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Terms of Service

Last updated: March 16, 2026

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using Builders.to ("the Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not access or use the Service. These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Builders.to.

2. Description of Service

Builders.to is the accountability layer solo founders are missing, centered around building in public. The platform is designed for sharing your journey—wins, losses, blockers, milestones, and lessons learned—as you build. Share what you're building, get feedback, meet collaborators, and find early users. The Service includes:

  • Creating profiles and sharing projects at any development stage
  • Posting daily updates and engaging with other builders
  • Creating and managing company profiles
  • Offering and purchasing builder services through the marketplace
  • Posting and browsing local classifieds
  • Earning and using virtual tokens
  • Purchasing and displaying advertisements
  • Subscribing to Pro plans for enhanced features
  • Using AI-powered content generation and analysis tools
  • Cross-posting content to connected social media platforms (Twitter/X, LinkedIn)
  • Hosting and attending events and meetups
  • Participating in real-time community chat channels and threaded conversations
  • Sending and receiving direct messages with other builders
  • Viewing the builder leaderboard and earning karma through contributions
  • Exploring the interactive builder map to find builders globally
  • Finding similar builders based on tech stack, building category, and shared interests

3. User Accounts

3.1 Account Creation

To use certain features of the Service, you must sign in using a supported OAuth provider (Google, GitHub, or X/Twitter). You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials with these providers.

3.2 Account Security

We offer optional two-factor authentication (2FA) for enhanced account security. You are encouraged to enable 2FA to protect your account. You are responsible for:

  • Keeping your OAuth provider credentials secure
  • Safely storing your 2FA backup codes if you enable two-factor authentication
  • All activity that occurs under your account
  • Notifying us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account

3.3 Account Responsibilities

  • You must provide accurate and complete information
  • You may not transfer or share your account with others
  • You may not create multiple accounts for the purpose of manipulation or fraud
  • You may not impersonate another person or entity

3.4 Age Requirements

You must be at least 13 years old to use this Service. By using the Service, you represent and warrant that you meet this age requirement.

3.5 Solo Founder Accounts

Each account on Builders.to is intended for use by solo founders—individual builders working on their own projects. All users, including free accounts, may create company profiles and post job listings. Company profiles and job postings must accurately represent your organization and comply with all applicable laws.

4. User Content

4.1 Your Content

You retain ownership of all content you submit to the Service ("User Content"), including projects, company profiles, daily updates, comments, service listings, local listings, job postings, and profile information. By submitting User Content, you grant Builders.to a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, display, reproduce, and distribute your content in connection with the Service.

4.2 Content Responsibility

You are solely responsible for your User Content and agree not to submit content that:

  • Violates any law or regulation
  • Infringes on intellectual property rights of others
  • Contains malware, spam, or malicious code
  • Is fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading
  • Is defamatory, obscene, or harassing
  • Promotes violence or discrimination
  • Impersonates another person or entity
  • Contains personal information of others without consent
  • Manipulates engagement metrics (upvotes, likes, follows) through artificial means
  • Promotes illegal products or services
  • Promotes or relates to gambling, betting, or games of chance
  • Contains adult, sexually explicit, or pornographic material
  • Is otherwise deemed not safe for work (NSFW)

4.3 AI-Generated Content

When using our AI content generation features:

  • You are responsible for reviewing and editing AI-generated content before posting
  • AI-generated content is subject to the same content guidelines as manually created content
  • You may not use AI features to generate content that violates these Terms
  • AI suggestions are provided as-is without guarantees of accuracy or appropriateness
  • DALL-E image generation (Pro feature) is subject to OpenAI's content policies

4.4 Content Moderation

We reserve the right, but have no obligation, to review, edit, or remove any User Content at our sole discretion. We may remove content that violates these Terms or that we find objectionable for any reason. Users may report content through our reporting system, and we will review flagged content as appropriate.

4.5 Threaded Comments

Comments on projects, updates, events, and listings support threaded replies. All content guidelines apply equally to replies. Reply chains may be collapsed or moderated if they violate our policies or become disruptive.

4.6 Building in Public & Posting Guidelines

Builders.to is a building-in-public community. The majority of your posts and updates should relate to your builder journey, including but not limited to:

  • Wins: Launches, milestones, revenue updates, user growth, and achievements
  • Losses: Failed experiments, pivots, setbacks, and honest reflections
  • Blockers: Technical challenges, design decisions, and requests for help
  • Progress: Daily or weekly build updates, feature demos, and behind-the-scenes work
  • Learnings: Insights, tutorials, and advice gained from your building experience

4.7 Promotional Content Limits

To keep the community focused on building rather than advertising:

  • Free Users: Free accounts are limited to 1 promotional post per week. Promotional posts include product launches, discount offers, affiliate links, and direct calls to purchase.
  • Pro Users: Pro subscribers may receive higher promotional posting limits as part of their plan benefits.
  • What Counts as Promotional: A post is considered promotional if its primary purpose is driving sales, sign-ups, or traffic to an external product or service rather than sharing your building journey.
  • Organic Updates Are Not Promotional: Sharing a milestone (e.g., "just launched v2!"), asking for feedback, or posting a build update that mentions your product is not considered promotional.

4.8 Low-Quality & Spam Accounts

We actively monitor for low-quality and spammy behavior to protect the community. Accounts identified as low-quality or spam may be subject to the following enforcement actions:

  • Rate Limiting: Posting frequency may be throttled for accounts exhibiting spammy behavior, including excessive promotional content, repetitive posts, or bulk engagement.
  • Warnings: Accounts may receive formal warnings for first-time or borderline violations. Warnings are logged and repeated violations escalate enforcement.
  • Account Removal: Accounts that persistently post spam, low-effort content unrelated to building, or content that degrades the community experience may be permanently removed without prior notice.

Determination of what constitutes "low quality" or "spam" is at the sole discretion of Builders.to. Examples include but are not limited to: posting only affiliate links, auto-generated or scraped content, repetitive self-promotion without meaningful building updates, and engagement farming (e.g., follow-for-follow schemes).

4.9 Prohibited Content Categories

The following categories of content are strictly prohibited on Builders.to:

  • Gambling: Content promoting, facilitating, or related to gambling, sports betting, online casinos, lotteries, or games of chance.
  • Adult Content: Sexually explicit material, pornography, escort services, or any content of a sexual nature.
  • NSFW Material: Any content deemed not safe for work, including graphic violence, gore, or disturbing imagery.

Projects, profiles, updates, listings, and any other content that fall into these categories will be removed, and the associated accounts may be suspended or permanently banned.

5. Cross-Platform Posting

5.1 Platform Connections

You may connect your Twitter/X and LinkedIn accounts to enable cross-posting. By connecting:

  • You authorize us to post content on your behalf to connected platforms
  • You are responsible for complying with each platform's terms of service
  • We store encrypted OAuth tokens to maintain your connections
  • You can disconnect platforms at any time, which revokes our access

5.2 Cross-Posted Content

When cross-posting content:

  • Content is adapted to each platform's requirements (character limits, media formats)
  • You are responsible for the content posted to external platforms
  • We are not responsible for how external platforms handle your content
  • Scheduled posts will be published at the specified time if your connection is active

6. Services Marketplace

6.1 Service Providers

If you offer services through the marketplace, you agree to:

  • Provide accurate descriptions of your services
  • Deliver services as described within the stated timeframe
  • Communicate promptly with buyers
  • Complete Stripe Connect onboarding for payment processing
  • Handle disputes professionally and in good faith

6.2 Service Buyers

If you purchase services, you agree to:

  • Provide clear and accurate requirements
  • Communicate promptly with service providers
  • Pay for services through the platform
  • Acknowledge delivery when services are completed satisfactorily

6.3 Platform Role

Builders.to facilitates connections between service providers and buyers but is not a party to service agreements. We are not responsible for the quality, safety, or legality of services offered or purchased. Disputes should be resolved between parties, though we may intervene at our discretion.

7. Local Listings and Classifieds

Local listings allow users to post classifieds in various categories. You agree that:

  • All listing information must be accurate and not misleading
  • You will not post prohibited items or services
  • You are responsible for all transactions that result from your listings
  • Listings may be removed if flagged by the community or found to violate these Terms
  • Paid listings are subject to expiration and non-refundable after activation

8. Events and Meetups

8.1 Event Hosts

If you host events on the platform, you agree to:

  • Provide accurate event information including date, time, and location
  • Update or cancel events promptly if circumstances change
  • Ensure venues are appropriate and accessible for advertised capacity
  • Not host events for illegal activities or purposes that violate these Terms
  • Take reasonable responsibility for attendee safety at physical events

8.2 Event Attendees

If you attend events, you agree to:

  • RSVP honestly and update your status if plans change
  • Behave respectfully toward hosts and other attendees
  • Follow venue rules and local laws
  • Understand that Builders.to is not responsible for event quality, safety, or outcomes

8.3 Platform Role

Builders.to facilitates event discovery and RSVPs but is not an event organizer or venue. We are not responsible for the quality, safety, or legality of events. All liability for events rests with the hosts and attendees.

9. Leaderboard and Karma System

Builders.to features a public leaderboard and karma system:

  • Karma Points: You earn karma through community contributions (posting updates, commenting, launching projects, engagement). Karma points determine your level.
  • Public Rankings: The leaderboard publicly displays top builders ranked by karma. Your username, profile image, and karma score are visible.
  • Karma Levels: Levels (Seedling, Sprout, Builder, Veteran, Master, Legend) are earned through sustained engagement and are publicly visible on your profile.
  • No Guarantee: Karma points and levels are provided for engagement purposes and do not represent monetary value. We reserve the right to modify the karma system at any time.

10. Builder Map

Builders.to provides an interactive map showing the approximate locations of builders:

  • Opt-In Display: Your location appears on the map only if you have provided location information on your profile. You can remove your location at any time.
  • Privacy Offset: Locations are offset by approximately 10 miles to protect your exact address.
  • Nearby Matching: Your approximate location may be used to help other builders find you through location-based matching.
  • No Liability: We are not responsible for any interactions or consequences resulting from location-based discovery.

11. Similar Builder Matching

Builders.to provides matching features to help you find builders with similar profiles:

  • Building Categories: You may select a building category (e.g., SaaS, Mobile App, AI/ML, Developer Tools, eCommerce, Fintech, Healthtech, Edtech, Marketplace, Agency, Content, Hardware) to be matched with builders working on similar types of projects.
  • Tech Stack Matching: Technologies listed on your profile may be used to find builders with overlapping tech stacks.
  • Interest Matching: Your declared interests are used to suggest builders with shared goals.
  • No Guarantee: We do not guarantee the accuracy of matching, the availability of similar builders, or outcomes resulting from matching features.
  • Data Control: You can update or remove your building category, tech stack, and interests at any time through your profile settings.

13. Chat & Messaging

13.1 Community Channels

Builders.to provides real-time community chat channels organized by topic (e.g., "AI Builders," "Solo Founders"). Channels may be public (visible to all members) or private (invite-only). Channel creation is restricted to platform administrators. By participating in channels, you agree to:

  • Follow channel-specific guidelines and topics
  • Respect channel moderators and their decisions
  • Not abuse channel features such as polls, reactions, or @mentions
  • Not share private channel content outside the channel without consent

13.2 Threaded Conversations

Chat messages support threaded replies to keep discussions organized. All content guidelines apply equally to thread replies. Thread chains may be moderated if they violate our policies or become disruptive.

13.3 Direct Messages

Direct messaging is provided for legitimate private communication between builders. You agree not to:

  • Send spam, unsolicited promotions, or bulk messages
  • Harass, threaten, or abuse other users
  • Share illegal content or content that violates these Terms
  • Impersonate others or send deceptive messages
  • Use messaging to circumvent platform rules or fees

13.4 Message History Limits

Free accounts can access up to 90 days of message history. Pro subscribers receive unlimited message history. Messages older than the retention window may become inaccessible but are not immediately deleted.

13.5 Chat Moderation

Chat channels are subject to moderation by platform administrators and designated channel moderators. Moderation tools include:

  • Auto-Moderation: Automated filters for prohibited words, spam detection, and link filtering may be applied to channels.
  • Slow Mode: Channels may have rate limits on how frequently you can send messages.
  • Manual Actions: Moderators may delete messages, mute users, or restrict access to channels for violations.
  • Audit Logs: Moderation actions are logged for accountability and review.

13.6 Privacy and Monitoring

Channel messages in public channels are visible to all channel members. Direct messages are private between participants. However, we may access message content to investigate reports of abuse, harassment, or Terms violations. Users can report abusive messages, and we may take action including account suspension for violations.

14. Advertising

Users may run sidebar advertisements by spending tokens (in-app currency). Advertisers agree:

  • Sidebar ads are activated using tokens; token cost is based on current tier pricing
  • All advertisement content must be truthful and not misleading
  • Advertisements must not violate any laws or these Terms
  • We reserve the right to reject or remove any advertisement
  • Ad payments are non-refundable after the ad begins running
  • View and click metrics are provided as estimates, not guarantees

15. Membership Subscriptions

Builders.to offers three membership tiers with enhanced features:

  • Free: 1 post/day, up to 3 projects, earn 1 token per post.
  • Pro ($10/month or $100/year): 20 posts/day, 50 monthly tokens, verified Pro badge, unlimited projects, Pro Tools, Pro Slack access, weekly sprint check-ins, create communities (free & paid, 10% platform fee).
  • Founder's Circle ($100/month or $1,000/year): Monthly 1-on-1 coaching (30 min), daily accountability check-ins, weekly Sit Rep meetings (Zoom), unlimited posts, 250 monthly tokens, private channel, featured spotlight, early access to features, 5% community platform fee. Includes everything in Pro.
  • Billing: Subscriptions are billed through Stripe and auto-renew unless cancelled.
  • Cancellation: You may cancel at any time. Access continues until the end of the billing period.
  • Refunds: Subscription payments are generally non-refundable except as required by law.
  • Feature Changes: We may modify membership features at any time with reasonable notice.

15.1 Founder's Circle affiliate program (cash referrals)

Signed-in members may participate in our optional cash affiliate program described on our Affiliates page. By using the program, you agree to the following:

  • Eligibility: Users with a Builders.to account may earn cash commissions on referred Founder's Circle subscriptions. Commission percentages depend on whether you have an active Pro or Founder's Circle subscription at the time each qualifying commission is recorded, as published on the Affiliates page. We may verify eligibility at checkout and payout time.
  • Attribution: Referrals are tracked via checkout and Stripe subscription metadata using links we provide (e.g. pricing pages with your referral parameter). This is separate from in-app token referral rewards at signup.
  • Commission rules: Commissions are calculated as a percentage of qualifying Founder's Circle subscription amounts we collect, on the schedule and billing intervals we publish. Commissions generally accrue only after referred members satisfy renewal criteria we define (for example, after a first full billing cycle), not on every initial checkout.
  • Payouts: Cash payouts are sent through Stripe Connect to an account you onboard with us. Minimum payout thresholds, batching, and fees may apply. You are responsible for tax reporting and compliance in your jurisdiction.
  • Adjustments: We may withhold, reverse, or claw back commissions for chargebacks, refunds, fraud, duplicate accounts, self-referral, misrepresentation, or violations of these Terms.
  • Changes: We may change or end the program, rates, thresholds, or eligibility at any time with reasonable notice where practicable.

16. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

  • Use the Service for any illegal purpose
  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Service or other accounts
  • Interfere with or disrupt the Service or servers
  • Use automated systems to access the Service without permission
  • Collect or harvest user information without consent
  • Use the Service to send spam or unsolicited messages
  • Circumvent any security measures or access controls
  • Reverse engineer or attempt to extract source code
  • Manipulate the token system
  • Abuse the Founder's Circle cash affiliate program (including self-referral, cookie stuffing, mislabeled links, or fraudulent signups)
  • Create fake accounts or artificially inflate engagement metrics
  • Use the platform for money laundering or financial fraud
  • Post false or misleading information about businesses or individuals
  • Abuse AI features to generate spam, misleading content, or policy-violating material
  • Use cross-posting features to spam connected platforms
  • Post gambling, adult, sexually explicit, or NSFW content of any kind
  • Exceed promotional posting limits (1 per week for free accounts)
  • Use the platform primarily for self-promotion without contributing build-in-public content

17. Payments and Refunds

All payments are processed through Stripe. By making payments, you agree to Stripe's terms of service. Regarding refunds:

  • Pro subscription payments are generally non-refundable except as required by law
  • Service listing fees and advertisement purchases are generally non-refundable once activated
  • Service order disputes should be resolved between buyer and seller
  • We may issue refunds at our discretion for technical errors or extenuating circumstances
  • Chargebacks may result in account suspension pending investigation

18. Intellectual Property

17.1 Our Property

The Service, including its design, features, and content (excluding User Content), is owned by Builders.to and protected by copyright, trademark, and other laws. You may not copy, modify, or distribute our intellectual property without permission.

17.2 Trademarks

"Builders.to" and associated logos are trademarks of Builders.to. You may not use these trademarks without our prior written consent.

19. Third-Party Services

The Service integrates with and links to third-party services:

  • Payment Processing: Stripe handles all payments. Use is subject to Stripe's terms.
  • Social Platforms: Twitter/X and LinkedIn integrations are subject to their respective terms.
  • AI Services: OpenAI powers our content generation. Use is subject to OpenAI's policies.
  • Media Services: Giphy, YouTube, and Twitch embeds are subject to their terms.

We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of third-party services. Your use of third-party services is at your own risk.

20. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE. WE DO NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY OF TOKEN BALANCES, PRO REWARDS CALCULATIONS, AI-GENERATED CONTENT, OR ANY METRICS DISPLAYED ON THE PLATFORM. AI FEATURES ARE PROVIDED WITHOUT WARRANTIES REGARDING ACCURACY, APPROPRIATENESS, OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. WE DO NOT GUARANTEE THE SAFETY, QUALITY, OR OUTCOMES OF EVENTS OR INTERACTIONS RESULTING FROM CHAT CHANNELS, DIRECT MESSAGING, OR SIMILAR BUILDER MATCHING.

21. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, BUILDERS.TO SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS OR REVENUES, WHETHER INCURRED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, OR ANY LOSS OF DATA, USE, GOODWILL, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, RESULTING FROM YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSSES RELATED TO THE TOKEN SYSTEM, PRO REWARDS, SERVICE MARKETPLACE TRANSACTIONS, AI-GENERATED CONTENT, OR CROSS-POSTED CONTENT ON THIRD-PARTY PLATFORMS, EVENTS, OR INTERACTIONS FACILITATED THROUGH CHAT CHANNELS, DIRECT MESSAGING, OR SIMILAR BUILDER MATCHING.

22. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Builders.to and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from your use of the Service, your User Content (including AI-generated content), your service marketplace activities, content cross-posted to external platforms, or your violation of these Terms.

23. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access to the Service at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice. Upon termination:

  • Your right to use the Service will immediately cease
  • Any unused tokens or coins will be forfeited
  • Pro subscription will be cancelled without refund for the current period
  • Active service orders may be cancelled
  • Active listings and advertisements may be removed
  • Connected platform authorizations will be revoked
  • Hosted events may be cancelled
  • Chat channel memberships will be revoked and message history may be deleted

All provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination shall survive.

24. Modifications to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will notify users of material changes by updating the "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Service after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

25. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction in which Builders.to operates, without regard to conflict of law principles.

26. Dispute Resolution

Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the Service shall first be attempted to be resolved through good-faith negotiation. If negotiation fails, disputes shall be resolved through binding arbitration in accordance with applicable arbitration rules.

27. 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.

28. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Builders.to regarding your use of the Service and supersede any prior agreements.

29. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us through our community channels: