Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

Welcome to Shabdha! By accessing or using our speech-to-text platform ("Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you don't agree to these Terms, please do not use Shabdha.

Who Can Use Shabdha:

• You must be at least 13 years old
• If you're under 18, you must have parental consent
• You must comply with all applicable laws in your jurisdiction

2. Your Account

A. Account Creation

To use certain features, you'll need to create an account. You agree to:

• Provide accurate, complete information
• Keep your account information up to date
• Maintain the security of your password
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized access

B. Account Responsibility

You are responsible for all activity under your account, including any actions taken by others who have access to your credentials. We are not liable for losses caused by unauthorized use of your account.

3. Restrictions

A. General Restrictions

You may use the Services only as permitted by law. You agree NOT to:

Security and Technical:

• Breach or circumvent security or authentication measures
• Decompile, reverse engineer, or access source code
• Probe, scan, or test system vulnerabilities
• Interfere with or disrupt users, hosts, or networks

Commercial Restrictions:

• Sell or resell the Services unless specifically authorized
• Circumvent storage or usage limits

Prohibited Content and Conduct:

• Publish content containing child sexual abuse material
• Advocate hatred or violence against protected classes
• Send spam or malicious content
• Violate intellectual property or privacy rights
• Engage in payment fraud

B. Speech-to-Text Specific Restrictions

You agree NOT to:

• Record or transcribe another person's speech without their explicit consent
• Use Shabdha to secretly monitor or surveil individuals
• Process audio of minors without parental consent
• Transcribe content for unlawful surveillance or wiretapping
• Transcribe copyrighted audio without authorization

4. Our Services

Shabdha provides speech-to-text transcription services powered by AI. Features and availability may vary by platform and subscription tier. We reserve the right to modify or discontinue features at any time.

5. Beta Services

We may offer beta features marked as "beta," "preview," or "experimental." These features are provided "as is" with no warranties and may be discontinued at any time.

6. Third-Party Services

The Services integrate with third-party services (Google Cloud Speech-to-Text, OpenAI, Google Gemini). Your use of these integrations is subject to their respective terms and privacy policies. We are not responsible for third-party services.

7. Intellectual Property

Shabdha and its services are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You retain ownership of your content and transcriptions. We retain all rights to the Shabdha platform and technology.

8. Our Rights

We reserve the right to remove content, suspend accounts, and enforce these Terms at our discretion. We may investigate violations and cooperate with law enforcement as required.

9. Privacy

Your privacy is important to us. Please review our Privacy Policy to understand how we collect, use, and protect your data.

10. Free Tier

A. Free Plan ("Shabdha Basic")

Shabdha offers a free tier with the following terms:

• Quota: 2,000 words per week (resets weekly)
• Features: All features included (same as paid plans)
• Availability: Available on all platforms (Web, macOS, iOS, Android)
• Support: Community support with 48-hour response time target

B. Quota Enforcement and Fair Use

Free tier usage is subject to the following policies:

• Weekly Limit: Transcription stops when you reach 2,000 words in a calendar week (Sunday 00:00 UTC to Saturday 23:59 UTC)
• Word Counting: Words are counted from final transcriptions; CJK characters are normalized (approximately 5 characters = 1 word)
• Overage: You cannot exceed your quota. To continue transcribing, upgrade to a paid plan
• Fair Use: We reserve the right to suspend accounts that abuse the free tier through automated scripts, account farming, or other violations of these Terms
• No Rollover: Unused quota does not carry over to the next week

C. Upgrade to Paid Plans

Free tier users can upgrade to paid plans at any time to access unlimited transcription. See Section 11 for paid plan details.

11. Paid Services

A. Subscription Plans and Pricing

Shabdha offers paid subscriptions with unlimited transcription. Current pricing:

• Monthly Plan: $9.99/month (unlimited words)
• Annual Plan: $99.99/year (unlimited words, save 17%)
• Features: Same features as free tier, with unlimited usage
• Free Trial: 14 days (all paid plans)

Prices are in USD and may vary by region due to currency conversion and local taxes.

B. Payment Processing

Platform-Specific Payment Processors:

Shabdha uses different payment processors depending on where you subscribe:

When you subscribe, you agree to the terms and privacy policies of the applicable payment processor in addition to these Terms.

C. Billing and Renewals

Automatic Renewal: Paid Services automatically renew at the end of each billing period until you cancel.

Billing Notifications:

• We will charge your payment method on each renewal date
• For annual plans, we will email you before renewal
• You are responsible for keeping payment information current

Taxes: You are responsible for all applicable taxes. We will charge tax when required by law.

D. Cancellation and Refunds

Web Subscriptions (Processed by Paddle)

How It Works:

• You may request a full refund within 30 days of any payment
• Contact support@shabdha.app with your refund request
• No justification required—we'll process the refund immediately
• Refunds include all taxes and fees

After Cancellation:

• Your subscription remains active until the end of the current billing period
• You retain access to Paid Services until the period ends
• No partial refunds for unused time (except within the 30-day guarantee window)

iOS/macOS App Store Subscriptions

How It Works:

• Refund requests must be submitted to Apple, not Shabdha
• Apple evaluates requests on a case-by-case basis
• Visit reportaproblem.apple.com (opens in new tab) or contact Apple Support
• Shabdha cannot process refunds for App Store purchases

Important Notes:

• Apple's refund policy is separate from Shabdha's 30-day guarantee
• Not all refund requests are approved by Apple
• Processing times and criteria are determined by Apple

For complete refund terms, see our Refund Policy.

E. Free Trials

Trial Terms:

• Duration: 14 days
• Access: Full access to all Paid Services
• Payment Required: Yes (to prevent fraud), but you won't be charged during the trial
• Cancellation: Cancel anytime before trial ends to avoid charges

One-Time Offer: Per Apple's requirements, App Store trials can only be used once per Apple ID per subscription group.

12. Termination

A. Your Right to Terminate

You may stop using the Services at any time by:

• Canceling your subscription (if applicable)
• Deleting your account through account settings
• Emailing support@shabdha.app

B. Our Right to Terminate

We may suspend or terminate your access if:

• You breach these Terms
• Your use creates risk of harm or loss to us or other users
• You haven't accessed the Services for 12+ consecutive months (free accounts)
• We are required to do so by law

C. Effect of Termination

Access: Your access to the Services ends immediately upon termination.

Content: You should export your content before termination. We may delete your data after a reasonable grace period.

13. Warranty Disclaimers

Transcription Accuracy: We make no warranty that speech recognition will correctly understand all speech or that transcriptions will be error-free. Accuracy depends on audio quality, language, accent, and technical factors.

14. Limitation of Liability

15. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Shabdha, Urban Folklore Ltd, and our officers, directors, employees, and agents from all damages, losses, liabilities, costs, claims, demands, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from:

• Your breach of these Terms
• Your content, including audio recordings and transcriptions
• Your violation of any laws or third-party rights, including:
  • Recording without consent
  • Infringing copyright
  • Violating privacy or confidentiality

Example: If you transcribe someone's conversation without their consent and they sue Shabdha, you agree to cover our legal costs and any damages.

16. Dispute Resolution

A. Informal Resolution (Required First Step)

Before filing any legal claim, you agree to attempt informal resolution:

1. Email us at support@shabdha.app with:
   • Description of your claim
   • Proof of your relationship with Shabdha (account email, subscription info)
   • Desired resolution
2. We will attempt to resolve the dispute via email, phone, or other communication
3. If we cannot resolve the dispute within 60 days, either party may then file a formal claim

B. Judicial Forum

General Jurisdiction: Any judicial proceeding to resolve claims will be brought exclusively in the courts of England and Wales, United Kingdom. Both you and Shabdha consent to venue and personal jurisdiction in such courts. These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

Consumer Protection Exception: If you reside in a jurisdiction with consumer protection laws that require disputes to be resolved in your local courts, this paragraph does not override those requirements.

C. Mandatory Arbitration (US Residents Only)

IF YOU ARE A UNITED STATES RESIDENT, YOU AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING ARBITRATION TERMS:

Agreement to Arbitrate: You and Shabdha agree to resolve claims through final and binding individual arbitration by a single arbitrator, except as specified in "Exceptions" below.

Opt-Out Right: You may opt out of arbitration by emailing support@shabdha.app within 30 days of first registering your account. Your opt-out email must state: "I opt out of the arbitration agreement."

Arbitration Procedures:

• Arbitration Provider: American Arbitration Association (AAA)
• Rules: AAA Consumer Arbitration Rules
• Information: www.adr.org or 1-800-778-7879
• Location: Arbitration will be held in the US county where you live or work, OR San Francisco, California

Exceptions to Arbitration: Either party may bring claims in small claims court or seek injunctive relief for intellectual property infringement without arbitration.

D. NO CLASS ACTIONS

17. Modifications

A. Modifications to Terms

We may modify these Terms from time to time. When we do:

Notice:

• We will post the updated Terms at shabdha.app/terms
• If modifications meaningfully reduce your rights, we will notify you via email

Effective Date:

• The notice will specify when the new terms take effect (typically 30 days)
• Modifications do not apply retroactively

Your Options:

• Continue using the Services: You accept the new Terms
• Disagree: Stop using the Services and cancel your subscription before the effective date

B. Modifications to Services

We may change the Services (add/remove features, change functionality) at any time. We will notify you of material changes when feasible.

18. Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms, please contact us:

These Terms were last updated on November 26, 2025. View Privacy Policy | View Refund Policy