Terms of Service

Last Updated: December 3, 2024

Welcome to RefExtract! By using our service, you agree to these Terms of Service. Please read them carefully.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using RefExtract, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use our service.

2. Description of Service

RefExtract is an academic reference extraction tool that:

• Searches academic papers via the OpenAlex database
• Extracts and formats citations in multiple styles (APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, BibTeX)
• Provides tiered subscription plans with varying usage limits
• Returns approximately 60 references per search (2 papers with ~30 references each)

3. User Accounts and Subscriptions

3.1 Free Tier

• 3 searches per month
• ~60 references per search
• Google account required
• No payment required

3.2 Student Plan ($5.99/month)

• 50 searches per month
• ~60 references per search
• Search history saved
• Google account required
• Monthly recurring subscription
• Can be cancelled anytime

3.3 Professional Plan ($19.99/month)

• Unlimited searches
• ~60 references per search
• Search history saved
• Google account required
• Monthly recurring subscription
• Priority support
• Can be cancelled anytime

4. Payment Terms

All payments are processed securely through Stripe. By subscribing to a paid plan, you agree to:

• Pay the monthly subscription fee for your selected plan
• Automatic renewal each month until cancelled
• All fees are in USD and non-refundable except as required by law
• Prices may change with 30 days notice

5. Refund Policy

Due to the nature of our service (instant digital delivery), we generally do not offer refunds. However:

• If you experience technical issues preventing service use, contact us within 7 days
• Refunds are evaluated on a case-by-case basis
• Unused searches do not roll over to the next month

6. Acceptable Use

You agree NOT to:

• Use the service for any illegal purposes
• Attempt to bypass usage limits or restrictions
• Reverse engineer or copy our service
• Share your account with others
• Use automated tools to abuse the service
• Resell or redistribute search results commercially
• Create multiple accounts to circumvent usage limits

6.1 Data Collection and Usage

By using RefExtract, you acknowledge that:

• We collect and store your Google account information (email, name, profile picture)
• Your search history is stored in our database for your convenience
• Usage statistics are tracked to enforce tier limits
• This data persists across sessions and devices
• You can request deletion of your data at any time

7. Academic Integrity

RefExtract is a citation tool, not a replacement for proper research. You are responsible for:

• Verifying the accuracy of all citations
• Reading the actual papers you cite
• Following your institution's academic integrity policies
• Proper attribution in your work

8. Service Availability

We strive for 99.9% uptime but cannot guarantee uninterrupted service. We are not liable for:

• Temporary service outages
• Third-party service failures (OpenAlex, Stripe)
• Force majeure events

9. Accuracy of Results

RefExtract aggregates data from OpenAlex, an open academic database. We make reasonable efforts to provide accurate citations, but:

• We do not guarantee 100% accuracy of citations
• Users should verify all references before use
• We are not responsible for errors in source data

10. Cancellation

You can cancel your subscription at any time:

• No cancellation fees
• Access continues until the end of your billing period
• No refunds for partial months
• Cancel through Stripe customer portal or contact us

11. Termination

We reserve the right to terminate or suspend access to RefExtract immediately, without prior notice, for:

• Violation of these Terms of Service
• Fraudulent payment activity
• Abusive or harmful behavior

12. Intellectual Property

RefExtract and its original content, features, and functionality are owned by RefExtract and are protected by international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

13. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, RefExtract shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages resulting from your use or inability to use the service.

14. Disclaimer of Warranties

RefExtract is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.

15. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms of Service at any time. Material changes will be communicated via:

• Update to the "Last Updated" date
• Notice on our website
• Email notification (for paid subscribers)

16. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

By using RefExtract, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to these Terms of Service.