Terms of Service

Last Updated: February 4, 2026

Please read these Terms of Service ("Terms") carefully before using the Homebound mobile application (the "App") operated by Hudson Schmidt ("we," "us," or "our").

By downloading, accessing, or using Homebound, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the App.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By creating an account or using Homebound, you confirm that:

• You meet the minimum age requirement for your region (see Section 2)
• You have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms
• You agree to comply with these Terms and all applicable laws

If you are using the App on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have authority to bind that organization to these Terms.

2. Age Requirements

Homebound has different minimum age requirements based on your region:

Your region is determined by your App Store storefront location. If you do not meet the minimum age requirement for your region, you may not use Homebound.

3. Description of Service

Homebound is a personal safety planning application that allows you to:

• Create trip or activity plans with estimated times of arrival
• Designate emergency contacts to be notified about your trips
• Check in during your activities to confirm your safety
• Receive notifications and reminders about your trips
• Alert your emergency contacts if you do not check out by your expected time
• Connect with friends who also use Homebound
• Share your live location with safety contacts during active trips (optional)
• Create and participate in group trips with multiple users
• View safety insights computed from your trip history
• Use Quick Trips for one-tap creation of routine activities
• Save favorite locations for quick access
• View weather conditions for your trips
• Share completed trips to the Activity Feed and engage with friends' trips
• Upgrade to Homebound+ for premium features

Homebound+ (Premium Subscription)

Homebound+ is an optional paid subscription that provides additional capabilities:

• Up to 5 safety contacts per trip (vs. 2 on the free plan)
• Unlimited trip history (vs. 30 days on the free plan)
• Family Sharing support (annual plan only)

All core features—including group trips, custom notifications, contact groups, widgets, achievements, and data export—are available to all users regardless of subscription status. See Section 10 for subscription terms.

4. IMPORTANT SAFETY DISCLAIMER

4.1 Supplementary Tool Only

Homebound is designed as a supplementary safety tool to enhance your personal safety planning. It is NOT:

• A replacement for proper safety planning and preparation
• An emergency response service
• A substitute for calling 911 or emergency services
• A guarantee of rescue or emergency assistance
• A replacement for informing others of your plans in person

4.2 No Guarantee of Performance

We do not guarantee that:

• Notifications will be delivered on time or at all
• The App will function without interruption or errors
• Your emergency contacts will receive or respond to alerts
• Emergency services will be notified or respond
• The App will be available in all locations or conditions

4.3 Your Responsibility

You are solely responsible for your own safety. This includes:

• Making sound decisions about your activities and their risks
• Carrying appropriate safety equipment
• Informing others of your plans through multiple means
• Having backup communication methods
• Not relying exclusively on Homebound for your safety
• Checking weather, trail conditions, and other relevant information

4.4 Technical Limitations

The App may experience network issues, server downtime, delayed notifications, battery drain, GPS inaccuracies, or other technical failures. You acknowledge that technology can fail, and you should not depend solely on this App for critical safety communications.

4.5 Live Location Sharing Limitations

If you enable live location sharing, you acknowledge that location accuracy depends on GPS and network conditions, updates may be delayed, and location data may not reflect your actual position in areas with poor coverage.

4.6 Group Trip Responsibilities

For group trips, each participant is responsible for their own safety. The trip owner does not assume responsibility for other participants' safety.

4.7 Emergency Contacts

Adding emergency contacts to Homebound does not guarantee they will receive notifications, take action, or create any obligation on their part.

4.8 Weather Data

Weather information displayed in the App is provided by third-party services and is for informational purposes only. Weather conditions can change rapidly. Do not rely solely on App weather data for safety decisions. Always check official weather sources before outdoor activities.

4.9 Third-Party Services

The App uses third-party services for location names (OpenStreetMap/Nominatim) and weather data (Open-Meteo). We do not guarantee the accuracy, availability, or reliability of these services.

5. Account Registration

5.1 Account Creation

To use Homebound, you must create an account using a valid email address or Apple Sign In. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information.

5.2 Account Security

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account, all activities that occur under your account, and notifying us immediately of any unauthorized access.

5.3 One Account Per Person

Each user may only maintain one account. We reserve the right to terminate duplicate accounts.

6. User Responsibilities

You agree to:

• Provide accurate information about your trips and activities
• Keep your emergency contact information current
• Not misuse the notification system
• Not use the App for any illegal purpose
• Not interfere with the App's operation
• Not attempt to access other users' accounts or data
• Respect the privacy of your emergency contacts and other users
• Only send friend requests to people you know

7. Acceptable Use Policy

You may NOT use Homebound to:

• Send false or misleading safety alerts
• Harass, abuse, or harm others
• Impersonate any person or entity
• Violate any applicable laws or regulations
• Transmit malware or malicious code
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems
• Use the service for commercial purposes without permission

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate this policy.

8. Emergency Contacts & Location Sharing

8.1 Emergency Contact Consent

By adding emergency contacts, you represent that you have their permission and they consent to receiving notifications about your trips.

8.2 Notifications to Contacts

Emergency contacts will receive emails about trip creation, trip start, check-in updates (including your location), trip completion, overdue alerts, and your live location (if enabled).

8.3 Live Location Sharing

If you enable live location sharing, your real-time location will be shared with the safety contacts you designate. You can disable this at any time.

8.4 No Obligation on Contacts

We make no representations about what actions your emergency contacts will take upon receiving notifications.

9. Activity Feed & Social Features

9.1 Activity Feed

The Activity Feed allows you to share completed trips with friends or all Homebound users. You control your sharing preferences through:

• Publishing Mode: Choose whether to automatically share trips, be asked per trip, or never share
• Visibility Scope: Share with friends only or all Homebound users
• Location Privacy: Show exact location, generalize to city/region, or hide entirely
• Participant Visibility: For group trips, show participant details or just a count

9.2 Comments and Likes

You may comment on and like trips in the Activity Feed. When using these features, you agree to:

• Post only appropriate, respectful content
• Not harass, bully, or intimidate other users
• Not post spam, advertisements, or promotional content
• Not impersonate others or misrepresent your identity
• Not post content that is illegal, harmful, or violates others' rights

9.3 Community Guidelines

The following content is prohibited in comments and any user-generated content:

• Hate speech, discrimination, or content targeting individuals based on protected characteristics
• Threats, harassment, or bullying
• Sexually explicit or suggestive content
• Graphic violence or gore
• Personal information about others without consent
• Spam, scams, or misleading content
• Content that promotes illegal activities

9.4 Content Moderation

We reserve the right to:

• Remove any comment or content that violates these Terms or our community guidelines
• Suspend or terminate accounts that repeatedly violate guidelines
• Review reported content and take appropriate action
• Modify or disable social features at any time

9.5 User Content Ownership

You retain ownership of comments you post. By posting content, you grant us a license to display, distribute, and store your content as part of the Activity Feed feature. You can delete your own comments at any time.

10. Subscriptions & Payments

10.1 Billing

All payments are processed through the Apple App Store. Subscription fees are billed in advance on a recurring basis (monthly or annually).

10.2 Free Trials

We may offer free trial periods. If you do not cancel before the trial ends, you will be automatically charged. Free trials are limited to one per Apple ID.

10.3 Auto-Renewal

Subscriptions automatically renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period. Manage subscriptions in your Apple ID account settings.

10.4 Cancellation

You may cancel at any time through your Apple ID settings. You retain access until the end of your paid period. We do not provide refunds for partial periods.

10.5 Refunds

Refund requests must be made through Apple. We cannot issue refunds directly.

10.6 Price Changes

We may change prices at any time. Changes take effect at your next billing period. Cancel before renewal if you do not agree.

11. Intellectual Property

11.1 Our Property

Homebound, including its code, design, logos, and content, is owned by Hudson Schmidt and protected by intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, distribute, reverse engineer, or decompile the App.

11.2 Your Content

You retain ownership of content you create (trip notes, comments, etc.). By using the App, you grant us a license to use this content solely to provide the service.

12. Limitation of Liability

12.1 Disclaimer of Warranties

THE APP IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

12.2 Limitation of Damages

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, HUDSON SCHMIDT SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, USE, OR GOODWILL, OR ANY DAMAGES RESULTING FROM YOUR USE OF THE APP, FAILURE OF NOTIFICATIONS, FAILURE OF CONTACTS TO RESPOND, ANY INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, OR TECHNICAL FAILURES.

12.3 Maximum Liability

OUR TOTAL LIABILITY SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRIOR TO THE CLAIM, OR ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100), WHICHEVER IS LESS.

Note for EU/EEA/UK/Swiss Users: These limitations do not exclude or limit liability that cannot be excluded under applicable law, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, or for fraud.

Note for Australian Users: These limitations are subject to the Australian Consumer Law. Nothing in these Terms excludes, restricts, or modifies rights you may have under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) that cannot be excluded.

Note for New Zealand Users: These limitations are subject to the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 and Fair Trading Act 1986 where applicable.

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Hudson Schmidt from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses arising from your use of the App, violation of these Terms, violation of third-party rights, your activities or trips, or content you post to the Activity Feed.

14. Termination

14.1 By You

You may delete your account at any time through the App. When you request account deletion, there is a 30-day grace period during which you can cancel the request. After 30 days, your account and all associated data will be permanently deleted. Cancel any active subscription separately through the App Store.

14.2 By Us

We may suspend or terminate your account at any time for violation of these Terms, fraudulent activity, extended inactivity, or legal requirements.

14.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination, your right to use the App ceases immediately and we will delete your account data (subject to the 30-day grace period for user-initiated deletions).

15. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, United States, without regard to conflict of law provisions.

For EU/EEA/UK/Swiss Users: This choice of law does not deprive you of protections under mandatory laws of your country of residence.

For Australian and New Zealand Users: This choice of law does not exclude any mandatory consumer protection laws that apply in your jurisdiction.

16. Dispute Resolution

16.1 Informal Resolution

Before filing any claim, contact us at legal@homeboundapp.com and attempt to resolve the dispute informally for at least 30 days.

16.2 Arbitration (US Users Only)

For users in the United States: Disputes that cannot be resolved informally shall be resolved through binding arbitration under the American Arbitration Association rules in California.

16.3 Class Action Waiver (US Users Only)

For users in the United States: YOU AGREE TO RESOLVE DISPUTES INDIVIDUALLY AND WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN CLASS ACTIONS.

16.4 Exceptions

Claims for injunctive relief, intellectual property claims, and small claims court matters are not subject to arbitration.

17. International Consumer Rights

For EU, EEA, UK, and Swiss Users

If you are in the EU, EEA, UK, or Switzerland, the following apply to you:

• Consumer Protection: Nothing in these Terms limits consumer protection rights under mandatory laws of your country. These Terms do not exclude liability that cannot be excluded under applicable law.
• Statutory Rights: Nothing in these Terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer.
• Court Jurisdiction: You may bring legal proceedings in the courts of your country of residence. We may only bring proceedings against you in your country of residence.
• Arbitration Exemption: The arbitration and class action waiver provisions in Section 16 do not apply to you. You are not required to arbitrate disputes.
• Right of Withdrawal: For digital purchases, you have a 14-day right of withdrawal. By using the subscription immediately, you acknowledge you waive this right once the content is provided. Request refunds through Apple.

For Canadian Users

If you are in Canada, the following apply to you:

• Consumer Protection: Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any warranties, conditions, or rights you may have under Canadian consumer protection legislation.
• Arbitration Exemption: The arbitration and class action waiver provisions in Section 16 do not apply to you where prohibited by provincial law.
• Language: You have requested that these Terms and all related documents be drawn up in English. Vous avez demandé que cette convention ainsi que tous les documents qui s'y rattachent soient rédigés en anglais.

For Australian Users

If you are in Australia, the following apply to you:

• Consumer Guarantees: Our services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. For major failures, you are entitled to cancel your subscription and receive a refund for any unused portion.
• Arbitration Exemption: The arbitration and class action waiver provisions in Section 16 do not apply to you.

For New Zealand Users

If you are in New Zealand, the following apply to you:

• Consumer Guarantees Act: Nothing in these Terms excludes, restricts, or modifies any rights you may have under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.
• Arbitration Exemption: The arbitration and class action waiver provisions in Section 16 do not apply to you.

18. Changes to Terms

We may modify these Terms at any time. We will notify you by updating the "Last Updated" date and sending a notification through the App for material changes. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance. If you disagree, stop using the App and delete your account.

19. General Provisions

• Entire Agreement: These Terms and the Privacy Policy constitute the entire agreement between you and Hudson Schmidt.
• Severability: If any provision is unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in effect.
• Waiver: Our failure to enforce a right does not waive that right.
• Assignment: You may not assign these Terms without our consent. We may assign without restriction.
• No Third-Party Beneficiaries: These Terms do not create third-party rights, except as expressly provided.

20. Contact Information

General Questions: legal@homeboundapp.com

Support: support@homeboundapp.com

These Terms of Service are effective as of February 4, 2026.

BY USING HOMEBOUND, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD, AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS OF SERVICE.