Behind the app · Apr 3, 2026
2 min read · Trevor Edwards

Bring your own key, no backend

There is no HogWatch server, no proxy, and no account. Here is what "bring your own key" means for your data, and why it is the safer architecture.

Most analytics companions route your data through their own backend. That means a second copy of your numbers, a second account to manage, and a second place that can be breached. I did not want to be that middleman.

Straight to the source

HogWatch talks directly to PostHog’s API using a key you provide. There is no HogWatch server, no proxy, and nothing to sign up for. Your key lives in the iOS Keychain and your data is processed entirely on-device.

The trade is deliberate: I never see your data, which also means I can never lose it.

What you connect to

It works with US Cloud, EU Cloud, and self-hosted PostHog, so wherever your project lives, the app meets it there.

Pair that with read-only access and handing HogWatch your key stays a low-stakes decision.