Terms of Service

Last updated: 2 June 2026

Terms of Service

Last updated: 12 July 2026

Welcome to Vela. These Terms of Service ("Terms") are a binding agreement between you and Zephyrshop LLC, a Delaware limited liability company that operates Vela ("Vela", "we", "us"), governing your use of the Vela app and website (the "Service"). By creating an account or using the Service, you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy and Community Guidelines, which are part of these Terms. If you don't agree, please don't use Vela.

1. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old and legally able to enter this agreement. Vela is for adults seeking dating or friendship connections, and is available in the countries where we offer it. You may hold one account, must provide accurate information, and are responsible for everything that happens under your account. Keep your login credentials secure.

2. Your account

You're responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account and for activity on it. Tell us promptly at hello@vela.dating if you suspect unauthorised use. We may require identity verification to keep the community real and safe. You may delete your account at any time in Settings.

3. Acceptable use

You agree to use Vela respectfully, honestly, and lawfully, and to follow our Community Guidelines. Among other things, you will not:

  • harass, threaten, demean, stalk, or discriminate against anyone, on or off the Service;
  • post, request, or send sexual content involving minors, or anything that sexualises minors — ever;
  • send unsolicited sexually explicit images or messages (this is a criminal offence in many places);
  • impersonate anyone, use another person's photos or identity, or create fake or misleading profiles;
  • solicit money, run scams, promote investments or commercial schemes, or lure people off‑platform to defraud them;
  • post illegal content, promote self‑harm or violence, or use Vela for any unlawful purpose;
  • spam, scrape, reverse‑engineer, overload, or interfere with the Service or its security.

Mutual interest is required before open messaging — a built‑in safety control. We may review, screen, limit, remove content, or restrict accounts to enforce these Terms and the Guidelines.

4. Content you share

You keep ownership of the content you create — your photos, videos, voice recordings, Moments, and messages. You grant Vela a non‑exclusive, worldwide, royalty‑free licence to host, store, reproduce, adapt, translate, and display that content solely to operate and improve the Service, including matching, AI features, translation, and safety screening as described in the Privacy Policy. This licence ends when your content or account is deleted, except for copies retained for legal or safety reasons or in routine backups. You are responsible for your content and confirm you have the right to share it.

5. AI features

Vela uses AI to suggest matches, explain why someone may fit, draft introductions, offer optional in‑chat coaching, translate messages, and screen for safety. AI suggestions are aids, not advice or guarantees — they can be wrong or incomplete, and you remain responsible for what you say and do. Don't rely on AI output as professional (legal, medical, financial, or relationship) advice.

6. Identity, safety, and meeting people

Verification and automated safety tools help, but we do not run criminal background checks and cannot guarantee any member's identity, age, intentions, or conduct. You are solely responsible for your interactions and for any decision to meet, chat with, call, send money or gifts to, or attend an event with another person. Meeting people and attending events is at your own risk. Please meet in public, tell someone your plans, and use the in‑app safety features (such as the safety check‑in and Date Sitter). To the extent permitted by law, Vela is not responsible for the conduct of any member or third party, online or offline.

7. Memberships, Boosts, credits, gifts, and payments

Vela offers a free tier and paid plans (such as Premium and Ultra), as well as one‑time purchases including Boosts, AI credits, gifts, and any events/Salons. Current prices, billing periods, and what each plan includes are shown in the app at the point of purchase, in your local currency where available (prices may vary by region and may be shown inclusive of applicable taxes).

  • In‑app purchases — subscriptions, Boosts, and AI credits are sold as in‑app purchases through the Apple App Store or Google Play and managed via RevenueCat. Physical gifts are processed and fulfilled through Wix.
  • Auto‑renewing subscriptions renew automatically for the same period at the then‑current price until you cancel. Your payment method is charged at the start of each period.
  • Virtual items (Boosts, AI credits, and similar) have no cash value, are non‑transferable, and are not redeemable for money except where the law requires.
  • Gifts you send are placed as an authorisation hold and are only charged if the recipient accepts within the stated window (currently three days); otherwise the hold is released.
  • We may change prices or plan features; we'll give notice of material changes, and changes won't affect the period you've already paid for.

8. Cancellation and refunds

You can cancel an auto‑renewing subscription at any time through your Apple App Store or Google Play account (and manage it from Vela's Settings). Cancellation stops the next renewal; you keep access until the end of the current paid period.

If you are a consumer in the EU, UK, or another region with a statutory cooling‑off right, you may have a right to cancel certain purchases within a set period (commonly 14 days). Because Vela is digital content/services supplied immediately, you may be asked to agree that supply begins right away, which can reduce or end this cooling‑off right once the service has been fully provided — but this does not affect your other statutory rights.

App‑store purchases are governed by the store's terms and refund policies; refunds for subscriptions, Boosts, and AI credits are generally requested from Apple or Google. Gift refunds are handled by us and our gift provider. Nothing in these Terms removes mandatory consumer rights you have under the law of your country.

9. Third‑party services

The Service relies on third parties (for example, the app stores, RevenueCat, Wix, LiveKit, and mapping or booking links). Their terms and privacy practices apply to your use of them, and we are not responsible for third‑party services.

10. Disclaimers

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available." We don't promise that you'll find a match, a relationship, or any particular outcome, or that the Service will be uninterrupted, error‑free, or secure. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we disclaim implied warranties. This section does not limit rights you have as a consumer that cannot be excluded by law.

11. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Vela will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for loss of profits, data, goodwill, or for the conduct of any member or third party. Our total liability for any claim relating to the Service is limited to the greater of the amount you paid us in the 12 months before the claim or US$100 (or local equivalent). Nothing in these Terms limits liability that cannot be limited by law, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or your non‑excludable consumer rights.

12. Indemnity

To the extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify Vela against claims, losses, and costs arising from your misuse of the Service, your content, or your breach of these Terms or the law — except to the extent caused by us.

13. Suspension and termination

We may suspend, limit, or terminate your account if you breach these Terms or the Guidelines, create risk for others, or as required by law. You may stop using Vela and delete your account at any time. Sections that by their nature should survive (including content licence for retained copies, disclaimers, liability limits, indemnity, and dispute terms) survive termination.

14. Governing law and disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, United States, without regard to conflict‑of‑laws rules, and the federal or state courts located in Delaware will have jurisdiction — except as set out below for consumers outside the US.

Users in the US: to the extent permitted by law, you and Vela agree to resolve disputes through binding individual arbitration rather than in court, and waive any right to participate in a class action. You may opt out of arbitration within 30 days of first accepting these Terms by emailing hello@vela.dating, and small‑claims matters are excluded.

Consumers outside the US: nothing above overrides the mandatory consumer‑protection laws of your country of residence. If you are a consumer, you keep the protections and statutory rights of your local law, the arbitration and class‑action‑waiver terms above do not apply to you where prohibited, and you may bring proceedings in the courts of your home country.

15. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms as Vela evolves or the law changes. If changes are material, we'll notify you in the app or by email and update the date above. Continuing to use Vela after changes take effect means you accept the updated Terms.

16. Contact

Questions about these Terms? Email hello@vela.dating.