Terms of Service

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Stokly platform ("the Service"), operated by Stokly ("we", "us", "our"). By creating an account or using the Service, you ("the Customer", "you") agree to be bound by these Terms.

1. The Service

Stokly provides a cloud-based, multi-tenant Software-as-a-Service platform for business management, including invoicing, quoting, stock control, bookkeeping, VAT, payroll, HR, leave management, and cryptocurrency bookkeeping, designed for the South African market.

The specific features available to you depend on the subscription plan you have selected.

2. Account Registration

• You must provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration.
• You must be at least 18 years old and legally capable of entering into a binding contract.
• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials.
• You are responsible for all activities that occur under your account and any user accounts you create within your tenant.
• You must notify us immediately of any unauthorised use of your account.

3. Subscription Plans and Fees

Stokly offers several subscription plans (including Free, Starter, Professional, Enterprise, BookkeepingOnly, and PayrollOnly). Current pricing is displayed on the Subscription page within the application.

• All prices are in South African Rand (ZAR) and are inclusive of VAT where applicable.
• Subscriptions are billed on a recurring monthly basis, unless otherwise stated.
• Fees are payable in advance and are non-refundable, except as required by South African consumer law.
• We may change subscription fees on 30 days' written notice. Continued use of the Service after the effective date constitutes your acceptance of the new fees.
• If payment is not received, we may suspend or terminate your access to paid features.

4. Your Data and Content

You retain ownership of all data and content you upload to, or create within, the Service ("Customer Data"). You grant us a limited licence to host, store, process, and display your Customer Data solely for the purpose of providing the Service to you.

You are solely responsible for the accuracy, legality, and appropriateness of your Customer Data, and for obtaining the necessary consents from any third parties (e.g. your customers, employees) whose personal information you upload to the Service.

5. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

• Use the Service for any unlawful, fraudulent, or harmful purpose.
• Upload viruses, malware, or any content that may damage the Service or other users.
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to other tenants, accounts, or our infrastructure.
• Reverse-engineer, decompile, or copy any part of the Service, except as permitted by law.
• Resell, sublicense, or redistribute the Service without our prior written consent.
• Use the Service to send unsolicited marketing communications (spam).
• Abuse the REST API, including exceeding documented rate limits or misrepresenting your identity.

6. Payroll, Tax, and Financial Compliance

Stokly provides tools to help you comply with South African tax and payroll legislation (including SARS PAYE, UIF, SDL, VAT, IRP5, EMP201, and BCEA leave accrual). However:

• You remain solely responsible for verifying the accuracy of your financial records, tax returns, and payroll calculations.
• Stokly does not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice. You should consult a qualified professional where necessary.
• Tax tables and rates built into the Service are based on information published by SARS at the time of release and may need to be updated following legislative changes.

7. Third-Party Integrations

The Service may offer integrations with third-party services (e.g. email delivery, payment gateways, external applications using our REST API). Your use of those third-party services is governed by the terms of those providers, and we are not responsible for their acts or omissions.

8. Availability and Support

We aim to provide a reliable service but do not guarantee uninterrupted availability. We may perform scheduled maintenance which may temporarily affect access to the Service. Support is provided via email at info@stokly.net.za during standard South African business hours.

9. Intellectual Property

All intellectual property rights in the Service, including software, designs, trademarks, and documentation, remain the exclusive property of Stokly. Nothing in these Terms transfers any such rights to you.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by South African law:

• The Service is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis, without warranties of any kind.
• We will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of profits, revenue, data, or business opportunities.
• Our total aggregate liability arising from or relating to the Service shall not exceed the amount of subscription fees paid by you to us in the 12 months preceding the event giving rise to the claim.
• Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability where such exclusion is prohibited by the Consumer Protection Act, 2008 or other applicable South African law.

11. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold Stokly harmless against any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your use of the Service in breach of these Terms, or from your Customer Data infringing the rights of a third party.

12. Suspension and Termination

• You may cancel your subscription at any time from the Subscription page within the application. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period.
• We may suspend or terminate your account if you breach these Terms, fail to pay fees, or engage in conduct that we reasonably believe may harm Stokly or other users.
• On termination, your right to access the Service ends immediately. You may request an export of your data within 30 days of termination, after which we may delete it subject to statutory retention requirements.

13. Changes to the Service and Terms

We may modify the Service, add or remove features, or update these Terms from time to time. Material changes to these Terms will be communicated via email or an in-app notice. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms.

14. Privacy

Our Privacy Policy forms part of these Terms and explains how we collect and use personal information.

15. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any dispute arising from these Terms or the Service shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the South African courts.

16. General

• If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.
• Our failure to enforce any right or provision will not be considered a waiver of those rights.
• You may not assign or transfer your rights under these Terms without our prior written consent.

17. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us: