Summary
OptiCast is private, with no ads, no tracking, and open source. Your videos stay on your device.
What we collect
Nothing - no analytics, no tracking, no ads.
- Your videos stay on your device: Finds videos on your phone, fetches movie information only when needed
- Works offline: Fully functional without internet after initial setup
- Update check: Only checks version number when online, uses minimal data, no personal information
- No accounts: No login, no cloud, no sync
Permissions - only what's needed
- Internet - To fetch movie information and subtitles, and check for updates
- Network state - To check internet availability
- Video library access - To find your video files
- Notifications - To show playback controls
- Background playback - For background play and picture-in-picture
- Install updates - To install app updates inside the app
- Keep screen awake - To keep screen on while watching
No location, no contacts, no microphone, no camera.
Offline-first
- Library: Found on device, saved locally, no cloud
- Posters: Saved for offline viewing
- Subtitles: Saved for offline viewing, supports dual subtitles
- Movie information: Saved for offline use
Optional services
- Movie information: Optional, fetches posters and details via secure proxy
- Subtitles: Optional subtitle search and download
All optional services have their own terms.
How movie info works - proxy details
To keep the app key-free and F-Droid compliant, movie info requests go through a secure proxy instead of direct TMDB calls:
- What is sent: Only movie title, year, or TMDB ID - e.g.,
Dune Part Two 2024 - no personal data, no device ID, no location
- What is NOT sent: Your videos, file paths, contacts, or any identifier
- Server protection: Requests protected by secret header, rate limiting, and CORS - abuse blocked by IP
- Server logs: IP temporarily used for rate limiting (to prevent abuse), not tracked, logs deleted after 24 hours, no analytics
- Offline-first: After first fetch, posters and details are saved locally and work offline. Proxy only used when you need new metadata
This is why v2.6.105 says "no API key required" - key stays server-side, not in app.
Updates
- Checks for updates only when online, uses minimal data
- Downloads inside app and installs with system confirmation
- Clear changelog for each version
Children
No data collection, no ads, safe for all ages. Plays only your own videos.
Changes
Any changes will be posted on GitHub and the official website.
License
GPL-3.0-only - source code available on GitHub.
Compatibility: Android 8 and newer, phones only, offline-first