See how Apple, Google, Amazon, Shopify, and 11 other leading companies write their terms and conditions. Each example includes real language from their T&C and analysis of what makes it effective — so you can protect your own business.
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Terms and conditions (also called terms of service, terms of use, or user agreement) are legal rules that users must agree to in order to use your website, app, or service. They form a binding contract between your business and your users, defining rights, responsibilities, and rules for both parties.
While a privacy policy explains how you handle data, terms and conditions govern everything else: acceptable use, intellectual property, payment terms, liability limits, dispute resolution, and account termination. Together, these two documents form the legal foundation of any online business.
As you'll see in the examples below, the best terms and conditions balance legal protection with readability. Companies like Google and GitHub prove that clear, human-friendly language can be just as legally enforceable as dense legalese — and far more effective at building user trust.
Cap your liability exposure and disclaim warranties. Without terms, a single user lawsuit could threaten your entire business. Amazon caps liability at 'the amount you paid'; most SaaS companies limit to the last 12 months of fees.
Define how disputes are handled — arbitration, mediation, or litigation. Choose your governing law and jurisdiction. An arbitration clause can save hundreds of thousands in legal fees compared to class action lawsuits.
Establish rules for user behavior, content moderation, and account termination. Without terms, removing abusive users or illegal content creates legal risk. Discord and Reddit rely heavily on their T&C for moderation authority.
Define ownership of your platform's IP and user-generated content. Specify the license users grant you to display their content. GitHub's narrow license grant is a model for respecting user IP while enabling platform function.
We analyzed the terms and conditions of 15 industry-leading companies across technology, e-commerce, social media, SaaS, AI, and more. For each example, we highlight what they do well and why it works — so you can apply the same principles to your own terms.
Technology · Tiered agreements for media, services, and hardware
"These terms and conditions create a contract between you and Apple (the 'Agreement'). Please read the Agreement carefully."
Why it works:
Apple separates their terms by product category rather than cramming everything into one document. Their iTunes/Media Services agreement covers digital content licensing, the iCloud terms handle data storage, and hardware terms are separate. This modular approach means users only need to read what's relevant to them.
Technology · Plain language with expandable details
"By using our services, you agree to these terms. We provide our services using a commercially reasonable level of skill and care. We hope you enjoy using them. There are certain things that we don't promise about our services. These terms don't limit what the law allows."
Why it works:
Google rewrote their terms in plain language that a non-lawyer can understand. Opening with 'We hope you enjoy using them' sets a human tone. They use expandable sections so the summary is short but full legal detail is available. Their age restrictions and account suspension policies are prominently placed, not buried.
Technology · Unified agreement covering 100+ services
"These terms cover the use of those Microsoft consumer products, websites, related support, and services listed at the end of these Terms (the 'Services'). You accept these Terms by creating a Microsoft account, through your use of the Services, or by continuing to use the Services after being notified of a change to these Terms."
Why it works:
Microsoft manages the challenge of covering Xbox gaming, Office productivity, LinkedIn professional networking, and Azure cloud services under one umbrella. They use a 'general terms + service-specific supplements' structure that keeps the base document readable while addressing unique concerns per product.
E-commerce · Marketplace terms covering buyers, sellers, and services
"Welcome to Amazon. Amazon Services LLC and/or its affiliates provide website features and other products and services to you when you visit or shop at Amazon, use Amazon devices, products, or services, use Amazon applications for mobile, or use software provided by Amazon."
Why it works:
Amazon's conditions cover an extraordinarily complex ecosystem — retail marketplace, digital content, AWS, Alexa, grocery delivery, and more. They handle this with clear section delineation and separate 'Conditions of Use' from seller-specific terms. Their dispute resolution section is notable for its clear arbitration clause with opt-out rights.
E-commerce Platform · Platform terms for merchants building businesses
"Welcome to Shopify! By signing up for a Shopify Account (as defined in Section 1) or by using any Shopify Services (as defined below), you are agreeing to be bound by the following terms and conditions (the 'Terms of Service')."
Why it works:
Shopify addresses merchants as business partners rather than just users. Their terms cover storefront hosting, payment processing (Shopify Payments), app marketplace liability, and theme licensing in distinct sections. The intellectual property clause is uniquely merchant-friendly: merchants retain full ownership of their store content.
Financial Technology · Financial services compliance with developer clarity
"The Stripe Services Agreement (the 'Agreement') is an agreement between you or the entity you represent ('User') and the applicable Stripe entity specified in Section 12 (Definitions) ('Stripe') and governs User's access to and use of the Services and Stripe Technology."
Why it works:
Stripe's terms are uniquely precise for a financial services company. They clearly delineate responsibilities between Stripe, the merchant, and the card networks. Their chargeback handling, reserve requirements, and fund settlement timelines are explicit — critical for businesses that depend on payment flow predictability.
Social Platform · Community-focused with clear content moderation
"Welcome! Discord enables you to build meaningful connections around the joy of playing games through voice, video and text features. We're happy you're here. These terms set forth our legal obligations to each other."
Why it works:
Discord excels at separating legal terms from community guidelines, referencing each clearly. Their age requirements (13+, or 16+ in some EU countries) are prominently stated. The content moderation section is transparent about how decisions are made, appealed, and what automated systems do — addressing a major user trust concern.
Social Platform · User content licensing with community governance
"These Terms of Use are a legal agreement between you and Reddit, Inc. They govern your access to and use of Reddit's websites, mobile apps, widgets, APIs, emails, and other online products and services. By accessing or using our Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms."
Why it works:
Reddit balances platform-wide terms with community (subreddit) self-governance. Their content licensing clause is notably broad but transparent: users grant Reddit a worldwide, royalty-free license to use submissions. The moderator terms are unique — defining the volunteer role, limitations of power, and Reddit's override authority.
Professional Network · Professional context with recruiter and advertiser terms
"You agree that by clicking 'Join Now', 'Join LinkedIn', 'Sign Up' or similar, registering, accessing or using our services, you are agreeing to enter into a legally binding contract with LinkedIn."
Why it works:
LinkedIn frames terms in a professional context: your profile is a 'professional identity' with unique obligations around truthfulness. Their recruiter-specific terms, advertising policies, and Sales Navigator conditions are clearly separated. The 'Do's and Don'ts' section is refreshingly direct about acceptable professional conduct.
Productivity · Workspace collaboration with data ownership clarity
"These Terms of Service apply to your use of the website, APIs, and services of Notion Labs, Inc. By using the Services, you agree to these terms. If you are using the Services on behalf of an organization, you are agreeing to these terms on behalf of that organization."
Why it works:
Notion addresses the key SaaS concern: who owns workspace data? They explicitly state that customers retain ownership of all content. Their terms clearly distinguish between individual accounts and organization workspaces, addressing the common 'what happens when I leave my company' question.
Workplace Communication · Enterprise-grade with admin controls transparency
"The Main Services Agreement and the Slack Supplemental Terms (together, the 'Slack Terms') describe your rights and responsibilities when using our online workplace productivity tools and platform (the 'Services')."
Why it works:
Slack navigates the three-party relationship (Slack, workspace admin, end user) with remarkable clarity. Admins can set data retention policies that override individual preferences — and Slack is transparent about this. Their uptime SLA references are built into the terms, not hidden in a separate document.
Video Communication · Recording consent and AI feature governance
"These Terms of Service govern your use of Zoom Video Communications products and services. These terms constitute a binding agreement. Zoom provides video conferencing, online meetings, chat, and collaboration features."
Why it works:
After privacy controversies, Zoom's terms now explicitly address recording consent requirements, AI Companion data usage, and end-to-end encryption scope. Their terms distinguish between 'free' and 'paid' service levels with clear feature limitations, and their data processing terms are built-in rather than requiring separate agreements.
Artificial Intelligence · AI-specific terms for output ownership and usage
"These Terms of Use apply when you use the products and services of OpenAI, L.L.C. or our affiliates, including our application programming interface, software, tools, developer services, data, documentation, and websites."
Why it works:
OpenAI's terms tackle unprecedented legal territory: who owns AI-generated content? They explicitly assign output ownership to users (for API and ChatGPT) while reserving rights to use inputs for model improvement (with opt-out). Their 'Usage Policies' are a separate, detailed document covering prohibited uses — a model for any AI company.
Developer Platform · Open source licensing with code ownership clarity
"Thank you for using GitHub! We're happy you're here. Please read this Terms of Service agreement carefully before accessing or using GitHub. Because it is such an important contract between us and our users, we have tried to make it as clear as possible. For your convenience, we have presented these terms in a short non-binding summary followed by the full legal terms."
Why it works:
GitHub opens with appreciation ('We're happy you're here') setting a developer-friendly tone. Their terms expertly handle the complex intersection of open source licenses, proprietary code, and platform-granted licenses. The 'license grant to us' section is narrow and clearly explained — critical for developers worried about IP.
Travel & Hospitality · Two-sided marketplace with host and guest obligations
"These Terms of Service constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Airbnb governing your use of the Airbnb Platform. When these terms mention 'Airbnb', 'we', 'us', or 'our', it refers to the Airbnb entity with whom you are contracting."
Why it works:
Airbnb's terms handle the complex trust dynamics of strangers sharing spaces. Host obligations (accurate listings, safety standards, local law compliance) and guest obligations (property respect, occupancy limits, house rules) are clearly separated. Their cancellation, refund, and resolution center terms are a masterclass in marketplace dispute resolution.
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Get our 8-clause checklist covering liability, IP, disputes, and termination — everything your T&C must include.
Based on our analysis of the 15 examples above, these are the clauses that appear in every well-drafted terms and conditions document — and what each should cover.
Define how users agree to your terms (clickwrap, browsewrap, or sign-in). Specify that continued use constitutes ongoing agreement. Include the effective date and how changes are communicated.
Real-world: Google requires agreement on account creation; Amazon on first purchase.
Cover account creation requirements, age restrictions, account security obligations, and what happens on account termination. Address password responsibility and unauthorized access reporting.
Real-world: Discord requires 13+ (16+ in some EU countries); LinkedIn requires truthful professional information.
Define prohibited behaviors: illegal activity, harassment, spam, IP infringement, reverse engineering, unauthorized access. Specify consequences for violations including suspension and termination.
Real-world: Reddit separates content policy from main terms; OpenAI maintains detailed usage policies for AI.
Clarify who owns what: your platform's IP, user-generated content rights, license grants to and from users. Address trademarks, copyrights, and the DMCA takedown process.
Real-world: GitHub grants a narrow platform license; Notion explicitly states customers own all workspace content.
Cover pricing, billing cycles, automatic renewals, payment methods, taxes, refund policies, and what happens on failed payments. Include subscription cancellation procedures and pro-rating.
Real-world: Shopify defines merchant payment processing; Stripe details fund settlement timelines.
Cap your maximum liability (typically the amount paid in the last 12 months). Exclude consequential, incidental, and indirect damages. Specify that services are provided 'as-is' without warranties beyond what law requires.
Real-world: Microsoft caps liability at the amount paid; Amazon excludes all consequential damages.
Specify how disputes are resolved: arbitration, mediation, or litigation. Include governing law, jurisdiction, class action waiver (if applicable), and small claims court exceptions.
Real-world: Amazon includes arbitration with 30-day opt-out; Airbnb uses mediation before arbitration.
Define when you can terminate accounts (violation, inactivity, at-will) and when users can terminate. Specify what survives termination (payment obligations, IP licenses, limitation of liability).
Real-world: Slack allows admin-controlled data retention post-termination; Zoom distinguishes free vs. paid termination.
Follow these steps to create terms and conditions that protect your business while building user trust.
Identify what your business does, what services you provide, and where your liability exposure lies. An e-commerce store needs return and shipping terms; a SaaS platform needs uptime and data handling terms; a marketplace needs terms for both buyers and sellers. Shopify and Airbnb show how to handle multi-sided platforms.
Decide how users will agree to your terms. Clickwrap (checkbox + 'I agree') is the strongest legal mechanism. Ensure terms are accessible before agreement, not just after. Log the timestamp and version each user agrees to. Apple and Google require agreement on first use of each service.
Follow Google's lead: use clear, conversational language that a non-lawyer can understand. Avoid Latin phrases and legal jargon. Use headers, short paragraphs, and bullet points. The goal is for users to actually read and understand your terms — not just click through them.
At minimum, cover: acceptance of terms, user responsibilities, acceptable use, intellectual property, payment and billing, liability limitation, dispute resolution, and termination. See the 8 essential clauses section above for what each should contain.
Every industry has unique requirements. AI companies need output ownership terms (like OpenAI). Video platforms need recording consent (like Zoom). Developer platforms need open source licensing clauses (like GitHub). Think about what's unique to YOUR service.
Include a clause about how you'll notify users of changes (email, in-app, 30-day notice). Define how you'll enforce terms (warning, suspension, termination) and include an appeals process. Discord and Reddit provide good models for content moderation governance.
They're essentially the same document. 'Terms and Conditions' (T&C) and 'Terms of Service' (ToS) are used interchangeably. Some companies also call them 'Terms of Use' or 'User Agreement.' The name doesn't affect legal enforceability — what matters is the content. E-commerce sites tend to use 'Terms and Conditions' while SaaS platforms often prefer 'Terms of Service.'
Unlike privacy policies, terms and conditions are not specifically required by law in most jurisdictions. However, they are essential for business protection. Without them, you have no legal framework for: limiting your liability, handling disputes, protecting your intellectual property, setting acceptable use rules, or managing refunds and cancellations. Every serious business should have them.
Yes, when properly implemented. Users must have the opportunity to read the terms and must take an affirmative action to agree (clicking 'I agree', creating an account, or making a purchase). This is called 'clickwrap' agreement. Courts have consistently upheld clickwrap agreements. 'Browsewrap' (just posting terms without requiring agreement) is less reliably enforced.
Without terms and conditions, you lose the ability to: limit your liability for damages, set rules for how your service can be used, terminate accounts for violations, protect your intellectual property, enforce arbitration instead of costly litigation, and define your refund and cancellation policies. You're essentially leaving yourself legally exposed.
Review your terms at least annually and update whenever you: launch new products or services, change pricing or billing practices, modify your refund policy, integrate new third-party services, expand into new markets or jurisdictions, or change how user content is handled. You must notify users of material changes — typically via email or in-app notification.
No. Copying another company's terms is copyright infringement and creates legal risk because their terms won't accurately reflect your business practices, liability profile, or applicable laws. A mismatched terms document can be worse than having none at all — it may create obligations you didn't intend. Use a generator or lawyer to create terms specific to your business.
Not necessarily. Most businesses use a single set of terms that covers both web and mobile access. However, if your app has significantly different functionality (like in-app purchases, push notifications, or device-specific features), you should add app-specific clauses. Apple and Google app stores have their own requirements for what must be in your terms.
Use 'clickwrap' agreement: require users to check a box or click 'I agree' before creating an account or making a purchase. Place the terms link prominently near the agreement checkbox. Keep a timestamped record of when each user agreed and which version they agreed to. This creates the strongest legal enforceability.
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