What cookies are
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. Similar technologies, including local storage and session storage, can also store or access information on your device.
These technologies can help a website work, remember your choices, protect forms from spam, and show how people use the site.
How we use cookies and storage
Sitemate Studio uses cookies and similar technologies to:
- run the website safely;
- protect forms and chat from spam and abuse;
- remember your cookie choice;
- remember your chat name for a limited period;
- keep chat messages available while your browser session is open;
- keep you signed in to the Studio Hub client portal; and
- understand website usage if you accept analytics.
We do not use advertising cookies on this website.
Cookie consent
Non-essential analytics cookies only run if you accept them through the cookie banner or cookie settings control.
Strictly necessary cookies and storage may be used without consent where they are needed to provide the website, remember your privacy choices, protect the site, or provide a feature you requested.
You can change your cookie choice using the Cookie settings link in the footer. You can also clear cookies and site data in your browser.
Cookies and storage we use
The exact cookie names and durations may change as providers update their services. This policy explains the main technologies currently used.
Strictly necessary technologies
These are needed for the website to work safely and to remember your choices.
Name | Purpose | Provider | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
cookieConsent | Stores your accept or reject choice | Sitemate Studio | Until you clear site data or change your choice |
sm_chat_session | Keeps a per-tab chat session ID | Sitemate Studio | Browser session |
sm_chat_messages | Keeps chat messages if you close and reopen the widget | Sitemate Studio | Browser session |
sm_chat_finalize_token | Helps securely finalise the chat transcript flow | Sitemate Studio | Browser session |
sm_chat_optin_email | Stores the email you provide for a chat transcript copy | Sitemate Studio | Browser session |
sm_chat_name | Remembers your chat name | Sitemate Studio | Up to 30 days |
Hosting or security cookies | Hosting, routing, performance, or security | Vercel or Cloudflare where active | Session or short-term |
Studio Hub client portal (hub.sitematestudio.com)
If you are a client and sign in to the Studio Hub, we use strictly necessary cookies to keep you signed in and to protect your account. These only apply to the portal, not to general visitors of this website.
Name | Purpose | Provider | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
Session cookie (for example better-auth.session_token) | Keeps you signed in to the Studio Hub | Sitemate Studio | Until you sign out or the session expires |
Session cache cookie (for example better-auth.session_data) | Speeds up sign-in checks without a database lookup on every page | Sitemate Studio | A few minutes |
The Studio Hub does not use analytics or advertising cookies for signed-in clients.
Analytics cookies
These are optional and should only run if you accept analytics.
Name | Purpose | Provider | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga | Distinguishes visitors for analytics reporting | Google Analytics | Up to 2 years |
_ga_* | Stores session and campaign information | Google Analytics | Up to 2 years |
ph_* | Distinguishes visitors and links activity across sitematestudio.com and Hub demo pages | PostHog | Up to 1 year |
Google Analytics and PostHog help us understand which pages are useful, how visitors find the site, and where the site can be improved. We do not use either for advertising on this website.
Form and chat protection
We use hidden form checks, rate limits, session IDs, and server-side checks to reduce spam and automated abuse. These are used for security and service reliability, not advertising.
Third-party providers
The main providers involved in cookies or similar technologies on this website are:
- Google privacy policy
- Vercel privacy policy
- Cloudflare privacy policy
- Anthropic privacy policy
- Upstash privacy policy
- PostHog privacy policy
Managing cookies
You can manage cookies in three ways:
- use the Cookie settings link in the website footer;
- change your browser settings to block or delete cookies and site data; or
- use Google's browser add-on to opt out of Google Analytics across websites: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
If you block all cookies or storage, some parts of the website may not work correctly.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy if the website, providers, cookies, or storage technologies change. The latest version will be posted on this page with the updated date.
Contact
Questions about cookies: hello@sitematestudio.com