Google and Microsoft calendar data” below).
- Push notification subscriptions: if you turn on browser notifications, the subscription endpoint and keys your browser gives us.
- Technical information: IP address, browser type and log data needed to run and secure the service, and a session cookie (see our cookie policy).
How we use information
- To answer calls, answer callers' questions, take messages, book, reschedule and cancel appointments, and transfer calls, as set up by the business.
- To send appointment confirmation and reminder emails to callers who give an email address.
- To send the business email and push notifications and let them review calls in their account.
- To run, secure and improve the service, prevent abuse and spam, and provide support.
- To bill customers and meet our legal obligations.
We do not sell personal information, and we do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. We do not use call recordings or transcripts to train AI models.
Call recording
Calls are recorded so the business can review them. By default, callers hear a short notice at the start of each call that they are speaking with an AI assistant and that the call may be recorded. Some states require the consent of everyone on a call before it is recorded. The business using PhoneAnswerer is responsible for making sure its use of call recording complies with the laws that apply to it and its callers, and we recommend keeping the notice turned on.
Google and Microsoft calendar data
If you connect a Google or Microsoft calendar, we ask only for the access needed to check your availability and to create, update and delete the appointments our receptionist books.
- We use calendar data only to show availability to the receptionist and to create, update and delete the events it books, reschedules or cancels. We don't read the content of your other events beyond whether a time is busy.
- We never use calendar data for advertising, and we never sell it.
- We don't transfer calendar data to anyone except as needed to provide this feature, to comply with the law, or as part of a merger or acquisition.
- No person at PhoneAnswerer reads your calendar data unless you ask us to (for example for support), it is needed for security purposes such as investigating abuse, or the law requires it.
- You can disconnect your calendar at any time in your account, and from your Google or Microsoft account settings.
PhoneAnswerer's use and transfer of information received from Google APIs to any other app will adhere to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements. We apply the same limits to data received from Microsoft.
How long we keep information
| Information | How long |
|---|---|
| Call recordings | 30 days, then deleted automatically |
| Transcripts, summaries and messages | 12 months, then deleted automatically |
| Appointment details | While the account is open, or until the business deletes them |
| Account information | While the account is open, then as long as needed for legal, tax and accounting records |
Businesses can delete recordings and transcripts sooner from their account at any time.
Service providers who help us
We share information only with service providers that help us run PhoneAnswerer, under contracts that limit how they can use it:
| Provider | Purpose | Location |
|---|---|---|
| DigitalOcean | Hosting, database, stored recordings | London, United Kingdom |
| Twilio | Phone numbers, connecting and recording calls, call transfers | United States and other regions |
| OpenAI | The AI voice during calls, call summaries, reading business websites | EU and United States |
| Mailtrap | Sending emails (notifications, appointment confirmations and reminders) | EU and United States |
| “Continue with Google” sign-in, Business Profile lookup, Google Calendar (if you connect it) | United States and other regions | |
| Microsoft | Outlook / Microsoft 365 calendar (if you connect it) | United States and other regions |
| Cloudflare | Website security and delivery | Global |
| Payment provider | Processing payments (a payment processor or merchant of record) | Varies |
We may also disclose information if the law requires it, to protect the rights and safety of our users or the public, or as part of a merger or sale of our business.
International transfers
Our company is based in the European Union and our servers are in the United Kingdom. Information is processed in the United Kingdom, the European Union and the United States. By using PhoneAnswerer, you understand that your information may be processed outside the state or country where you live, and we protect it in the same way wherever it is processed.
Security
Information is encrypted in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and stored securely. Calendar connection tokens are encrypted. Access to accounts is protected by passwords or Google sign-in, and each business can only ever see its own data. No system is perfectly secure, but we work hard to protect your information.
Your privacy rights
Wherever you live, you can ask us to:
- tell you what personal information we hold about you and give you a copy;
- correct information that is wrong;
- delete your information (unless we need to keep it for legal reasons).
Email [email protected]. We'll verify your request and respond within 45 days. We won't treat you differently for using your rights. If you called a business that uses PhoneAnswerer, please contact that business first — it controls your call information, and we will help it respond.
California residents
If you live in California, the California Consumer Privacy Act (as amended by the CPRA) gives you the rights to know, access, correct and delete your personal information, to opt out of its sale or sharing, and to limit the use of sensitive personal information. We do not sell or share personal information as those terms are defined by California law, and we do not use sensitive personal information to infer characteristics about you. The categories of information we collect, where it comes from, why we use it and who we disclose it to are described above. You can use your rights by emailing [email protected], or through an authorized agent with your written permission. Residents of other states with similar privacy laws have similar rights, and we honor them in the same way.
Do Not Track
Because we don't track you across other websites, we don't change how our site works when your browser sends a Do Not Track or Global Privacy Control signal — there's no tracking to switch off.
Children
PhoneAnswerer is a business service and is not meant for children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has given us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.
Changes
We'll post any changes on this page and update the date at the top. If we make important changes, we'll tell customers by email.
Contact
Questions about privacy? Email [email protected].