1. What we collect and why
For most visitors, we collect almost nothing personally identifiable. If you're just using the free tests and articles, you don't need an account and we don't ask for your name or email.
If you register for an account or purchase premium content, we collect your name, email address, and English level - enough to set up your account and make the content relevant to you. Your password is stored encrypted; we can't see it. Payment details go through a third-party payment processor directly - we never see or store your card information ourselves.
Like most websites, we also receive some technical data automatically when you visit - things like your IP address, browser type, and which pages you looked at. This comes through analytics tools and helps us understand how the site is being used so we can improve it. We don't use it to identify you personally.
2. Cookies
We use cookies. Here's what they're actually doing:
Essential cookies keep the site working - if you're logged in, a cookie is what keeps you logged in as you move between pages. Without these, the site wouldn't function properly.
Analytics cookies tell us things like which pages are popular, how long people stay, and where they came from. We use Google Analytics, Yandex Metrika, and Vercel Analytics for this. None of it is tied to your name or personal details - it's aggregated data that helps us understand what's working on the site and what isn't.
Advertising cookies come from Google AdSense, which we use to display ads. AdSense uses cookies to show ads that are relevant to you based on your browsing history. If you'd rather not have personalized ads, you can opt out through Google's Ad Settings. You'll still see ads, they just won't be personalized.
You can block or delete cookies through your browser settings at any time. Some features - like staying logged in - won't work without them, but browsing the free content will still be fine.
3. Third-party services we use
A few external services run on the site and it's worth knowing what they are:
Google AdSense serves ads. It uses its own cookies to personalize what ads you see. You can manage this through Google's ad settings or the Network Advertising Initiative's opt-out tool.
Google Analytics tracks how people use the site - pages visited, time on page, that kind of thing. The data is anonymized. If you want to opt out entirely, Google offers a browser add-on for that.
Yandex Metrika is an additional analytics tool that gives us heatmaps and traffic data. Like Google Analytics, it works with aggregated, non-personal information. Yandex processes data on servers in Russia and Europe.
Vercel Analytics is built into our hosting. It doesn't use cookies and doesn't collect anything personally identifiable - just aggregate performance metrics like page load times and visitor counts.
Each of these services has its own privacy policy. We can't control what they do on their end, so if you have questions about a specific service, their privacy documentation is the right place to look.
4. Your rights
You have real choices here. You can ask us what data we hold about you, request a copy of it, ask us to correct something, or ask us to delete your account entirely. If you want to stop receiving push notifications, you can do that through your browser settings. If you want to opt out of analytics tracking, the tools mentioned above let you do that.
We won't penalize you for exercising any of these rights or make things difficult. If you want to make a request, just use the contact page and we'll handle it. We may need to verify who you are before making changes to account data, just for your own security.
5. Push notifications
We offer optional push notifications - browser alerts about new tests, articles, or site updates. These only get sent if you explicitly click "Allow" when your browser prompts you. We don't send third-party marketing through push notifications, and you can turn them off at any time through your browser's notification settings. No personal data is required to receive them - the system uses an anonymous browser token.
6. Children
Our site is not directed at children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 13. If you're a parent and think your child has submitted information to us, please contact us and we'll remove it promptly. Users between 13 and 18 should use the site with a parent or guardian's awareness, particularly for any account or purchase-related activity.
7. Security
The site runs over HTTPS, passwords are hashed, and access to any personal data is restricted internally. We use reputable third-party providers for hosting and payments, both of which maintain their own security standards. That said, no system is completely immune to problems - if we ever experienced a breach that affected your data, we'd let you know as quickly as legally required and practically possible.
On your end: keep your password to yourself, and log out when you're on a shared device.
8. Changes to this policy
If we update this policy, the new version goes up on this page with an updated date. If we make a change that significantly affects how we use your data, we'll flag it more prominently - not just quietly swap out the text. Continuing to use the site after an update means you're okay with the changes.
Contact
Privacy questions, data requests, or anything else - reach us at privacy@esl-tests.com or through the contact page. We typically reply within a few business days.
By using ESL-Tests.com you agree to this Privacy Policy.
