Terms of Service
Last updated: February 7, 2026
1. Acceptance of Terms
By accessing or using CognitoBuddy ("the Service"), operated at cognitobuddy.vercel.app, 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. We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
2. Description of Service
CognitoBuddy is an AI-powered visual knowledge management platform that enables users to create interconnected mind maps, track learning progress, and leverage AI-assisted study tools. The Service includes features such as knowledge map creation, concept expansion, spaced repetition, study planning, focus mode, learning analytics, and optional Google Calendar integration.
3. Account Registration
To use the Service, you must create an account with a valid email address. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities that occur under your account. You must notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account. You must be at least 13 years of age to create an account.
4. Subscription Plans and Billing
4.1 Free and Paid Plans
The Service offers a free tier with limited features and paid subscription plans (Spark, Synapse, and Cortex) with additional capabilities. Feature availability and usage limits vary by plan. Current pricing and plan details are available on our pricing page.
4.2 Payment and Billing
Paid subscriptions are billed in advance on a monthly or annual basis through Stripe, our payment processor. By subscribing to a paid plan, you authorize us to charge your payment method on a recurring basis. All fees are quoted in US Dollars and are non-refundable except as described in Section 4.4.
4.3 Plan Changes
You may upgrade or downgrade your subscription plan at any time. Upgrades take effect immediately. Downgrades take effect at the end of the current billing period. If you downgrade, you may lose access to features exclusive to higher-tier plans.
4.4 Refund Policy
We offer a 7-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans. If you are not satisfied with the Service, you may request a full refund within 7 days of your initial subscription purchase by contacting support@cognitobuddy.com. Refunds are not available after the 7-day window or for renewal charges.
4.5 Cancellation
You may cancel your subscription at any time through your account settings or by contacting support. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. You will retain access to paid features until the end of your billing period.
5. User Content
5.1 Ownership
You retain full ownership of all content you create within the Service, including knowledge maps, concepts, notes, and other materials ("User Content"). We do not claim ownership over your User Content.
5.2 License to Us
By using the Service, you grant us a limited, non-exclusive license to store, process, and display your User Content solely for the purpose of operating and providing the Service to you. This license terminates when you delete your content or account.
5.3 AI Processing
When you use AI-powered features, portions of your User Content may be sent to third-party AI providers for processing. This processing is done solely to provide the requested feature (e.g., concept expansion, semantic search). We do not use your User Content to train AI models, and AI-generated suggestions are provided as-is without warranty of accuracy.
6. Acceptable Use
You agree not to use the Service to:
- Violate any applicable laws or regulations
- Infringe on the intellectual property rights of others
- Upload or transmit malicious code, viruses, or harmful content
- Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Service or other users' accounts
- Use automated tools to scrape, crawl, or extract data from the Service
- Interfere with or disrupt the Service's infrastructure
- Share account credentials with third parties
- Use the Service to store or distribute illegal content
- Abuse AI features by submitting harmful, deceptive, or malicious prompts
7. Google Calendar Integration
The optional Google Calendar integration (available on the Cortex plan) allows you to sync study plans with your Google Calendar. By enabling this feature, you authorize CognitoBuddy to create and manage calendar events on your behalf. You may revoke this access at any time through your Google Account settings or within the CognitoBuddy application. Our use of Google Calendar data complies with the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.
8. Intellectual Property
The Service, including its design, code, features, branding, and documentation, is owned by CognitoBuddy and protected by intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, or create derivative works based on the Service without our prior written consent. The CognitoBuddy name and logo are our trademarks and may not be used without permission.
9. Availability and Modifications
We strive to keep the Service available and reliable but do not guarantee uninterrupted access. We may modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Service at any time, with or without notice. We will make reasonable efforts to notify users of significant changes that affect their use of the Service.
10. Limitation of Liability
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, COGNITOBUDDY AND ITS OPERATORS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, USE, OR GOODWILL, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE. OUR TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM.
11. Disclaimer of Warranties
THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT AI-GENERATED CONTENT IS ACCURATE, COMPLETE, OR SUITABLE FOR ANY PURPOSE. AI FEATURES ARE PROVIDED AS LEARNING AIDS AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS AUTHORITATIVE SOURCES.
12. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless CognitoBuddy and its operators from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your use of the Service, violation of these Terms, or infringement of any third-party rights.
13. Termination
We may suspend or terminate your account at our discretion if you violate these Terms or engage in conduct that we reasonably believe is harmful to the Service or other users. Upon termination, your right to use the Service ceases immediately. You may request export of your data prior to account deletion by contacting support@cognitobuddy.com.
14. Governing Law
These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States. Any disputes arising from these Terms or the Service shall be resolved through good-faith negotiation. If negotiation fails, disputes shall be submitted to binding arbitration in accordance with applicable rules, except where prohibited by law.
15. Severability
If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
16. Contact Us
If you have questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us at:
Email: support@cognitobuddy.com