Moondoggle

1. Acceptance of Terms

By downloading, installing, accessing, or using Moondoggle (the "Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the Service.

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Moondoggle LLC, a Washington State limited liability company ("Moondoggle," "we," "us," or "our").

You must be at least 13 years of age to use the Service, or 16 years of age where required by applicable local law (including but not limited to jurisdictions subject to the EU General Data Protection Regulation). If you are under the required minimum age in your jurisdiction, you may not use the Service.

2. Definitions

For the purposes of these Terms:

"Service" means the Moondoggle desktop application, cloud services, website, documentation, and all related tools and features collectively.
"Software" means the Moondoggle desktop application distributed for macOS, Windows, and Linux.
"Content" means any text, manuscripts, notes, outlines, documents, images, metadata, or other materials you create, upload, store, or transmit through the Service.
"Solo Plan" means the subscription tier providing local-only use of the Software with no AI features.
"Power Plan" means the subscription tier providing all Solo Plan features plus the AI Assistant, cloud synchronization, and related managed-AI features.
"BYOK" (Bring Your Own Key) means the configuration in which you provide your own API key(s) from supported third-party AI providers (such as Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, or DeepSeek) for use with the Software's AI features. During the open beta period, BYOK is the only way to access AI features. After the Solo Plan and Power Plan launch, BYOK becomes an optional configuration available in the Software's Advanced settings for subscribers on either plan who prefer to use their own provider instead of (or, on the Solo Plan, in place of having) managed AI.
"Booster Pack" means a purchasable add-on providing additional AI processing credits for use with the Power Plan's managed AI features.
"Creative Provenance" means the cryptographic proof-of-authorship feature that documents the human creative process behind your manuscripts.

3. Account Registration and Security

3.1 Account Creation

To access certain features of the Service (including subscription management, purchases, and synchronization), you may need to create an account. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration.

3.2 Account Security

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials. You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized access to or use of your account. Moondoggle is not liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to secure your account.

3.3 One Account Per Person

Each account is for a single individual. You may not share account credentials with others, though your subscription permits installation on multiple personal devices as described in Section 4.

4. License Grant

4.1 Subscription License

Upon subscribing to the Solo Plan or Power Plan, Moondoggle grants you a non-exclusive, non-transferable license to install and use the Software on any personal devices you own or control, for as long as your subscription remains active. This is a household license, which means you may install the Software on your desktop, laptop, and any other personal computers in your household without purchasing additional licenses. This license is for personal, non-commercial use by a single individual; it does not extend to colleagues, organizations, or unrelated persons sharing a residence.

Your access to the Software is tied to your active subscription. If your subscription lapses or is canceled, your license to use the Software ends as described in Section 18 (Term and Termination), though your Content remains yours and exportable as described in Section 7.4.

4.2 Free Trial

We offer a 14-day free trial of the Service, including Power Plan features, with no payment information required. The free trial is capped at 500 AI assistant credits; once those credits are consumed, AI features are disabled for the remainder of the trial unless you upgrade to the Power Plan. At the end of the trial period, you may choose to subscribe to the Solo Plan, the Power Plan, or neither. Your Content created during the trial remains yours and is accessible via the local-first desktop application regardless of whether you subscribe.

4.3 Restrictions

You may not:

Reverse-engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Software, except to the extent expressly permitted by applicable law;
Redistribute, sublicense, rent, lease, or lend the Software to third parties;
Remove, alter, or obscure any proprietary notices in the Software;
Use the Service to develop a competing product or service;
Circumvent any technical limitations or access controls in the Software.

5. Beta and Early Access Program

5.1 Beta Status

Moondoggle is currently in open beta. We are transparent about this: the Service is under active development, and features may change, be added, or be removed as we iterate toward a stable release.

5.2 What Beta Means for You

During the beta period:

We strongly recommend maintaining regular backups of your Content using your operating system's backup tools or by exporting your work. The Software stores all data locally on your device in standard, accessible formats.
Features may be incomplete, behave unexpectedly, or change between updates.
We will communicate significant changes, planned downtime, and our roadmap through our website and in-app notifications.
We are committed to the integrity of your data. Our local-first architecture means your manuscripts live on your machine in formats you control.

5.3 Early Bird Benefits

The first 100 users to join the waitlist, and separately the first 100 users to begin using the open beta application (including during any promotional period, such as a NaNoWriMo promotion), are each eligible to lock in early-bird pricing for the Solo Plan and Power Plan for one year from the date they subscribe. This benefit is tied to your account and does not transfer.

5.4 Transition to Stable Release

When Moondoggle exits beta, we will provide reasonable advance notice of any changes to pricing, features, or these Terms. Your Content and any early-bird pricing benefits acquired during beta will be honored.

5.5 Future Pricing and Tier Changes

Moondoggle may change its subscription pricing, introduce new tiers, or modify existing tiers over time. If we make such changes:

We will provide at least 30 days' advance notice of any pricing change affecting existing subscribers, consistent with Section 6.1.
Early-bird pricing locked in under Section 5.3 will be honored for its full one-year term even if list pricing changes during that period.
Your Content remains yours and exportable regardless of any pricing or tier change (see Section 7.4).

This clause exists because Moondoggle is a solo-developer company building for the long term, and we want to be transparent that pricing may evolve while also committing that your creative work will always be respected.

6. Pricing, Payments, and Refunds

6.1 Pricing

Solo Plan: $6/month (early-bird pricing; local-only use, no AI features)
Power Plan: $12/month (early-bird pricing; includes the AI Assistant, cloud sync, and 1,000 credits/month)
Booster Pack: $5 per pack (500 additional AI credits for Power Plan subscribers)

All prices are in US dollars. Prices are subject to change with 30 days' advance notice for existing subscribers.

6.2 Payment Processing

Payments are processed through Paddle, which acts as the Merchant of Record for your purchase. This means Paddle is the seller of record and handles payment processing, sales tax/VAT, and billing on our behalf. By making a purchase, you also agree to Paddle's terms of service. We do not directly store your payment card information.

6.3 Refund Policy

Because Paddle acts as the Merchant of Record for all purchases (see Section 6.2), refunds are processed by Paddle in accordance with Paddle's Refund Policy, together with the Moondoggle policy described below. Where the two differ, the option more favorable to you applies, and nothing here limits any non-waivable statutory rights you have under your local consumer-protection laws.

Requesting a refund: You can request a refund through Paddle using the link in your purchase receipt, through your account's billing page, or at paddle.net. Paddle may grant a refund at its discretion when a request is made within 14 days of the transaction date. Submitting a request within this window does not by itself guarantee a refund; Paddle reviews each request on a case-by-case basis.

Statutory withdrawal rights: If you are a consumer in a jurisdiction that grants a statutory right of withdrawal (for example, the EU, EEA, UK, and Switzerland provide a 14-day withdrawal right, which restarts when a free trial ends), that right applies and overrides this policy. Some jurisdictions provide shorter unconditional windows. These rights are administered by Paddle as Merchant of Record.

Solo Plan and Power Plan: You may cancel your subscription at any time. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period, and no partial-month refunds are issued for the remainder of a period already paid.

Booster Packs: Booster Packs deliver AI credits immediately on purchase. Consistent with the treatment of digital items that are delivered and used immediately, a Booster Pack is refundable only while its credits remain entirely unused. Once any credits from a Booster Pack have been consumed, that Booster Pack is no longer eligible for a refund except where required by law.

6.4 Free Trial Conversion

The 14-day free trial requires no payment information. You will never be charged without affirmatively choosing to subscribe.

7. Your Content and Intellectual Property

7.1 You Own Your Content

Any Content you create, write, upload, or store using the Service remains your intellectual property. This includes manuscripts, notes, outlines, character profiles, worldbuilding materials, and any content generated or suggested by AI features. Moondoggle claims no ownership rights over your Content.

7.2 Limited License to Provide the Service

You grant Moondoggle a limited, non-exclusive license to access, store, and transmit your Content solely as necessary to provide the Service to you (for example, to enable cloud synchronization or to process AI requests through our managed service). This license terminates when you delete your Content or close your account.

7.3 No Exploitation of Your Work

We will never:

Use your Content for advertising or promotional purposes without your explicit consent;
Sell, license, or distribute your Content to third parties;
Claim any ownership interest in derivative works you create;
Mine your manuscripts for data or insights beyond what is needed to provide the Service.

7.4 Content Portability

Your Content is stored locally on your device in accessible formats. You may export, back up, or migrate your Content at any time without restriction. We do not use proprietary formats designed to create lock-in.

8. AI Features and BYOK

8.1 AI Assistant Philosophy

The Moondoggle AI Assistant is a manuscript-aware thinking partner. It is designed to help you brainstorm, outline, analyze, and refine your creative work. It does not generate prose on your behalf. You remain the author of your work.

8.2 AI-Generated Outputs

Any suggestions, outlines, analyses, summaries, or other outputs generated by the AI features are yours to use freely and without restriction. Neither Moondoggle nor the upstream AI providers (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, DeepSeek) claim ownership of outputs generated through their APIs when accessed via the Service.

8.3 BYOK (Bring Your Own Key)

During the open beta period, BYOK is the only way to access AI features and there is no managed AI option available yet. After the Solo Plan and Power Plan launch, BYOK becomes an optional configuration in the Software's Advanced settings, available to subscribers on either plan. This lets a Solo Plan subscriber add AI features using their own key without upgrading to Power, and lets a Power Plan subscriber use their own provider instead of Moondoggle's managed AI if they prefer.

When you use the BYOK configuration with your own API key:

Your queries go directly from your machine to the AI provider. Moondoggle does not see, intercept, store, route, or intermediate these requests.
Your API key is stored locally on your device and is never transmitted to Moondoggle servers.
You are responsible for compliance with the terms of service of your chosen AI provider(s).
Usage and billing for your API key are between you and the provider.

8.4 Managed AI (Power Plan)

The Power Plan includes managed AI by default; the Solo Plan does not include managed AI, though Solo Plan subscribers may enable AI features via BYOK as described in Section 8.3. When you use Moondoggle's managed AI features:

Requests are processed through AWS Bedrock on Moondoggle's infrastructure.
We transmit only the content necessary to fulfill your AI request and do not retain conversation data beyond what is needed to complete the request.
Managed AI usage is subject to the credit limits of your subscription plan and any purchased Booster Packs.

8.5 AI Provider Terms

Regardless of whether you use BYOK or managed AI, the underlying AI models are provided by third parties. These providers have their own terms, and while we have selected providers whose terms do not claim ownership of API outputs, we encourage you to review their current terms if this is important to you.

9. Analytics and Telemetry

9.1 Opt-In After Beta

Moondoggle uses PostHog for application analytics and Sentry for crash reporting. During the open beta period, both are required to help us identify critical bugs and deliver a stable product at launch. After open beta concludes, both are strictly opt-in and no analytics or telemetry data will be collected unless you explicitly consent.

9.2 Informed Consent

During the initial setup wizard, you are presented with a clear explanation of:

What is tracked (if you opt in): Application usage patterns including button clicks, feature usage frequency, navigation paths, and performance metrics.
What is NEVER tracked, regardless of your choice: Manuscript content, AI conversations, personal writing, document titles, character names, plot details, or any substance of your creative work.

9.3 Changing Your Preference

After the open beta period, you may opt in or opt out of analytics and crash reporting at any time through the application settings. Opting out takes effect immediately. During beta, analytics and crash reporting cannot be disabled.

9.4 Crash Reports

If you opt in to crash reporting via Sentry, reports include technical diagnostic information (stack traces, system specifications, error states) and never include manuscript content or personal writing.

10. No AI Training Pledge

10.1 Our Commitment

Moondoggle will never use your Content to train, fine-tune, or improve artificial intelligence or machine learning models. This applies to:

Your manuscripts and all written Content;
Your AI conversations and queries;
Your outlines, notes, and worldbuilding materials;
Your Creative Provenance data;
Any other data you create or store using the Service.

10.2 Third-Party Providers

We select AI providers whose API terms of service explicitly exclude API inputs and outputs from model training. As of the effective date of these Terms, all supported providers (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, DeepSeek) maintain such policies for API usage. Should any provider change this policy, we will notify users and provide alternative options before continuing to offer that provider through our Service.

10.3 Scope

This pledge covers all uses including internal research, aggregate analysis, benchmarking, or any other purpose. Your creative work exists solely for you.

11. Creative Provenance

11.1 What Creative Provenance Does

The Creative Provenance feature provides cryptographic documentation of your human authorship process, creating verifiable proof that your manuscripts were written by you over time.

11.2 Your Provenance Data

Creative Provenance data is your intellectual property. It is generated and stored locally on your device. If you use the cloud sync feature on the Power Plan, provenance data may be synchronized to enable cross-device continuity, subject to the same protections as your other Content.

11.3 No Guarantees of Legal Effect

While Creative Provenance is designed to provide strong evidence of human authorship, Moondoggle does not guarantee that provenance data will be accepted as evidence by any court, publisher, contest, or other third party. The legal landscape around AI and authorship is evolving, and the evidentiary value of cryptographic provenance may vary by jurisdiction and context.

12. Prohibited Uses / Acceptable Use

You agree not to use the Service to:

Violate any applicable law, regulation, or third-party rights;
Generate, store, or transmit content that exploits minors;
Distribute malware or conduct any activity that disrupts the Service;
Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Service, other accounts, or related systems;
Circumvent usage limits, credit allowances, or payment requirements;
Use automated scripts or bots to interact with the Service (except through documented APIs);
Impersonate Moondoggle, its employees, or other users;
Use the Service to harass, threaten, or abuse others;
Resell or commercially redistribute access to the Service without authorization.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate access for violations of this section, with notice where practicable.

13. Third-Party Services

13.1 Integrated Services

The Service integrates with or relies upon the following third-party services:

AI Providers (BYOK): Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, DeepSeek for AI features when you provide your own key.
AWS Bedrock: Managed AI processing for Power Plan subscribers.
AWS (DynamoDB, S3, Lambda, Cognito): Cloud infrastructure for the Power Plan.
Paddle: Payment processing.
Vercel: Website hosting.
Apple: Application notarization and auto-update services.
PostHog: Opt-in application analytics.
Sentry: Opt-in crash reporting.

13.2 Third-Party Terms

Each third-party service operates under its own terms of service and privacy policy. Your use of the Service may be subject to those terms where applicable. Moondoggle is not responsible for the practices, availability, or content of third-party services.

13.3 Service Availability

We rely on third-party infrastructure for cloud features. While we strive for high availability, we cannot guarantee uninterrupted access to features that depend on third-party services. The local-first architecture of the desktop application ensures core writing functionality remains available regardless of cloud service status.

14. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE." TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, MOONDOGGLE DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

Without limiting the foregoing, Moondoggle does not warrant that:

The Service will meet your specific requirements;
The Service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free;
Results obtained through the Service will be accurate or reliable;
Any AI-generated outputs will be factually correct, complete, or suitable for any particular purpose.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties. In such jurisdictions, the above exclusions apply to the fullest extent permitted by law.

15. Limitation of Liability

15.1 Cap on Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, MOONDOGGLE'S TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR THE SERVICE SHALL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL AMOUNT YOU PAID TO MOONDOGGLE IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM.

15.2 Exclusion of Damages

IN NO EVENT SHALL MOONDOGGLE BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, GOODWILL, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER MOONDOGGLE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

15.3 Exceptions

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law, including liability for fraud, gross negligence, or willful misconduct.

15.4 Basis of the Bargain

You acknowledge that Moondoggle has set its prices and entered into these Terms in reliance upon the limitations of liability set forth herein, which allocate risk between you and Moondoggle and form a basis of the bargain between the parties.

16. Indemnification

16.1 Your Indemnification of Moondoggle

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Moondoggle and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or in connection with:

Your use of the Service in violation of these Terms;
Your Content, including any claim that your Content infringes or misappropriates the intellectual property rights of a third party;
Your violation of any applicable law or regulation.

16.2 Moondoggle's Indemnification of You

Moondoggle agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless you from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of any third-party claim that the Service itself (excluding your Content and third-party services) infringes or misappropriates such third party's intellectual property rights, provided that you:

Promptly notify Moondoggle in writing of the claim;
Give Moondoggle sole control of the defense and settlement of the claim;
Provide reasonable assistance in the defense of the claim.

16.3 Limitation

Moondoggle's indemnification obligation does not apply to the extent a claim arises from your Content, your modifications to the Service, or your use of the Service in combination with materials not provided by Moondoggle.

17. Data Breach Notification

17.1 Our Commitment

In the event of a security breach that affects your personal data or Content stored on the Power Plan, Moondoggle commits to:

Notifying affected users within 72 hours of confirming the breach;
Providing a clear description of the nature of the breach, the data affected, and the steps we are taking to mitigate harm;
Offering guidance on steps you can take to protect yourself;
Cooperating with applicable regulatory authorities as required by law.

17.2 Scope

This notification commitment applies to data stored on or transmitted through Moondoggle's cloud infrastructure. It does not apply to data stored solely on your local device, BYOK API communications that do not pass through our servers, or breaches of third-party services outside our control (though we will notify you if we become aware that a third-party service breach may affect your use of Moondoggle).

18. Term and Termination

18.1 Term

These Terms are effective as of the date you first use the Service and continue until terminated.

18.2 Termination by You

You may stop using the Service at any time. To close your account, contact us, cancel your subscription, or use the account settings.

18.3 Termination by Moondoggle

We may suspend or terminate your access to the Service if:

You materially breach these Terms and fail to cure the breach within 14 days of notice;
You engage in prohibited uses as described in Section 12;
Required by law or regulation;
Continuing to provide the Service to you poses a security risk to others.

18.4 Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

Your right to access the Software and any subscribed features ceases at the end of your current billing period (or immediately in cases of material breach).
We will make your cloud-stored Content available for download for at least 30 days following termination, except in cases of legal prohibition.
Sections that by their nature should survive termination (including Sections 7, 10, 14, 15, 16, 20, and 22) shall survive.

19. Modifications to Terms

19.1 Changes

We may modify these Terms from time to time. When we make material changes, we will:

Provide at least 30 days' advance notice via email and/or in-app notification;
Clearly identify what has changed;
Post the updated Terms on our website with a revised effective date.

19.2 Acceptance of Changes

Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of updated Terms constitutes acceptance of those changes. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you may terminate your account as described in Section 18.2.

19.3 Non-Material Changes

We may make non-material changes (such as correcting typographical errors or updating contact information) without advance notice.

20. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

20.1 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Washington, USA, without regard to its conflict-of-law principles.

20.2 Informal Resolution

Before initiating any formal dispute resolution, you and Moondoggle agree to attempt to resolve any dispute informally by contacting the other party and describing the dispute. Both parties agree to negotiate in good faith for at least 30 days.

20.3 Jurisdiction

Any dispute that cannot be resolved informally shall be submitted to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Washington State, USA. You consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.

20.4 Statute of Limitations

Any claim arising out of or related to these Terms or the Service must be brought within one (1) year after the cause of action arises. Claims brought after this period are permanently barred.

20.5 Class Action Waiver

To the extent permitted by applicable law, you and Moondoggle agree that each party may bring claims against the other only in an individual capacity, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding.

21. Force Majeure

Neither party shall be liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations under these Terms (other than payment obligations) where such failure or delay results from causes beyond the reasonable control of that party. Such causes include, but are not limited to: natural disasters, acts of government, pandemic, war, terrorism, civil unrest, labor disputes, power failures, internet or telecommunications failures, or failures of third-party service providers.

If a force majeure event continues for more than 60 consecutive days, either party may terminate the affected portion of these Terms upon written notice to the other party.

22. General Provisions

22.1 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

22.2 Waiver

The failure of either party to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by the waiving party.

22.3 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Acceptable Use Policy, our Privacy Policy, and any purchase-specific terms presented at the time of transaction, constitute the entire agreement between you and Moondoggle regarding the Service and supersede all prior agreements and understandings. The Acceptable Use Policy is incorporated into these Terms by reference, and a breach of the Acceptable Use Policy is a breach of these Terms.

22.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms or your rights hereunder without Moondoggle's prior written consent. Moondoggle may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of all or substantially all of its assets, provided the assignee agrees to honor these Terms.

22.5 Notices

Notices to you may be provided via email to the address associated with your account or through in-app notifications. Notices to Moondoggle must be sent to the contact information provided in Section 23. Notices are deemed received upon delivery for in-app notifications, upon sending for email (absent a bounce-back), or upon receipt for physical mail.

22.6 Headings

Section headings are for convenience only and do not affect the interpretation of these Terms.

22.7 No Third-Party Beneficiaries

These Terms do not create any third-party beneficiary rights in any individual or entity that is not a party to these Terms.

23. Contact Information

If you have questions about these Terms, need to report a security issue, or wish to contact us for any reason:

Moondoggle LLC

For security-related issues, including reporting potential data breaches or vulnerabilities, please send an email with URGENT in the subject line to:

Security: support@moondoggle.app

These Terms of Service were last updated on September 17, 2026.