Terms of Service

Welcome to StateSpine. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the StateSpine application, website, and services (collectively, the "Service") provided by StateSpine ("we," "us," or "our").

By accessing or using StateSpine, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you don't agree, don't use the Service.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By creating an account or using StateSpine, you confirm that:

• You are at least 13 years old (or the minimum age in your jurisdiction)
• You have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms
• You will comply with these Terms and all applicable laws

If you're using StateSpine on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have authority to bind that organization to these Terms.

2. Account Registration

2.1 Account Creation

To use certain features, you must create an account. You agree to:

• Provide accurate and complete information
• Keep your account information up to date
• Maintain the security of your password
• Accept responsibility for all activity under your account
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized access

2.2 Account Restrictions

You may not:

• Create multiple accounts to abuse free tier limits
• Share your account credentials with others
• Sell, transfer, or sublicense your account
• Use someone else's account without permission

3. Subscriptions and Payments

3.1 Free Tier

StateSpine offers a free tier with limited features. The free tier:

• Is genuinely useful and not artificially limited to force upgrades
• May have usage limits that we'll clearly communicate
• Is subject to fair use policies

3.2 Paid Subscriptions

Paid subscriptions are billed on a 6-week cycle. When you subscribe:

• You authorize us to charge your payment method on each billing cycle
• Subscriptions auto-renew unless you cancel
• Prices may change with 30 days notice
• Your birthday month is free (if you've provided your birth month)

3.3 Refunds

We offer refunds at our discretion. Generally:

• First-time subscribers can request a refund within 14 days
• Technical issues preventing use may qualify for prorated refunds
• We don't refund for unused portions of subscription periods

3.4 Pathway Program

The Builder Pathway Program provides discounted or free access to qualifying individuals. Pathway participants agree to:

• Provide honest information in their application
• Use StateSpine for genuine project development
• Not resell or transfer their Pathway access

We reserve the right to revoke Pathway access if these terms are violated or if circumstances change.

4. Acceptable Use

4.1 Permitted Use

You may use StateSpine to:

• Develop software for personal or commercial purposes
• Use AI features to assist your development work
• Store and manage your projects locally or in the cloud
• Collaborate with others (on applicable plans)

4.2 Prohibited Use

You may NOT use StateSpine to:

• Develop malware, viruses, or other harmful software
• Engage in illegal activities or facilitate illegal activities
• Infringe on intellectual property rights
• Harass, abuse, or harm others
• Attempt to bypass security measures or access restrictions
• Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Service
• Scrape, data mine, or extract data from the Service
• Overload our systems or interfere with other users
• Generate content that's illegal, harmful, or violates others' rights

4.3 AI Usage

When using StateSpine's AI features:

• You're responsible for reviewing and validating AI-generated code
• AI output may contain errors or security vulnerabilities
• Don't use AI to generate illegal, harmful, or infringing content
• AI usage is subject to rate limits and fair use policies

5. Intellectual Property

5.1 Your Content

You retain all rights to the code, content, and projects you create using StateSpine. We claim no ownership of your work.

By using cloud sync or collaboration features, you grant us a limited license to:

• Store your encrypted content on our servers
• Transmit your content as necessary to provide the Service
• Back up your content for disaster recovery

5.2 Our Content

StateSpine, including its code, design, features, documentation, and branding, is our intellectual property. You may not:

• Copy, modify, or distribute StateSpine
• Use our trademarks without permission
• Create derivative works based on StateSpine

5.3 Feedback

If you provide feedback, suggestions, or ideas, you grant us a perpetual, royalty-free license to use them to improve StateSpine. You won't be compensated for feedback unless we explicitly agree otherwise.

6. Privacy and Data

Our Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your data. By using StateSpine, you agree to our Privacy Policy.

Key points:

• Your code stays on your machine unless you opt into cloud sync
• Cloud-synced data is encrypted end-to-end
• We don't sell your data
• We don't use your code to train AI models

7. Service Availability

7.1 Uptime

We strive for high availability but don't guarantee 100% uptime. The Service may be temporarily unavailable due to:

• Scheduled maintenance (we'll provide advance notice when possible)
• Emergency maintenance or security updates
• Factors beyond our control (network issues, natural disasters)

7.2 Local Functionality

Core local features (editing, local AI, version history) work offline and aren't affected by Service availability. Cloud features require an internet connection.

7.3 Changes to Service

We may modify, suspend, or discontinue features. For material changes:

• We'll provide reasonable notice
• We'll offer data export options
• Paid users may be entitled to prorated refunds

8. Disclaimers

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND.

We disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including:

• Merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose
• Accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the Service
• That AI-generated code is error-free, secure, or suitable for any purpose
• That the Service will be uninterrupted or error-free

You use StateSpine at your own risk. You're responsible for:

• Backing up your important data
• Reviewing and testing code before deploying to production
• Ensuring your use complies with applicable laws

9. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, StateSpine is not liable for:

• Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
• Loss of profits, data, or business opportunities
• Damages arising from your use or inability to use the Service
• Damages arising from AI-generated content or suggestions

Our total liability for any claims related to the Service is limited to the amount you paid us in the 12 months before the claim arose, or $100, whichever is greater.

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless StateSpine from claims, damages, or expenses arising from:

• Your violation of these Terms
• Your use of the Service
• Content you create or share using the Service
• Your violation of any third-party rights

11. Termination

11.1 By You

You can stop using StateSpine and delete your account at any time. To delete your account, use the account settings or contact us.

11.2 By Us

We may suspend or terminate your access if you:

• Violate these Terms
• Engage in fraudulent or illegal activity
• Abuse the Service or other users
• Fail to pay subscription fees

For serious violations, we may terminate without notice. For minor violations, we'll typically warn you first.

11.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

• Your access to cloud features ends
• Local data remains on your machine
• You should export any cloud-synced data before termination
• Sections that should survive (like liability limitations) will survive

12. Dispute Resolution

12.1 Informal Resolution

Before filing a formal dispute, contact us at legal@statespine.com. We'll try to resolve the issue within 30 days.

12.2 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of Australia. You consent to the jurisdiction of courts in Australia for any disputes.

12.3 Class Action Waiver

To the extent permitted by law, you agree to resolve disputes individually and waive any right to participate in class actions.

13. General Provisions

13.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, along with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and StateSpine regarding the Service.

13.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in effect.

13.3 No Waiver

Our failure to enforce a right doesn't waive our right to enforce it later.

13.4 Assignment

You may not assign these Terms. We may assign them in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.

13.5 Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms. For material changes:

• We'll notify you via email or the application
• We'll provide at least 30 days notice
• Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance

14. Contact

Questions about these Terms? Contact us at:

• Email: legal@statespine.com
• General inquiries: hello@statespine.com