Who sees what

A bill, tab or group is seen only by the people on it, and by anyone holding its link before they join. Someone with a bill's link sees what is on the bill, so they can find their seat, but only the first names of the people on it, and never anyone's contact or payment details. Your payment details are shown only to the people who need them to pay you. Invite links are not listed by search engines, and a link's preview in a chat names no bill and no amount.

How a bill's link looks before taking a seat

1. Who invited them, by first name, such as "Maya invited you to split".
2. The bill's name, its day, and its Total.
3. Every item and its price, and how much is not claimed yet.
4. On this bill: the first names of the seats already taken. Surnames stay with the bill.

They do not see anyone's email, phone number, account or payment details. A tab's link shows its name, what was spent so far and first names, and nothing of anyone's balance. A group's link shows its name, its purpose and first names.

Who sees your payment details

1. Open Settings and press Payment methods to see what you have added.
2. The screen says "Anyone who owes you sees these, guests too" and "Nobody else sees them".
3. Your bank account is shown only to someone who owes you on a bill that is Ready for payment, or in a tab.

A bank account's account number and sort code are encrypted before they are stored. Other ways to be paid, such as a PayPal address, are stored as entered, so they can be shown to the people who owe you. TabApp does not take payments, so it never has a card number.

What a guest's browser keeps

Someone who takes a seat with no account is remembered on that browser by a cookie, for 30 days from when they took it. Whoever runs the bill sees which browser and device the seat is held on, such as "Safari on iOS", so they can tell whether it is the right person. Not you?, on the screen that shows what the seat had, gives the seat back.

Your location

When you start a bill and your browser allows it, TabApp keeps your device's location with the bill, which suggests its currency and places it on your Map. To suggest a name for a new bill or tab, such as the restaurant you are at or the town you are in, TabApp's server sends that location, rounded to about 100 metres, to Google Places. Google is not told who you are. TabApp never asks for your location as you start; it reads it only when your browser already allows it, or when you tap Near me and your browser asks you. You can refuse; the names then come from the time of day and your earlier bills.

Worked example: Alex opens Maya's link

Maya Lee sends the link to Luigi's Trattoria to the table. Tom, Priya and she have taken their seats; Alex has not.

Alex opens it and sees "Maya invited you to split", Total 77.66, the six items with their prices, and under On this bill Maya, Tom and Priya. He does not see Maya's surname, or her email. Once the bill is Ready for payment, Alex owes Maya 11.22, so the Pay sheet shows him the bank account Maya added. Tom, on the Lisbon weekend tab with Maya, sees her PayPal but not her bank account.

If something stops you

• "This invite doesn't work anymore". The link was reset, or what it led to was deleted or has no seat left. Ask the person who sent it for a new one.
• Someone has a link they should not. The organiser resets it in the share sheet, and the old link stops working (see Invite links, and resetting one).
• You want everything TabApp holds about you. Download it (see Export your data).