Terms of Service

By creating an account, accessing, or using Held, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service (“Terms”) and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the service.

You must be at least 16 years old to use Held. If you are under 18, you represent that your parent or legal guardian has reviewed and accepted these Terms on your behalf. The parent or guardian who consents to these Terms is jointly responsible for the minor’s use of the service, all activity under the account, and any purchases made. The parent or guardian agrees to be bound by these Terms, including the arbitration and liability provisions, with respect to the minor’s use of the service.

Held provides original audio fiction produced using proprietary creative tools and technology, narrated by virtual voice actors. Content is accessible via iOS, Android, web, and Mac.

The service requires an active internet connection. Content is delivered via streaming only; no offline downloads are available. You are responsible for all internet access charges, data usage fees, and any equipment needed to use the service. Audio and streaming quality may vary depending on your device, internet connection, and platform.

The service is available where permitted by law but may not be available in all countries or regions. Prices are listed in U.S. dollars; pricing through app stores may vary due to local currency conversion, taxes, or platform-specific pricing set by Apple or Google.

Content recommendations (such as “Picked for You” and personalized suggestions) are generated algorithmically based on your listening history and preferences. Recommendations are not editorial endorsements by ManovaAI LLC and do not reflect any opinion on the quality or suitability of specific content for you.

ManovaAI LLC reserves the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the service at any time, with or without notice, for any reason. This includes the right to add, remove, modify, replace, re-record, or discontinue any content in the catalog at any time. The content library is dynamic and ManovaAI makes no guarantee that any specific content will remain available. ManovaAI shall not be liable to you or any third party for any modification, price change, suspension, or discontinuation of the service or any content.

• One account per person.
• You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account and for all activity that occurs under it.
• You must provide an accurate email address.
• We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms.

Plans

• Monthly: $4.99/month, billed monthly
• Annual: $29.99/year (~$2.50/month), billed annually

Free Trial

New users are eligible for a 7-day free trial of Held Unlimited, providing full catalog access. The trial automatically converts to your selected plan at the end of the 7-day period unless you cancel before the trial ends. One free trial per user.

Auto-Renewal

Subscriptions automatically renew at the end of each billing period. Your account will be charged within 24 hours before the end of the current period at the same rate. If you subscribe during a free trial, the unused portion of the trial will be forfeited.

Cancellation

Cancel anytime. You retain access through the end of your current billing period. iOS and Android subscriptions are managed through the respective app stores. Web subscriptions are managed through Stripe.

Price Changes

We will notify you before any price increase. Your continued use of the service after the effective date of a price change constitutes acceptance of the new price.

• 1 Book Pass: $2.99
• 3 Book Passes: $5.99 ($2.00/book)
• 10 Book Passes: $14.99 ($1.50/book)

Book Passes never expire. When you use a Book Pass on a book, it stays in your library permanently — even without a subscription. Book Passes are non-transferable and non-refundable except as required by applicable law.

Book Passes have no cash value, are not redeemable for cash, and do not constitute a deposit, stored-value account, or any form of financial instrument. Book Passes are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other entity, and do not accrue interest. ManovaAI may modify Book Pass pricing at any time for future purchases; previously purchased Book Passes retain their value.

If your account is terminated for violation of these Terms, all Book Passes, unlocked content, subscription access, and other entitlements associated with your account are forfeited. You will not be entitled to any refund or compensation as a result of termination for violation of these Terms.

The first 3 episodes of each book are free. No account is required to browse the catalog or listen to free episodes.

• Subscription refunds are processed through the original payment provider (Apple, Google, or Stripe) per their respective refund policies.
• Book Pass refunds: If a credit pack purchase is refunded by the payment provider, the corresponding credits are deducted from your balance (minimum balance of zero). Books already unlocked with those credits are not revoked.
• ManovaAI LLC is not responsible for refund policies or timelines of third-party payment providers.

For questions, contact support@held.fm.

All stories, narration, artwork, and other content on Held (“Platform Content”) are owned by or licensed to ManovaAI LLC. All Platform Content is originally produced by Held using proprietary creative tools and narrated by virtual voice actors. Platform Content is licensed, not sold. Nothing in these Terms grants you any ownership interest in Platform Content, including content accessed via Book Passes.

You receive a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to stream Platform Content for personal, non-commercial use only. You may not:

• Copy, reproduce, distribute, transmit, broadcast, display, sell, license, or otherwise exploit any Platform Content without prior written consent
• Download, record, capture, or create derivative works from Platform Content

Content availability may change at any time. Stories may be added, modified, re-recorded with different voices, or removed from the catalog without notice. You have no right to any specific content remaining available on the service, and previously accessed content may be modified or removed.

Virtual Voice Actors

All narration on Held is performed by synthetic (AI-generated) virtual voice actors. No real person’s voice has been used without authorization. Any perceived resemblance between a virtual voice actor and a real person’s voice is unintentional and coincidental. If you believe that content on Held reproduces your voice or likeness without authorization, please contact copyright@held.fm and we will investigate promptly.

All trademarks, logos, and service marks displayed on Held are the property of ManovaAI LLC or their respective owners.

You retain ownership of reviews, bookmark notes, and display names you create. By posting content on Held, you grant ManovaAI LLC a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, sublicensable, and transferable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, display, distribute, and create derivative works from your content in connection with the service and ManovaAI LLC’s business, including for promotional and marketing purposes.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, you irrevocably waive any moral rights or rights of attribution with respect to your content submitted to the service.

Reviews are moderated. We may remove, screen, or edit any content at our sole discretion and without notice. We have no obligation to monitor or review user content. You represent and warrant that your content does not infringe any third-party rights and is not defamatory, obscene, or otherwise unlawful. In accordance with the Consumer Review Fairness Act, we do not restrict or penalize honest reviews of our service.

You agree not to:

• Use automated tools to scrape, crawl, or bulk download content
• Share, resell, or transfer your account
• Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the service or its content
• Circumvent access controls, DRM, or content protection measures
• Abuse the free trial system, including by creating multiple accounts
• Use the service for any unlawful purpose

Violation may result in immediate termination of your account without notice or refund.

You can request account deletion at any time from Settings or by emailing support@held.fm. Deletion follows a 30-day grace period, after which the app account is hard-deleted. Active subscriptions are cancelled upon deletion. If you sign back in during the grace period, the account is restored automatically. Limited purchase and activity records may still be retained for audit, fraud prevention, accounting, and legal compliance.

We recommend exporting your data before requesting deletion. You can request an export from Settings or by contacting support@held.fm. You do not need to contact support to cancel a pending deletion; signing in again during the 30-day grace period restores the account automatically.

Held uses third-party payment processors (Apple App Store, Google Play, and Stripe) to process payments. ManovaAI LLC is not responsible for any errors, omissions, failures, or disputes arising from or related to third-party payment processing, including but not limited to: transaction errors, failed payments, unauthorized charges, refund disputes, currency conversion issues, platform fees, or service outages.

Your use of third-party payment services is governed by their respective terms and policies. ManovaAI LLC is not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or policies of any third-party services.

Held’s audio content is intended for personal entertainment only. Some content, particularly horror, thriller, and suspense genres, may contain immersive or startling audio that could distract you.

• Do not listen to immersive or suspenseful content while driving, operating heavy machinery, or performing activities that require your full attention.
• You are solely responsible for determining when and where it is safe to listen.
• Prolonged listening at high volume may cause hearing damage. Listen at a comfortable volume and take breaks.

ManovaAI LLC is not liable for any injury, accident, hearing damage, or other harm resulting from listening in unsafe conditions or at excessive volume.

YOU EXPRESSLY ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE AND CONSUMPTION OF PLATFORM CONTENT IS ENTIRELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU VOLUNTARILY ASSUME ALL RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH ACCESSING AND LISTENING TO AUDIO FICTION PRODUCED USING PROPRIETARY CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: (A) EXPOSURE TO CONTENT THAT MAY BE INACCURATE, OFFENSIVE, DISTURBING, OR EMOTIONALLY DISTRESSING; (B) CONTENT THAT DEPICTS FICTIONAL VIOLENCE, CONFLICT, OR OTHER MATURE THEMES; (C) AUDIO QUALITY VARIATIONS; AND (D) CONTENT THAT MAY NOT MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS OR PREFERENCES. YOU AGREE TO EVALUATE AND BEAR ALL RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE.

You agree not to rely on the service or any Platform Content for any particular purpose. Platform Content is fictional entertainment and should not be treated as factual, educational, or instructional material. No information, advice, or content obtained through the service shall create any warranty, representation, or guarantee not expressly stated in these Terms. You should not rely on any depiction of historical events, cultural practices, scientific concepts, legal principles, medical information, or other factual matters that may appear in fictional narratives. ManovaAI LLC has no special relationship with or fiduciary duty to you.

THE SERVICE AND ALL CONTENT ARE PROVIDED “AS IS,” “AS AVAILABLE,” AND “WITH ALL FAULTS,” WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY. MANOVAAI LLC AND ITS AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, LICENSORS, AND SUPPLIERS EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: (A) IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT; (B) THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, SECURE, OR FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS; (C) THAT ANY CONTENT IS ACCURATE, COMPLETE, RELIABLE, CURRENT, OR FREE FROM ERRORS, BIAS, OR OBJECTIONABLE MATERIAL; (D) THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED; (E) THAT AUDIO QUALITY WILL BE CONSISTENT OR COMPARABLE TO HUMAN NARRATION; (F) THAT LISTENING PROGRESS, BOOKMARKS, NOTES, OR OTHER USER DATA WILL BE PRESERVED ACROSS DEVICES, APP UPDATES, OR SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS. NO ORAL OR WRITTEN INFORMATION OR ADVICE GIVEN BY MANOVAAI LLC OR ITS REPRESENTATIVES CREATES A WARRANTY. YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.

ALL STORIES, NARRATION, AND RELATED CONTENT ON HELD ARE WORKS OF FICTION PRODUCED USING PROPRIETARY CREATIVE TOOLS AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY THAT IS STILL DEVELOPING. CONTENT IS GENERATED THROUGH COMPUTATIONAL PROCESSES AND IS NOT VALIDATED AGAINST ANY CRITERION OF TRUTH, ACCURACY, OR APPROPRIATENESS. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO ACTUAL PERSONS, LIVING OR DEAD, OR ACTUAL EVENTS IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL. PLATFORM CONTENT DOES NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWS, OPINIONS, OR ENDORSEMENT OF MANOVAAI LLC.

CONTENT MAY CONTAIN DEPICTIONS OF VIOLENCE, HORROR, PSYCHOLOGICAL TENSION, ROMANCE, AND OTHER MATURE THEMES. CONTENT IS NOT RATED OR CLASSIFIED BY ANY EXTERNAL RATINGS BOARD. PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF USERS AGED 16–17 SHOULD REVIEW CONTENT BEFORE OR ALONGSIDE THEIR MINOR. MANOVAAI LLC IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR A MINOR’S EXPOSURE TO CONTENT THAT A PARENT OR GUARDIAN DEEMS INAPPROPRIATE.

MANOVAAI LLC IS NOT LIABLE FOR ANY EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT, OFFENSE, OR ANY OTHER HARM ARISING FROM CONSUMPTION OF FICTIONAL CONTENT, INCLUDING ANY EMOTIONAL RESPONSE TO FICTIONAL NARRATIVES. CONTENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS MEDICAL, LEGAL, FINANCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. FICTIONAL SCENARIOS, CHARACTERS, AND EVENTS ARE NOT ENDORSEMENTS OF ANY BEHAVIOR, VIEWPOINT, OR IDEOLOGY. YOU ASSUME ALL RISK ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR USE OF AND RELIANCE ON ANY CONTENT ON THE SERVICE.

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL MANOVAAI LLC, ITS AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, LICENSORS, OR SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: LOSS OF USE, DATA, BUSINESS, PROFITS (WHETHER DIRECT OR INDIRECT), GOODWILL, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH (A) YOUR USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE; (B) ANY CONTENT OBTAINED FROM THE SERVICE; (C) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR DATA OR TRANSMISSIONS; (D) STATEMENTS OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY ON THE SERVICE; (E) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE — EVEN IF MANOVAAI LLC HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES AND EVEN IF A REMEDY FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE AGGREGATE LIABILITY OF MANOVAAI LLC FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR THE SERVICE SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS ($100.00) OR (B) THE TOTAL AMOUNT YOU PAID TO MANOVAAI LLC IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM.

YOUR SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY FOR ANY PROBLEMS OR DISSATISFACTION WITH THE SERVICE IS TO STOP USING THE SERVICE AND DELETE YOUR ACCOUNT.

SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES. IN SUCH JURISDICTIONS, THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS SHALL APPLY TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless ManovaAI LLC, its affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, licensors, successors, and assigns from and against any and all losses, liabilities, claims, causes of action, demands, damages, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of investigation and litigation) arising out of or relating to: (a) your use of the Service; (b) your User-Generated Content; (c) your violation of these Terms; (d) your violation of any applicable law or regulation; (e) your violation of any third-party rights; or (f) any dispute between you and a third party relating to the Service.

Informal Resolution First

Before filing any claim, you agree to contact us at support@held.fm and attempt to resolve the dispute informally for at least sixty (60) days.

Binding Arbitration

If the dispute is not resolved informally, you and ManovaAI LLC agree to resolve it through binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules. The arbitration will be conducted in English. The arbitrator’s decision will be final and binding.

Class Action Waiver

YOU AND MANOVAAI LLC AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS, COLLECTIVE, CONSOLIDATED, OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION OR PROCEEDING.

Small Claims Exception

Either party may bring an individual action in small claims court for disputes within that court’s jurisdiction.

Mass Arbitration

If 25 or more similar arbitration demands are filed by or with the assistance of the same law firm or coordinated group, the parties agree to staged bellwether proceedings: 10 cases will be selected for initial arbitration, and the outcomes will inform resolution of remaining claims.

Opt-Out

You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by emailing support@held.fm within thirty (30) days of first accepting these Terms. Your opt-out notice must include your name, email address, and a clear statement that you wish to opt out of the arbitration agreement.

Filing Deadline

Any claim arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service must be filed within one (1) year after the event giving rise to the dispute. Claims filed after this period are permanently barred.

ManovaAI LLC respects intellectual property rights. If you believe that content available through the service infringes your copyright, you may submit a notification pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”), 17 U.S.C. Section 512, by providing our designated Copyright Agent with the following information in writing:

• A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner
• Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed
• Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing and its location on the service
• Your contact information (address, phone number, email)
• A statement that you have a good faith belief that the use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law
• A statement under penalty of perjury that the information is accurate and you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner

Our designated Copyright Agent can be reached at copyright@held.fm. ManovaAI LLC will terminate the accounts of repeat infringers in appropriate circumstances.

Neither party shall be liable for failure or delay in performance caused by circumstances beyond reasonable control, including but not limited to: acts of God, natural disasters, epidemics or pandemics, war, terrorism, civil unrest, government actions, embargoes, strikes, power failures, internet or telecommunications failures, cyberattacks, or failures of third-party service providers.

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to conflict of law provisions. Any legal action not subject to arbitration shall be brought exclusively in the federal or state courts located in the State of Delaware, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.

By creating an account or using the service, you consent to receive communications from ManovaAI LLC electronically, including via email, push notifications, or in-app messages. You agree that all agreements, notices, disclosures, and other communications that ManovaAI LLC provides to you electronically satisfy any legal requirement that such communications would satisfy if provided in writing.

You may opt out of promotional or marketing emails at any time using the unsubscribe link in those emails. Transactional communications (such as billing confirmations, security alerts, and account notices) are not subject to opt-out and will continue as long as your account is active.

ManovaAI LLC may collect, aggregate, and de-identify data relating to your use of the service (“Aggregated Data”), including listening patterns, content preferences, usage frequency, and engagement metrics. As between you and ManovaAI LLC, all right, title, and interest in Aggregated Data belong to and are retained solely by ManovaAI LLC. ManovaAI LLC may use Aggregated Data for any lawful business purpose, including to improve the service, develop new features, conduct research, and share anonymized insights, provided that such data does not identify you personally. ManovaAI LLC will maintain Aggregated Data in de-identified form and will not attempt to re-identify it.

The service is subject to U.S. export control and sanctions laws. You agree not to use, access, or otherwise export or re-export the service in violation of U.S. export laws and regulations. You represent and warrant that: (a) you are not located in, or a resident or national of, any U.S. embargoed country; and (b) you are not identified on any U.S. government restricted party list.

You may not assign or transfer these Terms, or any rights or obligations hereunder, without the prior written consent of ManovaAI LLC. ManovaAI LLC may freely assign or transfer these Terms, in whole or in part, without restriction and without notice or your consent, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, corporate reorganization, or sale of all or substantially all of its assets. These Terms shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

The following provisions shall survive any expiration or termination of these Terms: Content & Intellectual Property, User-Generated Content, Safety & Listening Warnings, Assumption of Risk, No Reliance, Disclaimer of Warranties, Content & Fiction Disclaimer, Limitation of Liability, Indemnification, Arbitration & Dispute Resolution, Copyright Complaints, Governing Law, Aggregated Data, Export Compliance, Assignment, and any other provisions that by their nature should survive termination.

The failure of ManovaAI LLC to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. Any waiver of any provision of these Terms will be effective only if in writing and signed by ManovaAI LLC.

These Terms do not confer any rights or remedies upon any person or entity other than you and ManovaAI LLC, except as may be required by app store agreements with Apple or Google.

You are responsible for all applicable taxes, duties, and government levies associated with your purchases through the service, except where ManovaAI LLC is required by law to collect and remit such taxes.

The section headings in these Terms are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of these Terms, and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of any provision.

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the parties agree that the court should endeavor to give effect to the parties’ intentions as reflected in the provision, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any other policies referenced herein, constitute the entire agreement between you and ManovaAI LLC regarding the Service and supersede all prior agreements, discussions, and understandings.

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated at least thirty (30) days in advance via email or in-app notice. Your continued use of the service after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

For questions about these Terms, contact us at support@held.fm.