Paid Services & Payment Policy

Paid Services Terms & Payment Policy:
Effective Date: December 20th, 2025

Applies To: All users subscribing to or purchasing:
• Business Accounts
• Verification Subscriptions
• Badge Subscriptions
• Any future paid features or enhancements ("Paid Services").

    1. Overview & Binding Agreement

    1.1 This Paid Services & Payment Policy (“Payment Policy”) details the legally binding terms governing all monetary transactions, subscriptions, and paid features on the Animaat platform.

    1.2 Mandatory Integration: This policy is incorporated into and forms a material, inseparable part of the Animaat Terms of Use. By initiating any Paid Service transaction, you expressly acknowledge, understand, and agree to be bound by: (i) this Payment Policy, (ii) the Animaat Terms of Use, and (iii) all service-specific guidelines communicated at the point of purchase.

    1.3 Discretionary Approval: Access to Paid Services requiring identity or business validation (e.g., Verification, Business Badges) is contingent upon Animaat’s sole and absolute discretion. Submission of documents does not constitute an application guarantee and is subject to Animaat’s internal review rules and compliance checks.

2. Eligibility & Verification Requirements:

2.1 By requesting Verification or Badges, you warrant and represent that all submitted information is accurate, complete, current, and authentic in all material respects.

2.2 Documents that may be required include, but are not limited to:

  • Government-issued photo identification (for public figures and individual verification)
  • Valid business registration, license, or incorporation documents
  • Official proof of address (utility bill, bank statement)
  • Active website or social media profile links demonstrating public presence

2.3 Animaat reserves the right to reject, revoke, or suspend Paid Services at any time if submitted information is found to be:

  • Fraudulent, forged, misleading, or materially incomplete
  • In direct conflict with the geographic region selected for billing
  • Unverifiable through reasonable means
  • In breach of these Terms, the Animaat Community Guidelines, or applicable law

2.4 All approval, rejection, and revocation decisions are final, non-negotiable, and made at Animaat’s sole discretion.

3. Payment Processing & Currency:

3.1 Official Payment Gateway: All payments are processed exclusively through Paymob (“Payment Processor”), Animaat’s authorized and contracted third-party payment service provider, in accordance with a separate Merchant Agreement.

3.2 Mandatory Settlement Currency: Due to the operational requirements and merchant account location of our Payment Processor, all transactions are authorized, processed, and settled in Egyptian Pounds (EGP). Any foreign currency pricing displayed elsewhere on the platform is for informational and estimation purposes only and does not represent a binding currency offer.

3.3 User Responsibility for External Fees: You are solely and entirely responsible for any costs arising from currency conversion, foreign transaction fees, cross-border charges, or other levies imposed by your card issuer, bank, or financial institution in relation to processing the EGP transaction. Animaat exercises no control over these external financial intermediaries and disclaims all liability for such charges.

3.4 Compliance with Processor & Network Rules: By using Paid Services, you expressly agree that your transactions and use of the payment system must comply with the operational rules, security standards, and acceptable use policies of Paymob and the associated financial networks (including but not limited to Visa, Mastercard, and other card schemes).

4. Region Based Pricing & Geographic Validation:

4.1 Pricing for Paid Services may vary across geographic regions based on operational costs, market factors, and local regulations.

4.2 Users may browse indicative pricing for different regions. However, the following binding rules apply:

  • Phase 1 (Current): Final billing is calculated and charged based solely on the region you select at checkout.
  • Phase 2 (Future): Billing may be required to automatically align with the legally verified country of your business entity, as determined by submitted documentation.

4.3 Document-Contradiction & Enforcement: If validation documents submitted for a Paid Service clearly and materially contradict the selected billing region (e.g., a business registered in France selecting a “Egypt” billing region), Animaat may, at its sole discretion and without prior notice:

  • Reject the application in its entirety without refund.
  • Require resubmission under the correct regional pricing structure.
  • Request additional, updated, or notarized documentation to resolve the discrepancy.
  • Suspend the associated account pending investigation.

4.4 All displayed foreign-currency prices are indicative estimates. The final, binding charge will be in EGP at the prevailing conversion rate applied by the payment ecosystem at the time of transaction authorization.

5. Subscription Billing, Renewals & Failed Payments

5.1 Unless explicitly stated otherwise in writing, Verification and Badge subscriptions operate on a continuous monthly recurring billing cycle.

5.2 Authorization for Recurring Charges: By subscribing to any Paid Service, you hereby provide Animaat (acting through Paymob) with a standing, pre-authorized instruction to automatically charge your designated and saved payment method for the applicable fee at the commencement of each successive billing cycle.

5.3 Automatic Renewal: Subscriptions renew automatically on a month-to-month basis until you actively cancel them via your account settings. You are solely responsible for managing your subscription status.

5.4 Failed Payment Protocol: In the event of a failed automatic charge (due to insufficient funds, expired card, etc.), Animaat may, immediately and without liability:

  • Suspend access to all Paid Service features and associated benefits.
  • Remove any awarded badges from your profile.
  • Pause or revoke your verification status.

Animaat, via its Payment Processor, may retry failed payments in accordance with standard industry practices. Repeated payment failures may lead to account termination.

6. Cancellation Policy:

6.1 You may cancel an active subscription at any time through the dedicated section in your account settings.

6.2 Effect of Cancellation:

  • Your access to the Paid Service will continue uninterrupted until the expiry of the current, pre-paid billing period.
  • No further charges will be applied to your payment method for subsequent cycles.
  • Cancellation does not trigger a refund or credit for any unused portion of the current billing period or for any past charges.

6.3 Cancellation does not reverse, void, or provide a basis for disputing any payments already successfully processed.

7. No Refund Policy: Final Sale Acknowledgment

7.1 FUNDAMENTAL TERM: ALL PAYMENTS MADE TO ANIMAAT ARE FINAL, NON-REFUNDABLE, AND NON-TRANSFERABLE. You expressly acknowledge that you are purchasing access to a digital service and/or a discretionary status benefit, not a tangible good with a right of return.

7.2 Comprehensive Non‑Refundable Scenarios include, but are in no way limited to:

  • All subscription fees and auto‑renewal charges.
  • Rejection of your Verification or Badge application for any reason (including invalid, mismatched, or insufficient documents; region mismatch; policy non‑compliance).
  • User error (incorrect region selection, accidental purchase, misunderstanding of service features).
  • Fraud or misrepresentation identified post-payment.
  • Fluctuations in exchange rates, bank fees, or processing charges.
  • Partial use of a subscription period.
  • Account suspension or termination due to your violation of the Animaat Terms of Use or Community Guidelines.
  • Dissatisfaction with the service outcome, provided the service was rendered as described.

7.3 Sole Exception: A refund may only be issued if explicitly and mandatorily required by applicable consumer protection law in your jurisdiction, and even then, such issuance remains at the sole and absolute discretion of Animaat.

8. Prohibited Use of Paid Services & Transaction Compliance

8.1 You are expressly and categorically prohibited from using Paid Services to facilitate, directly or indirectly, any transaction or activity that violates the Acceptable Use Policy of our Payment Processor, Paymob, or the rules of associated financial networks, as outlined in our Merchant Agreement.

8.2 Specifically Prohibited Activities include, but are not limited to, transactions related to:

  • Gambling, betting, or games of chance.
  • Adult content, pornography, or sexually explicit materials.
  • Illegal substances, narcotics, or unlicensed pharmaceuticals.
  • Politically motivated donations or funding.
  • Activities that violate the laws of Egypt, your country of residence, or international law.

8.3 Violation of this section constitutes a material breach of this Policy and the Terms of Use, resulting in immediate termination of all Services, forfeiture of all fees, and potential legal action.

9. Chargebacks & Payment Disputes: Breach of Agreement

9.1 Mandatory Direct Resolution Procedure: You covenant and agree to contact Animaat Support at support@animaat.app to attempt in good faith to resolve any billing discrepancy or complaint before initiating any formal payment dispute, chargeback, or reversal through your bank, card issuer, or payment provider.

9.2 Chargeback as Material Breach: Initiating a chargeback or payment dispute for a transaction that is expressly governed by this No-Refund Policy constitutes a material and fundamental breach of your contractual agreement with Animaat.

9.3 Consequences of Unjustified Chargeback: If you file a chargeback that Animaat or the payment network determines to be unjustified (including, but not limited to, chargebacks filed in violation of the No-Refund Policy), Animaat reserves the right to, immediately and without prior notice:

  • Permanently suspend or terminate your Animaat account and all associated profiles.
  • Permanently remove all Verification statuses and Badges.
  • Permanently ban you and any associated entities from subscribing to any future Paid Services.
  • Pursue all available legal and equitable remedies to recover the disputed amount, plus associated chargeback fees, administrative costs, legal expenses, and any applicable damages.

10. Data Retention for Regulatory Compliance

10.1 To comply with our contractual obligations under the Paymob Merchant Agreement, Egyptian Central Bank regulations, and international anti-fraud and financial monitoring standards (including but not limited to anti-money laundering or “AML” requirements), Animaat retains complete transaction records, application documentation, verification data, and related communications for a minimum period of eighteen (18) months from the date of the transaction or application, and often longer as required by law.

11. Policy Updates & Mandatory Compliance Amendments

11.1 Animaat reserves the unilateral right to modify subscription pricing, fee structures, or this entire Policy at any time to reflect changes in service offerings, operational costs, or business models.

11.2 Users will be notified of material changes through email (to the address on file) and/or prominent in‑app notifications at least thirty (30) days before changes take effect, where practicable.

11.3 Continued use of Paid Services after the effective date of any revised Policy constitutes your binding acceptance of the new terms.

11.4 Animaat may also be required to amend these terms immediately to ensure compliance with new directives, rules, or security requirements issued by our Payment Processor (Paymob), card networks (Visa/Mastercard), the Egyptian Central Bank, or other regulatory authorities with jurisdiction.

12. Contact Information & Mandatory Pre-Dispute Channel

For all inquiries, subscription management requests, or to formally dispute a charge prior to contacting your bank, you must contact:

Animaat Billing & Support Department
Email: contact@animaat.com