BARKODE

Terms of Service

Last updated 2026-08-21.

Barkode is an informational tool to help you read pet-food labels. It is not veterinary advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation for any specific product. If your animal has a medical condition, talk to your veterinarian.

1. The agreement

These Terms govern your use of the Barkode mobile app and the website at barkode.io ("the Service"), operated by InsyncTech LLC ("we", "us"). By using the Service you agree to these Terms.

2. What Barkode does

You scan a pet-food barcode, or photograph an ingredients panel when a product isn't in the database. We look up or read the ingredients, run them against a curated flag list of additives with published concerns (synthetic preservatives, vague proteins, sugars and humectants, artificial colors, controversial additives, cheap fillers), judged by rules for your pet's species — dogs, cats, fish, reptiles, horses, pigs, birds, and other companion animals — and return a plain-words verdict with the reasons. The deterministic flag list decides the verdict; AI is used only to read photographed labels and to write the one-sentence summary, and never changes the call. References for each flag are listed in the app's About screen.

3. Free tier and rate limits

Barkode's free tier allows one scan per 30 days per device. The limit is enforced server-side using a hashed device fingerprint. Attempting to bypass it at scale is a violation of these Terms.

4. Barkode Pro, billing, and refunds

Barkode Pro removes the free-tier limit. It is offered as a monthly subscription or an annual subscription, billed by Apple through your App Store account. Prices are shown in the app before you buy and may change with notice through the App Store. Subscriptions renew automatically until cancelled; manage or cancel any time in your device's subscription settings. Because Apple processes the transaction, refunds are handled by Apple through its standard refund process — see our Support page for how. We never see or store your payment details.

5. Informational only — not veterinary advice

Barkode's verdicts are informational. They are not a substitute for professional veterinary or nutritional advice. We do not diagnose conditions, treat conditions, or recommend specific products or brands. The presence (or absence) of a flag does not constitute a safety guarantee or a warning of imminent harm. Always consult your veterinarian for medical decisions about your animal.

6. Accuracy

Ingredient data comes from Open Pet Food Facts, a community-maintained open database, and — for products we read from a photograph — from automated reading of the label you submit. We cannot guarantee either source is current, complete, or accurate for any specific product or production lot. Manufacturers change formulations without notice; barcodes may be reused; community contributors and automated reading can both make mistakes. The recall-notices screen reflects only notices known to our data sources at the time of checking; an empty screen is not a guarantee that no recall exists. Always read the actual product label.

7. Acceptable use

You agree not to:

Reverse-engineer or attempt to bypass the rate limit at scale.
Use the API to harvest the flag list, the ingredient database, or community statistics for republication.
Use the Service to make safety, medical, or legal claims about any product or manufacturer.
Use the Service in any way that violates applicable law.

8. Intellectual property

The Barkode app, server code, flag list curation, and brand are © InsyncTech LLC. Open Pet Food Facts data is used under the Open Database License (ODbL). AAFCO and FDA content is paraphrased, not republished.

9. No warranty

The Service is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or fit for any particular purpose.

10. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, InsyncTech LLC's total liability for any claim arising out of or relating to the Service is limited to one hundred US dollars (USD $100). We are not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to lost profits, lost data, or pet health outcomes.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless InsyncTech LLC from any claim arising out of your misuse of the Service or violation of these Terms.

12. Changes

We may update these Terms. Material changes will be reflected in the "Last updated" date at the top. Continued use after a change constitutes acceptance.

13. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, USA, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles. Any dispute will be brought in the state or federal courts located in Florida.

14. Contact

Questions: support@barkode.io.