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Terms of service

Please read these terms carefully. They describe your rights and obligations when you use Openline.

1. Acceptance and eligibility

By using Openline, you agree to these terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the service.

You must be at least 18 years old and have the legal capacity to enter into a contract. You may maintain only one account. You must provide accurate information and keep it current.

2. Definitions

  • Recipient: A person who publishes a personal Openline link and sets a Price for receiving Messages.
  • Sender: A person who pays the Price to send a Message to a Recipient.
  • Message: The communication a Sender submits through Openline, including the sender's name, email, company, subject, and body.
  • Price: The amount in U.S. dollars that a Recipient sets to receive a Message. The Price is inclusive of the Platform Fee and does not include the Recipient's card processing fees.
  • Response Window: The period a Recipient chooses for replying, which may be 3, 5, or 7 days from the time the Message is sent.
  • Qualifying Reply: A reply from the Recipient that meets all the criteria in Section 3.
  • Authorization: A temporary hold placed on the Sender's payment method for the Price. The Sender's card is authorized, not charged, at the time the Message is sent.
  • Capture: The conversion of the Authorization into a permanent charge after the Recipient sends a Qualifying Reply.
  • Platform Fee: The portion of the Price that Openline retains, currently 20% of the Price.

3. What a Qualifying Reply is

This is the most important term on Openline. It determines whether a Sender's card is charged and whether a Recipient is paid. A reply qualifies only if all of the following are true:

  • It is sent from the email address registered to the Recipient's Openline profile.
  • Openline receives it before the Response Window expires.
  • After removing quoted text, signature blocks, and similar automatic formatting, it contains at least 20 characters.
  • It is not an automated reply, out-of-office message, delivery notification, bounce message, or other non-substantive response.

Openline determines whether a reply qualifies. Our determination is final. The content, usefulness, tone, or completeness of a reply is not a factor. A reply that declines the Message or says no is still a Qualifying Reply if it meets the criteria above. The only thing that matters is whether the Recipient sent a genuine, non-automated response from their registered address before the window closed.

A Recipient may decline a Message at any time. A decline cancels the Authorization and the Sender is charged nothing.

4. Payments and authorization

When a Sender submits a Message, the Sender's payment method is authorized for the Price. The card is not charged at that moment. Capture occurs only if the Recipient sends a Qualifying Reply within the Response Window.

If no Qualifying Reply is received, the Authorization is released and the Sender is charged nothing. The Sender's bank may take several business days to remove the hold from the available balance. Openline is not responsible for how long a bank takes to release a hold.

All amounts are in U.S. dollars. Payments are processed by Stripe Connect. Recipients are merchants of record for their own accounts and are separately bound by Stripe's terms, which may change from time to time.

5. Fees

Openline retains a Platform Fee of 20% of the Price. The Recipient receives 80% of the Price, less any card processing fees charged by Stripe. Stripe's processing fees are set by Stripe and may vary.

Openline may change the Platform Fee with at least 30 days' notice before the change applies to new Messages sent after the notice period.

6. Openline's role

Openline is a platform that connects Senders and Recipients. We are not a party to any conversation between users. We do not employ, endorse, verify, or vet Recipients. We make no representation about any Recipient's identity, qualifications, expertise, availability, or the value or content of any response.

We do not guarantee that any Recipient will reply. The only guarantee we make is that a Sender is not charged unless the Recipient sends a Qualifying Reply.

7. Recipient responsibilities

As a Recipient, you are solely responsible for confirming that you are permitted to accept payment for responding to messages. Do not use Openline if your employer, professional body, regulator, or any applicable law or policy prohibits you from accepting payment from third parties.

If you are an employee, do not use your employer's email account on Openline and do not accept payments that belong to your employer. You are responsible for any tax, reporting, or compliance obligations that arise from your earnings. Openline may issue tax forms, such as a Form 1099, as required by law.

8. Prohibited uses

You may not use Openline for:

  • Unlawful, threatening, harassing, defamatory, or abusive content.
  • Spam, bulk or mass-templated messages, or unsolicited commercial messaging.
  • Solicitation of illegal goods, services, or activities.
  • Adult or sexually explicit content.
  • Securities, investment, or fundraising solicitation requiring registration.
  • Attempts to induce a public official or any other person to act against their duties.
  • Payment for a business decision, procurement outcome, contract, job, or anything of value beyond a response to a Message.
  • Using an introduction made on Openline to move a transaction off-platform in order to avoid our fees.
  • Any other use that violates these terms or applicable law.

9. Refunds and disputes

Because Senders are not charged absent a Qualifying Reply, refunds are limited. If you believe a charge was made in error, contact us at support@openline.to within 14 days of the charge. We may investigate and refund at our discretion.

Chargebacks are handled through Stripe and may result in immediate account suspension. If you initiate a chargeback without first contacting us, we may terminate your account.

10. Account suspension and termination

You may terminate your account at any time by contacting us. We may suspend or terminate your account for violations of these terms, suspected fraud, risk concerns, or legal requirements. If we suspend a Recipient, pending Authorizations will be released and Senders will not be charged.

11. SMS terms

Recipients consent to receive service-related text messages from Openline when they complete phone verification. Messages are sent only for verification, new Message alerts, and reminders before the Response Window closes. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply.

Reply STOP to any text to opt out. Reply HELP for help. For full details, see openline.to/sms.

12. Intellectual property

Openline owns the platform, including its software, designs, trademarks, and branding. You retain ownership of the content you submit. By submitting a Message, you grant Openline a limited, non-exclusive license to transmit, store, and display it as needed to operate the service.

13. Disclaimers and limitation of liability

THE SERVICE 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.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Openline's liability to you is capped at the greater of (a) the total fees Openline collected from you in the 12 months before the event giving rise to liability, or (b) $100. We are not liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any loss of profits or data.

14. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Openline and its officers, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses arising out of your use of the service, your content, or your violation of these terms.

15. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. Material changes will take effect at least 30 days after we post the updated terms. Continued use of Openline after the effective date means you accept the new terms.

16. Governing law and disputes

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute arising from these terms or your use of Openline will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Harris County, Texas.

17. Contact

For questions or notices, email us at support@openline.to.