Draw on a Map was built with a simple premise: you should be able to quickly sketch a route, annotate a location, and share it without handing over your personal information. We are proud to be a privacy-first map drawing tool.
The TL;DR
- No accounts: You don't need to sign up or log in.
- No cookies: We don't use tracking cookies or consent banners because there's nothing to consent to.
- No server storage: Your drawings are never saved in a backend database.
- No PII collection: We do not collect Personally Identifiable Information.
What we DON'T collect
Unlike many online mapping tools, we operate with a strict data-minimization approach.
- Your Drawings: When you draw on the map and click "Share", your drawing data is compressed directly into the URL link. It lives on your device and in the link you send. It is never uploaded to or stored on our servers.
- Your Location: If you use the "Locate Me" button, your browser accesses your device's GPS coordinates to center the map. This happens entirely client-side. We do not see, transmit, or store your location history.
- Personal Information: We do not ask for your name, email, or any other identifying data.
What we DO collect
To keep the site running smoothly and improve the user experience, we collect a minimal amount of anonymous data.
- Anonymous Product Analytics: We track generic interactions (e.g., "A user clicked the pen tool" or "A user clicked the share button"). This helps us understand which features are popular. This data is aggregated and not tied to you.
- Technical Diagnostics: If the application crashes or throws an error, we may log technical details (like the error type and a code snippet) so we can fix the bug. This does not contain personal data.
We use Ahrefs Analytics as our third-party provider, which is a privacy-centric, cookieless alternative to traditional analytics platforms.
Local Storage
We use your browser's local storage solely to remember your UI preferences (for example, if you dismissed the instructions banner, we remember not to show it to you again). This is stored locally on your device and is never sent to our servers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Draw on a Map track my location?
No. When you use the 'locate me' feature, your device's location is processed entirely in your browser to center the map. We do not transmit or store your location data.
Are my map drawings stored on a server?
No. Your drawings live entirely in your browser and within the share link you generate. We have no backend database and do not store your annotations or routes.
Does this site use cookies or collect PII?
No. We do not collect Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or use tracking cookies. We only use local storage to save your UI preferences (like closing a panel).
What analytics do you collect?
We collect 100% anonymous product analytics (e.g., which drawing tools are clicked) and limited technical error logs to improve the site's reliability. We use a privacy-centric, cookieless analytics provider.