Legal

Cookie policy

This policy explains the cookies and similar browser storage The Financial Modeller (ABN 49 227 236 327) uses on this website, what each one is for, and how to change your choice.

Last updated: 13 October 2026
ABN: 49 227 236 327
Questions: chiefmodeller@thefinancialmodeller.com

On this page5 sections

01What cookies are
02Your choice
03The cookies we use
04Payments
05More information

Your choice

Analytics and advertising cookies stay off unless you accept them. You can change your choice at any time.

1. What cookies are

Cookies are small files a website saves in your browser. Browser storage (localStorage, sessionStorage and the browser’s database, IndexedDB) works the same way. We use both. Some are needed for the site to work, some count visits without identifying anyone, and the rest are optional and stay off unless you say yes.

2. Your choice

When you first visit, we ask whether you accept analytics and advertising cookies. Nothing optional loads before you answer, and Google is told your choice. You can change it at any time: . We ask again after 12 months. You can also block or delete cookies in your browser’s settings; the site works the same without the optional ones.

3. The cookies we use

Strictly necessary: always on

The site needs these to work, so they do not ask for your permission.

Name and who sets it	What it is for	How long
firebase:*Google Firebase	Keeps you signed in to your account on this device, sends your requests and confirms email addresses (browser storage).	How long: Until you sign out, or clear it
tfm_sessionThe Financial Modeller	Keeps you signed in to your account on our own systems, for your models’ pages (an HttpOnly cookie our server sets).	How long: Until you sign out, or 30 days
tfm-logout-pendingThe Financial Modeller	Remembers that you signed out while our systems could not be reached, so that session ends on your next visit (browser storage).	How long: Until that session ends
tfm-profileThe Financial Modeller	The name, company and phone number you typed when you signed up, kept until our systems have them (browser storage).	How long: Until our systems have them
tfm-verify-sentThe Financial Modeller	When we last emailed you the link to confirm your address, so we send it again at most every 10 minutes (browser storage).	How long: Until you clear it
tfm-cookie-consentThe Financial Modeller	Remembers your cookie choice (browser storage).	How long: 12 months
tfm-themeThe Financial Modeller	Remembers day or night mode (browser storage).	How long: Until you clear it
tfm-buildThe Financial Modeller	Keeps the request you are writing, with its choices, links and attached files, in this browser until you send it, so nothing is lost if you sign in or reload (browser database).	How long: Until you send it, or clear it
tfm-recent-jobstfm-research-paidThe Financial Modeller	The requests sent from this browser and any up-front payments for them, so you can find them again (browser storage).	How long: Until you clear it
tfm_confirm_emailtfm_confirmed_*The Financial Modeller	Confirms the email address on a request with a sign-in link (browser storage).	How long: Until you clear it
tfm-inviteThe Financial Modeller	Remembers the invitation code in a link you followed, until it joins your account (session and browser storage).	How long: Until it joins your account
tfm-draft:…The Financial Modeller	In your account: scenario values you have changed but not saved yet (session storage).	How long: Until you close the tab
tfm-change-prompt:…The Financial Modeller	Remembers that you closed the card asking what you would change in a model, so it does not show again (browser storage).	How long: Until you clear it
tfm_reloaded_atThe Financial Modeller	If a page fails to load just after we update the site, it reloads once; this notes when, so it never reloads over and over (session storage).	How long: Until you close the tab
tfm-metfm-notrackThe Financial Modeller	Only on our own team’s browsers: leaves our visits out of the counts and out of analytics (browser storage).	How long: Until removed

Visit counts and page tests: always on, no personal information

We count visits, see how the site is used and test versions of our pages without identifying anyone: no names, no email addresses, never what you type, and nothing on your private model or account pages. Most of these last only until you close the tab.

Name and who sets it	What it is for	How long
tfm-visit:…tfm-sidtfm-engagedThe Financial Modeller	We count each visit: the time, the page, the website or campaign link that sent you, your device type, your approximate area (country, state and city, worked out from the connection; your IP address is not kept) and whether you scrolled or stayed a few seconds. These flags stop a reload counting twice and join the visit to the note below (session storage).	How long: Until you close the tab
tfm-seqtfm-last-pathThe Financial Modeller	How visits move through the site, to improve it: the pages opened in this tab, how long each was on screen, how far down it was read, which parts of it were in view, where on the page people click and the page they left from. Off if you reject analytics cookies (session storage).	How long: Until you close the tab
tfm-once:…The Financial Modeller	Notes that a step, such as starting a request, has already been counted in this tab, so a reload does not count it twice (session storage).	How long: Until you close the tab
tfm-vidtfm-abtfm-ab-liveThe Financial Modeller	While we test two versions of a page: a random number that keeps showing this browser the same version, the version it saw (which goes with a request or sign-up, so we can tell which version works better) and whether a test is changing the home page, so it waits for the right words (browser storage).	How long: Until you clear it
tfm-first-touchtfm-last-touchThe Financial Modeller	Without your permission, how you arrived is kept for this visit only, so a request sent now says how you found us (session storage).	How long: Until you close the tab

Analytics: only if you accept

Help us understand how the site is used: which pages are visited, for how long, and how visitors found us.

Name and who sets it	What it is for	How long
_ga_ga_*Google Analytics	Tells visits apart and measures pages viewed, time on the site and the steps taken.	How long: 2 years
tfm-first-touchtfm-last-touchThe Financial Modeller	The campaign, advertisement or website that brought you, on your first and latest visit, kept between visits (browser storage).	How long: Until you clear it

Advertising: only if you accept

Measure which of our advertisements bring visitors who ask for a model. Set only when we advertise with that partner.

Name and who sets it	What it is for	How long
_gcl_au_gcl_*Google Ads	Links a visit to the Google advertisement that brought it.	How long: 90 days
_fbpMeta (Facebook, Instagram)	Links a visit to a Meta advertisement.	How long: 90 days
li_fat_idbcookielidcUserMatchHistoryLinkedIn	Links a visit to a LinkedIn advertisement.	How long: Up to 2 years

4. Payments

If you pay for anything, the payment is taken on Stripe’s own pages (checkout.stripe.com and buy.stripe.com), which set their own cookies to process the payment and prevent fraud. See Stripe’s cookie policy.

5. More information

How we handle personal information is set out in our privacy policy. Questions about cookies: email chiefmodeller@thefinancialmodeller.com.