Overview
StekVPN is a one-tap VPN client for iOS and Android, operated by Stek B.V. (Rotterdam, the Netherlands). This document describes what data the app and our servers collect when you use the service, and what we do with that data.
We try to keep this policy short and honest. Where we collect something, we say so plainly. Where the industry norm is to mumble, we've tried not to.
We keep connection logs (timestamps and the amount of data your session moved) and basic crash & diagnostic data. We do not keep a record of which websites you visit or what your traffic contains. We do not sell any of this to anyone.
Data we collect
StekVPN is not a no-logs VPN. We collect a small amount of operational data because we need it to run the service, diagnose problems, and prevent abuse. Specifically:
Connection metadata
- Session timestamp
- When your VPN session started and ended, rounded to the nearest minute.
- Bytes transferred
- Total upload and download volume per session. We do not break this down by destination.
- VPN server
- Which of our servers you connected to. We currently operate one location.
- Source IP (truncated)
- The first two octets of the IP you connected from, used for rate-limiting and abuse prevention. Full IPs are dropped at the edge.
Device & app diagnostics
- App version, OS version, and device model (e.g. "iPhone 15, iOS 18.4").
- Crash reports including the stack trace at the time of the crash. No traffic data is attached.
- Anonymous in-app events (e.g. "connect tapped", "settings opened"). No identifiers are attached.
Support correspondence
If you email us, we keep the email and our reply for as long as is reasonably needed to resolve your issue and as legally required for our records.
Data we don't collect
To be clear about the negative space:
- We do not log the destinations of your traffic — no DNS queries, no domains, no URLs.
- We do not inspect, store, or analyse the contents of your traffic. The VPN tunnel is end-to-end encrypted with WireGuard.
- We do not require an account, an email address, or a phone number to use the free tier.
- We do not embed third-party advertising or analytics SDKs in the app.
- We do not sell, rent, or trade any data we hold to data brokers, advertisers, or marketing partners.
Why we keep what we keep
Each piece of data above earns its place:
- Session timestamps & bytes
- Capacity planning. We need to know whether a server is at 30% or 95% utilisation before it starts dropping connections.
- Truncated source IP
- Abuse prevention. Without it, a single attacker can DoS the service and we have no way to stop them.
- Crash reports
- Fixing crashes. We can't fix what we can't see.
- Anonymous events
- Product decisions. Knowing that 12% of users open Settings helps us know whether a feature is discoverable.
How long we keep your data
- Connection metadata
- 14 days, then permanently deleted.
- Crash reports
- 90 days, or until the underlying issue is closed — whichever is sooner.
- In-app events
- 13 months, in aggregate form only (no per-user records).
- Support emails
- 24 months from your last reply.
Your rights (GDPR)
Because we operate from the Netherlands, the EU General Data Protection Regulation applies to every user, regardless of where you live. You have the right to:
- Access the data we hold about you.
- Correct anything that is wrong.
- Delete all your data ("right to be forgotten").
- Export a machine-readable copy.
- Object to specific processing, and withdraw consent at any time.
- Lodge a complaint with the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (the Dutch data-protection authority).
To exercise any of these, email privacy@stekvpn.com. We'll respond within 30 days. Because we don't collect identifiers, you'll need to send us the request from the email address tied to any support correspondence — or, if there is none, we can only offer a blanket deletion.
Children
StekVPN is not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone we know to be under 16. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has used the app, contact us and we will delete any associated records.
Changes to this policy
When we change anything material in this policy, we'll:
- Bump the version number at the top of this page.
- Update the "Last updated" date.
- Show a notice inside the app on next launch summarising what changed.
Minor wording fixes won't trigger a notice. The version history is available on request.
Contact us
Questions, requests, or complaints about privacy go to:
- privacy@stekvpn.com
- Post
- Stek B.V., Attn: Privacy Officer — Wijnhaven 65, 3011 WJ Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Supervisory authority
- Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens
For general support (a server that won't connect, a billing question, a feature request) please use the contact form instead — it gets to the right team faster. Contact