Terms of Service | EarlyHunt

Last updated: December 2024

1. Agreement to Terms

By accessing and using EarlyHunt ("the Platform"), you accept and agree to be bound by the terms and provision of this agreement. If you do not agree to abide by the above, please do not use this service.

2. Description of Service

EarlyHunt ("we," "us," "our," or "EarlyHunt") is an AI-powered launch platform featuring weekly launches. We connect builders, innovators, and early adopters through a curated platform where creators showcase their AI projects and digital products. EarlyHunt provides a platform for project discovery, community engagement, and competitive recognition.

Our Services Include:

Project Submission Services: Submission, review, approval, and publication of AI projects and digital products on our platform
Weekly Launch Competitions: Weekly competitions that run Monday to Monday (8:00 AM UTC start times) where projects compete for votes and recognition
Voting System: Community-driven voting mechanism that allows registered users to vote for their favorite projects
Launch Types: Three launch options - Free Launch (requires backlink verification), Nofollow Launch (free, no requirements), and Premium Launch ($10 one-time payment for guaranteed dofollow backlinks)
Backlink Services: Backlink provision with nofollow and dofollow options based on launch type and competition results
Winner Recognition: Awards for top 3 weekly competition winners including badges, dofollow backlinks (for eligible launch types), and Hall of Fame placement
Project Discovery: Browse pages, category filtering, search functionality, and project recommendation systems
User Profiles: Founder/creator profile pages showcasing projects and creator information
Comment System: Community commenting and engagement features on project pages
Email Notifications: Automated email notifications about project status, scheduling, competition results, and platform updates
Dashboard Services: User dashboard for managing submissions, tracking votes, viewing statistics, and editing projects
Newsletter Services: Optional newsletter subscriptions for platform updates and announcements
SEO Services: Backlinks, project indexing, and search engine optimization benefits

Projects launch every Monday at 8:00 AM UTC, and competitions run for 7 days. All projects receive homepage exposure during their scheduled launch week, and projects remain permanently visible in our project directory even after competitions end.

3. User Accounts and Registration

To access certain features of EarlyHunt, including project submission, voting, commenting, and dashboard access, you must register for and maintain an account.

3.1 Account Creation

You can create an account using one of the following methods:

Email Authentication: Sign up with your email address. We'll send you a secure magic link to authenticate (no password required)
Google OAuth: Sign in with your Google account. We'll receive your email, name, and profile picture from Google
GitHub OAuth: Sign in with your GitHub account. We'll receive your email, username, and profile information from GitHub

3.2 Account Requirements

By creating an account, you agree to:

Provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and when updating your profile
Maintain and promptly update your account information (name, email, bio, website, social media handles, location) to keep it accurate and current
Maintain the security of your account credentials. For email authentication, protect access to your email account
Accept full responsibility for all activities that occur under your account, including votes, comments, and project submissions
Notify us immediately at hi@earlyhunt.com if you discover any unauthorized access or use of your account
Use only one account per person or organization. Multiple accounts for the same entity are not permitted
Be at least 13 years of age (or the minimum age required in your jurisdiction) to create an account

3.3 Account Suspension and Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account if you violate these Terms, engage in fraudulent activity, spam, abuse, or any behavior that harms the platform or its users. You may also delete your account at any time through your account settings or by contacting us.

4. Project Submissions

4.1 Submission Requirements

When submitting projects to our Platform, you must:

Own or have proper authorization to submit the project
Provide accurate and complete project information
Ensure the project is functional and accessible
Comply with all applicable laws and regulations
Not submit projects that infringe on intellectual property rights

4.2 Launch Types

EarlyHunt offers three launch types to suit different needs and budgets:

Free Launch:
- Cost: Free
- Requirements: Must add a link to earlyhunt.com on your website (backlink verification required)
- Backlink Type: Nofollow by default, automatically upgraded to dofollow if you win top 3 in weekly competition
- Winner Badge: Awarded if you place in top 3
- Slot Limit: Counts toward 15 free slots per week (shared with Nofollow launches)
Nofollow Launch:
- Cost: Free
- Requirements: No badge or link requirements
- Backlink Type: Always nofollow (even if you win)
- Winner Badge: Awarded if you place in top 3
- Slot Limit: Counts toward 15 free slots per week (shared with Free launches)
Premium Launch:
- Cost: $10 USD one-time payment (processed securely through Polar payment processor)
- Requirements: No badge or link requirements
- Backlink Type: Guaranteed dofollow backlink immediately upon payment (not dependent on competition results)
- Winner Badge: Awarded if you place in top 3
- Slot Limit: Unlimited (does not count toward free slot limits)
- Priority: Premium launches receive priority review and can secure preferred launch weeks more easily

Important Notes: All launch types receive the same homepage exposure, voting opportunities, and can compete for weekly winner rewards. The main differences are backlink types, verification requirements, and slot availability. Once you select a launch type and your project is scheduled, you cannot change the launch type.

4.3 Launch Week Selection and Scheduling

During submission, you'll select a launch week for your project. Projects launch every Monday at 8:00 AM UTC. Competition periods run from Monday 8:00 AM UTC to the following Monday at 7:59 AM UTC. You can select from available upcoming weeks, subject to slot availability for Free and Nofollow launches. Premium launches have unlimited slots and can secure any available week.

Once scheduled, launch weeks cannot be changed except in exceptional circumstances and at our sole discretion. Contact us if you need to reschedule due to unforeseen circumstances. Rescheduling does not entitle you to a refund.

4.4 Submission Content Requirements

When submitting a project, you must provide:

Project Name: Accurate, non-misleading project title
Website URL: Working, accessible URL (must be unique - cannot duplicate existing submissions)
Short Description: 10-200 character summary
Full Description: 50-3000 character detailed description (SEO-optimized, readable)
Categories: 1-3 relevant categories from our predefined list
Logo: Project logo image (uploaded via UploadThing)
Preview Image: Preview/screenshot image (uploaded via UploadThing)
Optional: Additional screenshots (up to 5), video URL, maker information

We offer AI autofill functionality that can automatically extract project information from your website URL. You can use this feature or manually enter all information.

4.5 Content Moderation and Review

All project submissions go through our review process before being published. We reserve the right to review, approve, reject, or remove any project submission at our sole discretion. Projects may be rejected or removed for reasons including but not limited to:

Inappropriate, offensive, harmful, or illegal content
Violation of intellectual property rights (copyright, trademark, patent infringement)
Misleading, false, or fraudulent information
Non-functional, broken, or inaccessible website URLs
Spam, scams, or malicious software
Duplicate submissions (same website URL submitted multiple times)
Violation of our community guidelines or Terms of Service
Incomplete or insufficient project information
Projects that are not AI-related or don't fit the platform's focus

If your project is rejected, you'll receive an email notification with the reason. You can address the issues and resubmit. Premium launch payments are generally non-refundable if a project is rejected due to policy violations (see Refund Policy section).

4.6 Project Editing and Updates

You can edit draft submissions and scheduled projects (before they go live) through your dashboard. Once a project is live or has launched, editing capabilities are limited. Website URLs cannot be changed after submission for security and integrity reasons. If you need to update critical information for a live project, contact our support team.

4.7 Project Ownership and Authorization

You must own the project you're submitting or have proper authorization from the owner to submit it. Submitting projects you don't own or have rights to may result in immediate removal and account termination. You're responsible for ensuring your submission doesn't infringe on any third-party rights.

5. Voting and Competition Rules

5.1 Voting System

EarlyHunt uses a community voting system where registered users can vote for projects during weekly competitions. Voting rules:

Only registered users can vote
Each user can vote once per project
You can vote for your own project
Voting is open during the competition period (Monday 8:00 AM UTC to following Monday 7:59 AM UTC)
Vote counts are displayed in real-time
Votes are final and cannot be changed after submission

5.2 Competition Winners

At the end of each weekly competition, the top 3 projects with the most votes are declared winners. Winners receive:

Winner Badges: Exclusive badges to display on project pages and download for your website
Dofollow Backlinks: For Free and Premium launch winners, backlinks are automatically upgraded from nofollow to dofollow
Hall of Fame Placement: Permanent placement in EarlyHunt's Hall of Fame showcasing all weekly winners
Email Notification: Winners receive email notifications with badge assets and recognition details

Note: Nofollow launch winners receive badges and Hall of Fame placement but maintain nofollow backlinks as per their launch type. Competition results are final and based solely on vote counts.

5.3 Fair Voting Practices

We prohibit vote manipulation, including but not limited to:

Creating fake accounts to vote
Using automated systems or bots to vote
Buying or selling votes
Coordinated vote manipulation schemes
Any other fraudulent voting activities

We monitor voting patterns and reserve the right to investigate, suspend, or disqualify projects and accounts engaged in vote manipulation. Authentic engagement from real users is what makes competitions fair and meaningful.

6. Payment Terms

6.1 Premium Launch Payment

Premium launch submissions require a one-time payment of $10 USD before your project can be scheduled and published. Payment terms:

Payment Amount: $10 USD (one-time, non-recurring)
Payment Processor: Payments are processed securely through Polar, a PCI-DSS compliant payment processor
Payment Methods: Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) and other methods accepted by Polar
Currency: All prices are in USD. International users may see prices converted to their local currency by their payment provider
Taxes: You are responsible for any applicable taxes, fees, or charges imposed by your jurisdiction
Payment Timing: Payment must be completed before your project is scheduled for launch
Refund Eligibility: See Refund Policy section below for refund conditions

We do not store credit card information on our servers. All payment data is handled securely by Polar. After successful payment, you'll be redirected back to EarlyHunt, and your project will be automatically scheduled.

6.2 Draft Submissions

If you select Premium launch but don't complete payment, your submission is saved as a draft. Drafts:

Don't count toward weekly slot limits until payment is confirmed
Can be edited, resumed, or deleted from your dashboard
Can be converted to Free or Nofollow launch (which removes payment requirement)
Are automatically replaced if you submit the same project again with updated information

6.3 Refund Policy

We offer refunds for premium services under the following circumstances:

Technical Issues: If we are unable to deliver the promised premium services due to technical problems on our end
Service Non-Delivery: If your premium submission is not processed or published within 48 hours of the scheduled launch date (for immediate launches) or within 48 hours of the scheduled date (for future launches)
Duplicate Payment: If you are accidentally charged multiple times for the same service
Service Cancellation: If you request cancellation before your submission is processed and published on the scheduled launch date

Refund Exclusions: We do not provide refunds for:

Change of mind after service delivery
Dissatisfaction with voting results or community response
Project rejection due to content policy violations
Technical issues on your end (broken links, inaccessible websites, etc.)
Requests made more than 7 days after payment
Change of mind about scheduled launch dates (you can reschedule but not get a refund)

Refund Process: To request a refund, contact us at hi@earlyhunt.com with your payment details (transaction ID, project name, email address) and a clear reason for the refund request. Include "Refund Request" in the subject line. We'll review your request and respond within 5-10 business days. Approved refunds will be processed within 5-10 business days and returned to your original payment method.

6.4 Payment Processing and Authorization

By making a payment for Premium launch services, you:

Authorize us to charge the $10 USD amount to your chosen payment method
Confirm that you have the legal right to use the payment method
Agree that payment processing is handled by Polar, and their terms and privacy policy apply to payment transactions
Understand that payment is non-refundable except under the specific circumstances outlined in our Refund Policy
Accept responsibility for any applicable taxes, fees, or charges

If your payment fails, your submission will remain as a draft. You can retry payment from your dashboard. Contact us if you experience persistent payment issues.

7. Intellectual Property Rights

7.1 Your Content and Projects

You retain full ownership of all intellectual property rights in your project submissions, including but not limited to copyrights, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets in your projects, content, logos, images, and descriptions.

License Grant to EarlyHunt: By submitting content to our Platform, you grant EarlyHunt a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable license to:

Display, publish, and distribute your project content on the EarlyHunt platform
Promote and feature your projects in competitions, newsletters, social media, and marketing materials
Create backlinks to your website from EarlyHunt
Include your projects in search results, category listings, and recommendation systems
Archive and maintain your project information in our permanent project directory
Use project information for analytics, platform improvement, and service delivery

This license allows us to provide our services but does not transfer ownership of your content to us. You can request removal of your content at any time, though removal may be subject to certain limitations (see Termination section).

7.2 Platform Content and Intellectual Property

The EarlyHunt platform, including but not limited to its design, features, functionality, code, logos, trademarks, text, graphics, and software, is owned by EarlyHunt and protected by international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property laws.

You may not:

Copy, reproduce, modify, or create derivative works of the platform
Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble any part of the platform
Remove, alter, or obscure any copyright, trademark, or proprietary notices
Use our trademarks, logos, or brand elements without express written permission
Use automated systems (bots, scrapers, crawlers) to access or extract platform data

7.3 Third-Party Intellectual Property

You are solely responsible for ensuring that your project submissions do not infringe on any third-party intellectual property rights. If you believe your intellectual property has been infringed by content on EarlyHunt, contact us at hi@earlyhunt.com with:

Description of the infringing content
Proof of ownership or authorization
Your contact information
Statement that the use is not authorized

We'll investigate and take appropriate action, which may include removing infringing content.

8. Prohibited Uses and Conduct

You agree not to use EarlyHunt in any way that:

Violates Laws: For any unlawful purpose, to solicit others to perform unlawful acts, or to violate any international, federal, provincial, state, or local regulations, rules, laws, or ordinances
Infringes Rights: Infringes upon or violates our intellectual property rights, the intellectual property rights of others, privacy rights, or any other legal rights
Harassment: Harasses, abuses, insults, harms, defames, slanders, disparages, intimidates, discriminates, or threatens other users
False Information: Submits false, misleading, fraudulent, or inaccurate information
Malicious Code: Uploads, transmits, or distributes viruses, malware, trojans, worms, or any other malicious code
Spam and Abuse: Spams, phishes, uses pretext, sends unsolicited communications, or engages in any abusive behavior
Automated Access: Uses bots, scrapers, crawlers, scripts, or automated systems to access, scrape, or extract data from the platform without authorization
Vote Manipulation: Creates fake accounts, uses bots, buys votes, or engages in any vote manipulation schemes
Security Violations: Attempts to interfere with, disrupt, or circumvent the security features, authentication systems, or technical limitations of the platform
Inappropriate Content: Submits obscene, pornographic, violent, hateful, or otherwise inappropriate content
Impersonation: Impersonates any person, entity, or organization, or misrepresents your affiliation with any person or entity
Unauthorized Access: Attempts to gain unauthorized access to accounts, systems, or data
Commercial Exploitation: Uses the platform for commercial exploitation beyond legitimate project promotion and marketing
Resource Abuse: Overloads, disrupts, or damages our servers, networks, or infrastructure

Violation of these prohibitions may result in immediate account termination, project removal, and legal action where appropriate.

9. Privacy and Data Protection

Your privacy is important to us. Our collection, use, and protection of your personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using EarlyHunt, you consent to our privacy practices as described in the Privacy Policy.

Key privacy points:

We collect information necessary to provide our services (account data, project information, payment data, usage data)
Your project information is publicly visible on the platform
We use third-party services (NextAuth, Polar, Neon DB, UploadThing, Resend, Vercel) to deliver our services
You have rights to access, correct, delete, and port your data (see Privacy Policy for details)
We implement security measures to protect your information

Please review our Privacy Policy carefully to understand how we handle your personal information.

10. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

10.1 Service Availability and Uptime

While we strive to provide reliable service, we do not guarantee that EarlyHunt will be available at all times or error-free. The platform may experience:

Scheduled maintenance and updates
Unscheduled downtime due to technical issues
Hardware or software failures
Network connectivity issues
Third-party service outages (hosting, database, payment processing, etc.)
Force majeure events beyond our control

We are not liable for any losses, damages, or inconvenience resulting from platform unavailability. We'll make reasonable efforts to minimize downtime and provide advance notice of scheduled maintenance when possible.

10.2 No Guarantees on Competition Results

EarlyHunt does not guarantee:

That your project will win a weekly competition or place in the top 3
Specific vote counts, rankings, or competition outcomes
Traffic levels, engagement rates, or user interaction with your project
SEO rankings or search engine visibility improvements
Business results, revenue, or success from using our platform

Competition results depend on community voting, and we cannot control or guarantee voting outcomes. All projects receive equal opportunity to compete, but results are determined by user votes.

10.3 Third-Party Content and Links

EarlyHunt contains user-submitted content and links to third-party websites, services, and resources that are not owned or controlled by us. This includes:

Project websites and URLs submitted by users
Sponsor websites and links (Rank++, Aura++, etc.)
Social media links (Twitter, GitHub, etc.)
External resources and documentation
Payment processor websites (Polar checkout pages)

We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, terms of service, practices, products, or services of any third-party websites or services. Your interactions with third-party sites are at your own risk. We encourage you to review the terms and privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.

10.4 User Content and Project Information

We do not verify, endorse, or assume responsibility for:

The accuracy, completeness, or truthfulness of project descriptions, claims, or information
The functionality, quality, or safety of submitted projects
The legality or appropriateness of projects or their content
User comments, feedback, or community-generated content
The legitimacy or authorization of project submissions

While we review submissions, we rely on information provided by users and cannot guarantee its accuracy. Users are solely responsible for their submissions and content.

10.5 Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL EARLYHUNT, ITS DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, PARTNERS, AGENTS, SUPPLIERS, AFFILIATES, OR SERVICE PROVIDERS BE LIABLE FOR:

Any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
Loss of profits, revenue, data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses
Damages resulting from your use or inability to use the platform
Damages resulting from unauthorized access to or alteration of your data
Damages resulting from third-party conduct or content
Business interruption, loss of business opportunities, or commercial damages

Our total liability for any claims arising from or related to your use of EarlyHunt shall not exceed the amount you paid to us in the 12 months preceding the claim, or $10 USD, whichever is greater. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, so some of the above limitations may not apply to you.

10.6 "As Is" and "As Available"

EarlyHunt is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, or course of performance. We do not warrant that the platform will be uninterrupted, secure, error-free, or free from viruses or harmful components.

11. Account Termination and Content Removal

11.1 Termination by EarlyHunt

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account and bar access to the platform immediately, without prior notice or liability, at our sole discretion, for reasons including but not limited to:

Breach of these Terms of Service
Fraudulent activity, spam, or abuse
Vote manipulation or competition interference
Submission of illegal, harmful, or inappropriate content
Intellectual property infringement
Harassment or harmful behavior toward other users
Violation of community guidelines
Extended period of inactivity (at our discretion)

Upon termination, your right to use the platform immediately ceases. We may delete your account, remove your projects, and delete associated data, subject to our data retention policies and legal obligations.

11.2 Termination by You

You may delete your account at any time through your account settings or by contacting us at hi@earlyhunt.com. Account deletion:

Begins a 30-day grace period during which data can be recovered
After 30 days, most personal data is permanently deleted
Project submissions may remain visible (anonymized) for platform integrity
Competition history and winner records may be retained for historical accuracy
Does not entitle you to refunds for Premium launches already processed

11.3 Project Removal

You may request removal of specific projects by contacting us. However:

Projects that have won competitions may remain visible for historical accuracy
Removal doesn't affect backlinks that have already been established
Once removed, you cannot submit the same project again
We reserve the right to deny removal requests that would compromise platform integrity

12. Backlinks and SEO Services

12.1 Backlink Provision

EarlyHunt provides backlinks (links from our platform to your website) as part of our services. Backlink terms:

Free Launches: Receive nofollow backlinks by default. If you win top 3, backlinks are automatically upgraded to dofollow
Nofollow Launches: Always receive nofollow backlinks, even if you win (per your launch type selection)
Premium Launches: Receive guaranteed dofollow backlinks immediately upon payment confirmation
Backlinks appear on project detail pages, homepage listings, and other platform locations
Backlinks remain active as long as your project is on the platform (permanently, unless removed)

12.2 Backlink Verification (Free Launches)

For Free launches, you must add a link to earlyhunt.com on your website before your project can be scheduled. Our system automatically verifies the link by checking your website's source code. Any link to earlyhunt.com (text link, badge, etc.) satisfies this requirement. Verification happens automatically during the submission process.

12.3 SEO Benefits Disclaimer

While backlinks (especially dofollow) can provide SEO benefits, we make no guarantees about:

Search engine rankings improvements
Indexing speed or frequency
SEO impact or link value
Traffic increases from search engines

SEO results depend on many factors beyond our control, including search engine algorithms, your website's overall SEO strategy, and market conditions.

13. Community Guidelines and User Conduct

EarlyHunt is a community platform. All users are expected to:

Treat other users with respect and professionalism
Engage constructively in comments and discussions
Provide honest, accurate information about projects
Vote fairly and authentically based on project merit
Report inappropriate content or behavior
Respect intellectual property rights
Follow all applicable laws and regulations

Prohibited behavior includes harassment, spam, vote manipulation, false information, malicious content, and any activity that harms the community or platform. Violations may result in warnings, account suspension, or termination.

14. Email Communications and Notifications

By using EarlyHunt, you agree to receive certain email communications:

Transactional Emails: Authentication links, project submission confirmations, scheduling notifications, payment receipts, and competition results (cannot be opted out)
Service Updates: Important changes to services, terms, privacy policy, or platform features
Newsletters: Platform updates, announcements, and marketing communications (optional - you can unsubscribe anytime)

All emails are sent via Resend email service. You can manage email preferences in your account settings or by contacting us. Transactional emails are essential for platform functionality and cannot be disabled.

15. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

15.1 Applicable Law

These Terms of Service shall be interpreted and governed by the laws of the United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not be considered a waiver of those rights.

15.2 Dispute Resolution

If you have a dispute with EarlyHunt:

First: Contact us at hi@earlyhunt.com to attempt to resolve the dispute informally
Mediation: If informal resolution fails, we may agree to mediation through a neutral third party
Arbitration: Any disputes not resolved informally may be resolved through binding arbitration in accordance with applicable arbitration rules
Jurisdiction: For any disputes not subject to arbitration, you agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of courts in the United States

You waive any right to a jury trial and agree to resolve disputes on an individual basis, not as part of a class action.

16. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to modify or replace these Terms of Service at any time. When we make changes:

We'll update the "Last updated" date at the top of this document
For material changes, we'll provide at least 30 days notice via email or prominent platform notice
We'll post the updated Terms on this page before changes take effect
Continued use of EarlyHunt after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms

If you disagree with any changes, you may stop using EarlyHunt and request account deletion. Material changes typically include modifications to pricing, refund policies, service features, or user rights.

We encourage you to review these Terms periodically to stay informed. Historical versions are available upon request.

17. Severability and Entire Agreement

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and EarlyHunt regarding your use of the platform and supersede all prior agreements and understandings.

18. Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding these Terms of Service, please contact us:

Through our contact page
By email at hi@earlyhunt.com (include "Terms Question" in subject line for faster response)
Follow us on X/Twitter for platform updates

We aim to respond to all inquiries within 5-10 business days. For urgent matters or legal notices, please clearly mark your communication as such.