Which prayer apps sold user data?

Investigations by Vice Motherboard reported in 2020 that Muslim Pro shared location data with the broker X-Mode, whose clients included US military contractors, and in 2021 that Salaat First sold location data to the broker Predicio. Both apps faced significant backlash and said they stopped.

Does a prayer app need to send my location to a server?

No. Prayer times and qibla direction are astronomy and geometry — they can be computed entirely on your phone. Hayya does exactly this: your location never leaves your device.

Prayer Apps & Privacy: How to Choose One That Doesn't Sell Your Data

Q: How can I tell if a prayer app tracks me?

Check the App Store privacy label for 'Data Used to Track You' and third-party advertising SDKs, read the privacy policy for the words 'partners', 'advertising' and 'affiliates', and be wary of free apps full of ads — ads are usually how worship data becomes a product.

Updated July 2026 · 6 min read

Your prayer app knows when you pray, where you pray, and that you're Muslim. That data has been sold before — to brokers with ties to military contractors. Before downloading any Islamic app, check three things: the privacy label, the business model, and whether your location ever leaves your phone.

What actually happened

In November 2020, a widely reported investigation by Vice Motherboard found that Muslim Pro — used by tens of millions — had shared user location data with X-Mode, a broker whose clients included US military contractors. Months later, a second investigation found Salaat First selling location histories to the broker Predicio. Both apps said they stopped after the backlash — but the episode changed how many Muslims choose apps, and rightly so: follow-up studies keep finding trackers inside popular Islamic apps.

The 3-point privacy check before you download

Read the App Store privacy label. Look for "Data Used to Track You" and "Data Linked to You". A prayer app has no business linking your identity to your location. Hayya's label lists only approximate location, not linked to you, used solely for app functionality.
Follow the money. Free apps stuffed with ads pay for themselves somehow — usually with your data. Prefer apps funded by transparent subscriptions or one-time purchases.
Ask where the calculation happens. Prayer times and qibla are astronomy and geometry. If an app "needs" to send your coordinates to a server for that, ask why.

Hayya app tools screen — no ads ever, privacy-first Muslim prayer app — "NO ADS, NEVER!" — it's a design decision

How Hayya handles your data

On-device everything: your location is processed entirely on your iPhone to calculate prayer times and qibla — never transmitted, never stored on a server.
No analytics SDKs, no trackers, no ads, no data brokers. There is nothing to sell and no pipe to sell it through.
Offline-first: 12-month prayer cache, full Quran, duas, qibla and Hijri calendar work with no connection — the app is fully functional in airplane mode, which is the strongest privacy proof there is.
Honest business model: core worship features are free forever; optional Hayya Pro (subscription or one-time lifetime) funds development. You are the customer, not the product.
Even Salah Lock is private: the apps you choose to pause are stored via Apple's Family Controls framework and never leave your phone.

Why this matters more for worship apps

A weather app leaking your location is bad. A prayer app doing it reveals your religion, your mosque, your daily routine — data that has been used for surveillance of Muslim communities. Privacy here isn't a feature checkbox; it's part of respecting the worship itself. Your salah is between you and Allah — and it should stay that way.

A prayer app with nothing to sell but the app

No ads. No tracking. No data brokers. Ever. Your worship stays on your device.

Download Hayya Free

FAQ

How can I tell if a prayer app tracks me?

Privacy label first, then the policy: search it for "partners", "advertising" and "affiliates". If the app shows banner ads, assume an ad-tech SDK is watching.

Does a prayer app need internet at all?

Only for optional extras (like downloading recitations). Core functions — times, qibla, Quran text, duas — can and should work offline.

Is Hayya's privacy policy public?

Yes: hayyapp.com/privacy, and the App Store privacy label is on the listing.