Privacy Policy

Next Level Open Source (nextlevelopensource.com) is a directory and learning resource that helps people discover open-source alternatives to paid software, understand what they cost to run and learn how to use them.

The website is operated by Aurora Media House, a partnership registered in Malaysia, which is responsible for the personal information described in this policy ("we", "us", "our"). We handle personal information in accordance with Malaysia's Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA).

For any privacy question or request, email hello@nextlevelopensource.com.

When you visit the website

Like every website, ours is delivered through a hosting provider that processes technical information so the pages can reach your browser and the service stays secure. This includes your IP address, browser and device type, the page you request, the page you came from, and the date and time of the request. Your browser may also send reports about connection errors to our hosting provider.

Website analytics

We may use an analytics service to understand how the website is used, for example which pages are visited, how visitors arrive, the type of device and the approximate country. We use this information in aggregate to improve the website, not to identify individual visitors.

When you contact us

If you email us or use a contact form, we receive the information you provide, such as your name, email address and message, together with any details you choose to include.

When you subscribe to our newsletter

If you subscribe, we collect your email address and, if you give it, your name, along with the date you subscribed and your subscription preferences. Our newsletter provider may also record whether an email was delivered and opened, and which links were clicked.

When you click an affiliate link

Some links to products or services may be affiliate links. If you click one, the partner may record that you arrived from our website and whether a purchase or sign-up followed, so that we can be credited. The partner's own privacy policy applies on their website. We receive reports about referrals and earnings; these do not normally identify you personally.

When you use "Open in ChatGPT", "Open in Claude" or "Open in Cursor"

On project pages, these buttons open the chosen AI service with a setup prompt written by us. The prompt is placed in the web address and sent to that service only when you click. It contains no personal information unless you add some yourself. The service's own privacy policy applies.

What we do not collect

We do not ask for sensitive personal information, such as health, religious or financial account details, and we ask you not to send it to us.

Cookies are small files that a website can store in your browser. We keep their use to a minimum.

• Strictly necessary: our hosting provider may set cookies to protect the website against abuse and keep it running. These do not track you across other websites.
• Analytics: if our analytics service uses cookies or similar identifiers, we will ask for your consent first where the law requires it, and you can change your choice at any time.
• Affiliate partners: partners may set their own cookies when you visit their website through an affiliate link. These are controlled by the partner.

You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. Blocking strictly necessary cookies may affect how the website works.

We use personal information only for the following purposes:

• to deliver the website, keep it secure and fix technical problems;
• to understand how the website is used and improve its content;
• to reply to your messages and handle corrections or requests you send us;
• to send you our newsletter, if you subscribed, and manage your subscription;
• to receive credit for referrals through affiliate links;
• to meet our legal obligations and protect our rights.

Where we rely on your consent, for example for the newsletter, you can withdraw it at any time. Withdrawing consent does not affect anything we did before.

We use trusted service providers to run the website. They process personal information on our behalf and only for the purposes above:

• Hosting, delivery and security: Cloudflare, which hosts and delivers the website and its media.
• Email: the provider that receives and stores email sent to us.
• Newsletter: the provider that stores subscriber details and sends the newsletter.
• Analytics: the provider that measures how the website is used.
• Affiliate partners: the companies whose links we include, for the referrals described above.

We may also disclose information if required by law, or to protect the safety and rights of our visitors or ourselves. We do not sell personal information.

Our service providers operate internationally, so your information may be processed outside Malaysia, for example in the United States, Singapore or the European Union. When that happens, we choose providers that protect personal information to a standard comparable to Malaysian law, and we transfer only what is needed.

• Technical and security records are kept by our hosting provider for a limited period, in line with its own policies.
• Messages you send us are kept for as long as needed to deal with them and any follow-up, and then deleted.
• Newsletter details are kept until you unsubscribe, after which we keep only what is needed to respect your choice.
• Analytics information is used in aggregate and kept only as long as it is useful for improving the website.

We delete or anonymise personal information when it is no longer needed, unless the law requires us to keep it.

The website is served only over encrypted connections (HTTPS). We limit access to personal information to what is needed, and we use reputable providers with their own security measures. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we take reasonable steps to protect your information. If a breach affects your personal information, we will act as required by law, including notifying you where appropriate.

Under Malaysian law you have the right to:

• ask whether we hold personal information about you, and receive a copy of it;
• ask us to correct information that is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date;
• withdraw your consent, for example by unsubscribing from the newsletter using the link in every email;
• ask us to stop or limit processing that is likely to cause you damage or distress;
• ask us to stop using your information for direct marketing.

To make a request, email hello@nextlevelopensource.com. We may need to confirm your identity before acting, and we will respond within the time the law requires. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact Malaysia's Personal Data Protection Commissioner.

The website is intended for a general audience and is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you believe a child has sent us personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

Project pages link to other websites, such as project homepages, documentation, GitHub and pricing pages. Those websites have their own privacy practices, which we do not control. Please read their privacy policies when you visit them.

We may update this policy as the website or the law changes. The "Last updated" date at the top shows when it last changed. If a change significantly affects how we use your personal information, we will make it clear on the website.