InkCare FAQ: Aftercare Tracking, Privacy, Reminders, and Pricing
Quick answers to the questions people actually ask before downloading InkCare. I'm the developer of InkCare, an iPhone tattoo aftercare tracker, and I've written these straight — including the "no"s — because the wrong expectations are worse than a lost download.
Is InkCare a medical app? Can it tell me if my tattoo is infected?
No. InkCare is an educational aftercare companion. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It can't detect infection and it doesn't analyze your photos. What it does is help you stay on top of your routine, track healing stages, and log symptoms with a severity — and on a Severe entry it shows an advisory to consult a professional. For warning signs vs. normal healing, see the warning-signs guide, and for anything concerning, contact your artist or a doctor.
Does it auto-detect or advance my healing stage?
No — stages are manual. You tap to move between Fresh, Peeling, Settling, and Healed. The app doesn't infer your stage from elapsed days or from photos. When you do advance a stage, the reminders re-time themselves to that stage automatically. The day ranges InkCare shows are approximate guidance, not an automation. See the four stages.
Do I need an account or an internet connection?
No account, ever — there's no sign-up. The app runs on your device, so day-to-day use doesn't depend on a server of mine; reminders are local notifications scheduled on your phone. An internet connection is only relevant for optional iCloud sync of your tattoo data across your own devices.
Are my photos backed up to iCloud?
No — and this is important. Your tattoo photos are stored locally on the device only and are not synced or backed up to iCloud. Your tattoo data (details, routines, stages, logs) can sync across your own devices via your private iCloud account, but photos stay on the device. The trade-off: if you lose or reset the device, the photos don't transfer. Full detail on the privacy page.
How private is it really?
No accounts, no servers of mine, no third-party tracking or analytics SDKs, no ads. Tattoo data syncs only through your own private iCloud; photos never leave the device. That's the architecture, not a promise — there's no backend collecting anything.
What can I scan an artist's QR code for?
If your tattoo artist made a routine with the free tool at inkcare.app/artist, you can scan their QR code when adding a tattoo and load their exact aftercare routine instead of the default. Your reminders are then built from your artist's plan.
Can I track more than one tattoo?
Yes. You can track multiple tattoos at different healing stages, each with its own routine, photos, timeline, and reminders. The dashboard groups today's tasks by tattoo so you don't mix them up. More in tracking multiple tattoos.
Why didn't my reminder go off?
Reminders are local iOS notifications, so a few real factors affect them: notification permission must be granted; Do Not Disturb / Focus can suppress them; and InkCare schedules on a rolling 7-day window (iOS caps an app at 64 pending notifications). If you don't open the app for 7+ days, the queue goes stale and is recalculated on your next open — so opening the app every few days keeps reminders fresh.
Which iPhone and iOS do I need? Is there an Android or Apple Watch version?
InkCare is iPhone / iOS only. There is no Android app, no Apple Watch app, and no web app. If you're on Android, InkCare can't help yet — I'd rather tell you that now than have you find out after downloading.
What's free and what's Pro? Is there a trial?
There's a free tier and a Pro subscription, plus a one-time Lifetime option. Pro unlocks more tattoos and photos, side-by-side photo comparison, custom routines, aftercare product tracking, export/share, and home-screen widgets, with a free trial on subscriptions. The current free-tier limits, exact prices, and trial length are shown on the App Store listing — please treat that as the source of truth rather than any number you read elsewhere.
Where's my data if I delete the app?
Deleting the app removes its on-device data, including local photos. Tattoo data that synced to your iCloud may persist in your iCloud per Apple's behavior, but local-only photos are gone with the app. Export your healing journey first (Pro) if you want to keep a copy.
InkCare is an educational tattoo aftercare companion. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always follow your tattoo artist's specific aftercare instructions. Consult a healthcare professional if you experience signs of infection (excessive redness, swelling, pus, fever) or an allergic reaction.
Get InkCare on the App Store: Download InkCare for iPhone
— the developer of InkCare