Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 20, 2026

This policy explains how Yalla collects, uses and shares information when you use the Yalla mobile app and related services. Yalla helps drivers and riders coordinate shared trips.

Information we collect

Account information. The phone number or email address you use to sign in. We send a one-time verification code to it, and your account is only created or signed in once you enter that code correctly.
Profile information. Details you choose to provide, such as your name, profile photo and home area, and places you save (for example home or work).
Trip information. Trips you post as a driver, ride requests, join requests and bookings, meeting points, cancellations, ratings, and reports you file.
Driver verification information. If you want to drive, you submit your driver's licence number, expiry date and province, and your insurance provider, policy number and expiry date. Yalla staff review this to approve drivers.
Location. See "Location" below.
Device and technical information. A push notification token for your device (so we can send trip notifications you allow), and technical information such as your IP address, which we use for security and to prevent abuse.

Location

Yalla asks for your device's location permission while you use the app. We use location to show nearby rides, to plan trips and meeting points, and to help drivers find riders at the pickup point.

Live location during trips. While you are driving a trip, Yalla shares your live position with the riders booked on that trip so they can follow your progress. This continues if you switch to a maps app during the trip, and it stops as soon as the trip ends. Yalla does not share your location outside an active trip, and your exact home address is never shared with other riders or drivers.

Only the most recent live position for an active trip is held on our servers, and it is cleared when the trip ends or is cancelled. We do not keep a history of drivers' live positions.

You can change or withdraw location permission at any time in your device's settings. Some features, such as following a driver's live progress, will not work without it.

How we use information

To provide and operate Yalla: sign you in, match riders and drivers, and coordinate trips.
To send verification codes and trip-related notifications.
To review driver verification submissions and handle reports and support requests.
To keep Yalla secure and prevent abuse, fraud and misuse.
To maintain and improve the service.

How information is shared

With other Yalla users, only as needed to coordinate a trip. For example, riders and drivers on the same trip can see each other's name and profile photo, the trip's meeting point, and, during an active trip, the driver's live position (see "Location").
With service providers that help us run Yalla. These include providers for text messages (for example Twilio), email (for example Resend), push notifications (Apple and Expo), maps, routes and place search (Google), and hosting (Railway). They receive only what they need to perform their service.
Where required or to protect people. We may disclose information where we are legally required to, or where reasonably necessary to protect the safety of users or the security of the service.

The Yalla app does not currently include third-party advertising or analytics software.

Payments

Payments are not currently available in Yalla. The app does not charge riders or pay drivers, and we do not collect payment card details. If payment features are introduced, we will update this policy first.

Account deletion and retention

You can delete your account from the Profile screen in the app. When you do, we sign you out everywhere and delete your sign-in details, profile, profile photo, saved places and push notification tokens. We also erase driver licence and insurance details, remove exact home coordinates, and remove your phone number and email address from your account.

Deletion can be paused while you have an active trip, booking or request, or an open dispute; the app will tell you what to finish first.

Some records are kept after deletion where needed for other people's trip history, safety, dispute resolution, security and legal or financial purposes. These include bookings, ratings, reports and audit records. They are linked only to an anonymous account identifier and no longer include your contact details. If you sign up again with the same phone number or email, you get a new, unrelated account.

Security

We use technical and organizational measures designed to protect information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse or alteration. No method of electronic storage or transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Your choices

Edit your profile, and manage saved places, in the app.
Control location and notification permissions in your device's settings.
Delete your account from the Profile screen.
For any other privacy question or request, contact us at the address below.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as Yalla changes. The date at the top shows when it was last revised.

Contact

Questions about this policy: support@yyalla.com.