Frequently Asked Questions

Download Good Contact from the App Store on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Launch the app and follow the onboarding flow to create your account and set up your encryption passphrase.

Good Contact requires iOS 17 or later (iPhone/iPad) or macOS 14.0 (Sonoma) or later. The app is built with SwiftUI for a native experience on all Apple platforms.

Yes! The free tier includes all core features: encryption, up to 10 contacts, relationship tracking, recurring reminders, and import/export. Premium adds unlimited contacts, engagement plans, CloudKit sync, and more.

When you first launch Good Contact, you'll be prompted to create a passphrase. This passphrase is used to encrypt your sensitive data (phone numbers, emails, notes, dates of birth, spouse details, children's names, and social media links) using AES-256-GCM encryption. Other fields like names, company, and tags are stored unencrypted to enable search and sorting, but are still protected by your device's built-in encryption. Choose a strong, memorable passphrase — it cannot be recovered if forgotten.

Good Contact uses AES-256-GCM encryption, the same standard used by governments and banks. Your passphrase goes through 600,000 PBKDF2 iterations to create an encryption key. Sensitive fields (phone numbers, emails, notes, dates of birth, spouse details, children's names, social media links) are encrypted with this key. Other fields like names, company, job title, and tags remain unencrypted to enable search and sorting, but are protected by your device's built-in storage encryption.

No. Good Contact uses zero-knowledge architecture for your sensitive data, meaning your encryption key stays protected on your device and, if iCloud Sync is enabled, syncs securely via iCloud Keychain. We cannot access your encrypted fields (phone numbers, emails, notes, dates of birth, and more), and neither can anyone else without your passphrase. Non-sensitive fields like names and company are protected by device-level encryption.

Your passphrase is used locally to derive an encryption key. The wrapped key is stored securely in the Keychain with iCloud Keychain sync enabled by default. Your passphrase itself is never transmitted over the internet.

Yes. Good Contact is fully GDPR compliant. We practice data minimization, store data locally first, give you complete control over your data, and never sell or share your information. You can export or delete your data at any time.

We collect minimal, optional analytics through Supabase and Sentry, and only if you opt in. This includes crash reports and basic usage statistics to improve the app. No personal contact data is ever collected. You can disable analytics at any time in Settings.

The free version includes core features: encryption, up to 10 contacts, relationship tracking, recurring reminders, and import/export. Premium adds unlimited contacts, engagement plans, calendar integration, CloudKit sync, and Apple Contacts sync. See our Pricing page for a detailed comparison.

CloudKit sync (Premium) uses Apple's NSPersistentCloudKitContainer to sync your data across all your Apple devices via your iCloud Private Database. Sensitive fields are encrypted with your passphrase before sync, while other fields are protected by CloudKit's own encryption (TLS in transit, AES-256 at rest). Automatic conflict resolution ensures consistency.

Absolutely! Good Contact is local-first and works perfectly offline. All your data is stored locally on your device. CloudKit sync is optional and only syncs when you have an internet connection.

Set custom reminders for each contact, including recurring reminders (daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly) available to all users. Good Contact integrates with system notifications and your Calendar app to remind you to reach out and maintain relationships.

Yes! Good Contact supports importing from vCard (VCF) and CSV files. You can import individual contacts or batch import multiple contacts at once. Sensitive fields are immediately encrypted upon import. Premium users can also sync with Apple Contacts.

We use AES-256-GCM (Galois/Counter Mode), which provides both confidentiality and authenticity. The encryption key is derived from your passphrase using PBKDF2 with 600,000 iterations. Keys are stored in the Keychain with iCloud Keychain sync enabled by default.

When you create your account, your encryption key is automatically backed up to Supabase with double encryption. This allows you to recover your data on a new device by signing in and entering your passphrase. Supabase cannot decrypt your key — only your passphrase can.

Your data is stored locally on your device using Core Data. If you enable CloudKit sync (Premium), your data is also stored in your private iCloud database — sensitive fields remain passphrase-encrypted, while other fields are protected by CloudKit's encryption. Your encryption key is stored in the Keychain with automatic iCloud Keychain sync and a double-encrypted backup on Supabase.

Yes! Export your contacts as vCard or CSV files. You can export individual contacts or all contacts at once. You always own your data and can take it with you.

Unfortunately, there is no way to recover a forgotten passphrase due to our zero-knowledge architecture. This is by design for maximum security. You'll need to reset the app and lose access to encrypted data. Always store your passphrase securely.

Premium is available as a monthly or yearly subscription via the App Store. Check the app for current pricing in your region. The free version will always include all core features.

You can upgrade directly from within the app. Go to Settings and look for the Premium subscription option. Subscriptions are managed through your Apple ID.

Yes! Premium is a subscription that you can cancel at any time through your Apple ID account settings. If you cancel, you'll keep Premium features until the end of your billing period, then revert to the free version. Your local data is never affected.

Premium subscriptions are handled through Apple's App Store, supporting all payment methods available in your region including credit cards, Apple Pay, and App Store gift cards.

Ensure you're signed into the same iCloud account on all devices, have Premium enabled, and are connected to the internet. Check that iCloud Drive is enabled in your device settings. Sync can take a few minutes initially. Note: the app requires a restart after enabling or disabling sync.

Unfortunately, your passphrase cannot be recovered due to zero-knowledge encryption. You'll need to reset the app in Settings. This will delete all encrypted data. If you have a vCard or CSV export, you can re-import it after reset.

Go to Settings and use the Reset App option. You'll be prompted to confirm by typing a confirmation phrase. This will delete all local data and reset the app to its initial state. Make sure to export your data first if you want to keep it. This action cannot be undone.

Email us at hello@georgeartemis.com with your question or issue. Include your device, OS version, and Good Contact version. We typically respond within 24–48 hours. Premium users get priority support.