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Kautio is a privacy-first check-in app. You set up a check-in before a real-world encounter -- a first date, a solo hike, a marketplace meetup. If you don't check in before the grace window expires, the system notifies the contacts you chose, through the tiers you configured. It works even if your phone is off.

Open the app, tap the "+" button, choose your contacts, assign them to tiers, set your check-in time, and confirm. The whole process takes about 60 seconds. Once the check-in is scheduled, you can put your phone away.

You have 60 seconds to check in or snooze. If you respond, your contacts aren't notified. If you don't, the system moves to the next tier.

Kautio runs the clock, not your phone. If your phone is off, out of battery, or out of service, the escalation timer keeps running. Your contacts are notified on schedule regardless of your phone's status.

A tier is a level in your check-in's escalation plan. You assign different contacts to different tiers. Tier 1 contacts are notified first. If you still don't check in, Tier 2 contacts are notified next, and so on. This way, the right people are notified in the right order.

Install Kautio once to accept your invite. After that, every notification reaches them as plain SMS -- no app to open, no map to watch, no need to stay online.

Your contact receives a plain SMS with the check-in details you chose to share -- a short description of what you're doing, location, the time you were supposed to check in, and how to reach you. The message is factual and clear.

Snooze delays your next check-in without notifying anyone. If a date is going well and you need more time, tap snooze. Your contacts never know you snoozed.

Yes. When you dismiss, the check-in ends. You can optionally send your contacts an "all good" message to let them know everything is fine. Dismissing cancels all remaining tiers.

During an active check-in, Kautio can collect your location at intervals (if you enable location sharing). This data is shared only with your chosen contacts if escalation is triggered, and it's automatically removed 90 days after the check-in ends. Between check-ins, Kautio doesn't collect your location or any other activity data.

No. Kautio is scheduled, not always-on. Between check-ins, the app doesn't access your location. There's no persistent location history, no background tracking, and no location data retained after a check-in ends.

No. We don't sell your data to third parties. Our revenue comes from subscriptions, not from your information.

Yes. You don't have to close your account to remove data. In the app you can remove contacts and delete photos or files you've attached to a check-in at any time. Your check-in history and any location data are deleted automatically 90 days after a check-in ends. If you'd like us to erase specific data for you, email support@hearthapp.io with the details — your account stays active.

You start with 3 free credits. Each check-in uses 1 credit. Every plan includes the same check-in -- the same confirmation, escalation, and notification system. Full Access is $9.99/month: schedule check-ins whenever you need them; they run one at a time. Kautio Pro is $24.99/month for professionals who run back-to-back appointments -- check-ins can overlap, with higher scheduling caps. Cancel anytime.

Kautio Pro is for people whose appointments chain -- realtors, field workers, traveling providers. It adds capacity, not protection: check-ins can overlap instead of waiting for each other, and scheduling caps are higher. The check-in itself -- confirmation, escalation, notifications -- is identical on every plan.

You can delete your account in the app (Settings > Account > Delete account) or at kautio.app/delete-my-account. Account deletion is processed immediately. Encrypted backups containing your data are automatically expired within 30 days.

No. Kautio notifies your personal contacts, not professional responders. It's a planning and notification tool, not a professional response service. If you need immediate help, call your local emergency number.