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FIELD NOTE · TERMS

Terms for an indie app start with the product.

Boilerplate cannot decide who may use the app, what people may create, or what happens when an account closes. Those are product choices first.

GENERAL INFORMATION · JULY 21, 2026

Define the actual bargain

Terms should explain what the user receives, what the user may do, what the user pays, and when either side may end access. Start with the app’s real flows: signup, subscription, renewal, cancellation, refunds, content, moderation, deletion, and support.

Questions worth answering before drafting

  • Who may create an account, and are there age or location limits?
  • What content can users upload, publish, license, or remove?
  • What conduct can trigger moderation, suspension, or termination?
  • How do free trials, renewals, credits, refunds, and store billing work?
  • What third-party services or links sit outside the app’s control?
  • What happens to content and access when an account closes?

Match the user experience

The acceptance mechanism matters. Present the terms clearly, let the user access them, capture affirmative agreement where appropriate, and preserve the accepted version and timestamp. A buried link and a beautiful document solve different problems.

Keep the scope honest

Terms can allocate some risks and set expectations, but they cannot make false product claims true, erase mandatory law, or replace the operational practices they describe. The document should be a faithful interface to the business—not a fictional one.

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