Terms of Service

Last Updated: November 15, 2025

1. Introduction and Acceptance

Welcome to CaseBuddy! These Terms of Service ("Terms", "Agreement") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User", "you", or "your") and CaseBuddy, operated from Berlin, Germany ("we", "us", "our", or "Service Provider"), governing your use of our website at casebuddy.io and related services (collectively, the "Services").

By accessing or using our Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not access or use our Services.

2. Service Description

CaseBuddy is an AI-powered platform designed to help users prepare for case interviews through interactive practice sessions with Sarah, your dedicated AI business consultant. Our Services include:

• AI-driven case interview simulations across various business scenarios including:
  • Market Sizing cases
  • Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) cases
  • Profitability analysis cases
  • Market Entry strategy cases
  • Growth Strategy cases
  • Product Strategy cases
  • Pricing Strategy cases
  • Operations cases
  • Competitive Strategy cases
  • Custom industry-specific cases
• Voice and text-based interaction modes
• Real-time feedback and performance analysis
• Session history and progress tracking
• Premium features for enhanced learning experiences
• Consultant talent pool program for qualified users

3. Eligibility and Account Registration

3.1 Age Requirement

You must be at least 16 years of age to use our Services, in compliance with GDPR regulations. If you are under 18, you represent that you have obtained parental or guardian consent to use our Services.

3.2 Account Creation

To access our Services, you must register for an account using Google Sign-In. By creating an account, you agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information
• Maintain and promptly update your account information
• Maintain the security of your account credentials
• Accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account

3.3 Account Termination

You may delete your account at any time. We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or engage in fraudulent, abusive, or illegal activities.

4. Data Collection and Processing

4.1 Data We Collect

In accordance with GDPR, we collect and process the following categories of personal data:

Account Information:

• Google account ID (for authentication)
• Email address
• Full name
• Profile picture URL
• Account creation and last login timestamps

Interview Session Data:

• Case type preferences (market sizing, M&A, profitability, market entry, growth strategy, product strategy, pricing, operations, competitive strategy)
• Interview transcripts and conversation history
• Voice recordings (temporarily processed for speech-to-text conversion, not permanently stored)
• Session duration and timestamps
• Performance scores and feedback
• User responses and AI-generated feedback

User Preferences:

• Preferred case types and difficulty levels
• Dark mode settings (stored locally in your browser)
• Industry preferences for customized cases

Subscription Data:

• Premium subscription status
• PayPal subscription ID and billing agreement ID
• Plan type (monthly or annual)
• Subscription start, end, and renewal dates
• Payment transaction history

Talent Pool Data (for accepted candidates):

• Hourly rate expectations (in USD)
• Preferred location (city and country)
• Work preference (remote, hybrid, or on-site)
• Professional links (LinkedIn, portfolio, company websites)
• Assessment scores and performance metrics
• Additional professional notes and availability information

Technical and Usage Data:

• Browser type and device information
• IP address and approximate location
• Cookie data for session management
• Usage statistics through Google Analytics
• Marketing pixel data (Google Ads, Facebook Pixel, LinkedIn Insight Tag, Reddit Pixel)

4.2 Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds under GDPR:

• Contract Performance: Processing necessary to provide our Services and fulfill our contractual obligations
• Consent: Where you have given explicit consent for specific processing activities (e.g., voice recording, talent pool participation)
• Legitimate Interest: For service improvement, fraud prevention, and business analytics
• Legal Obligation: Where required by applicable law

4.3 Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services that may process your data:

• Google Sign-In: For authentication and account management
• Anthropic Claude: AI service for generating interview content and feedback
• Google Gemini: Additional AI processing capabilities
• PayPal: Payment processing for premium subscriptions
• SendGrid: Transactional email delivery (talent pool invitations, notifications)
• PostgreSQL: Database hosting for user data storage
• Google Analytics: Website analytics and usage tracking
• Facebook Pixel: Marketing and advertising analytics
• LinkedIn Insight Tag: Professional network advertising
• Reddit Pixel: Advertising analytics

4.4 Your Data Rights

Under GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of Access: Request copies of your personal data
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate data
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten")
• Right to Restrict Processing: Request limitation of data processing
• Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time without affecting prior processing

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at support@casebuddy.io. We will respond to your request within 30 days as required by GDPR.

4.5 Data Retention

We retain your personal data only as long as necessary to provide our Services and comply with legal obligations. Interview session data and transcripts are retained for the duration of your account unless you request deletion. After account deletion, we will remove your data within 90 days, except where retention is required by law (e.g., payment records retained for 7 years for tax compliance).

5. Premium Subscription

5.1 Subscription Plans

Our Premium subscription provides enhanced features including:

• Unlimited interview sessions
• Access to all case types and difficulty levels
• Advanced performance analytics
• Custom industry-specific cases
• Priority AI response times
• Extended session history

Premium subscriptions are available in monthly and annual billing options. Pricing is displayed at the time of subscription and may be updated with reasonable notice.

5.2 Payment Processing

Payments are processed securely through PayPal. By subscribing to Premium, you authorize recurring charges to your payment method according to your selected billing cycle. You are responsible for maintaining valid payment information. We do not store your credit card or banking information on our servers.

5.3 Billing and Renewal

Premium subscriptions automatically renew at the end of each billing period unless cancelled. You will be charged the then-current subscription fee. We will notify you of any price changes at least 30 days in advance.

5.4 Cancellation and Refunds

You may cancel your Premium subscription at any time through your account settings or by managing your PayPal subscription directly. Upon cancellation:

• You will retain Premium access until the end of your current billing period
• No refunds will be provided for partial billing periods
• Your account will revert to the free tier at the end of the paid period

In accordance with EU consumer protection laws, if you are a consumer in the European Union, you have the right to withdraw from the purchase within 14 days without giving any reason. However, by using the Premium service immediately upon purchase, you acknowledge and agree to waive your right of withdrawal.

5.5 Subscription Modification

We reserve the right to modify Premium features, pricing, or terms with at least 30 days' notice. Continued use of the Premium service after such changes constitutes acceptance of the new terms.

6. Consultant Talent Pool Program

6.1 Program Description

CaseBuddy operates a consultant talent pool program that connects qualified users who demonstrate excellence in case interviews with potential clients seeking consulting services. Participation in this program is invitation-only based on assessment performance.

6.2 Eligibility

To be eligible for the talent pool program, you must:

• Complete a CaseBuddy assessment with a minimum score of 60% overall
• Receive an acceptance email invitation from CaseBuddy
• Complete the talent pool profile form with required professional information
• Maintain good standing with CaseBuddy's terms and policies

6.3 Profile Information Required

Upon acceptance into the talent pool, you will be asked to provide:

• Hourly rate expectations (in USD)
• Preferred location (city and country)
• Work preference (remote, hybrid, or on-site)
• Professional links (LinkedIn, portfolio, company websites, etc.)
• Additional notes about your expertise and availability

6.4 No Employment Relationship

Participation in the talent pool does not create an employment, partnership, or agency relationship between you and CaseBuddy. You remain an independent contractor for any client engagements facilitated through the talent pool.

6.5 No Guarantee of Placement

Inclusion in the talent pool does not guarantee client matches or consulting engagements. CaseBuddy will make reasonable efforts to introduce qualified candidates to appropriate opportunities but makes no promises regarding the frequency, value, or duration of potential engagements.

6.6 Removal from Talent Pool

You may be removed from the talent pool at any time:

• At your request
• For violation of these Terms
• For poor performance or professionalism in client interactions
• For prolonged unavailability or non-responsiveness
• For failure to maintain assessment standards

6.7 Data Privacy for Talent Pool

Your talent pool profile information will be shared with potential clients for matching purposes. You control what professional information you include in your profile. You may update or request deletion of your talent pool data at any time.

7. Acceptable Use Policy

7.1 Permitted Use

You may use our Services solely for lawful purposes related to case interview preparation and professional development.

7.2 Prohibited Activities

You agree NOT to:

• Use the Services for any unlawful purpose or in violation of applicable laws
• Impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your affiliation
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems or other users' accounts
• Use automated scripts, bots, or scrapers to access the Services
• Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble any part of our Services
• Copy, reproduce, or redistribute our content without permission
• Interfere with or disrupt the Services or servers
• Upload malicious code, viruses, or harmful content
• Engage in any activity that could harm other users or our reputation
• Attempt to bypass any security measures or usage limitations
• Use the Services to train competing AI models or services
• Share your account credentials with others

7.3 Content Standards

Any content you submit through our Services must not contain:

• Hate speech, discrimination, or harassment
• Sexually explicit or inappropriate material
• False, misleading, or defamatory information
• Personal information of third parties without consent
• Content that infringes intellectual property rights

8. Intellectual Property Rights

8.1 Our Intellectual Property

All content, features, functionality, software, and materials available through our Services, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, AI-generated content, interview cases, feedback algorithms, and the overall platform design, are owned by CaseBuddy or our licensors and are protected by German, European Union, and international copyright, trademark, patent, and other intellectual property laws.

8.2 Limited License

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use our Services for personal, non-commercial purposes, subject to these Terms. This license does not include any right to:

• Resell or make commercial use of the Services
• Download or copy content except as expressly permitted
• Make derivative works from our Services
• Use data mining, robots, or similar data gathering tools

8.3 Your Content

You retain ownership of any content you submit through our Services, including interview responses and notes. By using our Services, you grant us a limited, worldwide, non-exclusive license to use, store, and process your content solely for the purpose of providing and improving our Services.

8.4 AI-Generated Content

Interview cases, questions, and feedback generated by our AI system are owned by CaseBuddy. You may use AI-generated content for personal learning purposes but may not redistribute, sell, or commercially exploit such content.

9. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

9.1 Service Warranty Disclaimer

THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT:

• The Services will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free
• Defects will be corrected
• The Services are free of viruses or harmful components
• Results obtained from the Services will be accurate or reliable
• AI-generated feedback will lead to interview success

9.2 Educational Purpose Disclaimer

CaseBuddy is an educational tool designed to help users practice case interviews. We do not guarantee that using our Services will result in employment, job offers, or interview success. The feedback and evaluation provided by our AI system should not be considered professional career counseling or a substitute for professional interview coaching.

9.3 Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY GERMAN AND EU LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL CASEBUDDY, ITS DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, PARTNERS, AGENTS, SUPPLIERS, OR AFFILIATES BE LIABLE FOR:

• INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES
• LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUE, DATA, OR USE
• BUSINESS INTERRUPTION
• PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE
• DAMAGES ARISING FROM YOUR USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICES

OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO THE SERVICES SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE 12 MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, OR €100, WHICHEVER IS GREATER.

9.4 Legal Exceptions

Nothing in these Terms shall limit or exclude liability for:

• Death or personal injury caused by negligence
• Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation
• Any liability that cannot be limited or excluded under German or EU law

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless CaseBuddy and its officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents, and affiliates from and against any claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs, or expenses arising from:

• Your use of the Services
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any third-party rights, including intellectual property rights
• Your violation of applicable laws or regulations
• Any content you submit through the Services

11. Privacy and Data Protection

Your privacy is critically important to us. Our collection, use, and protection of your personal data is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. We comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG).

Key privacy commitments:

• We will never sell your personal data to third parties
• Voice recordings are processed in real-time and not permanently stored
• You can request deletion of your data at any time
• We use industry-standard encryption to protect your data
• We minimize data collection to what is necessary for service provision

For detailed information about our data practices, please review our Privacy Policy.

12. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience. By using our Services, you consent to our use of:

• Essential Cookies: Required for authentication and session management
• Analytics Cookies: Google Analytics for usage statistics
• Marketing Cookies: Facebook Pixel, Google Ads, LinkedIn Insight Tag, Reddit Pixel for advertising
• Preference Cookies: To remember your settings (e.g., dark mode)

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings, though disabling certain cookies may affect functionality.

13. Third-Party Services and Links

Our Services may contain links to third-party websites, services, or resources that are not owned or controlled by CaseBuddy. We are not responsible for:

• The content, privacy policies, or practices of third-party services
• Any damage or loss caused by your use of third-party services
• The availability or accuracy of third-party services

Your use of third-party services, including Google Sign-In and PayPal, is subject to their respective terms of service and privacy policies.

14. Modifications to Services and Terms

14.1 Service Changes

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of our Services at any time, with or without notice. We will not be liable to you or any third party for any modification, suspension, or discontinuation of the Services.

14.2 Terms Updates

We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in our Services, legal requirements, or business practices. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Posting the updated Terms on our website with a new "Last Updated" date
• Sending an email notification to your registered email address
• Displaying a prominent notice on our platform

Your continued use of the Services after such notification constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you must stop using our Services and may delete your account.

15. Account Termination and Suspension

15.1 Termination by You

You may terminate your account at any time by:

• Contacting us at support@casebuddy.io
• Following account deletion procedures in your account settings

15.2 Termination by Us

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account and access to the Services, with or without notice, for:

• Violation of these Terms
• Fraudulent, abusive, or illegal activity
• Prolonged inactivity (after reasonable notice)
• Non-payment of subscription fees
• Conduct harmful to other users or our business
• Upon your request

15.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

• Your right to use the Services ceases immediately
• We may delete your account data after 90 days
• You remain liable for any outstanding fees
• No refunds will be provided for prepaid subscription periods
• Provisions of these Terms that should reasonably survive termination will remain in effect

16. Dispute Resolution and Governing Law

16.1 Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) shall not apply.

16.2 Jurisdiction

Any disputes arising from or relating to these Terms or the Services shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Berlin, Germany. However, if you are a consumer residing in the European Union, you may also bring proceedings in your country of residence.

16.3 EU Online Dispute Resolution

In accordance with EU Regulation 524/2013, consumers in the European Union may use the European Commission's Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform at https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/ to resolve disputes.

16.4 Arbitration (Optional)

Before initiating formal legal proceedings, we encourage parties to attempt to resolve disputes through good-faith negotiations. Upon mutual agreement, disputes may be resolved through binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the German Arbitration Institute (DIS).

17. Consumer Rights (EU Consumers)

If you are a consumer in the European Union, you have certain rights that cannot be limited by these Terms:

• Right of Withdrawal: For digital content, you have 14 days to withdraw from your purchase, unless you have waived this right by beginning immediate use
• Guarantee Rights: Digital content must be as described and fit for purpose
• Unfair Contract Terms: Any terms found to be unfair under EU consumer law will not apply
• Access to Courts: These Terms do not limit your right to bring claims in your local courts

18. Accessibility

We strive to make our Services accessible to users with disabilities. If you experience accessibility barriers, please contact us at support@casebuddy.io so we can provide assistance and work to improve accessibility.

19. Force Majeure

We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing our obligations under these Terms due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, war, terrorism, riots, natural disasters, pandemics, government actions, strikes, internet failures, or failures of third-party services.

20. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be modified to reflect the parties' intention or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary. The remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

21. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any additional terms you agree to when using specific features, constitute the entire agreement between you and CaseBuddy regarding the Services and supersede any prior agreements.

22. Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms or your account without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms or delegate any of our obligations without restriction. Any attempted assignment in violation of this section shall be null and void.

23. Waiver

No waiver of any provision of these Terms shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such provision or any other provision. Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.

24. Language

These Terms are provided in English. In the event of any conflict between an English version and a translated version, the English version shall prevail, except where prohibited by local law.

25. Contact Information

For questions, concerns, or to exercise your rights regarding these Terms or our Services, please contact us:

CaseBuddy
Email: support@casebuddy.io
Location: Berlin, Germany

For data protection inquiries or to exercise your GDPR rights, you may also contact our Data Protection Officer at the same email address.

26. Acknowledgment

By using our Services, you acknowledge that:

• You have read and understood these Terms
• You agree to be bound by these Terms
• You meet the eligibility requirements
• You understand how your data will be collected and processed
• You have the authority to enter into this Agreement

Thank you for using CaseBuddy. We're committed to helping you succeed in your case interview preparation!