PaperCompass is a web-based tool that uses artificial intelligence (Google Gemini) to analyze research papers and provide automated quality assessments. The Service offers:

• AI-powered analysis of research papers across multiple methodology types (Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed Methods, Systematic Review, Theoretical/Conceptual)
• Two evaluation modes: General assessment and Critique mode
• Adjustable explanation levels (Beginner and Advanced) for accessibility
• Organization of analyses into projects for convenient management

To use the Service, you must create an account using an email address and password or through GitHub or Google OAuth. You agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete registration information
• Maintain the security of your account credentials
• Accept responsibility for all activity that occurs under your account
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or that we reasonably believe to be compromised.

The Service operates on a credit-based system. Key terms:

• Free credits: New accounts receive 3 free credits upon registration.
• Credit consumption: Each analysis consumes credits based on document length. One credit covers approximately 30,000 characters of text. The minimum cost per analysis is 1 credit.
• Credit packages: Additional credits can be purchased in packages — Starter (10 credits / $4.99), Standard (25 credits / $11.99), and Pro (50 credits / $19.99).
• Payment processing: All payments are processed securely via Stripe. We do not store your payment card details.
• No expiration: Purchased credits do not expire.
• Non-transferable: Credits are bound to your account and cannot be transferred to other users.

Since credits are digital goods that are consumed immediately upon use, the following refund policy applies:

• Unused credits: Refund requests for unused credit packages may be considered within 14 days of purchase, in accordance with the EU right of withdrawal.
• Used credits: Credits that have already been consumed for analyses are non-refundable.
• Service errors: If an analysis fails due to a technical error on our end and credits are deducted, we will restore the consumed credits to your account.

To request a refund, please contact us at the email address listed in our Legal Notice.

You agree not to:

• Use the Service for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable laws or regulations
• Upload content that infringes on the intellectual property rights of others
• Attempt to reverse-engineer, decompile, or extract the underlying AI models or prompts used by the Service
• Use automated scripts, bots, or other tools to access the Service in a manner that exceeds reasonable usage
• Interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the Service
• Resell, redistribute, or commercially exploit analysis results without authorization
• Create multiple accounts to exploit free credits or circumvent usage limits

Your content: You retain all rights to the research papers and documents you upload. By uploading content, you grant us a limited, non-exclusive license to process the content solely for the purpose of providing the analysis service.

Analysis results: The AI-generated analysis results are provided for your personal and academic use. You may use analysis results in your own academic work with appropriate acknowledgment.

Our content: The Service, including its design, features, branding, and underlying technology, is owned by us and protected by applicable intellectual property laws.

The analyses provided by PaperCompass are generated by artificial intelligence and are subject to the following limitations:

• Analyses are not a substitute for peer review, expert opinion, or professional academic assessment
• AI-generated results may contain inaccuracies, omissions, or errors in judgment
• The confidence levels and ratings provided are algorithmic estimates and should be interpreted as indicative, not definitive
• We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any analysis
• The Service is intended as a supplementary educational and research aid only

You are solely responsible for any decisions, conclusions, or actions taken based on the AI-generated analyses.

Your use of the Service is also governed by our Privacy Policy. Key points relevant to these Terms:

• Uploaded paper text is sent to Google Gemini for analysis. Texts are processed for the sole purpose of generating the analysis and are not used to train AI models by us.
• We store your analysis results and associated metadata in our database (powered by Appwrite) so you can access them later.
• We use analytics (PostHog) to understand usage patterns and improve the Service.
• Session data is managed via HTTP-only cookies.

For full details, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law:

• The Service is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied.
• We shall be liable without limitation for intent and gross negligence, as well as for damages resulting from injury to life, body, or health.
• In cases of slight negligence, we shall only be liable for the breach of essential contractual obligations (cardinal obligations). In such cases, liability is limited to the foreseeable, typically occurring damage.
• Any further liability is excluded to the extent permitted by applicable law.

We strive to maintain high availability but do not guarantee uninterrupted access to the Service. We reserve the right to:

• Modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Service at any time with reasonable notice
• Update pricing for credit packages (existing purchased credits will not be affected)
• Change the AI models or analysis methodology used by the Service
• Perform maintenance that may temporarily affect availability

You may delete your account at any time by contacting us. We may suspend or terminate your account if:

• You violate these Terms or our Acceptable Use policy
• Your account is used for fraudulent activity (e.g., exploiting free credits through multiple accounts)
• Required by law or regulatory authority

Upon termination, your access to the Service and any remaining credits will be forfeited. We may retain your analysis data for a reasonable period as required by law.

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany. If you are a consumer within the European Union, you additionally benefit from any mandatory provisions of the law of your country of residence.

For disputes arising from these Terms, the courts of Hamburg, Germany shall have jurisdiction, unless mandatory consumer protection laws provide otherwise.

If you are a consumer in the European Union, you have the right to withdraw from a purchase within 14 days without giving any reason ("right of withdrawal"). However, you acknowledge that by using purchased credits to initiate an analysis, you expressly consent to the immediate performance of the service, and you lose your right of withdrawal for the consumed credits. By purchasing credits, you expressly request that we begin providing the service before the withdrawal period expires. You acknowledge that you lose your right of withdrawal once the service has been fully performed.

The European Commission provides a platform for online dispute resolution (ODR): https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr. We are not obligated or willing to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board.