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STARTPAGE TERMS OF USE
PLEASE READ THESE TERMS OF USE (“TERMS”) CAREFULLY BEFORE USING OUR SERVICES, WHICH ARE OWNED AND OPERATED BY SURFBOARD HOLDING BV (“SURFBOARD”, “STARTPAGE”, “WE”, “US”, OR “OUR”). THESE TERMS SET FORTH THE LEGALLY BINDING TERMS AND CONDITIONS REGARDING YOUR USE OF THE STARTPAGE SERVICES, INCLUDING THE STARTPAGE SEARCH ENGINE, OUR WEBSITES, THE STARTPAGE MOBILE APPLICATIONS, STARTPAGE ACCOUNTS, AND THE STARTPAGE SUBSCRIPTION, TOGETHER WITH ALL RESULTS, OUTPUTS, SOFTWARE, FEATURES, FUNCTIONALITY, CONTENT, PRODUCTS, OR OTHER SERVICES OFFERED FROM TIME TO TIME BY STARTPAGE IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF OUR SERVICES (COLLECTIVELY, OUR “SERVICES”). BY USING OUR SERVICES IN ANY MANNER, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS.
These Terms are written in English, and any automated translation into other languages is provided for your convenience only. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency, the English version shall prevail.
By Using Our Services, You Are Agreeing to These Terms
We offer our Services to you subject to your acceptance of these Terms without modification and all other guidelines, policies, or procedures that we may publish or distribute from time to time related to our Services. In addition, some of the features and functionality that we offer through our Services may be subject to additional terms and conditions that we publish or distribute from time to time; your use of those features and functionality will be subject to those additional terms and conditions, which are incorporated into these Terms by this reference.
We may refuse to offer our Services to any person or entity and change our eligibility criteria at any time. This provision is void where prohibited by law, and your corresponding right to access and use our Services is deemed revoked in those jurisdictions.
We May Modify These Terms From Time to Time
We reserve the right to modify these Terms, or change, suspend, or discontinue our Services (including the availability of any feature, functionality, or content) at any time by updating these Terms and publishing or distributing these Terms through our Services. We may also impose limits on certain features, functionality, and services, or restrict your access to parts or all of our Services, without further notice or liability. It is your responsibility to check these Terms periodically for changes or updates from time to time. Your continued use of our Services following the posting of any changes to these Terms constitutes your acceptance of those changes.
Our Other Policies
For information about how we process data and personal information, please review our Privacy Policy.
Eligibility and Age Requirements
Our Services are not intended for use by individuals under the age of 16. If you are under 16, you must have parental consent to use our Services. If we become aware that personal data has been collected from a child under 16 without parental consent, we will take steps to delete such information in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Restrictions on How Our Services Are Used
As a condition of your use, you promise not to use our Services for any purpose that is prohibited or otherwise restricted by these Terms or any applicable law, regulation, statute, directive, or rule (collectively, “Laws”). For the purposes of these Terms, the term “Content” includes, without limitation, any information, data, search results, text, photographs, videos, software, scripts, graphics, and interactive features generated, provided, or otherwise made accessible on or through our Services. For example, you will not (and will not permit any third party to) take any action (including by contributing any Content) that (i) constitutes a violation of any applicable Law; (ii) infringes any intellectual property or other right of any other person or entity; (iii) impersonates any person or entity; (iv) is threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, libelous, deceptive, fraudulent, invasive of another’s privacy, tortious, obscene, offensive, or profane; (v) constitutes unauthorized or unsolicited advertising, junk or bulk e-mail; or (vi) contains software viruses or any other similar malicious or nefarious computer codes, files, or programs.
In addition, you will not (directly or indirectly) (i) take any action that imposes or may impose an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on our (or our third-party providers’) infrastructure; (ii) interfere or attempt to interfere with the proper working of any of our Services or any activities conducted on our Services; (iii) bypass any measures we may use to prevent or restrict access to all or any part of our Services, including any measures we use to manage or restrict access to subscription features by account or by region; or (iv) use any robot, spider, search/retrieval application, or other automated device, process, or means to access, retrieve, copy, scrape, or index any portion of our Services or Content.
Trademarks and Other Intellectual Property Rights
All logos, marks, and designations displayed on our Services are the trademarks or registered trademarks of us or our licensors. All other trademarks mentioned in our Services are the property of their respective owners. The trademarks and logos displayed in our Services may not be used without prior written consent from us or their respective owners. You may not remove or alter any trademark or logo, copyright, or other proprietary notice in our Services. Portions, features, and/or functionality of our Services may be protected under patent applications or patents.
Third-Party Providers and Content
Our Services return and may contain links to other websites or third-party providers (“Third-Party Providers”), or include search results, sponsored links, photographs, graphics, pictures, text, information, videos, audio, applications, software, advertisements, and other content or items belonging to or originating from third parties (“Third-Party Content”). We have no control over and bear no responsibility for Third-Party Providers or Third-Party Content. Linking to any Third-Party Providers or inclusion of any Third-Party Content does not imply our approval or endorsement. Once you click on a search result, sponsored link, or other external link, you leave our Services and our privacy protections, and your use of that destination is governed by that third party’s own terms and policies.
Disclaimer
Our Services, and the Content published on or accessed through our Services, could include inaccuracies, typographical errors, or other errors. Search results and other Content are retrieved from third-party sources and may be inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date. We make no commitment to update what is contained on our Services. Furthermore, we reserve the right to temporarily, or permanently, modify, alter, discontinue, or delete the same without prior notice.
You should not rely upon opinions expressed or information on our Services when making medical, business, financial, personal, or other decisions. Furthermore, we do not endorse the opinions of third parties expressed on our Services or on linked websites.
ALL USE OF OUR SERVICES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY CONTENT AVAILABLE OR ACCESSED THROUGH OUR SERVICES) IS UNDERTAKEN ENTIRELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. OUR SERVICES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE STARTPAGE SEARCH ENGINE, WEBSITES, MOBILE APPLICATIONS, AND ANY CONTENT) ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE”, AND ARE WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND ANY WARRANTIES IMPLIED BY ANY COURSE OF PERFORMANCE OR USAGE OF TRADE, ALL OF WHICH ARE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMED. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIED WARRANTY LASTS, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
If you are a consumer residing in the EEA, you will benefit from any mandatory provisions of the law of the country in which you are resident. Nothing in these Terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer under applicable law.
Terminating Your Access to Our Services
We may terminate your access to all or any part of our Services at any time if you do not comply with these Terms. Further, we may terminate our Services for any reason and at any time without notice. Upon any termination, all rights and licenses granted to you in these Terms will immediately terminate, but all provisions which by their nature should survive termination will survive such termination, including, without limitation, warranty disclaimers, indemnity, and limitations of liability.
Indemnification
You shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless us, our affiliates, and each of our, and our affiliates’, employees, contractors, agents, directors, officers, suppliers, partners, licensors, and representatives from all liabilities, losses, claims, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, that arise from or relate to (i) your use or misuse of, or access to, our Services; or (ii) your violation of these Terms or any applicable Law, contract, policy, regulation, or other obligation. We reserve the right to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you, in which event you will assist and cooperate with us in connection therewith.
Limitation of Liability
IN NO EVENT SHALL WE, OUR AFFILIATES, AND EACH OF OUR, AND OUR AFFILIATES’, EMPLOYEES, CONTRACTORS, AGENTS, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, SUPPLIERS, PARTNERS, LICENSORS, OR REPRESENTATIVES, BE LIABLE UNDER CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, NEGLIGENCE, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL OR EQUITABLE THEORY WITH RESPECT TO OUR SERVICES (I) FOR ANY LOST PROFITS, DATA LOSS, COST OF PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES, OR SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER; (II) FOR YOUR RELIANCE ON OUR SERVICES; OR (III) FOR ANY DIRECT DAMAGES IN EXCESS (IN THE AGGREGATE) OF THE FEES PAID BY YOU (IF ANY) FOR YOUR USE OF OUR SERVICES IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM, OR, IF GREATER, $1 USD. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. NOTHING IN THESE TERMS EXCLUDES OR LIMITS OUR LIABILITY WHERE IT WOULD BE UNLAWFUL TO DO SO, INCLUDING LIABILITY THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED UNDER MANDATORY CONSUMER PROTECTION LAW.
Startpage Accounts
We may offer you the ability to register for a Startpage account (“Account”). An Account may provide you with access to certain features, benefits, or areas of the Services that are not available to users without an Account, such as managing your subscription, personalized settings, and saved preferences.
Account Registration and Eligibility
To register for an Account, you may be required to provide certain information (such as your email address) and to authenticate using a password or, where offered, a passwordless method such as a magic link or passkey. Account creation and authentication are handled through our authentication provider. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your Account credentials and any device or authenticator used to access your Account, and for all activities that occur under your Account. Please notify us immediately if you suspect unauthorized use of your Account.
Use of Account Features
Account and subscription features are for your personal, non-commercial use only. We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue Account features at any time, for any reason, to the extent permitted by law and subject to your rights as a paying subscriber described below.
Termination or Suspension of Your Account
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your Account if you violate these Terms or engage in abusive, fraudulent, or unlawful activity. Upon termination, you will lose access to Account-only features or content. Where you have a paid subscription, any suspension or termination will be handled consistently with applicable consumer protection law.
Privacy
By registering for an Account, you acknowledge that we will collect and process certain personal information about you as described in our Privacy Policy. Please review our Privacy Policy for details about what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding your data.
No Transfer or Assignment
Accounts are personal to you and may not be sold, transferred, or assigned to anyone else without our prior written consent.
Subscription and Billing
Subscription Features and Tiers
We may offer both free and paid versions of our Services, including a subscription and, in the future, different subscription tiers that provide varying levels of features, content, functionality, or usage limits (each, a “Subscription”). The specific features, pricing, and fees (“Fees”) of each Subscription are described on our website or as otherwise communicated to you prior to purchase. We reserve the right to modify the features of any Subscription as described in “Changes to Subscriptions or Features” below.
Where You Can Purchase and Activate a Subscription
You can purchase a Subscription through our website. On our mobile applications, you can activate and access a Subscription that you have already purchased through our website, but you cannot purchase or upgrade a Subscription within the mobile applications. We may make Subscriptions available in some or all countries and may add, remove, or change the regions in which a Subscription is offered at any time.
Payment Terms and Auto-Renewal
If you purchase a Subscription, you authorize us (and our third-party payment processor) to charge you the applicable Fees, including any applicable taxes, using the payment method you provide. Fees are billed in advance and may be one-time, monthly, annual, or as otherwise described at the point of sale. Payments are processed by our authorized third-party payment processor; we do not directly store or process your full payment card numbers.
Unless your Subscription is described as one-time, your Subscription will automatically renew at the end of each billing period at the then-current Fees unless you cancel before the end of the current billing period. By purchasing a Subscription, you agree that your Subscription will renew automatically, and you authorize recurring charges, unless and until you cancel.
Managing or Cancelling Your Subscription
You may cancel your Subscription at any time through your Account on our website. Cancellation will take effect at the end of your current billing period, and, except where required by law, you will not receive a refund for the current period. After cancellation, you will continue to have access to your Subscription until the end of the period you have already paid for, after which your Account will revert to the free version of our Services.
Refunds and EEA Right of Withdrawal
Except where required by applicable law, Fees are nonrefundable, and there are no refunds or credits for partially used periods.
If you are a consumer residing in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have the right to withdraw from your purchase within 14 days of entering into the contract, without giving any reason. To exercise this right, you must inform us of your decision before the 14-day period expires (see “Contact Us” below). However, if you ask us to begin providing the Subscription before the end of the 14-day withdrawal period and you acknowledge that you will lose your right of withdrawal once the Subscription has been fully performed, or, for digital services, once performance has begun with your prior express consent, then you may lose or have your right of withdrawal limited to the extent permitted under applicable law. Nothing in this section limits any stronger refund or withdrawal rights you may have under the mandatory law of your country of residence.
Price Changes
We may change Subscription Fees at any time but will provide advance notice of any price changes. Price changes will take effect at the start of the next billing period following the date of the price change. Your continued use of your Subscription after a price change becomes effective constitutes your agreement to pay the modified amount. If you do not agree to a price change, you may cancel your Subscription before the change takes effect.
Free Trials and Promotions
We may offer free trials or promotional Subscriptions. If you do not cancel before the end of the trial period, you may be automatically charged for the Subscription on the first day after the trial ends, unless otherwise specified. We may modify or terminate free trials or promotions at any time, to the extent permitted by law.
Payment Information
To process a Subscription, you may be required to provide certain information, including but not limited to your name, billing address, email address, and payment method details. This information will be processed and stored in accordance with our Privacy Policy and by our authorized third-party payment processor. We do not directly store or process your full payment card numbers.
Additional Consumer Protections
If you are a resident of a jurisdiction with specific consumer rights regarding automatic renewal, cancellation, or refunds (such as the EEA, the UK, California, or New York), you may have additional rights under applicable law. Nothing in these Terms is intended to limit your statutory rights.
Changes to Subscriptions or Features
We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any Subscription, feature, or Service (or portions thereof) at any time. If you are materially impacted by such changes during a paid Subscription period, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you in advance and, where required by law, offer you an appropriate remedy.
Mobile Applications
Subject to your acceptance of these Terms, we grant you a personal, limited, non-exclusive, non-sublicensable, non-transferable, revocable license to install and use the executable code version of our mobile applications (each, the “Mobile App”). We and our licensors retain all intellectual property rights in the Mobile App (and any related Services), except for the rights we expressly grant to you in these Terms. If you breach these Terms, the above license and your right to use the Mobile App (and any related Services) will terminate immediately and without further notice. Upon termination, you must destroy all copies of the Mobile App that you have installed or maintained on your devices in any format.
The Mobile App allows you to activate and use a Subscription that you have purchased through our website. The Mobile App does not offer the ability to purchase, upgrade, or pay for a Subscription, and does not direct you to any external website to do so. By using the Mobile App and related Services, you agree that we may communicate with you by email, notifications, or other electronic means to your mobile device for the purpose of providing and updating our Services.
App Stores
The Apple and Android app stores are not responsible for the Mobile App. You acknowledge and agree that the availability of the Mobile App is dependent on the third party from whom you received the Mobile App license, for example, the Apple iOS or Android app stores (each, an “App Store” and collectively, “App Stores”). The following applies to any app accessed through or downloaded from an App Store (“App Store Sourced Application”):
- You acknowledge and agree that (i) these Terms are concluded between you and us only, and not the applicable App Store(s); and (ii) we, not the applicable App Store(s), are solely responsible for the App Store Sourced Application and content thereof. Your use of the App Store Sourced Application must comply with the applicable App Store’s terms of service.
- You acknowledge that the applicable App Store has no obligation whatsoever to furnish any maintenance and support services with respect to the App Store Sourced Application.
- In the event of any failure of the App Store Sourced Application to conform to any applicable warranty, you may notify the applicable App Store, and, where the App Store Sourced Application was paid for through that App Store, the applicable App Store will refund the purchase price (if any) to you; to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the applicable App Store will have no other warranty obligation whatsoever with respect to the App Store Sourced Application. As between us and the applicable App Store, any other claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs, or expenses attributable to any failure to conform to any warranty will be our sole responsibility.
- You and we acknowledge that, as between us and the applicable App Store, the applicable App Store is not responsible for addressing any claims you have or any claims of any third party relating to the App Store Sourced Application or your possession and use of the App Store Sourced Application, including, but not limited to (i) product liability claims; (ii) any claim that the App Store Sourced Application fails to conform to any applicable legal or regulatory requirement; and (iii) claims arising under consumer protection or similar legislation.
- You and we acknowledge that, in the event of any third-party claim that the App Store Sourced Application or your possession and use of that App Store Sourced Application infringes that third party’s intellectual property rights, as between us and the applicable App Store, we, not the applicable App Store, will be solely responsible for the investigation, defense, settlement, and discharge of any intellectual property infringement claim to the extent required by these Terms and our policies.
- You and we acknowledge and agree that the applicable App Store, and the applicable App Store’s subsidiaries, are third-party beneficiaries of these Terms as related to your license of the App Store Sourced Application, and that, upon your acceptance of these Terms, the applicable App Store will have the right (and will be deemed to have accepted the right) to enforce these Terms as related to your license of the App Store Sourced Application against you as a third-party beneficiary thereof.
- Without limiting any other terms of these Terms, you must comply with all applicable third-party terms of use when using the App Store Sourced Application.
- In addition, for any mobile app accessed through or downloaded from the Apple iOS App Store, you will only use the Apple App Store Sourced Application (i) on an Apple-branded product that runs iOS (Apple’s proprietary operating system); and (ii) as permitted by the “Usage Rules” set forth in the Apple iOS App Store’s Terms of Service.
Miscellaneous
These Terms are the entire agreement between you and us with respect to your use of our Services and supersede all prior or contemporaneous communications and proposals (whether oral, written, or electronic) between you and us with respect to your use of our Services. If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that these Terms will otherwise remain in full force and effect and enforceable. The failure of either party to exercise in any respect any right provided for herein shall not be deemed a waiver of any further rights hereunder. We will not be liable for any failure to perform our obligations hereunder due to any cause beyond our reasonable control. These Terms are personal to you and are not assignable or transferable by you except with our prior written consent. We may assign, transfer, or delegate any of our rights and obligations hereunder without consent. No agency, partnership, joint venture, or employment relationship is created as a result of these Terms, and neither party has any authority of any kind to bind the other in any respect. These Terms are governed by the laws of the Netherlands without reference to its choice of law rules. You irrevocably consent to exclusive personal jurisdiction and venue in the courts located in the Netherlands regarding any actions, claims, or proceedings arising out of these Terms and agree not to commence or prosecute any action, claim, or proceeding other than in those courts. If you are a consumer, this choice of law and forum does not deprive you of the protection afforded to you by provisions that cannot be derogated from by agreement under the law of your country of habitual residence.
Contact Us
You can contact us at:
Surfboard Holding BV
Wilhelmina van Pruisenweg 104
2595 AN, Den Haag, The Netherlands
If you have any complaints regarding these Terms or our Services, EU residents may also seek resolution through the European Commission’s Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform: https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/.
Last Updated
These Terms were last updated on August 13, 2026.