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Cookie Policy

Last updated July 6, 2026

This Cookie Policy explains how Refine Technologies, Inc. ("Refine," "we," "us," or "our") uses cookies and similar tracking technologies when you visit our website at refine.ink. We recommend reading this document carefully to understand our cookie practices.

1. What are cookies?

Cookies are small data files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. Cookies are widely used by website owners to make their websites work or work more efficiently, as well as to provide reporting information.

Cookies set by the website owner (in this case, Refine Technologies, Inc.) are called "first-party cookies." Cookies set by parties other than the website owner are called "third-party cookies." Third-party cookies enable third-party features or functionality to be provided on or through the website (e.g., analytics and session recording). The parties that set these third-party cookies can recognize your computer both when it visits the website in question and also when it visits certain other websites.

2. Why do we use cookies?

We use first- and third-party cookies for several reasons. Some cookies are required for technical reasons in order for our website to operate, and we refer to these as "essential" or "strictly necessary" cookies. Other cookies enable us to analyze how users interact with our services so we can improve them. This is described in more detail below.

We do not use cookies to serve targeted advertising.

3. How can I control cookies?

You have the right to decide whether to accept or reject non-essential cookies. You can exercise your cookie rights by setting your preferences in the Cookie Consent Manager. The Cookie Consent Manager allows you to select which categories of cookies you accept or reject. Essential cookies cannot be rejected as they are strictly necessary to provide you with services.

The Cookie Consent Manager can be found in the notification banner and on our website. If you choose to reject cookies, you may still use our website, though your access to some functionality may be restricted. You may also set or amend your web browser controls to accept or refuse cookies.

For users in the European Economic Area and United Kingdom: Non-essential cookies, including analytics and session replay cookies, will not be activated until you have provided your consent via the cookie consent banner. You may withdraw your consent at any time by updating your preferences in the Cookie Consent Manager.

The specific types of first- and third-party cookies served through our website and the purposes they perform are described in the sections below. Please note that the specific cookies served may vary depending on the area of our website you visit.

4. Essential website cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website to you, you cannot refuse them without impacting how our website functions.

Cookie: __cf_bm

Purpose: Cloudflare places this cookie on end-user devices that access sites protected by Bot Management or Bot Fight Mode. It helps distinguish between humans and bots.

Provider: .clerk.refine.ink

Service: Cloudflare

Type: http_cookie

Expires in: 29 minutes

Cookie: __stripe_mid

Purpose: Fraud prevention and detection

Provider: .www.refine.ink

Service: Stripe

Type: http_cookie

Expires in: 11 months 30 days

Cookie: __stripe_sid

Purpose: Fraud prevention and detection

Provider: .www.refine.ink

Service: Stripe

Type: http_cookie

Expires in: 30 minutes

Cookie: m

Purpose: Tracks the user's session for Stripe payment processing

Provider: m.stripe.com

Service: Stripe

Type: server_cookie

Expires in: 1 year 11 months 29 days

Cookie: __client_uat

Purpose: Maintains the user's authenticated session with Clerk, Refine's authentication provider

Provider: .refine.ink

Service: Clerk

Type: server_cookie

Expires in: 9 years 11 months 28 days

Cookie: __client_uat_8U0V-HKL

Purpose: Maintains the user's authenticated session with Clerk (environment-specific token)

Provider: .refine.ink

Service: Clerk

Type: server_cookie

Expires in: 9 years 11 months 28 days

Cookie: __client

Purpose: Core Clerk authentication token used to identify the authenticated user

Provider: .clerk.refine.ink

Service: Clerk

Type: server_cookie

Expires in: 9 years 11 months 28 days

Cookie: __clerk_environment

Purpose: Stores the Clerk environment configuration for the current session

Provider: www.refine.ink

Service: Clerk

Type: html_local_storage

Expires in: Persistent

5. Performance and functionality cookies

These cookies enhance the performance and functionality of our website. They may be set by us or by third-party providers whose services we use. If you do not allow these cookies, some or all of these services may not function properly.

Cookie: _cfuvid

Purpose: Set by Cloudflare to enhance security and performance. Helps identify trusted web traffic and ensures a secure browsing experience.

Provider: .clerk.refine.ink

Service: Cloudflare

Type: server_cookie

Expires in: Session

6. Analytics and session replay cookies

These cookies allow us to count visits and understand how users interact with our website, so we can measure and improve the performance of our services. They also enable session replay, which allows us to review recordings of user sessions to diagnose technical issues and improve the user experience.

For users in the European Economic Area and United Kingdom: These cookies will only be set after you have provided your consent via the cookie consent banner. You can withdraw your consent at any time.

For users accessing Refine through an organizational account: Session content associated with manuscript uploads is masked in session recordings. Usage analytics events are still collected.

PostHog sets one cookie and one local storage entry on the refine.ink domain for users who have accepted analytics cookies.

Cookie: ph_phc_WCLp4uxP7sp0g2wAc19ZyV4Ugqo9SnzYVcWh5yuM7NT_posthog

Purpose: Identifies the user for product analytics and session replay. Stores session identifiers, event properties, and feature flag assignments. For individual consumer accounts, linked to the identified user account.

Provider: .refine.ink

Service: PostHog

Type: http_cookie

Expires in: 1 year

Local storage key: ph_phc_WCLp4uxP7sp0g2wAc19ZyV4Ugqo9SnzYVcWh5yuM7NT_posthog

Purpose: PostHog local storage entry mirroring the cookie above, used to persist analytics and session replay state across page loads within the same browser.

Provider: www.refine.ink

Service: PostHog

Type: html_local_storage

Expires in: Persistent (cleared when browser local storage is cleared)

7. How can I control cookies on my browser?

As the means by which you can refuse cookies through your web browser controls vary from browser to browser, you should visit your browser's help menu for more information. The following guides explain how to manage cookies on the most popular browsers:

8. What about other tracking technologies, like web beacons?

Cookies are not the only way to recognize or track visitors to a website. We may use other similar technologies from time to time, like web beacons (sometimes called "tracking pixels" or "clear gifs"). These are tiny graphics files that contain a unique identifier that enables us to recognize when someone has visited our website or opened an email including them. This allows us, for example, to monitor traffic patterns, improve site performance, and measure the success of email marketing campaigns. In many instances, these technologies are reliant on cookies to function properly, and so declining cookies will impair their functioning.

9. How often will we update this Cookie Policy?

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes to the cookies we use or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. Please revisit this Cookie Policy regularly to stay informed about our use of cookies and related technologies.

The date at the top of this Cookie Policy indicates when it was last updated.

Questions About Cookies?

If you have questions about our cookie practices or privacy choices, please contact us at:

Refine Technologies, Inc.

131 Continental Dr, Suite 305, Newark, DE 19713, USA

Email: privacy@refine.ink