Terms and Conditions

1. Acceptance of Terms

By downloading, installing, or using Kalam, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the Software.

If you are using Kalam on behalf of an organisation, you represent that you have the authority to bind that organisation to these terms.

2. License

Kalam is distributed under a dual-license model.

Noncommercial Use — MIT License
The Software is free for noncommercial use under the MIT License. "Noncommercial" means personal use, educational use, or use by a nonprofit organisation that is not primarily directed toward commercial advantage or monetary compensation. The full license text is available in the LICENSE file in the repository.

Commercial Use — License Required
Use of the Software by a for-profit business, for resale, or as part of a for-profit product or service requires a separate written commercial license from the copyright holder. This includes (but is not limited to): internal business productivity tools, integration into a SaaS product, and distribution as part of a paid offering.

To enquire about a commercial license, visit our commercial page or email hello@balacode.io.

3. Contributions

By submitting a pull request, patch, or other contribution to the Kalam repository, you agree that:

• Your contribution is your original work and you have the right to submit it.
• You grant the project maintainers a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, copy, modify, and distribute your contribution as part of the project under the project's then-current license(s).
• You understand that your contribution may be included in both the noncommercial and commercial versions of the Software.

4. Sponsorships and Donations

Kalam accepts voluntary financial support from individuals and organisations through GitHub Sponsors and other platforms. The following applies to all sponsorships and donations:

• Voluntary and non-refundable. Sponsorships and donations are voluntary contributions. Unless otherwise required by the payment platform's own policies, they are non-refundable.
• No guaranteed benefits. Unless a specific sponsorship tier explicitly describes a benefit (e.g., logo placement, priority support), a sponsorship does not entitle the sponsor to any feature, service level, or influence over the project's direction.
• Not a purchase. A donation or sponsorship is not a purchase of software, services, or a commercial license. Commercial use still requires a separate written license (see Section 2).
• Tax treatment. Kalam is an independent open-source project, not a registered charity or 501(c)(3). Donations are generally not tax-deductible. Please consult a tax professional in your jurisdiction.
• Platform terms. Payments made via GitHub Sponsors or other third-party platforms are also subject to those platforms' own terms and conditions.

To become a sponsor, visit the GitHub Sponsors page or the sponsors page.

5. API Keys and Third-Party Services

Kalam is a BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) application. When you use cloud transcription, your audio is sent to a third-party provider (such as Groq or OpenAI) using an API key you provide. You are solely responsible for:

• Compliance with the terms of service of any third-party provider you use.
• Any costs, charges, or usage fees incurred through your API keys.
• The security of your API keys. Kalam stores your key locally on your device and never transmits it to us.

We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or responsible for Groq, OpenAI, or any other third-party service provider.

6. Acceptable Use

You agree not to use the Software to:

• Record or transcribe audio of other individuals without their knowledge and consent, where such consent is required by law.
• Violate any applicable local, national, or international law or regulation.
• Reverse-engineer or circumvent any security measures in the Software for purposes beyond what is permitted by the open-source license.

7. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Software is provided on an "as-is" and "as-available" basis, without warranty of any kind. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, we expressly disclaim all warranties, whether express, implied, or statutory, including:

Transcription accuracy depends on factors including microphone quality, background noise, and your chosen STT provider. We make no guarantee of any particular accuracy level.

8. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall Ali Farahat, Balacode, or any contributors be liable for any:

• Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages;
• Loss of data, business, revenue, profits, or goodwill;
• Costs of procurement of substitute goods or services;

arising out of or relating to your use of (or inability to use) the Software, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Our total aggregate liability to you for any claims arising from your use of the Software shall not exceed the greater of: (a) the amount you paid for a commercial license in the twelve months preceding the claim, or (b) USD $10.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, so some of the above limitations may not apply to you.

9. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we will attempt to provide notice via the project's GitHub repository or release notes.

Your continued use of the Software after changes take effect constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms.

10. Governing Law and Severability

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Nothing in this clause limits your rights as a consumer under the laws of your country of residence.

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

11. Contact

For questions about these Terms, commercial licensing, or sponsorship enquiries:

• Email: hello@balacode.io
• GitHub Issues: github.com/afaraha8403/kalam/issues
• Commercial enquiries: afaraha8403.github.io/kalam/business.html