LinkDrop

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Terms & Conditions

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1. About these terms

These terms are an agreement between you and [COMPANY_NAME], [REGISTERED_ADDRESS] ("we", "us"). They cover your use of the LinkDrop app on Android, iOS, macOS, Windows and Linux (the "app").

When you first open the app, it shows you links to these terms and to our Privacy Policy. You agree to them by ticking the box and tapping Agree and continue. The app does not start until you do. If you do not agree, do not use the app.

If you live in a country whose consumer laws give you rights that these terms cannot remove, those rights still apply. Nothing in these terms limits them.

2. What LinkDrop is

LinkDrop sends files directly between two devices that are on the same Wi-Fi or local network, or on a hotspot that one of you turns on in your device's settings.

  • No servers. We do not run any server that your files pass through or are stored on.
  • No accounts. There is no account and no sign-up.
  • No internet transfers. The app does not send files over the internet.

LinkDrop is free. On Android and iOS it shows ads from Google. The desktop apps show no ads.

3. Who can use LinkDrop

You must be at least 18 years old to use the app. This is the same minimum age as in our Privacy Policy, and it applies in every country.

You may not use the app if the law prohibits you from doing so.

4. Your licence to use the app

We give you a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable licence to install and use the app on devices you own or control, for lawful purposes and in line with these terms.

You may not:

  • copy, modify or create derivative works of the app, except as allowed by law or by the open-source licences in section 11;
  • reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble the app, except where the law allows it despite this restriction;
  • sell, rent, lend, sublicense or redistribute the app;
  • remove or change any copyright, trademark or other notices;
  • use the app to build a competing product, or to interfere with other users' devices.

If you got the app from an app store, that store's rules also apply (section 10).

5. Your content and your responsibility

You own your files. We claim no rights in anything you send or receive, and we never see it.

You are responsible for what you send and accept. That means:

  • Rights: you must have the right to send every file you send. That includes copyright, privacy and confidentiality rights.
  • Accepting a transfer: you decide whether to accept it. Accept only transfers you expect, from people you know.
  • Opening files: a received file is saved to your device exactly as it was sent. We do not scan files for viruses or harmful content. Treat received files with the same care as any download.
  • Personal data of others: if you send files containing other people's personal data, you are responsible for doing so lawfully.

We do not monitor your content. We do not access, monitor, scan, store or host any files, and we do not process their contents. Files travel directly between your device and the device you choose, so we do not receive, store or transmit them on anyone's behalf, and we do not act as an intermediary for the content users exchange.

Because we never see or store your files, we cannot recover, remove or recall them once they have been sent. The receiver keeps their copy.

6. Acceptable use

You must not use LinkDrop to:

  • send, receive or store anything illegal, including child sexual abuse material;
  • send content that infringes anyone's copyright, trademark, privacy or other rights;
  • send malware, viruses or any file designed to damage, disrupt or gain unauthorised access to a device;
  • harass, threaten, or send unwanted content to people who have not agreed to receive it, including repeatedly sending pairing requests;
  • connect to, probe, or interfere with devices or networks you are not authorised to use;
  • get around the app's pairing, encryption or acceptance steps, or impersonate another device;
  • break export control or sanctions laws (section 18);
  • break any law that applies to you.

7. Local network security

LinkDrop works over your local network. Please understand the following.

  • What others can see. While the app is running, it announces your device on the local network so nearby devices can find it. Anyone on that network can see your device name, platform and device identifier. When you use Pair & Send, the other device is shown the file names (for a large selection, only some of them) before encryption begins.
  • How transfers are protected. File contents are encrypted end to end between the two devices. Both devices must confirm a matching 6-digit code the first time they pair.
  • Open connections. The app accepts connections on your local network while it is running. On public or shared networks, other people may be able to see your device or send you pairing requests.
  • What you should do:
    • use LinkDrop on networks you trust;
    • check the pairing code carefully;
    • only accept transfers you expect.
  • Firewalls and hotspots. On Windows and Linux, you may need to allow LinkDrop through your firewall yourself. If you use a mobile hotspot, your mobile operator may count the data, depending on your plan.
  • We are not responsible for the security of your network or of the other device you choose to connect to.

8. Intellectual property

The app, including its software, design, name and logos, belongs to [COMPANY_NAME] or its licensors, and is protected by law.

Except for the licence in section 4, these terms give you no rights in our intellectual property. You may not use the LinkDrop name or logo without our written permission.

If you send us feedback or suggestions, we may use them without owing you anything.

9. Advertising and third-party services

On Android and iOS, the app shows non-personalised ads provided by Google through the Google Mobile Ads SDK, and uses Google's consent tool where the law requires it.

  • Google's terms and privacy policy apply to its services: https://policies.google.com/privacy.
  • We are not responsible for the content of ads or for third-party websites or apps an ad leads you to.
  • The app also relies on your operating system's services, such as file pickers, notifications, secure key storage and your email app. Those services are governed by their providers' terms.

10. App store terms

All app stores. If you downloaded the app from an app store (Apple App Store, Google Play, Microsoft Store or another store), that store's terms also apply. If they conflict with these terms, the store's terms win for the matters they cover.

Apple users. If you obtained the app from Apple:

  • The agreement is with us. These terms are between you and us, not Apple. We, not Apple, are responsible for the app and its content.
  • Your licence is limited to use on Apple-branded products you own or control, as allowed by the Usage Rules in the Apple Media Services Terms.
  • Support. Apple has no obligation to provide maintenance or support for the app.
  • Warranty. If the app fails to meet any warranty that applies, you may notify Apple, and Apple will refund the purchase price, if any. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Apple has no other warranty obligation for the app.
  • Claims. We, not Apple, are responsible for any claims relating to the app or your use of it. That includes product liability, failure to meet legal or regulatory requirements, consumer protection, privacy, and intellectual-property infringement claims.
  • Intellectual property. If anyone claims that the app, or your possession or use of it, infringes their intellectual property rights, we, not Apple, are solely responsible for investigating, defending, settling and discharging that claim.
  • Other agreements. When you use the app, you must also comply with any third-party agreements that apply to you, such as your mobile operator's or internet provider's terms.
  • Sanctions. You confirm you are not located in a country subject to a U.S. Government embargo, and you are not on any U.S. Government list of prohibited or restricted parties.
  • Third-party beneficiaries. Apple and its subsidiaries are third-party beneficiaries of these terms and may enforce them against you.

11. Open-source software

The app includes open-source software. Its licences are listed in the app under Settings → About → Terms of service → Open-source notices.

Where an open-source licence gives you rights that these terms would otherwise restrict, the open-source licence applies to that software.

12. Privacy

Our Privacy Policy explains what information the app handles and how. It is available in the app and at [WEBSITE_URL].

13. Disclaimers

The app is provided free of charge, "as is" and "as available".

To the fullest extent permitted by law, we make no warranties, express or implied, including warranties of:

  • merchantability;
  • fitness for a particular purpose;
  • non-infringement;
  • that the app will be uninterrupted, error-free or secure.

In particular, we do not promise:

  • that every transfer will complete;
  • that the app will work on every network, device, firewall or hotspot configuration;
  • that files will never be lost or corrupted.

Keep your own copies of important files.

Some countries do not allow certain warranties to be excluded. In those countries, these exclusions apply only as far as the law permits. Your statutory rights as a consumer are not affected.

14. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law:

  • No indirect losses. We are not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages. We are also not liable for loss of data, files, profits, revenue, goodwill or business opportunity, arising from or related to your use of the app.
  • Specific exclusions. We are not liable for:
    • files you send or receive;
    • the actions of the person or device you connect to;
    • the security of your network;
    • data charges from your mobile operator.
  • Cap. Our total liability for all claims relating to the app is limited to the greater of:
    • the amount you paid us for the app in the 12 months before the claim (the app is free, so normally nothing); or
    • [LIABILITY_CAP_AMOUNT].

What we do not limit. Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability that cannot be excluded or limited by law. That includes liability for:

  • death or personal injury caused by negligence;
  • fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation;
  • your statutory rights as a consumer, such as those under EU and UK consumer law and the Australian Consumer Law.

15. Indemnity

This section applies only if you use the app for business purposes. It does not apply to you if you use the app as a consumer.

To the extent permitted by law, if you use the app for business purposes, you agree to compensate us for claims, losses and reasonable legal costs arising from:

  • content you send using the app; or
  • your breach of these terms or of the law.

This does not apply to the extent a loss was caused by us.

16. Ending your use

Stopping. You can stop using the app at any time by uninstalling it. Received files stay on your device until you delete them.

Our right to end your licence. We may end your licence if you seriously or repeatedly break these terms. Because there are no accounts, ending the licence means you must stop using and uninstall the app.

Withdrawing the app. We may also stop offering, updating or supporting the app, or any platform version of it, at any time.

What survives. Sections 5, 8, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19 and 20 continue after these terms end.

17. Changes to the app and these terms

We may update the app to add, change or remove features.

We may also update these terms. When we do, we will change the "Last updated" date above.

We have no servers and no accounts, so we cannot email you. Instead, if we change these terms in a way that matters, the app will show you the new terms the first time you open it after the update, and ask you to agree before you continue. If you do not agree, stop using the app.

We keep previous versions of these terms at [WEBSITE_URL].

18. Export controls

The app uses encryption. It may be subject to export control and sanctions laws, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations.

You must not export, re-export or use the app in breach of those laws, including in an embargoed country or by a prohibited person.

19. No API, and our network protocol

19.1 No public API today

LinkDrop does not currently offer other developers a public API, command-line tool, developer program or API keys, or an SDK of its own to build on. The app itself does include a third-party SDK: the Google Mobile Ads SDK (AdMob) on Android and iOS, described in section 9. There are no API keys, rate limits or developer accounts for you to manage.

19.2 The local network protocol is not an API

The app communicates with other copies of LinkDrop using its own protocol over your local network. That protocol is not a published or supported interface.

Unless we give you written permission, you must not build, distribute or run software that:

  • pretends to be a LinkDrop device, or impersonates another user's device;
  • tries to get around pairing, encryption or the receiver's acceptance step;
  • collects device names, identifiers or other information broadcast by other people's LinkDrop devices.

Testing your own devices for security research in good faith is welcome. Please report vulnerabilities to [CONTACT_EMAIL] before disclosing them publicly.

20. Governing law and disputes

These terms are governed by the laws of [GOVERNING_LAW], without regard to conflict-of-law rules.

Any dispute will be decided by the courts of [JURISDICTION].

Consumers. If you are a consumer, you also keep:

  • the protection of the mandatory laws of the country where you live; and
  • the right to bring a claim in your local courts.

EU consumers can also use the EU's online dispute resolution information at https://consumer-redress.ec.europa.eu.

Talk to us first. Before starting any formal dispute, please contact us at [CONTACT_EMAIL] so we can try to resolve it informally.

21. General

  • Entire agreement. These terms and the Privacy Policy are the whole agreement between you and us about the app.
  • Severability. If any part of these terms is found unenforceable, the rest stays in effect.
  • No waiver. If we do not enforce a right, we have not given it up.
  • Assignment. We may transfer our rights and obligations under these terms to another organisation, provided this does not reduce your rights. You may not transfer yours without our consent.
  • Language. If these terms are translated, the English version applies where the law allows.
  • Notices. Because there are no accounts, we give you notices about the app or these terms inside the app, or at [WEBSITE_URL]. You can send notices to us at [CONTACT_EMAIL].
  • Events outside our control. We are not responsible for any failure or delay caused by events we cannot reasonably control, such as natural disasters, power or network outages, or changes made by an operating system or app store provider.
  • Test versions. If you use a test (beta) version of the app, for example through Apple's TestFlight or a Google Play test track, it may contain bugs, may stop working at any time, and may lose data. Use it only with copies of files you can afford to lose. These terms apply to test versions too.

22. Contact Us

[COMPANY_NAME]
[REGISTERED_ADDRESS]
Email: [CONTACT_EMAIL]
Website: [WEBSITE_URL]