Bepalings & Voorwaardes

1. What PayForward is

PayForward is a free, shared tool that helps a group of people split a restaurant bill — choosing items, calculating each person's share, and marking who has already paid. By using PayForward (creating a table, joining a table, or using any feature within it), you accept these Terms & Conditions.

PayForward is not a bank, payment processor, or financial services provider, and is not authorised or regulated as one by any financial regulator.

2. No money passes through PayForward

PayForward never holds, receives, or sends money on behalf of users. When a user marks an amount as 'paid' in the App, this is a self-declaration — the user is confirming that they actually transferred the money outside the App (e.g. cash, card machine, SnapScan, Zapper, PayShap, EFT, or any other method) to the correct person. PayForward does not verify these transfers, and does not guarantee that money actually changed hands.

Any 'payment mechanism' label in the App (e.g. 'SnapScan/Zapper', 'Card machine') is simply an indication of HOW users chose to pay each other — not an integration with that service. Disputes about whether a payment actually took place are between the users involved; PayForward is not a party to, and accepts no responsibility for, such disputes.

3. Receipt photos and AI analysis

When a user uploads a photo of a receipt, PayForward uses automated text recognition (and, where available, a third-party artificial intelligence service) to attempt to identify the items and amounts on it. This analysis can make mistakes — each user is responsible for checking the recognised items and amounts themselves before relying on them.

Receipt photos are stored temporarily and automatically permanently deleted approximately 5 days after a table is closed. PayForward does not keep receipt photos indefinitely.

4. Your information

PayForward usually only asks for a name to use a table — no password or full registration is required. If you provide a phone number or email address (e.g. to send invitations), it is only used for that purpose.

Information shared at a table (names, claimed items, self-declared payments, comments) is visible to other members of the SAME table only — not to the public, and not to members of other tables. A restaurant's own host dashboard (if they have one) only sees summarised, non-personal figures per table (e.g. total headcount, average spend) — never any individual user's name or amount.

PayForward never sells users' personal information to third parties. Information may be processed by service providers PayForward uses to run the App (e.g. database and storage services, AI analysis services for receipts) — still subject to their own security measures.

5. Your responsibilities

You are responsible for any information you type or upload into PayForward (names, amounts, comments, photos) — do not post false, offensive, or unlawful content. Do not use PayForward to defraud, harass, or falsely accuse someone of non-payment.

If you upload a restaurant's marketing content (photos/messages), you must be entitled to use and share it.

6. Restaurant content

A restaurant may display its own marketing content (photos, messages, specials) on its own tables. PayForward does not verify the accuracy of this content, and is not responsible for a restaurant's menu, prices, or service.

7. No warranty

PayForward is provided 'as is', without any warranty — express or implied — that it will be error-free, uninterrupted, or always available. Calculations (shares, tips, tax) are performed automatically based on information users themselves provide or that was recognised from a receipt photo — users should still confirm their own totals before paying.

8. Limitation of liability

As PayForward is free and does not itself handle money, PayForward is, to the fullest extent permitted by law, not liable for any loss arising from: (a) an incorrect calculation or AI recognition, (b) a user's own incorrect or dishonest self-declaration of payment, (c) a dispute between users, or (d) an interruption or fault in the App itself.

Nothing here limits liability that cannot lawfully be limited (e.g. for gross negligence or wilful misconduct, where applicable under South African law).

9. Who may use PayForward

PayForward is intended for users who are old enough to enter into valid agreements (like these Terms) in their own country, or who use it with a parent's/guardian's consent.

10. Suspension and termination

PayForward may suspend or terminate access to a table or user if abuse, fraud, or a breach of these Terms is suspected.

11. Changes to these Terms

PayForward may update these Terms from time to time. Continued use of the App after a material change means you accept the updated Terms.

12. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the law of the Republic of South Africa, including, where applicable, the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).

13. Contact

Questions about these Terms? Contact us at hallo@payforward.app.