Terms of Service

Last updated: September 15, 2026

These Terms govern your access to mello. By creating an account, tapping to accept, hosting or joining an event, or otherwise using mello, you agree to these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the service.

Eligibility and accounts

You must be at least 18 years old and legally able to enter a binding agreement. You must provide accurate information, keep your account secure, promptly tell us about unauthorized use, and not create an account if we previously suspended or removed you. You are responsible for activity conducted through your account unless caused by our failure to use reasonable security.

Identity verification is optional unless a particular feature or event requires it. A verification badge confirms only that a provider completed the stated identity check. It is not a background check, character reference, safety guarantee, age guarantee beyond the check performed, or endorsement by mello.

mello is a platform, not an event organizer

Members, not mello, create, choose, host, promote, attend, cancel, and control events. This includes gatherings at homes, parties, meals, sports, outdoor activities, classes, nightlife, and events at third-party venues. A host is not our employee, agent, partner, franchisee, representative, or contractor, and has no authority to bind us.

We do not own or control member venues, inspect events, supply security, provide transportation, supervise alcohol service, verify permits, set capacity, or guarantee accessibility, legality, quality, attendance, safety, or accuracy. Featuring, recommending, moderating, verifying, or allowing an event does not make us its sponsor or organizer.

Hosting events, parties, and gatherings

If you host, co-host, or materially organize an event, you are solely responsible for it. You agree to:

• provide a complete and accurate description, location, timing, costs, eligibility rules, risks, accessibility information, cancellation terms, and material changes;
• have permission to use the venue and obtain any license, permit, insurance, waiver, security, trained personnel, or emergency plan reasonably required by the activity or law;
• follow occupancy, fire, health, noise, alcohol, food-service, transportation, anti-discrimination, and other applicable rules;
• take reasonable precautions for foreseeable hazards, stop unsafe conduct, contact emergency services when appropriate, and avoid admitting more people than the venue can safely hold;
• not furnish alcohol to anyone under the legal drinking age or visibly intoxicated, not encourage dangerous consumption, and arrange lawful service and safe transportation where appropriate;
• not charge, collect money, sell goods, conduct regulated activity, or run a commercial event unless permitted by mello and lawful in your jurisdiction; and
• be responsible for your invitees, vendors, property, equipment, damage, cleanup, taxes, fees, refunds, and disputes arising from your event.

You may not host an event involving illegal activity, weapons, exploitation, hazing, non-consensual conduct, dangerous stunts without appropriate controls, unauthorized gambling, or any activity prohibited by our rules. We may remove or restrict an event, but we have no duty to monitor every event.

Attending events and assumption of risk

You decide whether to interact with members or attend an event. In-person activity carries risks, including illness, intoxication, allergic reaction, criminal conduct, harassment, assault, falls, traffic, weather, water, animals, sports injury, property loss, venue hazards, and death. Some risks may be caused by other members, hosts, venues, vendors, or conditions we cannot control.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, you knowingly and voluntarily assume the risks of member interactions and event participation, including risks that are obvious and risks that are not. You are responsible for evaluating an event, your health and ability, transportation, personal belongings, insurance, and whether additional precautions are appropriate. Leave any situation that feels unsafe and contact emergency services for urgent help. mello is not an emergency service.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, you release mello and its officers, directors, employees, affiliates, and agents from claims arising from the acts or omissions of members, hosts, attendees, venues, vendors, or other third parties, or from your voluntary participation in a member-created event. This release does not waive rights that cannot lawfully be waived.

Friendship-only use and member conduct

mello is for platonic friendship, not dating or hookups. You may not use the service to pursue unwanted romantic or sexual contact. You also may not threaten, harass, stalk, discriminate, impersonate, defraud, spam, exploit, solicit illegal activity, evade enforcement, interfere with the service, scrape member data, or post unlawful, hateful, sexually explicit, deceptive, dangerous, or rights-infringing content.

Child sexual abuse and exploitation, grooming, sextortion, trafficking, and child sexual abuse material are strictly prohibited. Our Child Safety Standards are incorporated into these Terms.

Use in-app reporting and blocking tools for safety concerns. We may investigate, preserve evidence, remove content or events, limit features, notify appropriate authorities, or suspend or terminate accounts. We do not promise that screening or moderation will identify every risk, and our action or inaction does not make us responsible for member conduct.

Member content and intellectual property

You retain ownership of content you submit. You grant mello a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to host, store, reproduce, adapt for technical formatting, display, and distribute that content only as needed to operate, secure, moderate, improve, and promote the service, subject to our Privacy Policy. This license ends when the content is deleted from our active systems, except for lawful retention, backups, safety records, and content shared with others who have not deleted it.

You represent that you have the necessary rights and permissions for content you upload, including photos of other people. Do not post confidential information, exact home details publicly, or content that violates privacy, publicity, copyright, trademark, or other rights.

Payments, fees, holds, cancellations, and third parties

Payment services are provided through Stripe under its terms. mello does not store full payment-card numbers. If mello offers a no-show payment commitment for an event, the applicable checkout must disclose the amount and currency and ask you to authorize Stripe to save a payment method for later off-session use. This is not necessarily an authorization hold on your card. If the disclosed attendance and cancellation conditions are not met, mello may instruct Stripe to charge the saved payment method after the event.

You authorize only the amount and rules shown before you confirm. If a payment feature is offered, the applicable screen will disclose the amount, charge timing, and any refund terms before you authorize it. You are responsible for keeping the payment method valid and for any additional authentication required by your bank. Contact support@mellomeet.com promptly about an error or dispute. Chargeback rights and non-waivable consumer protections remain available.

Event costs, venue charges, taxes, refunds, and cancellation rules will be described where applicable. Except where law requires otherwise, members are responsible for costs they agree to and for resolving host or venue charges that mello did not collect.

Events may be changed or canceled by hosts, venues, weather, emergencies, or other circumstances. We do not guarantee attendance, availability, refunds from third parties, or that any event will occur. Links, maps, venues, transportation providers, identity services, app stores, and other third-party services are not controlled by mello.

Service changes and account enforcement

We may modify, suspend, or discontinue features; impose reasonable limits; remove content; or restrict access to protect members, comply with law, address risk, or operate the service. We may suspend or terminate an account for violating these Terms, creating risk, or harming the service. You may stop using mello or request account deletion at any time. Sections that by their nature should survive termination will survive, including ownership, releases, disclaimers, liability limits, and indemnity.

Disclaimers and limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, mello is provided “as is” and “as available.” We disclaim all express, implied, and statutory warranties, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, non-infringement, safety, accuracy, availability, and any warranty arising from course of dealing or usage of trade. We do not warrant that members are trustworthy, that events are safe or lawful, that verification or moderation will prevent harm, or that the service will be uninterrupted or error-free.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, mello and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, and agents will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, consequential, or punitive damages, lost profits or data, personal injury, death, emotional distress, property damage, or third-party conduct arising from the service, member interactions, or events, even if advised that such harm was possible.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, our total aggregate liability for all claims arising out of or relating to the service will not exceed the greater of US $100 or the amount you paid directly to mello during the 12 months before the event giving rise to the claim. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain exclusions or limits, so these provisions apply only to the extent allowed there.

Indemnification

To the fullest extent permitted by law, you will defend, indemnify, and hold harmless mello and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, and agents from claims, damages, losses, liabilities, judgments, settlements, penalties, fines, costs, and reasonable legal fees arising from your content, conduct, event, venue, guests, vendors, violation of these Terms or law, infringement of another person's rights, or misuse of the service. We may control the defense of a covered claim, and you agree to cooperate. You may not settle a claim that imposes liability or obligations on us without our written consent.

General terms

These Terms and the Privacy Policy are the entire agreement between you and mello about the service. If a provision is unenforceable, it will be limited to the minimum extent necessary and the remaining provisions will continue. Our failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver. You may not assign these Terms without our consent; we may assign them as part of a merger, financing, reorganization, or transfer of the service. We are not responsible for delay caused by events beyond our reasonable control.

We may update these Terms. For material changes, we will update the date and provide notice where legally required. Changes apply prospectively when posted or on the stated effective date. Your continued use after that date means you accept the revised Terms.

Contact us

Questions, legal notices, or rights concerns may be sent to legal@mellomeet.com.