Terms of Service
Last Updated: May 27, 2026
Welcome to Porchside. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Porchside mobile application and related services (collectively, the "Service"), operated by Kinward, Inc. ("Porchside," "we," "us," or "our"). By creating an account, you agree to be bound by these Terms, our Community Guidelines, and our Privacy Policy.
1. Beta Program
The Service is currently in beta. Features may change, be added, or be removed without notice. Data collected during the beta period may be reset. Availability and uptime are not guaranteed. By participating in the beta, you acknowledge these conditions and agree to provide feedback to help improve the Service.
2. Eligibility
You must be at least 18 years old to use Porchside. By creating an account, you represent and warrant that you are at least 18 years of age, are legally able to enter into binding contracts, have not been previously banned from the Service, and will comply with these Terms and all applicable laws. We verify age through date of birth information provided during onboarding.
3. Account Registration
You must provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity under your account. You agree to immediately notify us of any unauthorized use of your account. We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that contain false or misleading information.
4. The Service
Porchside is an activity-first community platform that helps people in Austin, TX find and join small-group activities: hikes, dinners, classes, live shows, and other in-person experiences. Activities are published either by independent hosts in our community or organized by Porchside itself. The Service lets users browse activity listings, reserve seats in activities, communicate with hosts and fellow attendees through in-app messaging, and leave ratings after attending. Porchside is built for forming friendships and community connections through shared activities, and is not intended for dating or romantic matchmaking.
5. Identity Verification
Porchside offers an optional selfie-based identity verification feature. By using this feature, you consent to the following: a selfie photo will be captured and temporarily processed using facial recognition technology (provided by Amazon Web Services Rekognition) to compare your selfie against your profile photo; your selfie image is deleted immediately after the comparison is complete; no biometric templates or facial geometry data are stored by Porchside or its service providers beyond the duration of the verification transaction; and a verification status and similarity score are recorded on your profile. You may choose not to use this feature. Identity verification does not guarantee the identity or future conduct of any user. Additional detail is provided in our Biometric Data Policy.
6. User Conduct
You agree not to use the Service to harass, threaten, stalk, or intimidate any person; post false, misleading, or deceptive content; impersonate any person or entity; solicit money or financial information from other users; engage in any commercial activity not authorized by Porchside; use the Service for any illegal purpose; collect or harvest user data without consent; transmit malware, spam, or other harmful content; or circumvent any security features of the Service.
7. Community Guidelines and Prohibited Content
Your use of the Service is also governed by our Community Guidelines, which are incorporated into these Terms by reference. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for objectionable content and abusive behavior. You may not post, share, or transmit content that is unlawful, harassing, threatening, hateful, defamatory, or sexually explicit, that sexualizes or exploits minors, that promotes self-harm or violence, or that is otherwise objectionable as described in our Community Guidelines. You can report objectionable content or users through the in-app reporting tools, and you can block other users. We review reports and act on violations within 24 hours, including by removing content and ejecting the users responsible. Severe or repeated violations may result in immediate and permanent removal from the Service.
8. In-Person Activities
You are responsible for your own conduct and safety at any activity you attend or host through the Service, whether the activity is published by another user in our community or organized by Porchside itself. Porchside does not screen attendees or perform background checks. We provide in-app reporting and blocking tools and encourage you to use them if you encounter behavior that violates these Terms. If a safety issue arises during an activity hosted by Porchside, please contact support@porchside.co as soon as possible.
9. Assumption of Risk and Release
Participation in any activity discovered, booked, or hosted through the Service is voluntary and undertaken at your own risk. You understand that in-person activities and gatherings carry inherent risks, including the risk of physical injury, illness, property damage, or other harm, and that these risks can arise from the nature of an activity, the conduct of other participants or hosts, the condition of a venue, or other factors outside our control. Porchside does not organize or supervise activities published by hosts, does not control the conduct of any user, and does not screen, vet, interview, or conduct background or criminal-history checks on hosts, attendees, or any other user. Optional identity verification features do not guarantee the identity, character, or future conduct of any user. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, YOU ASSUME ALL RISKS ARISING FROM YOUR PARTICIPATION IN OR HOSTING OF ACTIVITIES AND FROM YOUR INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER USERS, AND YOU RELEASE KINWARD, INC. AND ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS FROM ANY CLAIMS, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES, LOSSES, OR EXPENSES, INCLUDING THOSE ARISING FROM OUR OWN NEGLIGENCE, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THOSE ACTIVITIES OR INTERACTIONS, WHETHER THEY OCCUR ONLINE OR IN PERSON. This release does not apply to claims arising from our own gross negligence or willful misconduct, or to any liability that cannot be waived under applicable law. Nothing in this section limits your ability to report unsafe conduct through the in-app reporting tools or to contact law enforcement or emergency services.
10. Hosting Activities
If you host an activity, you act as an independent organizer and not as an employee, agent, or partner of Porchside. You are solely responsible for your activities, including their planning, safety, accuracy, and compliance with all applicable laws, permits, licenses, venue rules, and tax obligations. If you charge for an activity, you must use the Service's payment features, and you authorize Porchside and its payment processor to collect ticket payments on your behalf, deduct the applicable platform service fee, and remit the balance to you. To receive payouts, you must create and maintain a connected account with our payment processor, Stripe, and you agree to the Stripe Connected Account Agreement. You are responsible for any taxes on amounts you earn, and where required by law you will receive tax forms (such as an IRS Form 1099-K) reporting your earnings. You are responsible for honoring the activities you publish, communicating changes promptly, and issuing or enabling refunds in accordance with these Terms when you cancel. Additional terms for hosts are set out in our Host Agreement.
11. Tickets, Payments, and Refunds
Porchside operates as a marketplace where independent hosts publish activities and set their own ticket prices. When you reserve a seat at a paid activity, you authorize Porchside, through our payment processor Stripe, to charge your selected payment method for the ticket price plus any applicable platform service fee. Funds for paid activities are held by Porchside and transferred to the host approximately 24 hours after the activity completes. Tickets are refundable up to 24 hours before the scheduled start of an activity. Within 24 hours of start, tickets are non-refundable except where the host cancels the activity, in which case a full refund is issued automatically to your original payment method. If you believe a charge is incorrect, please contact us at support@porchside.co before initiating a chargeback with your card issuer so we can resolve it directly. Porchside reserves the right to modify platform service fees and refund policy with reasonable notice.
12. Text Messages and Notifications
By providing your phone number and verifying it, you consent to receive text messages (SMS) from Porchside, including one-time verification codes and, where you opt in, sign-in codes and account or activity notifications. These messages may be sent using automated technology. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. You can opt out of non-essential text messages at any time by replying STOP to a message from us, and you can reply HELP for help. Opting out of essential security messages, such as verification codes, may prevent you from using certain features. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. Our full SMS Terms describe this program in more detail.
13. Content and Intellectual Property
You retain ownership of the content you create or post on Porchside, including your profile information, photos, activity listings, messages, ratings, and memories ("User Content"). You represent that you own or have the necessary rights to the User Content you post and that it does not violate the rights of any third party or any law. By posting User Content, you grant Kinward, Inc. a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable license to host, store, use, display, reproduce, modify for formatting, and distribute your User Content in connection with operating, promoting, and improving the Service. This license continues for content you have shared with others or that exists in aggregated or de-identified form even after you delete it or close your account. If you provide feedback or suggestions, you grant us an unrestricted right to use them without obligation to you. Porchside and its logos, trademarks, and service marks are the property of Kinward, Inc. and may not be used without our permission.
14. Content Moderation and Enforcement
We may, at our discretion and with or without notice, review, remove, or restrict access to any content, and we may limit, suspend, or terminate any account, that we believe violates these Terms, our Community Guidelines, or applicable law, or that we believe is harmful to other users or to Porchside. We may also withhold, delay, or reverse payouts where we suspect fraud, abuse, chargebacks, or violations of these Terms. We are not liable for any action taken in good faith to enforce these Terms. If you believe we have acted in error, you may appeal by contacting support@porchside.co.
15. Copyright and DMCA
We respect intellectual property rights and respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). If you believe content on the Service infringes your copyright, send a written notice to our designated agent at support@porchside.co that includes your signature, identification of the copyrighted work, identification of the allegedly infringing material and its location, your contact information, a statement of good-faith belief that the use is not authorized, and a statement under penalty of perjury that the information is accurate and that you are authorized to act. We will remove infringing content and, in appropriate cases, terminate the accounts of repeat infringers. If your content was removed in error, you may submit a counter-notice. Our full DMCA Policy describes this process and is incorporated by reference.
16. Ratings and Reviews
Ratings and reviews must reflect your genuine experience. You may not post fraudulent, retaliatory, or incentivized ratings. We do not prohibit or penalize honest reviews of your experience, and nothing in these Terms restricts your right to share truthful opinions. Porchside may remove ratings or reviews that violate these Terms, including content that is false, defamatory, or harassing.
17. Subscriptions and Auto-Renewal
The Service may offer optional paid subscription plans. If you purchase a subscription, we will disclose the price, billing frequency, and renewal terms before you are charged. Subscriptions automatically renew for successive periods unless you cancel before the end of the current period, and your payment method will be charged the then-current price at each renewal until you cancel. You may cancel at any time through the app or the app store from which you purchased, and cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. Where required by law, we will provide renewal reminders and an easy cancellation method. Subscription purchases made through the Apple App Store or Google Play are also subject to that store's terms.
18. Termination
You may delete your account at any time through the app settings. We may suspend or terminate your account if you violate these Terms, engage in conduct harmful to other users, or for any other reason at our sole discretion. Upon termination, your right to use the Service ceases immediately, your profile will be removed from public view, and unused credits are forfeited unless required otherwise by law.
19. Disclaimers
THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE." KINWARD, INC. DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, OR SECURE.
20. Limitation of Liability
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, KINWARD, INC. SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE. OUR TOTAL LIABILITY SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT YOU PAID TO PORCHSIDE IN THE 12 MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM.
21. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Kinward, Inc., its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from your use of the Service, your User Content, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any rights of another user.
22. Dispute Resolution and Arbitration
Please read this section carefully, as it affects your legal rights. You and Kinward, Inc. agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service will be resolved by binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association under its applicable rules, and not in court, except that either party may bring an individual claim in small-claims court. The arbitration will take place in Austin, Texas, another mutually agreed location, or by remote means where available. An arbitrator, and not any court, has exclusive authority to resolve disputes about the interpretation, applicability, or enforceability of this arbitration agreement. You and Porchside waive any right to a jury trial and any right to participate in a class action or class-wide arbitration. If a coordinated or mass series of similar arbitration demands is filed, the parties agree the cases may be batched and resolved in stages to promote efficiency, and the AAA may administer them accordingly. You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to support@porchside.co within 30 days of first accepting these Terms; if you opt out, the remaining Terms still apply. If the class-action waiver is found unenforceable, this entire arbitration section will be void; any other unenforceable portion will be severed and the remainder enforced.
23. Mobile Application License
The Porchside mobile application is licensed, not sold, to you for use only under these Terms. This license is personal, limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, and revocable. The following applies to the application obtained from the Apple App Store: these Terms are between you and Kinward, Inc. only, not Apple, and Apple is not responsible for the application or its content; Apple has no obligation to provide maintenance or support; Apple is not responsible for any product warranties or for addressing any claims relating to the application, including product-liability, legal or regulatory compliance, or intellectual-property claims; and Apple and its subsidiaries are third-party beneficiaries of these Terms and may enforce them against you. You represent that you are not located in a country subject to a U.S. Government embargo and are not on any U.S. Government restricted-party list. For applications obtained from Google Play, your use is also subject to the Google Play Terms of Service.
24. Modifications
We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes through the app or via email. Your continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.
25. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to conflict of law principles.
26. General Provisions
These Terms, together with the Community Guidelines, Privacy Policy, and any other policies referenced here, are the entire agreement between you and Kinward, Inc. regarding the Service and supersede any prior agreements. If any provision is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in effect. Our failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver of it. You may not assign or transfer these Terms; we may assign them to an affiliate or successor. We are not liable for any delay or failure to perform caused by events beyond our reasonable control. The sections concerning content licenses, disclaimers, limitation of liability, indemnification, dispute resolution, and these general provisions survive termination. You consent to receive communications, agreements, and disclosures from us electronically, and you agree that electronic communications satisfy any legal requirement that they be in writing. Notices to us should be sent to support@porchside.co. California residents under 18 who are registered users may request removal of content they posted by contacting support@porchside.co. We are committed to accessibility and work to make the Service usable by people with disabilities; if you encounter a barrier, please contact us.
27. Contact
For questions about these Terms, contact us at support@porchside.co. Kinward, Inc. Austin, Texas