Last updated: July 10, 2026
Your privacy matters. Symposium is a Calibre companion that connects directly to your Calibre server. It requires no account, no cloud, and no tracking.
Short Version
- We do not collect any personal data.
- We do not use analytics SDKs or third-party trackers.
- We do not require an account or sign-up.
- You connect Symposium to your own Calibre server — we never see it.
- Credentials are stored securely in the iOS Keychain.
- Optional iCloud sync uses Apple's CloudKit with end-to-end encryption.
Information We Collect
None. Symposium does not collect, transmit, or store any personal information on any server we operate. No analytics, no crash reporting, no advertising identifiers, no tracking of any kind.
Data Stored on Your Device
Symposium stores data locally in its sandboxed container:
- Book files downloaded from your Calibre server or OPDS catalogs
- Cached library metadata from your Calibre server (titles, authors, tags, series, custom columns)
- Book cover images (cached for offline browsing)
- Reading positions, reading status, and ratings
- Calibre server connection details (host, port, nickname)
- Server credentials (username/password) — stored in iOS Keychain, never in app storage
- OPDS catalog URLs and authentication state
- Sync logs (timestamps, operation types, success/failure status)
All this data stays on your device and is only used to communicate with your Calibre server.
iCloud Sync
Symposium offers optional iCloud sync for reading positions, library metadata, and collections across your iPhone and iPad. This uses Apple's CloudKit framework with end-to-end encryption. You can disable iCloud sync at any time in Settings. No sync data is accessible to us.
Third-Party Services
The only external service Symposium connects to is your Calibre server, which you host and control. Symposium also supports browsing OPDS catalogs that you subscribe to. We do not operate any catalog servers. We have no access to your Calibre library or your OPDS credentials.
Crash Reporting
We do not use third-party crash reporting. If you opt in to share crash reports with Apple via the standard iOS dialog, that data goes to Apple under their privacy policy.
In-App Purchases
Purchases are processed by Apple via the App Store. We do not receive or store payment information. Receipt data is verified locally on your device to unlock features.