Question 1

What is RUOK?

Accepted Answer

RUOK is a personal safety check-in app. You set a timer before going somewhere (a solo trip, a first date, a hike, a late walk home), and if you don't check in before it runs out, your emergency contacts get an automatic SMS alert with your pre-written message and, optionally, your last known location.

Question 2

How does the safety timer work?

Accepted Answer

Open the app, tap Start Timer, and choose a duration from a few minutes up to 24 hours. The timer runs in the background. Before it expires, tap Check In to clear it. If you don't check in, the alert goes out automatically.

Question 3

What happens when I don't check in?

Accepted Answer

RUOK sends an SMS to every verified emergency contact on your account. The message includes the text you wrote in advance and, if you opted in, your last known location. Your contacts don't need to install anything to receive it.

Question 4

Do my emergency contacts need to install the app?

Accepted Answer

No. Alerts are delivered as regular SMS text messages. Your contacts receive them on any phone that can get texts. They do need a US or Canada (+1) phone number for now.

Question 5

What information do my contacts receive?

Accepted Answer

They receive an SMS from a verified toll-free number with the custom message you wrote when setting up the timer. If you enabled location sharing for that timer, the message also includes your last known coordinates.

Question 6

Can I cancel or extend a timer after starting it?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can pause, extend, or cancel a running timer at any time from the app or from your lock screen. Extending adds more time without resetting the timer.

Question 7

What is a Daily Check-In?

Accepted Answer

Daily Check-In is a recurring mode for routines like commutes or evening walks. Instead of starting a new timer each time, you set a daily schedule and the app expects a check-in at the same time every day.

Question 8

Does RUOK track my location?

Accepted Answer

Only if you choose to include it. Location sharing is opt-in per timer. When enabled, your last known location is sent with the alert. We never track your location in the background or between timers.

Question 9

Do you sell my data?

Accepted Answer

Never. We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with advertisers, data brokers, or any third party. This commitment is enshrined in our irrevocable Data Covenant, which cannot be removed or weakened by any future terms update.

Question 10

What is the Data Covenant?

Accepted Answer

The Data Covenant is a permanent, legally binding section of our privacy policy and terms of service. It states that RUOK will never sell your data, and that this clause is irrevocable. Even if RUOK is acquired or transferred, the covenant binds any successor. Read it at ruok-app.com/privacy.

Question 11

Is my data encrypted?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All data is encrypted in transit (TLS) and at rest on secure cloud infrastructure. We follow industry-standard security practices for authentication, storage, and access control.

Question 12

Can I delete my account and all my data?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can delete your account from the app's settings. This permanently removes your profile, contacts, timers, check-in history, and all associated data. The deletion is irreversible.

Question 13

How much does RUOK cost?

Accepted Answer

RUOK has three tiers. Free: $0 with 1 contact and 2 alerts per month. Pro: $4.99/month with 3 contacts and 15 alerts. Premium: $7.99/month with 5 contacts and 30 alerts. Annual plans save about $10/year.

Question 14

What is included in the free trial?

Accepted Answer

Every new account gets a 30-day free trial with Free-tier limits: 1 emergency contact, 2 check-in alerts per month, and 1 panic alert per month. No credit card is required.

Question 15

What is the Founding 200 deal?

Accepted Answer

The Founding 200 is a limited offer for our first 200 subscribers through the website. You get 50% off your subscription, or you can lock in a Founding Member rate for 3 full years with a one-time payment ($59.99 Pro, $89.99 Premium). Once 200 spots are claimed, the deal ends.

Question 16

Can I subscribe on the website instead of the app store?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Subscribing at ruok-app.com/subscription saves you up to $10/year compared to in-app purchases because there is no App Store or Play Store commission. Your subscription syncs to the app automatically.

Question 17

What is the refund policy?

Accepted Answer

You can request a full refund within 3 days of your first subscription purchase for web (Stripe) subscriptions. For App Store or Play Store purchases, refunds follow Apple's and Google's respective policies.

Question 18

What countries can receive SMS alerts?

Accepted Answer

SMS alerts currently reach United States and Canada (+1) phone numbers only. Your emergency contacts must have a US or Canada number to receive the text. International SMS delivery is being worked on.

Question 19

Why can't my international contact receive alerts?

Accepted Answer

Our current SMS provider delivers to US and Canada numbers only. We are actively working on adding international SMS support. In the meantime, your contacts need a +1 phone number.

Question 20

What phone number do alerts come from?

Accepted Answer

Alerts are sent from a verified US toll-free number. This helps ensure the message isn't filtered as spam by carriers.

Question 21

What if the SMS doesn't deliver?

Accepted Answer

If SMS delivery fails (for example, the contact's phone is off or unreachable), RUOK automatically falls back to sending the alert by email if the contact has an email address on file.

Question 22

What devices does RUOK support?

Accepted Answer

RUOK is available on iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android. You can also manage your account and subscribe at ruok-app.com from any web browser.

Question 23

Does RUOK work without internet?

Accepted Answer

You need an internet connection to start a timer and to check in. However, the alert is sent from our servers, not your phone. So if your phone loses connection after starting a timer, the alert will still fire when the timer expires.

Question 24

What languages are supported?

Accepted Answer

RUOK is available in English, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese. The app, website, and all alerts support all three languages.

Frequently Asked Questions

How RUOK Works