Does no Moonfade account mean no advertising data is processed?

No. A Moonfade account is not required, and your timer settings, presets, themes, and fade choices are stored locally on your device. But the free version may show advertising through Google Mobile Ads, and advertising and consent services can process data. No account does not equal no data processing.

Two separate things: local settings and ad services

These are often treated as one privacy question, but they describe different flows:

• Local app settings: Moonfade stores timer settings, presets, theme and fade choices, and some related values on your device. Timer and customization settings are not sent to a server operated by PT Solusi Siber Teknologi. Android backup and device transfer are disabled for Moonfade, so those local values do not transfer to a different installation.
• Advertising and consent services: The free version may show advertising supplied by Google Mobile Ads. According to the Moonfade Privacy Policy, Google Mobile Ads may process information such as IP address (which can indicate approximate location), device or app identifiers, app and ad interactions, and diagnostics for advertising, analytics, and fraud prevention.

So "no account" describes the absence of a Moonfade login. It does not mean the app, or the Google services it uses, processes nothing. The Moonfade homepage states the same separation: no Moonfade account and local settings, alongside Google Play purchases and Google Mobile Ads for the free version.

What the free version may process

The privacy policy describes the categories that may be handled when ads are shown. Treat this as a list of possible processing rather than a fixed set that applies identically to every user, device, region, or ad request:

• IP address, which can indicate approximate location
• Device or app identifiers
• App and ad interactions
• Diagnostics for advertising, analytics, and fraud prevention

Moonfade does not receive or store your card or bank details; Google Play processes payment details for any purchase. Moonfade does receive purchase information such as the product identifier, purchase state, purchase token, and acknowledgement state so it can provide or restore Pro.

Consent and privacy choices

Where required, Moonfade uses Google's consent-management technology to present privacy choices before requesting ads. If Moonfade shows a Privacy choices item in Settings, you can use it to review or change applicable choices. Android's advertising controls may also let you reset or delete the advertising ID.

If you change a consent choice, that affects applicable advertising choices. It does not change the fact that your timer settings stay local, and it does not erase a purchase recorded by Google Play.

What stays local, and what does not

The storage, purchase and advertising flows are distinct:

1. Timer settings and personalization. Durations, presets, theme, and fade choices are stored on the device. The privacy policy says these are not sent to a server operated by PT Solusi Siber Teknologi.
2. Pro purchase records. Google Play handles purchases. Moonfade receives purchase state information so it can provide or restore Pro. Clearing local app data does not remove an eligible purchase recorded by Google Play.
3. Advertising and consent processing. The free version may show ads through Google Mobile Ads, and the services described above may process data under Google's policies.

One more narrow service is worth noting because it can be confused with an account: Moonfade operates a limited Google Play reviewer-code verification endpoint so authorized reviewers can temporarily access paid features without making a purchase. That endpoint does not create an account and does not receive timer or settings data. Cloudflare, which hosts the endpoint, may process IP address, network, diagnostic, and security information needed to deliver and protect the service under its own privacy terms.

Optional usage results are separate from ads

Moonfade 1.0.1 also has a separate Share anonymous usage results setting, off by default and not required for a timer. It sends coarse usage and request-outcome categories only after opt-in; it excludes timer duration, player names, listening history and persistent installation/account identifiers. A recorded request outcome does not establish actual playback pause or physical screen lock. See the privacy policy’s optional app usage measurement disclosure for the data, retention and choices. This option is separate from advertising consent.

Practical checks if you want to limit ad-related processing

• Open Settings in Moonfade and look for Privacy choices. If the item appears, use it to review or change applicable advertising choices. Availability depends on where you are and what is required.
• Check Android's advertising controls. Android may let you reset or delete the advertising ID. That is a device-level control, separate from Moonfade.
• Consider whether ads are part of your experience. Moonfade Pro is an optional one-time Google Play purchase, not a subscription. It removes ads and unlocks five editable presets, a home-screen timer widget, four additional night themes, and Gentle Start and Late Drop fade curves. Removing ads changes the free-version ad flow; it does not turn the timer settings into a cloud profile.
• Do not assume local storage means nothing is processed. Timer settings can be local while advertising and consent services process other data. Both statements can be true at once.

If you want the background on how local storage and purchases are handled separately, see Where does Moonfade store timer settings and personalization? and Which Moonfade features are free and which require Pro?. If you are deciding on a duration rather than privacy, the timer duration guide is the better starting point.

The short version

No Moonfade account is required, and timer settings, presets, themes, and fade choices are stored locally on your device. The free version may show advertising through Google Mobile Ads, and advertising and consent services can process data as described in the Privacy Policy. Where required, Moonfade uses Google consent-management technology, and a Privacy choices item may appear in Settings to review or change applicable choices.

To check your own setup, open Moonfade Settings and look for Privacy choices, then review Android's advertising controls if you want to manage the advertising ID. Get Moonfade on Google Play to see the current version and its Settings on your device.