Terms of Service
Terms and conditions for using Dear Stranger
Terms of Service
These terms govern your use of Dear Stranger, the AI pen pal service. By using our service, you agree to these terms.
Last updated: March 1, 2026
What You Can Do
Write letters to your AI pen pal, receive thoughtful replies, practice language skills, and find a safe space for your thoughts.
What You Cannot Do
Use the service for illegal activities, harass or threaten others, attempt to extract or reverse-engineer our AI system, or misrepresent AI replies as human-written.
Our Commitment
Provide warm, thoughtful AI replies, protect your privacy, be transparent about our AI nature, and include crisis resources when needed.
Our Service
Dear Stranger is an AI-powered pen pal service. You write letters (via email or our platform), and our AI generates warm, thoughtful replies delivered to your inbox hours later. Our service includes:
- Free Trial: Your first 3 letters and replies are free, no credit card required.
- Letter Packs: One-time purchases of letter bundles that never expire.
- Subscriptions: Monthly plans with a set number of letters or unlimited writing.
- Conversation Continuity: Your pen pal remembers previous correspondence to maintain a meaningful ongoing conversation.
Important Disclaimers
Dear Stranger Is an AI, Not a Human
All replies are generated by artificial intelligence. While we strive to make responses empathetic and thoughtful, your pen pal is not a real person. We are transparent about this and do not attempt to deceive users.
Not a Mental Health Service
Dear Stranger is not a licensed therapist, counselor, or medical professional. Our service does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, suicidal thoughts, or thoughts of self-harm, please contact emergency services or a crisis helpline immediately:
- USA: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline — 988
- International: Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741
- UK: Samaritans — 116 123
AI Limitations
AI-generated replies may occasionally be inaccurate, inappropriate, or not fully aligned with your expectations. We continuously improve our system but cannot guarantee perfection in every response.
Your Responsibilities
Acceptable Use
- Write letters for personal reflection, emotional expression, or language practice
- Provide accurate information when creating an account
- Keep your account credentials secure
- Be at least 13 years old (or the minimum age required in your jurisdiction)
- Report any issues or concerns to our support team
Prohibited Activities
- Using the service to generate content for illegal purposes
- Attempting to reverse-engineer, extract, or replicate our AI system
- Sharing or republishing AI replies as human-written content
- Using automated tools to send bulk letters
- Sharing account credentials with others
Payment and Billing Terms
Pricing & Purchases
- Free credits: New users receive 3 free letter credits upon registration — no credit card required.
- Single letters: One-time purchase at $1.00 per letter.
- Letter packs: Bundles of 3 ($2.49), 10 ($6.99), or 25 ($14.99) letters — one-time purchases that never expire.
- Monthly Pen Pal: $4.99/month for 8 letters per month with priority replies.
- Unlimited Letters: $9.99/month for unlimited letters with the fastest reply times.
- All prices are displayed in USD. Applicable taxes may be added at checkout.
Payment Processing
- All payments are processed securely through our trusted third-party payment provider. We never store your full credit card number.
- You agree to provide accurate and complete billing information when making purchases.
- By purchasing a subscription, you authorize us to charge your payment method on a recurring monthly basis until you cancel.
Automatic Renewal
- Monthly subscriptions renew automatically at the end of each billing period at the then-current price.
- You will receive an email reminder before each renewal.
- To avoid future charges, cancel at least 24 hours before your renewal date.
Cancellation Policy
You may cancel your subscription at any time without penalty. Here is what you need to know:
- How to cancel: Cancel through your Dashboard by clicking "Manage Plan" and then "Continue to Portal", or email support@mindfulpenpal.com and we will cancel it for you.
- Continued access: After cancellation, you retain full access to all subscription features until the end of your current billing period.
- Credits preserved: Any purchased letter pack credits remain in your account and never expire, even after your subscription ends.
- No partial billing: We do not charge prorated fees. If you cancel mid-cycle, you keep access until the cycle ends — no extra charge.
- Re-subscribing: You can re-subscribe at any time. Your account data and conversation history will be preserved.
For a step-by-step guide, visit our Cancel Subscription page.
Refund Policy Summary
- 7-day guarantee: New subscribers may request a full refund within 7 days of their initial subscription purchase.
- Unused letter packs: Fully unused letter packs may be refunded within 30 days of purchase.
- Used credits: Letters that have been sent and replied to are non-refundable.
- Technical issues: If a technical error prevented delivery, we will restore the credit or issue a refund.
- Duplicate charges: Accidental or duplicate charges are always refunded promptly.
- Processing time: Approved refunds are returned to your original payment method within 5–10 business days.
To request a refund, email support@mindfulpenpal.com with the subject line "Refund Request".
For complete details, please read our full Refund Policy.
Intellectual Property
Your Content
You retain ownership of the letters you write. By using our service, you grant us a limited license to process your letters solely for the purpose of generating AI replies.
Our Platform
The Dear Stranger platform, including its design, code, AI prompts, brand elements, and proprietary technology, remains our intellectual property. You may not copy, modify, or redistribute any part of our platform.
Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Dear Stranger and its operators shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or related to your use of the service.
Our total liability for any claim arising from or related to the service shall not exceed the amount you have paid to us in the 12 months preceding the claim.
This limitation applies regardless of the legal theory on which the claim is based, including breach of contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability, or any other basis.
Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms of Service from time to time. When we make changes:
- We will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page
- For significant changes, we will notify you via email
- Continued use of our service after changes constitutes acceptance
- The current version is always available on this page
Questions About These Terms?
If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please reach out. We want everything to be clear and fair.
Email us at support@mindfulpenpal.com
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