Privacy Policy
Effective Date: January 1st, 2026
Last Updated: March 1st, 2026
PubRef Pro ("PubRef Pro," "we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, when we may share it, and the choices available to you when you use our website, pubrefpro.com ("Site") and the PubRef Pro WordPress plugin ("Plugin").
By using the Site or Plugin, you agree to this Privacy Policy.
1. Information We Collect
We may collect the following types of information:Information you provide directly
You may choose to provide information when you:- contact us through a support form
- purchase a license through our checkout
- request a refund or account change
- report a bug or submit a feature request
- send us a message
- name
- email address
- message content
- any other information you choose to submit
Information collected automatically
When you visit the Site, we may automatically collect certain technical information, such as:- IP address
- browser type
- device type
- operating system
- referring website
- pages visited
- time spent on pages
- approximate location based on IP
- dates and times of visits
Plugin usage
The PubRef Pro plugin makes requests to the NCBI PubMed E-utilities API on behalf of your WordPress site to retrieve publication data. We do not collect, store, or transmit any data from your WordPress installation or your site visitors. All API requests are made directly from your server to NCBI. Please review NCBI's privacy policy for information on how they handle API requests.License and payment information
License purchases and billing are handled by Freemius, our licensing and payment platform. We do not store full payment card details on our servers. Payment and license information is handled according to Freemius's privacy policy and security practices.2. How We Use Information
We may use information we collect to:- operate, maintain, and improve the Site and Plugin
- respond to support requests, bug reports, and feature suggestions
- process and manage license purchases and renewals
- understand how visitors use the Site
- troubleshoot issues and maintain security
- prevent fraud, abuse, or misuse
- comply with legal obligations
3. Cookies and Similar Technologies
We may use cookies and similar technologies to:- keep the Site functioning properly
- understand traffic and usage patterns
- improve performance and usability
- remember preferences
- support analytics or third-party services
4. Analytics
We may use analytics tools to better understand how people use the Site. These tools may collect information such as pages viewed, traffic sources, browser type, and approximate geography. Analytics providers may process data according to their own privacy policies.5. Contact Forms and Support Messages
If you contact us through a support form or email, we may keep your message and contact details so we can:- respond to your inquiry
- review feedback
- fix reported bugs
- consider feature requests
- improve the Site and Plugin
6. Sharing of Information
We do not sell your personal information. We may share information in limited situations, including:- with Freemius for license management and payment processing
- with service providers who help operate the Site
- with analytics providers, if used
- if required by law, subpoena, court order, or legal process
- to protect the rights, safety, security, or property of PubRef Pro, users, or others
- in connection with a business transfer, sale, merger, or reorganization
7. Third-Party Links and Services
The Site and Plugin interact with third-party services including NCBI PubMed and Freemius. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. Please review their privacy policies before sharing information with them.8. Data Retention
We keep information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including:- responding to support messages
- maintaining license records
- improving the Site and Plugin
- complying with legal obligations
- resolving disputes
- enforcing our terms
9. Data Security
We take reasonable steps to help protect information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, or alteration. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.10. Children's Privacy
The Site and Plugin are not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal information, contact us and we will take reasonable steps to delete it.11. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have certain privacy rights.California residents
If the California Consumer Privacy Act ("CCPA") applies to our business, California residents may have rights such as:- the right to know what personal information is collected, used, and shared
- the right to request deletion of personal information, subject to exceptions
- the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information, where applicable
- the right not to be discriminated against for exercising privacy rights