Terms of Service for PhoneTea

Last Updated: [January 2, 2026]

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the PhoneTea mobile application (“App”), website, or services (collectively, “Services”), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service (“Terms”). If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use our Services.

2. Description of Service

PhoneTea is a phone number review and lookup platform that allows users to:

• Search for phone numbers and view associated reviews
• Submit reviews for phone numbers
• Verify ownership of phone numbers
• Access premium features through subscription
• Use API services (for approved developers)

3. User Accounts

3.1 Account Creation

• You must be at least 13 years old to use our Services
• You must provide accurate and complete information
• You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account
• You are responsible for all activities under your account

3.2 Account Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account if you:

• Violate these Terms
• Provide false information
• Engage in fraudulent activity
• Abuse the Services or other users
• Violate applicable laws

4. User Content and Conduct

4.1 User Reviews

When submitting reviews, you agree:

• Content must be truthful and based on personal experience
• You will not submit spam, advertisements, or promotional content
• You will not include personal information (except phone numbers)
• You will not include offensive, defamatory, or illegal content
• You will not manipulate reviews

4.2 Prohibited Content

You may not submit content that:

• Contains hate speech, threats, or targeted harassment toward individuals or groups
• Uses extreme or abusive language intended to intimidate or insult others
• Violates intellectual property rights
• Contains malware or malicious code
• Solicits personal information from minors
• Promotes illegal activities
• Contains explicit sexual content
• Violates privacy rights of others

4.3 Content Moderation

• We reserve the right to review, edit, or remove any content
• Automated moderation systems may flag content for review
• Repeated violations may result in account suspension

5. Phone Number Verification

5.1 SMS Verification

• Users may verify ownership of phone numbers via SMS
• Verification is optional but required for certain features
• SMS verification codes are valid for 10 minutes
• Rate limits apply to prevent abuse

5.2 Verified Numbers

• Verified numbers display a verification badge
• You must be the actual owner or authorized user
• False verification claims may result in account termination

6. Intellectual Property

6.1 Our Rights

• All content, features, and functionality are owned by PhoneTea
• Our trademarks, logos, and service marks are protected
• You may not use our intellectual property without permission

6.2 Your Rights

• You retain ownership of content you submit
• You grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute your content
• This license continues even after account termination

7. Subscription Types and Premium Services

7.1 Consumer Subscriptions (In-App Purchase)

Our Premium subscription plans (Monthly, Yearly, Lifetime) are available for purchase within our mobile applications via Apple App Store or Google Play Store in-app purchases. These subscriptions provide enhanced app features including unlimited searches, ad-free experience, and included API calls for personal use.

Subscription Plans:

• Monthly Pro: $9.99/month (Web), $12.99/month (iOS/Android)
• Yearly Pro: $99.99/year (Web), $124.99/year (iOS/Android)
• Lifetime Pro: $499.99 (one-time, Web only)
• Ad-Free Only: $2.99/month (Web), $3.99/month (iOS/Android)

7.2 Developer API Subscriptions (Web Only)

Our API subscription plans are professional business-to-business (B2B) services designed for developers and enterprises requiring programmatic access to our phone number database. These subscriptions:

• Must be purchased through our web platform at phonetea.com
• Are not available via in-app purchase
• Are separate from consumer app subscriptions
• Include professional developer tools and API keys
• Are intended for business/commercial integration purposes

API subscriptions are processed through Stripe and are subject to separate terms and conditions.

7.3 Separation of Benefits

Consumer Premium subscriptions and Developer API subscriptions are independent services. Termination, suspension, or modification of one does not automatically affect the other, unless otherwise specified in these Terms or required by law.

7.4 Payment Terms

• Subscriptions auto-renew unless canceled
• Cancellation must be done at least 24 hours before renewal
• See refund policy document for refund information
• Pricing may change with 30 days notice
• Lifetime subscriptions are one-time purchases with no renewal

7.5 Premium App Features

Premium users receive:

• Up to 3,000 searches per month (varies by tier)
• Ad-free experience
• Priority support
• Advanced analytics
• AI summary access (up to 3,000 per month, varies by tier)
• Included API calls (see Section 9.2)
• Early access to new features

7.6 Limited Availability Plans

Certain promotional plans (including Lifetime Pro) may be:

• Limited to a fixed number of users
• Available only during specific promotional periods
• Subject to closure at our discretion

Once closed, existing users retain their benefits under the terms at time of purchase (“Grandfathered Users”). Grandfathered Users are subject to fair use policies and may have different feature limits than subscribers who purchased under later terms.

7.7 Service Modifications

We may modify, suspend, or discontinue features with notice:

• 30 days notice for minor changes
• 90 days notice for material changes affecting paid features
• Lifetime users will be offered reasonable accommodations if core features are materially reduced

8. Business Verification

8.1 Verification Process

• Businesses may apply for verified status
• Verification requires proof of business ownership
• We reserve the right to approve or deny applications
• Verification may be revoked for policy violations

8.2 Business Features

Verified businesses may:

• Claim phone numbers
• Respond to reviews
• Display business information
• Access analytics dashboard
• Receive discounts on API subscriptions

9. API Access and Usage

9.1 API Terms

• API access is included with Premium subscriptions for personal use
• Higher volume API access requires Developer API subscription
• Rate limits apply based on subscription tier
• API access is a privilege, not a guaranteed right
• Abuse may result in API key revocation

9.2 API Usage Limits (Included with Premium)

• Free tier: No API access
• Monthly Pro: 500 calls/month
• Yearly Pro: 1,000 calls/month
• Lifetime Pro: 2,500 calls/month

9.3 Developer API Subscriptions (Additional)

Users requiring higher API limits may purchase separate Developer API subscriptions through our web platform:

• Pay-As-You-Go: Metered billing per API call
• Starter: 5,000 calls/month - $29/month
• Professional: 20,000 calls/month - $79/month
• Business: 75,000 calls/month - $199/month
• Enterprise: 250,000 calls/month - $499/month

9.4 API Rate Limit Enforcement

API calls exceeding monthly limits will receive HTTP 429 responses. Limits reset on the 1st of each month at 00:00 UTC. Response headers include current usage information.

9.5 Acceptable Use Policy

Users with API access (including free API calls included with Premium subscriptions) agree to use the API only for:

• Personal or business integration purposes
• Legitimate phone number verification and lookup
• Compliance with all applicable laws and regulations
• Non-competitive use (not building competing services)

9.6 Prohibited API Activities

The following are strictly prohibited:

• Reselling or redistributing API data to third parties
• Excessive or abusive request patterns (scraping, bulk downloading)
• Circumventing rate limits or security measures
• Using API access for illegal purposes
• Sharing API keys with third parties
• Creating tools that enable ToS violations by others
• Automated data harvesting beyond reasonable use
• Using the API to build competing products or services
• Reverse engineering our systems or algorithms

9.7 Enforcement of API Terms

We reserve the right to:

• Issue warnings for first-time or minor violations
• Reduce API rate limits or monthly quotas
• Temporarily suspend API access (7-30 days)
• Permanently terminate API access
• Revoke API keys without notice for severe violations
• Investigate suspicious usage patterns
• Report illegal activity to appropriate authorities

IMPORTANT: Violations of API terms may result in suspension or termination of API access while maintaining your Premium subscription for app features (searches, ad-free experience, etc.). API access penalties do not entitle you to a refund of your Premium subscription.

9.8 Premium vs. API Access Separation

Premium subscriptions grant access to enhanced app features. API access (including free API calls) is a separate privilege subject to our API Terms.

Lifetime Premium subscribers retain access to app features (unlimited searches, ad-free experience, priority support) but may lose API privileges for violations. Loss of API privileges does not affect other Premium benefits and does not entitle you to any refund.

9.9 Graduated Enforcement

API violations are handled through a graduated enforcement system:

1. Warning (First Offense): Email notification describing the violation and expected behavior changes.
2. Rate Limit Reduction (Second Offense within 90 days): Monthly API quota reduced for 30 days.
3. Temporary Suspension (Third Offense within 180 days): API access suspended for 7-30 days.
4. Permanent Termination (Fourth Offense or Severe Violation): API access permanently revoked while Premium app features remain active.
5. Account Termination (Extreme Cases): Full account termination for illegal activity, fraud, or repeated severe violations.

9.10 Appeals Process

Users whose API access has been reduced, suspended, or terminated may appeal by contacting phonetea.app@gmail.com with:

• Account email address
• Description of your use case
• Explanation of the activity that triggered enforcement
• Commitment to comply with API terms going forward

We will review appeals within 5 business days. Appeals for permanent terminations will be reviewed by a senior team member. Some decisions (particularly those involving illegal activity) are final and not appealable.

10. AI Summary Feature

10.1 AI Summary Access

• Free users: 100 AI summaries per month
• Ad-Free users: 150 AI summaries per month
• Monthly Pro users: 600 AI summaries per month
• Yearly Pro users: 1,500 AI summaries per month
• Lifetime Pro users: 3,000 AI summaries per month
• AI summaries provide automated analysis of phone number reviews

10.2 AI Summary Limitations

• AI summaries are for informational purposes only
• Summaries are generated algorithmically and may not be 100% accurate
• We do not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of AI summaries
• Usage limits reset on the 1st of each month

11. Privacy and Data Protection

Our collection and use of personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

12. Advertising

12.1 Ad Display

• Free users will see advertisements
• Premium users enjoy an ad-free experience
• We use Google AdMob for ad delivery
• Ads are subject to Google’s policies

12.2 Personalized Ads

• You may opt out of personalized advertising
• This setting can be changed in your profile
• Opting out does not remove ads entirely (free users)

13. Third-Party Services

Our Services may integrate with:

• Google Sign-In
• Apple Sign-In
• Firebase (Google)
• Stripe (payments)
• Twilio (SMS)
• Other third-party services

Your use of these services is subject to their respective terms.

14. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. WE DO NOT GUARANTEE:

• Accuracy of user-submitted content
• Accuracy of AI-generated summaries
• Uninterrupted service availability
• Freedom from errors or bugs
• Fitness for a particular purpose
• Availability of specific API endpoints

15. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, PHONETEA SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR:

• Indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
• Loss of profits, data, or business opportunities
• Damages exceeding the amount paid for Services in the past 12 months
• Damages arising from user content or third-party services
• Damages arising from API access restrictions or terminations
• Business losses resulting from service modifications

16. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold PhoneTea harmless from any claims, losses, or damages arising from:

• Your use of the Services
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any rights of another party
• Content you submit
• Your use or misuse of API access
• Violations of law using our Services

17. Dispute Resolution

17.1 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Michigan, United States.

17.2 Arbitration

Any disputes shall be resolved through binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association, except:

• Small claims court actions (under $10,000)
• Intellectual property disputes
• Emergency injunctive relief

17.3 Class Action Waiver

You agree to resolve disputes on an individual basis and waive the right to participate in class actions or class arbitrations.

17.4 Dispute Resolution for API Enforcement

Disputes regarding API access enforcement decisions should first be addressed through our appeals process (Section 9.10). Arbitration is available only after exhausting the appeals process.

18. Changes to Terms

We may modify these Terms at any time. Changes will be effective:

• Immediately upon posting for non-material changes
• 30 days after posting for material changes

Your continued use of Services after the effective date constitutes acceptance of new Terms. We will notify Premium users of material changes via email.

19. Termination

19.1 By You

You may delete your account at any time through app settings.

19.2 By Us

We may terminate or suspend access immediately for:

• Terms violations
• Fraudulent activity
• Legal requirements
• Service discontinuation

19.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

• Your right to use Services ends immediately
• Subscription benefits cease
• API keys are deactivated
• Content may be deleted (subject to legal requirements)
• Financial obligations remain
• No refunds for Lifetime subscriptions in cases of terms violations

19.4 Survival

The following sections survive termination: Intellectual Property, Limitation of Liability, Indemnification, Dispute Resolution, and any other provisions that by their nature should survive.

20. General Provisions

20.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and PhoneTea.

20.2 Severability

If any provision is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect.

20.3 No Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right does not waive that right.

20.4 Assignment

You may not assign your rights. We may assign our rights to any successor.

20.5 Force Majeure

We are not liable for delays or failures due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

21. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms:

Email: phonetea.app@gmail.com Support: phonetea.app@gmail.com Website: https://phonetea.com/legal

For API-related inquiries: Email: phonetea.app@gmail.com Documentation: https://phonetea.com/api-docs

22. Special Provisions

22.1 DMCA Compliance

We comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. To report copyright infringement:

• Email: phonetea.app@gmail.com
• Include: Description of copyrighted work, location of infringing material, contact information, good faith statement

22.2 Children’s Privacy

We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, contact us immediately.

22.3 California Residents

California residents have additional rights under the CCPA. See our Privacy Policy for details.

22.4 EU/UK Users

EU and UK users have rights under GDPR, including data access, rectification, and erasure. See our Privacy Policy for details.

22.5 Export Compliance

You agree to comply with all applicable export control laws and regulations. Our Services may not be used in countries subject to comprehensive U.S. sanctions.

Terms Version: 2.0

By using PhoneTea, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service.