The appeal of free
Search "free privacy policy generator" and you'll find dozens of tools. For a hobby project that
collects nothing, a free generic policy might be fine. But there are real trade-offs once your
product matters.
Where free generators fall short
- Generic output — many produce the same boilerplate regardless of your actual data practices, which is exactly what regulators and app stores frown on
- Upsells and lock-in — "free" often means a watermarked or hosted policy you don't truly own, with the real version behind a subscription
- Ads and data harvesting — some free tools monetize by collecting your information
- No tailoring — they rarely adjust GDPR vs. CCPA clauses based on where your users are
- Hosted-only — if the service disappears, your linked policy disappears with it
What you're paying for
A good paid generator gives you:
- Tailored clauses based on your real answers — data collected, jurisdiction, third parties
- Both documents — a matching privacy policy and terms of service
- Full ownership — you get the raw text to host yourself, no dependency on someone else's servers
- No watermarks, no upsells, no ads
The honest middle ground
You don't need a $400 lawyer for a standard indie app, and you don't want a generic free template
that doesn't match what you actually do. A one-time paid generator that tailors the output to your
product is the sweet spot for most makers.
How PolicyGen compares
PolicyGen is a one-time payment for lifetime access. You answer 8 questions, get a tailored Privacy
Policy and Terms of Service with the correct regional clauses, and download the full text to host
yourself — no subscription, no watermark.