Last updated: 2026-05-20

1. Acceptance of Terms

By installing or using InkMarshal ("the Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, do not install or use the Service.

2. Description of Service

InkMarshal is a local-first desktop application that helps you outline, draft, and edit long-form fiction with AI assistance. All creative content is stored on your local device. The Service ships with on-device language model engines and also supports connecting to third-party AI providers using your own API keys.

3. No Account, No Cloud Sync

The Service does not require an account, does not sign you in, and does not synchronise your data between devices. There is no guest mode and no logged-in mode — there is only the local installation on your device.

4. Third-Party AI Providers (Bring Your Own Key)

The Service operates on a "Bring Your Own Key" (BYOK) model for third-party AI providers. When you choose to use a third-party provider, you are responsible for:

• Obtaining and managing your own API keys from the provider.
• Complying with the terms of service of any third-party AI provider you use.
• Any costs incurred by your use of the third-party provider's API.
• Keeping your API keys secure. Keys are stored on your device in the system keychain (or in an encrypted file fallback) and never leave the device except in the form of authenticated requests you send to the provider.

5. Intellectual Property and Content Ownership

5.1 Your Content

You retain all rights to the original content you create using the Service, including your story ideas, character concepts, outlines, drafts, and revisions. Content lives on your device; we have no claim over it.

5.2 AI-Generated Content

Content generated by an AI model (whether the bundled on-device engine or a third-party provider) is subject to the terms and policies of the relevant model and provider. We make no claims of ownership over AI-generated content. You are responsible for understanding the intellectual property implications of the model or provider you choose.

5.3 Our Software

The InkMarshal application itself — including its design, source code, logos, and branding — is our intellectual property and is licensed to you, not sold. You may not copy, redistribute, or reproduce the Service except as expressly permitted by applicable open-source licences for its components.

6. Acceptable Use

You agree not to use the Service to:

• Generate content that violates any applicable laws or regulations.
• Create content that infringes on the intellectual property rights of others.
• Tamper with the Service's security mechanisms, including its sandboxing of model engines.
• Reverse-engineer the Service except to the extent permitted by applicable law.

7. Disclaimers

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. We do not guarantee that:

• The Service will be uninterrupted or error-free on every device or operating system.
• AI-generated content will be accurate, original, or suitable for any purpose, including publication.
• Your locally stored data will be preserved against device failure, accidental deletion, or third-party software corruption.

You are solely responsible for backing up your own data.

8. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, InkMarshal shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of creative content, loss of data, hardware damage, or costs incurred through your use of any third-party AI provider's API.

9. Data and Export

You may export your creative content at any time using the in-app export features. We strongly encourage regular backups of your application data directory. Because all data is stored on your device, we cannot recover content lost to disk failure, accidental deletion, or other local incidents.

10. Termination

You may stop using the Service at any time by uninstalling the application and, if you wish, deleting its application data directory. There is no account to close because no account ever existed.

We may discontinue the Service or change its features in future releases. Released versions remain usable on your device unless removed by you.

11. Open-Source Components

The Service bundles open-source components (including but not limited to llama.cpp, MLX, and the runtime model engines) under their respective licences. Licence notices and attributions are provided with the distributed application and source materials where required by those licences.

12. Changes to These Terms

We may modify these Terms of Service in future releases. The current version is shipped with each release of the Service and the revision date appears at the top of this page. Continued use of the Service after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

13. Contact

For questions regarding these Terms of Service, please contact us at support@inkmarshal.com.