Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By downloading, installing, or using the Chive app (including our website), you agree to follow these terms. If you don't agree with any part of these terms, please don't use Chive.

We may update these terms from time to time. We'll notify you of material changes through the app or email. Your continued use means you accept the updated terms.

We define a "material change" as changes that negatively affect your privacy, limit your rights, add significant new fees, or change how we handle your data. For material changes, we will provide at least 30 days' notice via email and in-app notification. For non-material changes (bug fixes, minor improvements), we may update the Terms without advance notice.

2. Account Registration and Responsibilities

To use Chive, you need to create an account. You're responsible for:

• Keeping your password confidential
• All activity that happens under your account
• Notifying us immediately if you suspect unauthorized access
• Providing accurate information when you sign up

You must be at least 13 years old to use Chive. For users between 13 and 18, a parent or guardian must consent to these Terms before you create an account. If you're under 18, you confirm that a parent or guardian has agreed to these terms.

3. Chive+ Subscription and Billing

Subscription Overview

Chive+ unlocks premium features:

• AI chat with recipe suggestions and pantry advice
• Photo ingestion for receipt scanning and item identification
• Spending insights and budget tracking
• Meal planning features
• Unlimited household members (vs. 2 for free tier)

The free tier includes: Instacart data import, zone management, grocery lists, barcode scanning, and 2 household members.

Pricing and Auto-Renewal

Chive+ is available at the following rates (prices displayed at time of subscription):

• Monthly Plan: $2.99/month (auto-renews monthly)
• Annual Plan: $24.99/year (auto-renews annually)

Billing is processed through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Your subscription will automatically renew at the end of each billing period (monthly or yearly, as selected) unless you cancel before the renewal date.

You will be charged the renewal price at the time of renewal. Prices are subject to change with 30 days' notice via email or in-app notification.

Free Trial

New Chive+ subscribers receive a 30-day free trial. During the trial, you have full access to all Chive+ features at no charge.

Trial-to-Paid Conversion

• At the end of the 30-day trial, your account will automatically convert to a paid subscription
• You will be charged on the conversion date. Your first paid billing cycle will begin immediately after the trial ends
• The conversion price is the monthly or annual rate you selected at the time of trial signup
• We will send you a reminder email 3 days before conversion

Cancellation and Refunds

You can cancel your Chive+ subscription at any time by:

• Going to your device's app store settings (Apple App Store or Google Play Store)
• Finding your Chive subscription
• Tapping "Cancel Subscription"

Once cancelled:

• Your cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period
• You will retain access to Chive+ features until the end of the paid period you've already been charged for
• No refunds will be issued for the partial month or year in which you cancel. You will continue to have access through the end of that billing cycle

Refund Policy

Refund requests are handled by Apple or Google, not by Chive. If you have been charged incorrectly, contact Apple Support or Google Play Support directly:

• Apple: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204084
• Google: https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/2521798

Chive does not issue refunds directly. However, for billing errors, contact legal@chivepantry.app and we will escalate to the app store on your behalf.

Payment Information

Payment information (credit card, billing address) is processed and stored securely by Apple or Google. Chive does not store your payment information. Your payment details are subject to the app store's privacy policy and security practices.

4. User Content and Data Ownership

Your Data Ownership

You own all the information you add to Chive, including inventory items, grocery lists, notes, purchase history, photos, and recipes. This ownership does not change when you delete your account; we will delete our copies, but any information you've shared with others remains theirs.

License to Chive

You grant Chive a limited license to:

• Store, process, and display your data within the app
• Back up your data for data recovery and security
• Share your data with household members as you authorize
• Analyze de-identified, aggregated data to improve the app
• Use your data to provide the Chive service, including AI-powered suggestions

Restrictions

Chive will not:

• Use your personal data to train AI models or improve machine learning algorithms (beyond real-time AI chat suggestions within your session)
• Sell or rent your data to third parties
• Use your data for marketing or targeted advertising
• Publish your data or make it available to other users without permission

Data Deletion and Backup

When you delete your account:

• We delete your data from our primary servers within 48 hours
• Backup copies may be retained for an additional 30 days
• Aggregated, de-identified analytics may be retained indefinitely
• Any data you've explicitly shared with household members or exported remains in their possession

5. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

• Use Chive for illegal purposes or to violate anyone's rights
• Upload malware, viruses, or code designed to disrupt the app
• Attempt to hack into Chive's systems or other users' accounts
• Use bots or scripts to scrape data or automate access (except as we explicitly allow)
• Harass, threaten, or abuse other users
• Post spam, commercial content, or misleading information
• Reverse engineer or try to extract our source code
• Use Chive to compete with us or build a similar service

We reserve the right to remove your account if you break these rules.

6. AI Assistant and Food Safety Disclaimers

Informational Only

The Chive AI assistant is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical, dietary, nutritional, or health advice. The AI may suggest recipes, meal plans, or storage advice, but these suggestions are general in nature and may not be appropriate for your specific situation.

AI Limitations

The AI:

• May make mistakes, including factual errors and incorrect recommendations
• Cannot see external recipe websites, restaurant menus, or real-time nutritional databases
• Cannot account for your individual health conditions, allergies, or dietary restrictions
• Cannot verify ingredient sourcing, preparation methods, or food safety practices

Health and Safety Disclaimers

You are solely responsible for:

• Verifying ingredient lists and allergen information independently
• Checking product packaging for allergen warnings and recalls
• Consulting a doctor or registered dietitian if you have allergies, dietary restrictions, or health conditions
• Never relying on Chive's AI for food allergy management or food safety decisions

Expiry Date Disclaimers

Chive uses OCR (optical character recognition) and AI to estimate expiry dates from photos and receipt scans. However:

• OCR may misread dates, especially if images are blurry or poorly lit
• Expiry dates are estimates only and may not be 100% accurate
• You are responsible for checking the actual expiry date on the product itself
• Chive is not liable if you consume an expired product based on Chive's estimated date
• Always discard food that smells, looks, or tastes spoiled, regardless of the expiry date

Food Safety

Chive does not provide advice on food storage, food handling, cooking temperatures, or food safety practices. Follow government food safety guidelines:

• Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-safety.html
• For specific food safety questions, contact your local health authority or a food safety specialist

Recipe and Nutrition Disclaimers

• Recipes suggested by Chive's AI are for general information and may have errors
• Nutritional information may be incomplete or inaccurate
• Always verify recipe instructions and nutritional content with reliable sources before cooking
• Consult a doctor if you have dietary restrictions due to health conditions

7. Third-Party Services

Instacart Integration

Chive can read and parse Instacart order confirmations that you manually copy and paste into the app. This is a convenience feature that extracts product names, quantities, and prices from your Instacart order text.

• We do not have an API partnership with Instacart
• Instacart data is not uploaded to Instacart servers through Chive
• You are responsible for ensuring you have the right to share Instacart order data with Chive
• Product names, prices, and availability in Chive are based on the Instacart data you provide and may be outdated
• We do not verify the accuracy of Instacart pricing or product information
• Your Instacart account remains subject to Instacart's own terms and privacy policy

For support with Instacart-related issues, contact Instacart directly.

App Store Payments

Subscriptions are processed through Apple's App Store or Google Play Store. Their privacy policies and billing practices apply to your payment information.

8. Intellectual Property

Chive's name, logo, design, features, and code are our intellectual property. You can't copy, modify, or sell them without permission. You may not use our brand or logo in your own products or marketing without written approval.

Exception: Security Research

Security researchers may responsibly disclose vulnerabilities through our security contact. Disclose vulnerabilities to security@chivepantry.app, and we will acknowledge receipt within 72 hours. Do not publicly disclose the vulnerability until we have released a patch (typically 30 days).

The content you create (your inventory, lists, photos) is yours to keep. We don't claim ownership over it.

9. Limitation of Liability and Disclaimers

Disclaimer of Warranties

CHIVE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, CHIVE DISCLAIMS:

• ANY WARRANTY THAT THE APP WILL BE ERROR-FREE OR UNINTERRUPTED
• ANY WARRANTY THAT THE APP WILL MEET YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS OR EXPECTATIONS
• ANY WARRANTY ABOUT THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR TIMELINESS OF INFORMATION PROVIDED

Limitation of Liability

NEITHER CHIVE NOR ITS OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, OR AGENTS SHALL BE LIABLE FOR:

1. Indirect or Consequential Damages: Lost profits, lost data, lost revenue, business interruption, or other indirect damages, even if Chive has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
2. Data Loss: Accidental loss, corruption, or deletion of your pantry data, notes, or purchase history. You are responsible for maintaining your own backups.
3. AI Assistant Information: The AI assistant is educational and informational only. Chive is not liable for:
   • Incorrect or misleading information provided by the AI
   • Decisions you make based on AI suggestions
   • Failure to consult professional advisors (doctors, dietitians, chefs)
4. Health and Food Safety: Chive is not liable for food poisoning, allergic reactions, or health issues related to recipes, ingredient information, or expiry date estimates. You are solely responsible for:
   • Verifying ingredient lists and allergen information
   • Checking expiry dates on actual products
   • Following safe food handling practices
   • Consulting healthcare professionals about allergies or sensitivities
5. Third-Party Services: Chive is not liable for performance, security, or availability of third-party services (Instacart, Apple, Google, Firebase). You are responsible for reviewing their terms and privacy policies.

Cap on Liability

To the extent permitted by Ontario law, Chive's total liability for any claim shall not exceed the greater of:

• The amount you paid to Chive in the 12 months preceding the claim, or
• $100 CAD (if you are a free user or have not paid)

This cap applies to all claims, whether based on contract, tort (including negligence), or any other legal theory.

Exceptions

These limitations do not apply to:

• Claims for death or personal injury caused by Chive's gross negligence or willful misconduct
• Claims for fraudulent misrepresentation
• Claims that cannot be limited under applicable law

Your Acknowledgment

You acknowledge that:

• The AI assistant is experimental and may make mistakes
• You should not rely on Chive for medical, dietary, or food safety decisions
• You should verify all information independently and consult professionals as needed
• You use Chive at your own risk

10. Account Termination and Deletion

User-Initiated Account Deletion

You can delete your account at any time through app settings. Upon deletion:

• Your user profile will be immediately deactivated
• You will lose access to Chive within 24 hours
• Your personal conversation history with the AI assistant will be deleted
• Your account email will be available for reuse after 30 days

Data Deletion After Account Termination

After you delete your account:

• Pantry data you contributed to a household will remain accessible to other household members (since they may rely on this inventory data)
• Your personal preferences, app settings, and AI conversation history will be deleted
• Your data will be completely removed from our primary servers within 48 hours
• Backup copies may be retained for an additional 30 days for data recovery and legal compliance, then deleted

Data Export Before Deletion

Before deleting your account, you can export your data through app settings. Your export will include:

• All pantry items visible to you (including household inventory)
• Your grocery lists
• Your purchase history
• Your AI conversation history

Exports are provided in standard format (CSV/JSON) and can be downloaded or emailed to you.

Chive-Initiated Account Termination

Chive may terminate your account if you:

• Violate these Terms of Service repeatedly or severely
• Engage in illegal activity or activity that harms other users
• Are found to be using Chive for fraudulent purposes

If we terminate your account due to a violation:

• Your access will be immediately revoked
• We will notify you of the termination and reason via email
• You will have 30 days to request an export of your data
• After 30 days, your data will be deleted
• No refund will be issued for any remaining subscription time

Household Account Termination

If the household creator deletes their account:

• The household will be automatically deleted
• All household members will lose access
• Household members will be notified via email that the household has been deleted
• Household members will have 30 days to request an export of household data

Data Portability

If you have GDPR rights (you are an EU or UK resident), you can request your data in a portable, machine-readable format. Contact privacy@chivepantry.app to request a portable data export. We will provide this within 30 days at no charge.

11. Privacy

Your use of Chive is also governed by our Privacy Policy. Please review it for details about how we collect, use, and protect your information.

12. Changes to These Terms

We may update these terms to reflect changes in how Chive works or to comply with legal requirements. We'll give you at least 30 days' notice of material changes through the app or email.

If you don't accept the updated terms, you can delete your account. Continuing to use Chive means you accept the new terms.

13. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

Applicable Law

These Terms of Service are governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard to conflict of law principles. You agree that any dispute will be resolved under Ontario law.

Jurisdiction and Forum

You agree that any legal action or proceeding will be brought exclusively in the courts located in Ontario (specifically, the Superior Court of Justice). Both parties consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of these courts.

However, this does not prevent either party from seeking relief in small claims court if the amount at issue is within that court's jurisdiction.

Informal Dispute Resolution

Before initiating legal proceedings, we encourage you to contact us at legal@chivepantry.app to attempt to resolve the dispute informally. If we cannot resolve the dispute within 30 days, either party may proceed with formal legal action.

Class Action Waiver

You and Chive agree that any legal action or proceeding will be brought on an individual basis. You waive your right to participate in a class action lawsuit or class arbitration against Chive. If this class action waiver is found unenforceable, any class action will be stayed pending negotiation of a settlement.

Limitations Period

You must bring any legal claim within one year of discovering the issue or losing the right to bring the claim. Any claim brought after one year is time-barred.

14. Severability

If any part of these terms is found to be unenforceable, that part will be removed or modified to make it valid, and the rest of the terms will stay in effect.

15. Force Majeure

Chive is not liable for failure to perform any obligation under these Terms if such failure is due to causes beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to:

• Acts of God (earthquakes, floods, natural disasters)
• War, terrorism, or civil unrest
• Cyberattacks or hacking (if Chive took reasonable security measures)
• Government action or regulation
• Internet outages or service disruptions by third parties

In such cases, Chive will use reasonable efforts to resume service as soon as possible and will notify users of the issue.

16. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Chive, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Your use of Chive in violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any law or regulation
• Your infringement of any intellectual property rights
• Your content or information you add to Chive (including photos, notes, or household data)
• Any harm caused by sharing Chive's content or suggestions with third parties

This indemnification does not apply to Chive's gross negligence, willful misconduct, or violations of law.

17. Contact Us

Questions about these terms? Contact us at:

For privacy-related questions: privacy@chivepantry.app

For legal, billing, or terms questions: legal@chivepantry.app

For technical support: support@chivepantry.app

We will respond to all inquiries within 10 business days.

Last Updated: April 1, 2026