How your data is stored
StoryFolder is designed with a clear separation between your videos (which stay on your computer) and your notes and account info (which are stored on our servers so they can sync and be shared).
Where do my videos live?
Always on your computer.
- File imports — the original file stays exactly where you put it. StoryFolder reads it; it doesn't copy it.
- URL imports — the downloaded video is cached in StoryFolder's local app data folder. It's not uploaded to our servers.
In neither case do we upload your video to StoryFolder's servers.
Where do my thumbnails live?
In StoryFolder's local app data folder on your computer. Thumbnails are generated when you import and re-used every time you open the project.
- macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/StoryFolder - Windows:
%APPDATA%\StoryFolder
If you publish a share link, the thumbnails needed for that link are uploaded so viewers on the web can see them.
Where do my notes live?
In two places:
- Locally — in StoryFolder's local database, alongside your shot list and project metadata.
- On our servers — so they sync across machines and underpin sharing.
Your notes are tied to your account and never visible to anyone except you, unless you publish a share link.
Where does my account information live?
On StoryFolder's servers. This includes:
- Email, name, and password (hashed — we never see your plain-text password).
- Your subscription state (managed by Stripe; we only store identifiers).
- Your activated machine fingerprints (so we know which devices are signed in).
Where does payment information live?
With Stripe, a PCI-compliant payment processor. StoryFolder never sees or stores your card number, expiration, or CVV. We only store a Stripe customer ID, last four digits, and brand for display purposes.
How long do you keep my data?
- Active accounts: as long as you have an account.
- Cancelled paid accounts: indefinitely on the Free plan unless you delete your account.
- Deleted accounts: your data is purged shortly after deletion. See Delete your account.
How is my data secured?
- In transit: all connections to StoryFolder use HTTPS.
- At rest: databases are hosted on professionally managed infrastructure with disk-level encryption.
- Passwords: hashed with bcrypt.
- Machine licenses: encrypted with strong symmetric encryption.
What about the privacy policy?
Our full privacy policy is at storyfolder.com/privacy. It's the legally binding source — this page is a plain-English summary.