Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

Welcome to CiteHelp Format! These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User", "you", or "your") and CiteHelp ("CiteHelp", "we", "us", or "our"), governing your access to and use of the CiteHelp Format add-in for Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and the website located at citehelp.com (the "Services").

By installing, accessing, or using CiteHelp Format, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, do not install or use our Services.

2. Description of Service

CiteHelp Format is an automated document formatting and academic styling software application available for Microsoft Word and Google Docs. The service provides:

• Automated layout and typography standardizations according to the American Psychological Association (APA) 7th Edition and Modern Language Association (MLA) 9th Edition standards.
• One-Click document standardizations (margins, font styles, line spacing, headings, paragraph indents, and running headers).
• Reference list and Works Cited sorting (0.5" hanging indent and alphabetical sorting with rich text and hyperlinks preserved).
• Structured Title Page and First-Page Heading block generators.

4. Free Tier & CiteHelp Pro Subscriptions

A. Free Tier

CiteHelp provides access to essential formatting utilities (such as applying standard 1-inch margins, default typography, manual heading levels, body paragraph formatting, block quotes, and figure/table captions) free of charge without requiring a paid subscription.

B. CiteHelp Pro Subscription

Advanced features — including One-Click Format All, Insert Dedicated Title Page, Format Existing Title Page In-Place, Running Heads & Header Automation, and Automated References Hanging-Indent & A–Z Sorting — require an active CiteHelp Pro subscription or authorized reviewer access.

C. Merchant of Record & Billing

• Subscriptions are billed on a recurring monthly or annual basis as selected during checkout.
• Payments, currencies, VAT/taxes, and invoicing are processed by our authorized Merchant of Record, Lemon Squeezy (and Paddle).
• You may cancel your subscription at any time through the in-app Manage Subscription & Invoices portal or by visiting your CiteHelp Dashboard. Upon cancellation, you retain full access to Pro features until the end of your prepaid billing period.

5. User Accounts & Passwordless Authentication

• Access to CiteHelp Pro is verified via passwordless email authentication (a 6-digit one-time verification code sent to your verified email address).
• You agree to provide a valid email address and to maintain confidentiality over your login verification codes.
• You may use your Pro subscription across up to three (3) active personal devices (e.g. laptop, desktop, web browser). Reselling, renting, or unauthorized public distribution of your account is strictly prohibited.

6. Intellectual Property Rights

• Your Content: You retain 100% ownership and copyright over all text, documents, research, and papers formatted using CiteHelp. CiteHelp claims no ownership or license over your documents.
• CiteHelp Software: All rights, titles, code, graphics, algorithms, brand names, and logos associated with CiteHelp Format remain the exclusive property of CiteHelp and its licensors.

7. Prohibited Activities

You agree not to:

• Reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or attempt to derive the source code of the add-in or server APIs.
• Bypass, disable, or tamper with any feature-gating or license-verification mechanisms.
• Use automated bots, scrapers, or excessive API requests that place unreasonable load on our infrastructure.
• Use the service for any unlawful or unauthorized purpose.

8. Disclaimer of Warranties

CiteHelp Format is provided on an "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" basis without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular academic or professional purpose, or non-infringement. While we strive for strict adherence to APA 7th and MLA 9th publication manuals, we do not warrant that formatting output will guarantee specific academic grades or manuscript acceptance.

9. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, CiteHelp and its affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits, data, academic standing, or goodwill, arising out of or related to your use of or inability to use the Services.

10. Modifications to Terms

CiteHelp reserves the right to update or modify these Terms at any time. Significant changes will be communicated via our website or within the add-in interface. Continued use of the Services after revisions become effective constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms.

11. Contact Information