Terms of Service

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the services provided by Modern Stack Studio ("we," "us," or "our"). By engaging our services or using our website, you agree to these Terms. Please read them carefully.

Services

Modern Stack Studio provides web design, development, and related digital services for small businesses. Our offerings include one-time website builds, monthly managed website plans, integrations, add-on services, and ongoing maintenance. The specific scope of work for each project is outlined in the proposal or quote provided before work begins.

Payment Terms

• One-time projects: A deposit of 50% is required before work begins. The remaining balance is due upon project completion, before the final site is handed off or published. We accept payment via Stripe and bank transfer.
• Monthly managed plans: Billed monthly on the anniversary of your plan start date. Payment is due at the beginning of each billing cycle. Late payments may result in temporary suspension of hosting and maintenance services until the balance is resolved.
• Add-ons: One-time add-ons are billed at the time of purchase. Recurring add-ons follow the same billing cycle as your plan.

All prices are listed in USD. We reserve the right to update pricing with 30 days' notice for ongoing plans.

Monthly Plan Terms

Monthly managed plans carry a 12-month minimum commitment. During this period, the plan cannot be canceled without early termination fees. After the initial 12-month term:

• You may continue month-to-month under the same terms.
• You may request a buyout and full project handoff at the then-current handoff rate.
• You may cancel with 30 days' written notice.

If you cancel a monthly plan before the minimum term ends, the remaining months' fees become due as an early termination charge.

Project Ownership and Handoff

• One-time builds: Upon receipt of full payment, all project files, code, and assets created for your project are transferred to you. You own the final deliverables. We may retain copies for portfolio and reference purposes unless otherwise agreed.
• Monthly managed plans: During the plan term, the website is hosted and maintained on our infrastructure. You own your domain, content, and any assets you provided. The site code and design remain managed by us until a buyout/handoff is completed after the minimum term.
• Domain names: We recommend that clients register and maintain ownership of their own domain names. If we register a domain on your behalf, ownership will be transferred to you upon request.

Intellectual Property

You retain ownership of all content, logos, trademarks, and brand assets you provide to us. We retain ownership of proprietary tools, frameworks, templates, and code libraries developed independently of your project. Custom code written specifically for your project is included in your deliverables upon full payment.

Unless explicitly excluded in writing, we reserve the right to display your completed project in our portfolio, case studies, and marketing materials.

Client Responsibilities

To ensure timely project delivery, you agree to:

• Provide content, brand assets, and feedback in a timely manner.
• Designate a single point of contact for project communications.
• Review and approve deliverables within the agreed timeline.
• Ensure all content you provide does not infringe on third-party rights.

Delays caused by late client feedback may extend project timelines. Prolonged inactivity (more than 30 days without response) may result in the project being placed on hold. Restarting a held project may incur additional fees.

Revisions

Each plan tier includes a specified number of revision rounds as described in your quote. Additional revision rounds beyond the included amount are billed at our standard hourly rate. "Revision" refers to adjustments within the agreed scope — significant changes to scope or direction may require a change order with updated pricing.

Limitation of Liability

Modern Stack Studio provides web design and development services on a best-effort basis. We are not liable for:

• Loss of revenue, data, or business opportunities arising from the use or inability to use your website.
• Downtime, data loss, or security breaches caused by third-party hosting, services, or integrations.
• Inaccuracies in content provided by the client.
• Results of SEO, marketing, or business performance — we build tools, but outcomes depend on many factors beyond our control.

Our total liability for any claim arising from our services is limited to the amount you paid us in the 12 months preceding the claim.

Termination

Either party may terminate a project or service agreement with written notice under the following conditions:

• By you: You may cancel a one-time project before work begins for a full deposit refund. Once work has started, the deposit is non-refundable but covers all work completed to date. Monthly plans follow the minimum term rules described above.
• By us: We reserve the right to terminate a project if payments are overdue by more than 30 days, if the client is unresponsive for more than 30 days, or if the working relationship becomes untenable. In such cases, we will deliver all completed work to date.

Warranties and Disclaimers

We warrant that our services will be performed in a professional and workmanlike manner consistent with industry standards. Beyond this, our services are provided "as is" without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the state in which Modern Stack Studio is registered. Any disputes will be resolved through good-faith negotiation first, and if necessary, through binding arbitration or the courts of competent jurisdiction.

Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Changes take effect when posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. For active plan clients, we will provide 30 days' notice of material changes via email.

Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms of Service, please reach out through our contact page.