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Terms of Use

Last updated: June 1, 2026

Section 1 — Scope and Contracting Parties

(1) These Terms of Use (hereinafter “Terms”) govern the use of the mobile applications (hereinafter individually “App,” collectively “Apps”) — in particular the app Kanjiru — made available by

Marius Schmidt
Marius Schmidt Webdesign — sole proprietorship (Einzelunternehmen)
Holzsteigweg 10
78166 Donaueschingen
Germany
Email: support@kanjiru.app
Phone: +49 771 17516006
VAT ID: DE359485348

(hereinafter “Provider”)

through the Google Play Store (Google), the Apple App Store (Apple), or other distribution channels authorized by the Provider.

(2) The contracting parties to these Terms are exclusively the Provider and the respective user (hereinafter “User”). Apple and Google are not parties to these Terms and assume no obligations under or in connection with the Apps, unless their own terms of use and license agreements provide otherwise.

(3) By installing or using an App, the User agrees to these Terms. Users who do not agree to these Terms may not install or use the App.

(4) The respective terms and conditions of the distribution platform (Apple Media Services Terms or Google Play Terms of Service) apply in addition. In the event of a conflict between these Terms and the platform terms, the platform terms prevail to the extent they are mandatorily applicable.

(5) The App is intended for users aged 13 and above. Users under the age of 18 require the consent of a legal guardian to accept these Terms. The Provider does not knowingly collect personal data from children under the age of 13. If the Provider becomes aware that a child under 13 has submitted personal data, such data will be deleted without undue delay.

Section 2 — Description of the Apps

(1) The app Kanjiru is a learning app for Japanese characters (kanji). It provides dictionary content, stroke order visualizations, flashcards, and related learning features. All learning data is stored and processed exclusively on the User's device.

(2) The Apps are provided in their current version at any given time. The Provider continuously develops the Apps. The exact features and content may change in the course of updates, with the essential scope of services being maintained.

(3) The Apps are currently available free of charge. The Provider reserves the right to introduce paid features, subscriptions, or one-time purchases (in-app purchases) in the future. Paid features will always be clearly identified as such and will require the User's separate consent before purchase. Access to the core features that were available free of charge at the time of download will not be restricted by the introduction of paid add-on features. Should the Provider, in exceptional cases, intend to offer a previously free feature on a paid basis only, the Provider will notify the User at least thirty days before the change takes effect, in text form (e.g., via in-app notification or email). In such case, the User has the right to terminate the contractual relationship without notice effective as of the date the change takes effect.

(4) For paid digital content (in-app purchases), the right of withdrawal may expire prematurely pursuant to Section 356 (5) of the German Civil Code if the Provider has commenced performance of the contract after the consumer has expressly consented and acknowledged that the right of withdrawal is lost upon commencement of performance. The purchase and consent process is handled through the respective distribution platform.

Section 3 — License and Usage Rights

(1) The Provider grants the User a simple (non-exclusive), non-transferable, geographically unrestricted right to use the App on devices owned or controlled by the User, in accordance with the usage rules of the respective distribution platform.

(2) The license does not include the right to

  • reproduce, distribute, make publicly available, or sublicense the App in whole or in part to the extent this exceeds the intended use and the provisions of the respective distribution platform (e.g., Family Sharing);
  • decompile, disassemble, translate, or otherwise determine the source code of the App (reverse engineering), unless this is strictly necessary under Art. 6 of Directive 2009/24/EC or Section 69e of the German Copyright Act to achieve interoperability with an independently created program and the Provider has not made the necessary information available upon request;
  • modify the App, create derivative works, or integrate the App into other software or services;
  • circumvent or remove technical protection measures or access controls of the App;
  • use the App for unlawful, abusive, or third-party-rights-infringing purposes.

(3) The User may use the App through Family Sharing (Apple) or Google Play Family Library to the extent permitted by the respective platform.

Section 4 — Intellectual Property

(1) All copyright, trademark, design, patent, and other intellectual property rights in the Apps — including their source code, user interface, graphics, animations, texts, and databases — belong to the Provider or its licensors. The grant of the license under Section 3 does not confer ownership of the App or any part thereof upon the User.

(2) “Kanjiru” is a word mark filed for registration at the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) by the Provider (file number 302026228887.1, filed 26 May 2026). The mark has been in commercial use since February 2026; registration proceedings are pending. Use of the mark or confusingly similar designations is prohibited without the Provider's prior written consent.

(3) Certain content within the App is based on third-party open-source data (including KANJIDIC2, JMdict, KRADFILE, KanjiVG, kanji-frequency, JLPT Resources). The respective license terms and copyright notices are available in the App's imprint and on the associated website kanjiru.app.

Section 5 — User Obligations

(1) The User agrees to use the App solely in compliance with these Terms and applicable law.

(2) The User shall refrain from

  • any automated data collection from the App (scraping, crawling) or the systematic extraction of content;
  • overloading the App or its infrastructure through abusive use;
  • distributing malicious software through the App or in connection with its use;
  • attempting unauthorized access to systems, accounts, or data not intended for the User.

(3) The User is responsible for the security of their device and for keeping their operating system up to date.

Section 6 — Availability

(1) The Provider endeavors to maintain uninterrupted availability of the App. No entitlement to uninterrupted availability exists. Temporary limitations may arise from maintenance, updates, technical disruptions, or circumstances beyond the Provider's control.

(2) Since the App currently processes all data entirely on the device, the core features are usable without an internet connection. Features that require an internet connection (e.g., fetching updates) are available only when a connection is established.

Section 7 — Updates

(1) The Provider shall make available updates that are necessary to maintain the conformity of the App — in particular security updates and bug fixes. The Provider shall inform the User about available updates through the distribution platform.

(2) The Provider shall provide updates for the period that the User can reasonably expect given the nature and purpose of the App (Section 327f of the German Civil Code). For free apps provided on a one-time basis, this period is determined by the circumstances of the individual case and customary industry standards.

(3) If the User fails to install an available update, the Provider is not liable for defects attributable solely to the missing update — provided the Provider informed the User about the availability of the update and the consequences of not installing it (Section 327e (4) of the German Civil Code).

(4) Beyond the obligation to maintain conformity, the Provider is not required to provide functional enhancements or new content.

Section 8 — Warranty

(1) The statutory provisions on contracts for digital products (Sections 327 et seq. of the German Civil Code) apply to the App. The App must meet both the subjective requirements (agreed characteristics) and the objective requirements (customary characteristics and reasonable user expectations).

(2) In the event of a defect, the User is first entitled to cure within a reasonable period. If cure fails or is refused by the Provider, the User is entitled to the statutory remedies — in particular price reduction or contract termination (Sections 327i et seq. of the German Civil Code).

(3) If a defect appears within twelve months of provision, it is presumed to have existed at the time of provision (Section 327k (1) of the German Civil Code). This reversal of the burden of proof does not apply if the User's digital environment is incompatible with the App's technical requirements and the Provider clearly and comprehensibly informed the User of this before the conclusion of the contract.

(4) To the extent that the App is provided to the User entirely free of charge and the User neither makes a payment nor provides the Provider with personal data beyond what is technically necessary for the provision of the App, Sections 327 et seq. of the German Civil Code may not apply. In such case, the warranty is governed by the general statutory provisions. The User's statutory rights remain unaffected in all cases.

(5) The User's statutory rights as a consumer remain unaffected in all cases and cannot be restricted by these Terms.

Section 9 — Liability

(1) The Provider is liable without limitation

  • for damages arising from injury to life, body, or health caused by a negligent or intentional breach of duty by the Provider or their vicarious agents;
  • for damages caused by intentional or grossly negligent conduct of the Provider or their vicarious agents;
  • under the German Product Liability Act (Produkthaftungsgesetz);
  • in the event of fraudulent concealment of a defect.

(2) In the case of a slightly negligent breach of material contractual obligations (cardinal obligations), the Provider's liability is limited in amount to the typically foreseeable damage at the time the contract was concluded.

(3) Beyond this, the Provider's liability for slightly negligent breaches of duty — including lost profits and indirect damages — is excluded to the extent permitted by law.

(4) The Provider is not liable for the loss of locally stored data (e.g., learning progress) attributable to a device malfunction, uninstallation of the App by the User, or a missing backup.

(5) The above limitations of liability do not apply to the extent they conflict with mandatory law of the country in which the User is habitually resident. In such cases, the scope of liability is determined by the mandatory law of the respective country.

Section 10 — Privacy

(1) The protection of the User's personal data is a matter the Provider takes seriously. Details of data processing are set out in the privacy policy, available at kanjiru.app/privacy, the current version of which applies in addition to these Terms.

(2) The privacy policy is an integral part of the contractual relationship between the Provider and the User. Consent to data processing under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is obtained separately and independently of the agreement to these Terms.

Section 11 — Third-Party Services

(1) The App may reference or integrate third-party services (e.g., Google Play In-App Review). The data processing by third-party providers is governed exclusively by their own privacy policies and terms of use. The Provider has no influence on and bears no responsibility for data processing by third parties.

(2) The App uses open-source data and libraries. The license terms of these components remain unaffected and are available in the App's imprint.

Section 12 — Changes to These Terms

(1) The Provider may amend these Terms with effect for the future, provided the amendment is reasonable for the User taking into account the Provider's interests — in particular when introducing new features, to adapt to changes in the legal framework, or to close regulatory gaps.

(2) The User will be notified of material changes at least thirty days before they take effect, in text form (e.g., in-app notification, notice upon app launch). Continued use of the App after expiry of this period constitutes acceptance of the amended Terms. The Provider shall draw the User's attention to this legal consequence in the amendment notice.

(3) If the User objects to the amendment within the notice period, the contractual relationship continues under the existing Terms. In this case, the Provider is entitled to terminate the contractual relationship with thirty days' notice to the end of the month, provided adherence to the existing Terms is unreasonable for the Provider.

(4) For consumers, amendments that materially reduce the scope of services to their detriment require their express consent.

Section 13 — Term and Termination

(1) The contractual relationship for the use of a free App is entered into for an indefinite period and may be terminated by either party at any time without notice. The User may terminate in particular by uninstalling the App.

(2) For paid subscriptions, the term and cancellation conditions displayed on the respective distribution platform apply. The subscription renews automatically for the selected billing period unless the User cancels it through the distribution platform before the end of the current period.

(3) The right of either party to terminate for cause remains unaffected. The Provider may terminate in particular if the User materially breaches these Terms.

(4) Upon termination of the contractual relationship, all usage rights granted to the User expire. Data already stored locally remains on the User's device; the Provider is not obligated to export or provide such data in a specific format, unless the law provides otherwise.

Section 14 — Apple and Google as Third-Party Beneficiaries

(1) For Apps distributed through the Apple App Store, the following additional provisions apply:

  • These Terms are concluded solely between the Provider and the User, not with Apple Inc. Apple is not responsible for the App and its content.
  • Apple has no obligation to provide any maintenance or support services for the App.
  • Should the App fail to conform to any applicable warranty, the User may notify Apple, and Apple will refund the purchase price, if applicable. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Apple has no other warranty obligation with respect to the App.
  • Apple is not responsible for addressing any claims by the User or third parties relating to the App, including product liability claims, claims regarding non-compliance with legal requirements, or consumer protection claims.
  • In the event of any third-party intellectual property infringement claim relating to the App, the Provider — not Apple — is responsible for the investigation, defense, settlement, and discharge of such claims.
  • The User represents and warrants that they are not located in a country subject to a U.S. Government embargo or designated by the U.S. Government as a “terrorist supporting” country, and that they are not listed on any U.S. Government list of prohibited or restricted parties.
  • The User is required to comply with applicable third-party terms when using the App (e.g., the terms of their mobile carrier or internet service provider).
  • Apple Inc. and its subsidiaries are third-party beneficiaries of these Terms and are entitled to enforce these Terms against the User.

(2) Contact for complaints, claims, and questions relating to the Apps:

Marius Schmidt
Marius Schmidt Webdesign
Holzsteigweg 10
78166 Donaueschingen
Germany
Email: support@kanjiru.app
Phone: +49 771 17516006

(3) For Apps distributed through the Google Play Store, the following additional provisions apply:

  • Google LLC and its affiliates are not contracting parties and assume no warranty or liability for the App.
  • Google has no obligation to provide support or maintenance services for the App.
  • In the event of complaints, the User should contact the Provider at the contact details stated in paragraph 2.

Section 15 — Governing Law

(1) The laws of the Federal Republic of Germany apply, excluding the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG).

(2) Where the User is a consumer habitually resident in another country, the application of mandatory consumer protection provisions of that country remains unaffected (Art. 6 (2) of Regulation (EC) No. 593/2008 — Rome I). This applies in particular to mandatory consumer protection provisions in the Member States of the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Brazil.

Section 16 — Jurisdiction and Dispute Resolution

(1) For Users who are businesses, the exclusive place of jurisdiction for all disputes arising from or in connection with these Terms is Donaueschingen, Germany.

(2) For consumers, the place of jurisdiction is determined by the applicable statutory provisions. Consumers in the European Union may bring claims in the Member State in which they are domiciled.

(3) The Provider is neither willing nor obliged to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board.

Section 17 — Severability

Should any provision of these Terms be or become invalid or unenforceable, the validity of the remaining provisions shall not be affected. In place of the invalid provision, the applicable statutory provisions shall apply (Section 306 (2) of the German Civil Code).