Legal

Terms of Service

Effective Date: April 24, 2026  ·  Terms of Service  ·  Privacy Policy

1. Introduction & Acceptance of Terms

Welcome to Trailing Paper. These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User," "you," or "your") and Trailing Paper ("Trailing Paper," "we," "us," or "our") governing your access to and use of the Trailing Paper platform, website, APIs, and all associated services (collectively, the "Service"). By registering for an account, clicking "I Agree," accessing the Service, or otherwise using Trailing Paper in any manner, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated herein by reference.

If you are accepting these Terms on behalf of a company, organization, or other legal entity, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind that entity to these Terms, in which case "you" refers to that entity. If you do not have such authority, or if you do not agree to these Terms, you may not use the Service.

2. Definitions

The following definitions apply throughout these Terms:

  • "Service" means the Trailing Paper web platform, mobile-accessible interfaces, APIs, and all software, tools, and features made available by Trailing Paper, including invoicing, estimating, payment processing facilitation, and related capabilities.
  • "User" or "Merchant" means any individual or business entity that registers for and uses a Trailing Paper account to create invoices, send estimates, collect payments, or otherwise operate a commercial account on the platform.
  • "Client" means a third-party recipient of an invoice or estimate issued through the Service who may view or interact with client-facing pages without holding a Trailing Paper account.
  • "Platform" means the full Trailing Paper software-as-a-service infrastructure, including front-end interfaces, back-end processing systems, and third-party integrations.
  • "Payment Processing Services" means the card payment acceptance, settlement, and related financial transaction services made available through Trailing Paper's integration with Finix Payments, Inc. ("Finix").
  • "Bank Linking Services" means the bank account verification and OAuth connection services made available through Trailing Paper's integration with Plaid Inc. ("Plaid").
  • "KYC Data" means know-your-customer and anti-money-laundering verification data, including but not limited to legal name, date of birth, Social Security Number (SSN), Employer Identification Number (EIN), business address, and bank account information, collected to fulfill regulatory obligations.
  • "Subscription" means the recurring paid plan under which a User accesses the Service.
  • "Content" means any data, text, information, invoices, estimates, images, or other materials uploaded to, transmitted through, or generated using the Service by a User.
3. Eligibility & Business Use

To use the Service, you must: (a) be at least 18 years of age; (b) have the legal capacity to enter into binding contracts under applicable law; (c) operate a legitimate business or commercial enterprise in compliance with all applicable laws; and (d) not be prohibited from using the Service under the laws of your jurisdiction.

The Service is intended exclusively for business use. You agree that you are using Trailing Paper to conduct lawful commercial activity, including invoicing customers, collecting payments, and managing business finances. Use of the Service for personal, family, or household purposes is outside the intended scope of the platform.

By using the Service, you represent and warrant that all information you provide is accurate, complete, and current, and that you will maintain the accuracy of that information throughout your use of the Service. Trailing Paper reserves the right to refuse service, terminate accounts, or restrict access to any person or entity at its sole discretion.

4. Account Registration & Security

To access the Service, you must register for an account by providing a valid email address and creating a password, or by authenticating through an approved third-party identity provider (see Section 5). You agree to provide accurate, truthful, and complete information during registration and to keep your account information current.

You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account, whether or not authorized by you. You agree to immediately notify Trailing Paper of any unauthorized access to or use of your account at support@trailingpaper.com. Trailing Paper will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to maintain the security of your credentials.

You may not share your account credentials with any third party, allow others to access the Service through your account, or create multiple accounts for the purpose of circumventing restrictions or fees. Trailing Paper reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts that it reasonably believes are being used fraudulently, abusively, or in violation of these Terms.

5. Google Sign-In & Third-Party Authentication

Trailing Paper offers authentication via Google Sign-In as an alternative to email and password registration. When you choose to sign in with Google, you authorize Google to share certain profile information with Trailing Paper, including your name, email address, and Google profile ID. Trailing Paper uses this information solely for the purpose of authenticating your identity and creating or accessing your Trailing Paper account.

Your use of Google Sign-In is subject to Google's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Trailing Paper does not receive or store your Google account password. You may disconnect Google Sign-In from your Trailing Paper account at any time by modifying your account settings, subject to having an alternative authentication method configured.

Trailing Paper is not responsible for any acts or omissions by Google or any other third-party identity provider in connection with the authentication process. Any issues arising from your Google account, including unauthorized access, must be resolved directly with Google.

6. Subscription Plans & Billing

Access to certain features of the Service requires a paid Subscription. Trailing Paper offers tiered Subscription plans, the details of which — including pricing, included features, and billing cycles — are disclosed at the time of purchase on the Trailing Paper pricing page and checkout interface. All pricing is stated in U.S. dollars.

By selecting a Subscription plan and providing payment information, you authorize Trailing Paper (or its designated billing processor) to charge the applicable fees on a recurring basis at the interval specified for your plan (monthly or annually). Subscription fees are charged in advance at the beginning of each billing cycle.

All fees are non-refundable except as expressly required by applicable law or as otherwise stated in a separate written agreement with Trailing Paper. Trailing Paper does not provide prorated refunds for partial billing periods or for unused features.

Trailing Paper reserves the right to modify Subscription pricing upon at least 30 days' prior written notice to your registered email address. Your continued use of the Service after a price change takes effect constitutes your acceptance of the new pricing. If you do not agree to a price change, you must cancel your Subscription before the change takes effect.

Failure to pay applicable fees may result in suspension or termination of your account. You are responsible for any taxes, duties, or assessments imposed by any governmental authority on your Subscription fees, other than taxes on Trailing Paper's net income.

7. Payment Processing Services

Trailing Paper enables Merchants to accept credit and debit card payments from their Clients through an integration with Finix Payments, Inc. ("Finix"), a registered payment facilitator. By enabling payment acceptance through the Service, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

  • Sub-Merchant Relationship. When you enable card payment acceptance, you are acting as a sub-merchant under Finix's payment facilitation program. Your ability to accept card payments is governed by Finix's terms and conditions, the applicable card network rules (Visa, Mastercard, etc.), and any underwriting decisions made by Finix or its sponsoring financial institutions. You agree to be bound by Finix's Sub-Merchant Agreement and any applicable card network rules, which are incorporated herein by reference.
  • Card Data Not Stored by Trailing Paper. Trailing Paper does not store, process, or transmit cardholder data (including card numbers, CVV codes, or expiration dates) on its own systems. All card data is handled directly by Finix and its PCI-DSS-compliant infrastructure. Trailing Paper is not responsible for card data security within Finix's systems.
  • Transaction Fees. Card payment acceptance is subject to transaction fees charged by Finix, which may be passed through to you or reflected in your Subscription plan. Fee details are disclosed at the time of onboarding and in your account settings.
  • Settlement. Funds collected from your Clients will be settled to your designated bank account according to Finix's settlement schedule, which is subject to change. Trailing Paper does not hold, control, or have custody of settlement funds.
  • Chargebacks & Disputes. You are solely responsible for resolving payment disputes and chargebacks initiated by your Clients. Trailing Paper may pass chargeback fees and related costs through to you as determined by Finix's policies.
  • Compliance. You represent that your business and the transactions you process comply with all applicable laws, card network rules, and Finix's acceptable use policies. Trailing Paper reserves the right to suspend payment processing functionality for any account that violates these requirements.
8. Bank Account Linking via Plaid

Trailing Paper uses Plaid Inc. ("Plaid") to facilitate the secure linking of your business bank account for payment settlement purposes. When you connect a bank account through the Service, you are interacting directly with Plaid's interface and services. Your use of Plaid is subject to Plaid's End User Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, available at plaid.com.

By linking your bank account through Plaid, you authorize Plaid to access your bank account information on your behalf and to share account credentials, routing numbers, and account numbers with Trailing Paper and Finix as necessary to establish and operate your settlement account. Trailing Paper acts as an intermediary in this process and does not independently store your online banking credentials.

Trailing Paper is not responsible for the availability, accuracy, or security of Plaid's services, or for any errors, interruptions, or data breaches occurring within Plaid's systems. You agree to hold Trailing Paper harmless from any claims arising from your use of Plaid or from Plaid's handling of your financial data.

You may disconnect your bank account at any time through your account settings, subject to any pending transactions or settlement obligations. Disconnecting your bank account may suspend your ability to receive payment settlements.

9. KYC / Merchant Verification

To comply with applicable federal law — including the Bank Secrecy Act, anti-money-laundering (AML) regulations, and the requirements of Finix and its sponsoring financial institutions — Trailing Paper is required to collect certain identity and business verification information from Merchants who wish to enable payment processing. This process is commonly referred to as Know Your Customer ("KYC") verification.

As part of KYC onboarding, you may be required to provide:

  • Legal business name and type (sole proprietorship, LLC, corporation, etc.)
  • Employer Identification Number (EIN) or, for sole proprietors, Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Business address and phone number
  • Principal owner's legal name, date of birth (DOB), SSN, home address, and ownership percentage
  • Bank account and routing numbers for the settlement account
  • Any additional documentation reasonably requested by Finix for underwriting or regulatory compliance

This information is collected solely for the purpose of verifying your identity, onboarding you as a Finix sub-merchant, and complying with applicable law. Trailing Paper transmits your KYC Data to Finix, which performs identity verification and underwriting. Trailing Paper stores KYC Data in encrypted form only to the extent necessary to maintain your account and comply with legal obligations.

You represent and warrant that all KYC Data you provide is accurate, complete, and belongs to a real individual or entity with legal authority to operate the described business. Providing false or fraudulent KYC information is a violation of these Terms and may constitute a federal crime. Trailing Paper reserves the right to suspend or terminate your account if KYC verification is not completed, fails, or is later found to be inaccurate.

10. User Data & Content

You retain all ownership rights in any Content you create, upload, or transmit through the Service, including invoices, estimates, client data, and business information. By using the Service, you grant Trailing Paper a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to access, store, reproduce, and process your Content solely to the extent necessary to provide and improve the Service.

You are solely responsible for the accuracy, legality, and appropriateness of all Content you submit. You represent and warrant that you have all rights, licenses, and consents necessary to submit your Content to the Service and to grant Trailing Paper the license described above, and that your Content does not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights or violate any applicable law.

Trailing Paper will not access, use, or disclose your Content except as necessary to: (a) provide and maintain the Service; (b) comply with applicable law or legal process; (c) enforce these Terms; or (d) protect the rights, property, or safety of Trailing Paper, its users, or the public. Trailing Paper may use aggregated, de-identified data derived from your use of the Service for analytics, product improvement, and business purposes.

You are responsible for maintaining appropriate backups of your Content. Trailing Paper is not liable for any loss or corruption of your Content, regardless of cause.

11. Acceptable Use Policy

You agree to use the Service only for lawful purposes and in compliance with all applicable local, state, federal, and international laws and regulations. You agree not to use the Service to:

  • Conduct, facilitate, or promote any illegal, fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading activity
  • Process payments for goods or services that are prohibited by applicable law, card network rules, or Finix's acceptable use policies
  • Transmit or store malware, viruses, ransomware, or any other malicious or harmful code
  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Service, its underlying systems, or other users' accounts
  • Interfere with, disrupt, or degrade the performance or availability of the Service or its infrastructure
  • Scrape, harvest, or collect data from the Service through automated means without express written permission
  • Impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity
  • Engage in money laundering, structuring, or any activity designed to evade financial reporting requirements
  • Send unsolicited commercial communications (spam) to Clients or other parties through the Service
  • Use the Service to invoice for or collect payment for illegal goods or services, including but not limited to controlled substances, counterfeit goods, or unlicensed financial services
  • Violate the privacy or intellectual property rights of any third party

Trailing Paper reserves the right to investigate any suspected violation of this Acceptable Use Policy and to take appropriate action, including suspending or terminating your account and reporting violations to law enforcement authorities.

12. Intellectual Property

The Service, including all software, code, interfaces, designs, graphics, trademarks, logos, and documentation, is owned by Trailing Paper and is protected by applicable intellectual property laws, including copyright, trademark, and trade secret law. All rights not expressly granted to you in these Terms are reserved by Trailing Paper.

These Terms do not grant you any right, title, or interest in the Service or in any Trailing Paper intellectual property. You may not copy, modify, distribute, reverse-engineer, decompile, disassemble, or create derivative works based on the Service or any component thereof, except to the extent permitted by applicable law. You may not use any Trailing Paper trademark, logo, or trade name without prior written consent.

Feedback, suggestions, or ideas you provide regarding the Service ("Feedback") may be used by Trailing Paper without restriction or compensation. By providing Feedback, you assign to Trailing Paper all right, title, and interest in and to such Feedback.

13. Third-Party Services & Integrations

The Service integrates with and relies upon certain third-party services, including but not limited to:

  • Finix Payments, Inc. — Payment processing, sub-merchant onboarding, and card network connectivity
  • Plaid Inc. — Bank account verification and OAuth-based bank account linking
  • Google LLC — Authentication services via Google Sign-In

Your use of these third-party services is subject to their respective terms of service, privacy policies, and acceptable use policies, which are independent of these Terms. Trailing Paper does not control, endorse, or assume any responsibility for the acts, omissions, data handling, or availability of any third-party service provider. If a third-party service becomes unavailable, is discontinued, or changes its terms, Trailing Paper may modify or discontinue related features of the Service without liability to you.

Trailing Paper may add, remove, or replace third-party service integrations at any time. Where required by law or practicable, Trailing Paper will provide reasonable notice of material changes to third-party integrations that materially affect your use of the Service.

14. Privacy & Data Security

Trailing Paper's collection, use, storage, and disclosure of your personal and business information is governed by our Privacy Policy, available at Privacy Policy. By using the Service, you consent to the data practices described in the Privacy Policy.

Trailing Paper implements commercially reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encryption of sensitive data in transit and at rest, access controls, and regular security reviews. However, no security measure is perfect or impenetrable, and Trailing Paper cannot guarantee the absolute security of your data.

In the event of a data breach that affects your personal information, Trailing Paper will notify you in accordance with applicable law. You agree to promptly notify Trailing Paper if you become aware of any unauthorized access to your account or any security incident affecting your use of the Service.

15. Client-Facing Invoice & Estimate Pages

Trailing Paper allows Merchants to share invoice links and estimate approval pages with their Clients. These pages are publicly accessible via unique URLs and do not require Clients to create a Trailing Paper account. By using this feature, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

  • Client-facing pages are intended solely for the purpose of viewing, approving, or paying the specific invoice or estimate for which the link was generated.
  • The Client's access to such pages is limited in scope and does not grant any rights or access to the Trailing Paper platform beyond what is necessary to complete the intended transaction.
  • You are responsible for ensuring that the Client-facing pages you share contain accurate information and are shared only with intended recipients. Trailing Paper is not responsible for links being forwarded or accessed by unintended parties.
  • Clients who make payments through invoice links are subject to Finix's payment processing terms, and their card data is handled exclusively by Finix's PCI-DSS-compliant infrastructure.
  • Trailing Paper may collect limited, non-personally identifying technical data (such as page view events) from Client-facing pages for security and fraud prevention purposes.
16. Termination & Suspension

Either party may terminate these Terms at any time. You may stop using the Service and close your account at any time by contacting support@trailingpaper.com or using the account closure option in your account settings, subject to any outstanding financial obligations.

Trailing Paper may suspend or terminate your access to the Service immediately, without prior notice or liability, if: (a) you materially breach these Terms; (b) you fail to pay applicable fees; (c) your account is associated with fraudulent, illegal, or abusive activity; (d) Trailing Paper is required to do so by law or at the direction of a regulatory authority; or (e) Trailing Paper determines, in its sole discretion, that continued access poses a risk to the Service, other users, or third parties.

Upon termination, your right to access and use the Service immediately ceases. Trailing Paper may retain your data for a commercially reasonable period as required by law or for legitimate business purposes, after which it will be deleted in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Outstanding financial obligations, including any unpaid Subscription fees or transaction fees, survive termination.

Sections 9 (KYC), 10 (User Data), 12 (Intellectual Property), 17 (Disclaimers), 18 (Limitation of Liability), 19 (Indemnification), 20 (Governing Law), and 21 (Entire Agreement) survive termination of these Terms.

17. Disclaimers of Warranties
18. Limitation of Liability
19. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Trailing Paper and its affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, licensors, and service providers from and against any and all claims, damages, liabilities, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to:

  • Your use of the Service or any activity conducted through your account
  • Your breach of any provision of these Terms
  • Any Content you submit, post, or transmit through the Service
  • Your violation of any applicable law, regulation, or third-party right, including any intellectual property right, privacy right, or right of publicity
  • Any false or inaccurate KYC Data or account information you provide
  • Any dispute between you and any Client arising from invoices, estimates, or payments processed through the Service
  • Any chargebacks, disputes, or penalties arising from card payments processed on your behalf

Trailing Paper reserves the right to assume exclusive control of the defense of any matter subject to indemnification by you, and you agree to cooperate with Trailing Paper's defense of such claims. You may not settle any claim that imposes any obligation, restriction, or liability on Trailing Paper without Trailing Paper's prior written consent.

20. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

These Terms and any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict-of-law principles.

Informal Resolution. Before initiating any formal legal proceeding, you agree to attempt to resolve any dispute with Trailing Paper informally by contacting us at support@trailingpaper.com. Trailing Paper will attempt to resolve the dispute within 30 days of receiving notice. If the dispute is not resolved informally within 30 days, either party may pursue formal legal proceedings as described below.

Arbitration. Except for claims that qualify for small claims court, any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service that is not resolved informally will be resolved by binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") under its Commercial Arbitration Rules, as modified by these Terms. The arbitration will be conducted in English. The arbitrator's award will be final and binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Class Action Waiver. You and Trailing Paper each agree that any dispute resolution proceedings will be conducted only on an individual basis and not as a class, consolidated, or representative action. If this class action waiver is found unenforceable for any claim, the arbitration agreement will be void as to that claim, which will then be resolved in court.

Venue. To the extent any claim is not subject to arbitration, you agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in the State of Delaware, and you waive any objection to such jurisdiction or venue.

21. Entire Agreement, Severability & Waiver

Entire Agreement. These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any other agreements expressly incorporated herein, constitute the entire agreement between you and Trailing Paper with respect to the Service and supersede all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations, and warranties, whether written or oral.

Severability. If any provision of these Terms is held by a court or arbitrator of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that provision will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible, and the remaining provisions of these Terms will continue in full force and effect.

Waiver. Trailing Paper's failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not be deemed a waiver of such right or provision. Any waiver of any provision of these Terms will be effective only if in writing and signed by an authorized representative of Trailing Paper.

Assignment. You may not assign or transfer these Terms or any rights or obligations hereunder without Trailing Paper's prior written consent. Trailing Paper may assign these Terms or any rights or obligations hereunder without restriction, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.

22. Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about these Terms or the Service, please contact us at:

  • Email: support@trailingpaper.com
  • Platform: trailingpaper.com

Trailing Paper will make reasonable efforts to respond to inquiries within a commercially reasonable timeframe. For legal notices, please include "Legal Notice" in the subject line of your email.

23. Changes to These Terms

Trailing Paper reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. When we make changes, we will update the "Effective Date" at the top of these Terms and, where the changes are material, we will provide additional notice by sending an email to your registered email address or by displaying a prominent notice within the Service.

Your continued use of the Service after the updated Terms become effective constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you must stop using the Service and may close your account. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically to stay informed of any updates.