Last Updated: April 13, 2026
Welcome to ALERA, a direct-to-fan music platform operated by Alera Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("ALERA," "we," "our," or "us"). These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of ALERA's website(s), applications, APIs, and related services, tools, and content (collectively, the "Platform" or "Services").
By accessing or using the Platform, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, you may not use the Services.
ALERA is a marketplace that connects independent music artists ("Artists") with their fans ("Fans"). Artists use the Platform to sell music, merchandise, and exclusive content directly to Fans. ALERA is not the seller of any content or merchandise — each Artist is the seller of their own products. ALERA provides the technology, tools, and infrastructure that make these direct-to-fan transactions possible.
You must be at least 18 years old (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction) to register as an Artist on the Platform. Fans must be at least 16 years old to create an account or make a purchase. If you are under 18, you may use the Platform only with the consent and supervision of your parent or legal guardian.
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities that occur under your account. You agree to promptly notify ALERA of any unauthorized use of your account at contact@alera.fm.
You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and to update your information to keep it accurate and complete.
ALERA provides the platform through which Artists sell Content and Merchandise directly to Fans. ALERA is not the seller, manufacturer, or shipper of any Content or Merchandise. Each Artist is solely responsible for the Content they upload, the Merchandise they offer, the prices they set, the accuracy of their product descriptions, fulfillment of physical orders, and their compliance with applicable laws.
Artists retain full ownership of all Content they upload to the Platform. By uploading Content, you grant ALERA a limited, non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use your Content solely for the purpose of operating and providing the Services. This license includes the right to:
ALERA will not use your Content to train generative artificial intelligence models.
This license terminates when you remove Content from the Platform or close your account, except: (a) copies of Digital Content already purchased and downloaded by Fans remain the property of those Fans; and (b) ALERA may retain archival copies for a reasonable period for legal compliance and dispute resolution purposes.
By uploading Content, you represent and warrant that:
Artists who sell Merchandise through the Platform are solely responsible for: product quality and safety, accurate product descriptions and images, fulfillment and shipping, handling returns and refunds for defective or non-conforming physical goods, and compliance with all applicable consumer protection, product safety, and tax laws. ALERA does not handle, ship, inspect, or warehouse any Merchandise.
Artists set their own prices for Content, Merchandise, and Fan Subscription tiers. ALERA does not control or approve pricing. Artists are responsible for ensuring their pricing complies with applicable laws, including tax collection and remittance obligations in their jurisdiction and the jurisdictions of their Fans.
If you are an Artist based in the European Union or the United Kingdom, you may be required under applicable consumer protection and e-commerce regulations to provide certain identifying information to your Fans, including your legal name or business name, geographic address, and contact details. You are responsible for complying with these requirements.
When you purchase Digital Content, Merchandise, or a Fan Subscription, you are purchasing directly from the Artist — not from ALERA. ALERA facilitates the transaction, processes the payment, and provides the delivery infrastructure for Digital Content. All purchases are subject to these Terms and any additional terms set by the Artist on their Release Page.
Upon completing a purchase of Digital Content, you are granted a personal, non-commercial, non-transferable license to download and listen to the purchased content. You may not redistribute, resell, publicly perform, or sublicense purchased Digital Content unless the Artist has expressly granted you those rights.
Fan Subscriptions are recurring monthly payments to an Artist. By subscribing, you authorize ALERA to charge your payment method on a recurring basis at the subscription price set by the Artist, plus any applicable taxes. Subscription terms, including access to exclusive content, are defined by each Artist and may change. You may cancel your Fan Subscription at any time through your account settings. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period — you retain access to subscription benefits until that date.
Tips are voluntary, non-refundable payments made by Fans to Artists. Tips are subject to the applicable Platform Fee for the Artist's subscription tier. Tips are not tax-deductible donations.
If you are a Fan located in the European Union or the United Kingdom, you have a 14-day right of withdrawal for distance purchases under the Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU) and the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 (UK).
For Digital Content downloads: By clicking "Buy" or equivalent and consenting to immediate delivery of Digital Content, you expressly consent to the performance of the contract beginning immediately and acknowledge that you lose your right of withdrawal once the download begins. This consent is obtained through a clear, affirmative action at checkout.
For Fan Subscriptions: You may exercise your right of withdrawal within 14 days of the start of a new subscription. If you do, you will be charged proportionately for the period of service you received.
Digital Content. Due to the nature of digital downloads, all sales of Digital Content are final and non-refundable once the download has been delivered, except where: (a) the file is materially defective or corrupt and cannot be re-downloaded; (b) the content delivered does not match the product description; or (c) applicable law requires a refund (including under the Australian Consumer Law or EU consumer protection regulations).
Merchandise. Refunds and returns for physical Merchandise are the responsibility of the Artist. ALERA encourages Artists to clearly communicate their return policies on their Release Pages. If Merchandise is defective, not as described, or fails to arrive, Fans should contact the Artist directly. If the Artist is unresponsive, Fans may contact ALERA at contact@alera.fm and we will assist in facilitating a resolution.
Fan Subscriptions. You may cancel at any time. No refunds are issued for partial billing periods. If you believe you were charged in error, contact contact@alera.fm.
Tips. Tips are non-refundable.
Australian Consumer Law Notice. Our goods and services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure and compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage. You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure. Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes these guarantees.
ALERA offers three subscription tiers for Artists:
The Free tier is not a trial — it does not expire and does not require a payment method.
The Platform Fee is a percentage of each fan-to-artist transaction (purchases, subscriptions, and tips) and varies by the Artist's subscription tier as described above. Platform Fees are deducted from the transaction amount before the Artist's earnings are credited. Platform Fees are separate from and in addition to payment processing fees charged by our payment processor (Stripe).
Automatic Renewal. Paid Artist subscriptions (Plus and Pro) automatically renew at the end of each billing period (monthly or annual) at the then-current price unless cancelled before the renewal date. By subscribing to a paid plan, you expressly consent to automatic renewal and authorize ALERA to charge your payment method on a recurring basis.
Cancellation. You may cancel your paid subscription at any time through your account settings. Cancellation is effective at the end of your current billing period — you retain full access to paid features until that date. ALERA provides online cancellation — you are never required to call or email to cancel.
Annual Subscription Renewal Notice. For annual subscriptions, ALERA will send a renewal reminder at least 15 days before your renewal date.
Price Changes. ALERA will notify you of any price changes at least 30 days before they take effect. Continued use of the paid Service after a price change constitutes acceptance of the new price. If you do not agree to a price change, you may cancel before the new price takes effect.
Acknowledgment. Upon subscribing to a paid plan, you will receive an acknowledgment email confirming the subscription terms, renewal schedule, price, and instructions for cancellation.
All payments are processed through Stripe. By providing a payment method, you authorize us (and Stripe) to charge applicable fees and taxes. You agree to pay all charges incurred under your account.
Payment processing services for Artists on ALERA are provided by Stripe and are subject to the Stripe Connected Account Agreement, which includes the Stripe Terms of Service (collectively, the "Stripe Services Agreement"). By agreeing to these Terms, you agree to be bound by the Stripe Services Agreement, as modified by Stripe from time to time. As a condition of ALERA enabling payment processing services through Stripe, you agree to provide ALERA with accurate and complete information about you, and you authorize ALERA to share this information and transaction data with Stripe.
Artist earnings (after Platform Fees and payment processing fees) are credited to the Artist's ALERA wallet. Artists may withdraw their earnings subject to a minimum payout threshold and any applicable payment provider fees (e.g., bank transfer fees). Payout processing times vary by payment method.
If a Fan initiates a chargeback or payment dispute on a transaction, the disputed amount (plus any fees imposed by payment networks) will be debited from the Artist's balance. Artists are responsible for providing evidence to help resolve disputes. ALERA reserves the right to hold funds or impose a reserve on an Artist's account if chargeback rates become excessive.
ALERA provides email campaign tools that allow Artists to send newsletters and marketing emails to their Fans. Artists using these tools must comply with all applicable email marketing laws, including the CAN-SPAM Act (US), the Spam Act 2003 (Australia), the GDPR and ePrivacy Directive (EU), and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (UK).
When sending emails through the Platform, Artists agree to: only send marketing emails to Fans who have provided consent to receive them; include accurate sender identification in every email; not use deceptive subject lines; and comply with all unsubscribe requests.
ALERA automatically includes an unsubscribe link in every marketing email sent through the Platform. Unsubscribe requests are processed automatically and immediately. Fans may also opt out of all marketing emails from all Artists through a global unsubscribe option.
Transactional emails (purchase confirmations, download links, subscription receipts, account notifications) are sent by ALERA on behalf of the Artist and do not require marketing consent. ALERA will not include promotional content in transactional emails.
When Fans interact with an Artist's Release Page — by making a purchase, subscribing, providing their email address, or tipping — certain data is collected and made available to the Artist through the Platform's Fan CRM tools. This data may include the Fan's name, email address, purchase history, subscription status, and engagement metrics.
ALERA uses an automated scoring system to help Artists understand their fan base. Fans are scored across three dimensions — Value (purchase behavior), Engagement (interaction frequency), and Recency (how recently the fan interacted) — to produce fan grades (e.g., superfan, active, lapsed) and action signals. This scoring is performed by automated processing and is designed to help Artists make informed decisions about fan engagement and marketing. It does not produce legal effects or decisions that significantly affect Fans' rights. Fans have the right to object to this profiling — see our Privacy Policy for details.
Artists who access Fan data through the CRM are responsible for handling that data in compliance with all applicable privacy and data protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and the Australian Privacy Act. Artists may not sell, share, or otherwise transfer Fan data obtained through the Platform to any third party without the Fan's explicit consent. Artists may not use Fan data for purposes unrelated to their artist-fan relationship.
"Artificially Generated Content" or "AI Content" refers to music, lyrics, or artwork where a significant portion of the creative material was generated using artificial intelligence tools or processes, with minimal human creative input or authorship.
You must accurately disclose the use of AI in the creation of each item of Content submitted through the Platform. Failure to provide accurate disclosure constitutes a material breach of these Terms.
If you submit AI Content, you additionally represent and warrant that: your use of any AI tool complies with that tool's terms of service; the AI Content does not infringe any third-party rights; and you possess all necessary rights and permissions to sell the AI Content.
You remain solely responsible for any claims, disputes, or losses arising from AI Content you submit through the Platform.
You agree not to:
ALERA uses automated content scanning technology (including AI-powered tools) to detect potential copyright infringement, fraud, and violations of these Terms. Content may be flagged, restricted, or removed based on the results of these scans. We acknowledge that automated systems may produce false positives. If your Content is flagged or removed and you believe this was in error, you may appeal by contacting contact@alera.fm. Appeals will be reviewed by a human within a reasonable timeframe.
All Platform software, designs, trademarks, logos, and branding are owned by ALERA or its licensors. You may not use our marks or proprietary content without written permission.
By submitting ideas or feedback about the Platform, you grant us an unrestricted, royalty-free license to use and incorporate your suggestions without compensation.
ALERA respects the intellectual property rights of others. We comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. § 512) and respond to valid notices of alleged infringement.
If you believe Content on the Platform infringes your copyright, you may submit a takedown notice to our designated agent. Your notice must comply with 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3) and include:
Designated Agent:
Alera Technologies, Inc.
Email: contact@alera.fm
If you believe your Content was removed or disabled by mistake or misidentification, you may submit a counter-notification under 17 U.S.C. § 512(g). Please be aware that under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), you may be liable for damages if you knowingly make material misrepresentations in a takedown notice or counter-notification.
ALERA maintains and enforces a policy of terminating, in appropriate circumstances, the accounts of users who are repeat infringers of copyright.
Our Privacy Policy governs how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information. By using the Services, you consent to our data practices as described in the Privacy Policy. Our Cookie Policy explains how we use cookies and similar technologies.
We may suspend or terminate your account or access to the Platform at any time for any reason, including but not limited to: breach of these Terms, fraudulent activity, excessive chargeback rates, failure to comply with content policies, or at our sole discretion.
You may cancel your account at any time. If you are on a paid Artist subscription, your cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period. Upon account cancellation:
Upon termination or cancellation, your right to use the Platform ceases. Provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination will survive, including but not limited to: intellectual property provisions, disclaimers, limitations of liability, and indemnification.
THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. WE DO NOT GUARANTEE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE ACCESS OR THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED.
ALERA DOES NOT WARRANT, ENDORSE, GUARANTEE, OR ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY CONTENT, MERCHANDISE, OR SERVICES OFFERED BY ARTISTS THROUGH THE PLATFORM.
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ALERA SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOST PROFITS, LOST DATA, OR LOSS OF GOODWILL, ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF THE PLATFORM. OUR TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING UNDER OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS IS LIMITED TO THE GREATER OF $100 USD OR THE TOTAL FEES PAID BY YOU TO ALERA IN THE 12 MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM.
Nothing in these Terms excludes, restricts, or modifies any consumer guarantee, right, or remedy conferred by the Australian Consumer Law (Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010) or any other applicable mandatory consumer protection law that cannot be excluded, restricted, or modified by agreement. If you are a consumer within the meaning of the Australian Consumer Law, the limitations in this section are subject to those mandatory protections.
For consumers in the European Union or the United Kingdom, nothing in these Terms limits or excludes liability for: death or personal injury caused by negligence; fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or any liability that cannot be limited or excluded under applicable mandatory law.
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless ALERA, its affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, losses, damages, liabilities, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from:
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, U.S.A., without regard to conflict of law principles.
Any dispute arising from or relating to these Terms or the Services shall be resolved by binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. The arbitration shall take place in Wilmington, Delaware, or at a location mutually agreed upon. Judgment on the award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction.
You may opt out of the arbitration provision by sending written notice to contact@alera.fm within 30 days of accepting these Terms. Your notice must include your name, account details, and a clear statement that you wish to opt out of arbitration.
If you are a consumer residing in a jurisdiction where mandatory consumer protection laws grant you the right to bring claims in your local courts (such as the EU, UK, or Australia), those rights are not affected by this Section 17.
TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, YOU AND ALERA 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 OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING.
These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and ALERA regarding the Services and supersede all prior agreements.
If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable or invalid, that provision will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will remain in full effect.
No waiver of any provision of these Terms shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of that or any other provision.
ALERA may assign these Terms without restriction. You may not assign your rights or obligations under these Terms without ALERA's prior written consent.
ALERA shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance due to causes beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, acts of government, internet or infrastructure failures, pandemics, or third-party service outages.
We may revise these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated via email to registered users and/or through a prominent notice on the Platform at least 30 days before they take effect. Continued use of the Platform after the effective date of any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree to the changes, you must stop using the Services and cancel your account.
If you have questions about these Terms, please contact us at:
Alera Technologies, Inc.
Email: contact@alera.fm
| Date | Summary of Changes |
|---|---|
| April 13, 2026 | Complete rewrite to reflect direct-to-fan platform model. Removed all references to music distribution and Digital Service Providers (DSPs). Added Fan-specific terms, email marketing terms, fan data and profiling terms, EU/UK right of withdrawal provisions, Australian Consumer Law notice, Stripe integration terms, and arbitration provisions. |
| February 13, 2026 | Previous version (music distribution model). |