1. Who we are
FaithNear ("we", "us", "our") is a free online directory that helps people find faith communities near them. Our website is located at faithnear.com.
FaithNear was created by an individual faith community member with the goal of helping people — especially young people — find a church, mosque, synagogue, or other faith community that meets their needs.
2. Information we collect
When you create an account
- Your full name
- Your email address
- Your encrypted password (we never see or store your plain-text password)
- The date you created your account
When you write a review
- Your display name (shown publicly next to your review)
- Your star rating and review text
- The date and time of your review
When you claim a church listing
- Your name, email, and role at the church
- The church name you are claiming
When you use the app
- Search queries you enter (city, zip code, church name)
- Basic usage data via our hosting provider (Vercel)
3. How we use your information
- To create and manage your FaithNear account
- To display your reviews publicly on church listing pages
- To process church listing claims and contact you about your claim
- To improve the FaithNear directory and user experience
- To send you account-related emails (verification, password reset)
We do not sell your personal information to any third party. We do not use your information for advertising targeting. FaithNear is an ad-free platform.
4. How your information is stored and protected
Your data is stored securely using Supabase, a trusted database platform that is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant. This means your data meets enterprise-level security standards.
- All passwords are encrypted using bcrypt hashing — we cannot see your password
- All data is transmitted over HTTPS (encrypted in transit)
- Database access is protected by Row Level Security policies
- Your email address is never visible to other users
5. What information is public
The following information is publicly visible on FaithNear:
- Your display name (shown next to your reviews)
- Your star rating and review text
- Church listing information submitted through the "Add a church" form
Your email address, password, and account details are never publicly visible.
6. Third-party services
FaithNear uses the following trusted third-party services:
- Supabase — database and user authentication (supabase.com)
- Vercel — website hosting and deployment (vercel.com)
- Google Maps & Places API — map display and church location data (Google Privacy Policy applies)
Each of these providers has their own privacy policies and security standards. We encourage you to review them.
7. Cookies
FaithNear uses minimal cookies necessary for the app to function — specifically, session cookies that keep you logged in. We do not use advertising cookies or tracking cookies.
8. Your rights
You have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate information
- Request deletion of your account and associated data
- Withdraw consent at any time by deleting your account
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the email address below.
9. Children's privacy
FaithNear is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.
10. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify users of significant changes by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of FaithNear after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
1. Acceptance of terms
By accessing or using FaithNear at faithnear.com ("the Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, please do not use FaithNear.
These terms apply to all visitors, users, reviewers, and church leaders who access or use the Service.
2. About FaithNear
FaithNear is a free online directory that helps people discover faith communities — including churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, and other places of worship — near them. FaithNear is not affiliated with any specific denomination, religion, or faith organization.
3. User accounts
To write reviews or claim a church listing, you must create an account. You agree to:
- Provide accurate and truthful information when creating your account
- Keep your password secure and not share it with others
- Notify us immediately if you suspect unauthorized use of your account
- Be responsible for all activity that occurs under your account
You must be at least 13 years of age to create an account on FaithNear.
4. Reviews and user content
FaithNear allows users to submit reviews of faith communities. By submitting a review, you agree that:
- Your review reflects your genuine, honest experience
- Your review does not contain false, misleading, or defamatory statements
- Your review is respectful and does not contain hate speech, discrimination, or harassment
- Your review does not contain personal attacks on individuals
- You own the content you submit and grant FaithNear a license to display it
FaithNear reserves the right to remove any review that violates these terms without prior notice.
5. Church listings
Church listings on FaithNear may be added by users or imported from public sources. Faith community leaders may claim their listing to manage and update their information.
When submitting or updating a listing, you agree to:
- Provide accurate information about the faith community
- Only claim a listing if you are an authorized representative of that community
- Keep listing information up to date
- Not use listings for commercial advertising unrelated to the faith community
6. Featured listings
FaithNear offers optional paid "Featured" listings at $29/month. Featured listings receive priority placement in search results. Payment processing is handled by Stripe. Subscriptions may be cancelled at any time. No refunds are issued for partial months.
7. Prohibited conduct
You agree not to use FaithNear to:
- Post false, misleading, or defamatory information about any faith community
- Harass, threaten, or intimidate other users or faith community leaders
- Scrape, copy, or reproduce FaithNear's directory data without permission
- Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems or other users' accounts
- Use the platform for spam, phishing, or any fraudulent activity
- Post content that violates any applicable law or regulation
- Impersonate any person, faith leader, or organization
8. Disclaimer of warranties
FaithNear provides its directory service "as is" without warranties of any kind. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of church listing information. Always verify important details directly with the faith community before visiting.
FaithNear does not endorse, recommend, or vouch for any specific faith community listed in our directory.
9. Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, FaithNear shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of the Service, including but not limited to reliance on information in our directory.
10. Termination
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate any account that violates these Terms of Service, at our sole discretion and without prior notice. You may delete your account at any time by contacting us.
11. Changes to these terms
We may update these Terms of Service from time to time. Significant changes will be communicated by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of FaithNear after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.
12. Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of the State of New York, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.
Questions about these terms?
We're happy to clarify anything. Get in touch with us directly.
churchnear27@gmail.com