Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using The Converter ("the Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you don't agree, please don't use the Service.

These Terms apply to all users, including free users, Pro subscribers, and API users.

2. Description of Service

The Converter is a file conversion platform that provides:

• Client-side conversions — File conversions that happen entirely in your browser using WebAssembly (images, audio, PDF operations, data formats).
• Server-side conversions — Document conversions that require server processing (e.g., DOCX → PDF).
• Additional tools — PDF merge/split/compress, batch conversion (Pro), and other utilities.

3. Service Tiers

Free Tier

• Unlimited client-side conversions
• Up to 3 server-side conversions per day
• Maximum file size: 25MB
• Display ads shown on conversion pages
• No account required

Pro Tier ($8/month)

• Unlimited client-side conversions
• Unlimited server-side conversions
• Maximum file size: 500MB
• No ads
• Batch conversion (convert multiple files at once)
• Priority processing for server-side conversions
• Light API access (100 requests/day)
• Requires account and payment via Stripe

API Tier ($25–100/month)

• Everything in Pro
• Higher API rate limits (1,000–10,000 requests/day depending on plan)
• Webhook callbacks for conversion completion
• Dedicated support

We reserve the right to modify pricing and tier features with 30 days' notice. Existing Pro subscribers will be grandfathered at their current price.

4. User Responsibilities

Acceptable Use

You agree NOT to:

• Abuse the service — Don't use automated scripts to exceed rate limits (free tier) or attempt DDoS attacks.
• Upload illegal content — Don't convert files containing illegal material (child exploitation, malware, copyrighted content you don't own, etc.).
• Reverse engineer — Don't attempt to extract or reverse engineer our WASM modules or server-side code (except for open-source components).
• Resell the service — Don't resell or white-label The Converter without a commercial license.
• Violate third-party rights — Don't use the service to infringe on intellectual property or privacy rights.

Your Content

• You own your files — We don't claim any ownership over files you convert.
• You're responsible for your content — You confirm that you have the legal right to convert and download all files you process.
• We don't review content — We don't monitor file contents, but we may investigate if we receive reports of abuse.

5. Intellectual Property

Our IP

The Converter owns all rights to:

• The Converter name, logo, and branding
• The website design and user interface (except open-source components)
• Our proprietary conversion orchestration and server-side code

Open Source Components

Our client-side conversion library is open source under the MIT License. Third-party libraries (FFmpeg WASM, pdf-lib, etc.) are used under their respective licenses.

6. Payment & Subscriptions (Pro & API Tiers)

Billing

• Recurring charges — Pro and API subscriptions are billed monthly or annually (your choice) via Stripe.
• Auto-renewal — Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled.
• Price changes — We'll notify you 30 days before any price increase. You can cancel before the new price takes effect.

Cancellation & Refunds

• Cancel anytime — You can cancel your Pro or API subscription anytime from your account dashboard. Access continues until the end of your billing period.
• No refunds — We don't offer refunds for partial months or unused conversions. If you cancel, you'll have access until the end of your current billing cycle.
• Free trial (if offered) — If you cancel during a free trial, you won't be charged.

Failed Payments

If your payment fails, we'll retry up to 3 times. If payment still fails, your account will be downgraded to the Free tier. You can resubscribe anytime.

7. Privacy & Data Retention

See our Privacy Policy for details. Key points:

• Client-side conversions never leave your browser. We can't see them.
• Server-side conversions are encrypted, processed, and deleted within 1 hour.
• We don't log file names, metadata, or contents (only technical error messages if a conversion fails).

8. Disclaimers & Limitations of Liability

"As-Is" Service

The Converter is provided "as-is" without warranties of any kind, express or implied. We don't guarantee:

• That the service will be error-free or uninterrupted
• That conversions will be 100% accurate
• That files will be preserved in case of server failure
• That the service will meet your specific requirements

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, The Converter and its team are NOT liable for:

• Loss of files, data corruption, or failed conversions
• Indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
• Any damages exceeding the amount you paid us in the last 12 months (if Pro/API user)
• Issues caused by third-party services (Stripe, Vercel, Cloudflare, etc.)

Backup Your Files

Always keep backups of important files. We're not responsible for file loss. The Converter is a conversion tool, not a storage service.

9. Termination

By You

You can stop using the Service anytime. Pro/API users can cancel their subscription from the account dashboard.

By Us

We may suspend or terminate your access if:

• You violate these Terms
• You abuse the service (excessive rate limiting violations, DDoS attempts, etc.)
• Your payment fails repeatedly (Pro/API users)
• We're legally required to (e.g., court order, DMCA takedown)

We'll provide 7 days' notice before termination unless immediate suspension is required for legal or security reasons.

10. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms occasionally. If we make significant changes, we'll notify you via:

• Email (Pro/API users)
• Banner on the website (free users)

Continued use after changes means you accept the updated Terms. If you don't agree, you can cancel your subscription and stop using the Service.

11. Governing Law & Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of [Your State/Country — update as needed]. Any disputes will be resolved in the courts of [Your Jurisdiction].

Informal resolution first: Before filing a lawsuit, please contact us at support@theconverter.app to try to resolve the issue.

12. Severability

If any part of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the rest remains in effect.

13. Contact Us

Questions about these Terms? Contact us:

• Email: support@theconverter.app
• Legal inquiries: legal@theconverter.app