Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using Synaptic (“the Service,” “we,” “our,” or “us”), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service (“Terms”). If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not use the Service. These Terms apply to all users, including free and paid subscribers.

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Changes will be posted on this page, and your continued use of the Service constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms.

2. Description of Service

Synaptic is an AI-powered personalized learning platform that helps students study more effectively. Our Service includes:

• Document Upload & Processing: Upload PDFs, DOCX, and TXT files (up to 500MB)
• AI-Generated Content: Flashcards, podcasts, mind maps, quick summaries, and study guides
• Interactive Learning: Chat with AI tutors, spaced repetition, writing assistant
• Progress Tracking: Study sessions, heatmaps, streaks, and analytics
• Learning Style Assessment: Personalized recommendations based on VAK model

3. User Accounts

3.1 Registration

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

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information
• Maintain and update your information to keep it accurate
• Keep your password secure and confidential
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized access
• Be responsible for all activities under your account

3.2 Age Requirement

You must be at least 13 years old to use the Service. Users under 18 should have parental consent. By using the Service, you represent that you meet these age requirements.

4. Acceptable Use

4.1 Permitted Uses

You may use Synaptic for:

• Personal educational and learning purposes
• Academic study and research (with proper citations)
• Creating study materials from documents you own or have rights to
• Collaborative learning within your educational institution

4.2 Prohibited Uses

You may NOT use Synaptic to:

• Violate laws or rights: Infringe on copyrights, trademarks, or other intellectual property rights
• Academic dishonesty: Complete assignments for submission as your own work without proper disclosure
• Abuse the system: Use bots, scrapers, or automated tools to access the Service
• Circumvent limits: Create multiple accounts to evade usage restrictions
• Harm others: Upload malicious files, viruses, or harmful content
• Resell or redistribute: Resell access to the Service or redistribute generated content commercially
• Reverse engineer: Attempt to extract our AI models or proprietary algorithms
• Spam or harass: Use the Service to send unsolicited communications

Academic Integrity: Synaptic is a study aid, not a replacement for learning. You are responsible for ensuring your use complies with your institution's academic integrity policies. Always cite AI-generated content when submitting academic work.

5. Content and Intellectual Property

5.1 Your Content

You retain ownership of any documents, notes, or materials you upload ("Your Content"). By uploading Your Content, you grant us a limited license to:

• Process and analyze Your Content to provide the Service
• Generate study materials (flashcards, podcasts, mind maps) based on Your Content
• Store Your Content securely in our databases

Important: We do NOT claim ownership of Your Content. We do NOT use Your Content to train AI models or for any purpose other than providing you with the Service.

5.2 AI-Generated Content

Content generated by our AI (flashcards, summaries, podcasts, etc.) is provided to you for your personal use. You may:

• Use generated content for personal study and learning
• Share study materials with classmates or study groups
• Export and save your generated content

You may NOT commercially exploit AI-generated content without a separate commercial license.

5.3 Our Intellectual Property

The Synaptic platform, including its design, code, features, algorithms, and branding, is owned by us and protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, or create derivative works based on our platform.

6. Subscriptions and Payments

6.1 Subscription Plans

Synaptic offers both free and paid subscription plans:

• Free Plan: Limited features, usage caps, basic support
• Pro Plan: Unlimited features, priority processing, advanced analytics
• Educational Discounts: Available for verified students and educators

6.2 Billing and Renewals

• Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled
• You will be charged at the start of each billing cycle
• Prices are subject to change with 30 days' notice
• All payments are processed securely through Stripe

6.3 Cancellation and Refunds

• You may cancel your subscription at any time from your account settings
• Cancellations take effect at the end of the current billing period
• No refunds for partial billing periods, except as required by law
• Refunds for technical issues evaluated on a case-by-case basis

7. Service Availability and Limitations

7.1 Uptime and Maintenance

We strive for 99.9% uptime but cannot guarantee uninterrupted service. We may perform scheduled maintenance with advance notice. Emergency maintenance may occur without notice.

7.2 Usage Limits

To ensure fair use and system stability, we enforce the following limits:

• Free Plan: 5 documents, 50 flashcards, 3 podcasts per month
• Pro Plan: Unlimited usage, subject to fair use policy
• File Size: Maximum 500MB per document
• Rate Limits: API calls throttled to prevent abuse

7.3 AI Limitations

AI-generated content is provided "as is" and may contain errors, inaccuracies, or biases. You should verify important information and not rely solely on AI outputs for critical decisions or submissions.

8. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

8.1 No Warranties

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

8.2 Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR:

• Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
• Loss of data, profits, or business opportunities
• Academic consequences from use of AI-generated content
• Errors, inaccuracies, or omissions in AI outputs
• Third-party actions or content

OUR TOTAL LIABILITY SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, OR $100, WHICHEVER IS GREATER.

8.3 Educational Disclaimer

Synaptic is a study tool, not a substitute for learning. We are not liable for academic performance, grades, or consequences of how you use the Service. Always verify information and comply with your institution's policies.

9. Termination

9.1 By You

You may terminate your account at any time from your account settings. Upon termination:

• Your subscription will be canceled (no refund for current period)
• Your data will be deleted within 30 days
• You will lose access to all generated content

9.2 By Us

We may suspend or terminate your account if:

• You violate these Terms
• Your account is inactive for 12+ months
• Payment fails or chargebacks occur
• We detect fraudulent or abusive behavior
• Required by law or legal process

We will provide notice when possible. Termination for cause (violations) is immediate with no refunds.

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Synaptic, its affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Your use of the Service
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any law or third-party rights
• Your Content or any content you upload

11. Dispute Resolution

11.1 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the United States and the State of California, without regard to conflict of law principles.

11.2 Informal Resolution

Before filing a claim, you agree to contact us at legal@synaptic.study to attempt to resolve the dispute informally.

11.3 Arbitration

If informal resolution fails, disputes will be resolved through binding arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association. You waive your right to a jury trial or class action lawsuit.

12. Miscellaneous

12.1 Entire Agreement

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

12.2 Severability

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

12.3 No Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision does not constitute a waiver of that right.

12.4 Assignment

You may not assign these Terms without our consent. We may assign these Terms to any affiliate or successor.

13. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms, please contact: