Terms of service

1. Who these terms apply to

These terms govern the use of RateGate (the “Service”) by businesses (“you”, the “Client”). The Service is intended for professionals acting for their business, not for consumers. By creating an account or using the Service, you accept these terms.

2. The Service

RateGate provides you with a QR code, a printable counter card, a customer rating page and an online dashboard. Customers who scan your QR code can rate their visit. Customers who give a high rating are invited to leave a public review on your Google Business Profile. Customers who give a lower rating are invited to send you a private message, and can still choose to post a public review.

RateGate is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Google. Google's services, review policies and review display are entirely controlled by Google.

3. Account and access code

Your account is created either by us on your behalf, or by you using a single-use access code that we send you after your licence payment. One access code corresponds to one business location. You must provide accurate information, keep your password confidential, and tell us promptly if you think your account has been accessed by someone else. You are responsible for everything done with your account.

4. Prices and payment

One-time licence fee. You pay a single licence fee, agreed with us before your account is created. It gives you the right to use the Service for your business for as long as the Service is operated and your monthly maintenance is paid. It is personal to your business and cannot be transferred or resold.

Monthly maintenance fee. The Service also has a monthly maintenance fee, agreed with us at purchase. It covers hosting, security, updates and support. The fee for each month must be received before the 10th of that month. Payment methods are agreed with us (for example bank transfer or cash against a receipt).

Price changes. We may change the monthly maintenance fee for future months by informing you at least 30 days in advance. If you do not agree, you can stop the Service before the change takes effect.

5. Late or missing payment

If your monthly maintenance fee has not been received by the 10th of the month:

• we may suspend your account immediately: you will not be able to log in, and your rating page will show that ratings are temporarily unavailable;
• we may then permanently delete your account and all its data (ratings, private messages, settings). Your printed QR code will stop working.

Deletion cannot be undone. The licence fee and any maintenance already paid are not refunded. If you wish to use the Service again after deletion, a new licence fee will apply. We recommend exporting your data (dashboard → Export) regularly.

6. Your responsibilities

• Respect Google's rules and applicable law on reviews: never offer rewards, discounts or gifts in exchange for reviews, never write or buy fake reviews, and never pressure customers.
• Keep the option allowing unhappy customers to post a public review switched on. It is on by default.
• Provide a correct Google review link and keep your business information up to date.
• Use customers' contact details only to answer them about their visit, never for advertising.
• Do not misuse the Service, attempt to access other accounts, overload the system or copy the software.

We may suspend an account that breaks these rules.

7. Your customers' data

For the feedback your customers leave, you are the data controller and RateGate processes this data on your behalf, only to provide the Service. We keep it confidential, protect it with appropriate security measures, use only hosting providers that offer equivalent guarantees, and delete it when your account is deleted. More details are in our privacy policy.

8. Availability

We take care to keep the Service available and secure, but we cannot guarantee that it will be uninterrupted or error-free. Maintenance may occasionally cause short interruptions. We are not responsible for changes, outages or decisions by third parties, in particular Google, internet providers or your customers' phones.

9. Liability

The Service helps you collect feedback; it does not guarantee any number of reviews or any rating. To the extent permitted by law, our total liability is limited to the maintenance fees you paid in the three months before the event, and we are not liable for indirect losses such as lost revenue, lost customers or damage to reputation. Nothing in these terms limits liability that cannot be limited by law.

10. Intellectual property

The software, design and content of the Service belong to RateGate. You keep all rights to your business name, logo and content. You grant us the right to display them in the Service for you.

11. Stopping the Service

You can stop at any time by telling us through the contact form, or simply by no longer paying the monthly maintenance fee. Your account will then be deleted as described in section 5. Fees already paid are not refunded. We may end the Service for all clients with at least 60 days' notice.

12. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms. If a change is significant, we will tell you in advance. Continuing to use the Service after the change means you accept it.

13. Applicable law

These terms are governed by French law. We will always try to resolve any disagreement amicably first. Failing that, the competent courts of Paris, France, will have jurisdiction.

14. Contact

Questions about these terms: please use our contact form.