Terms & Conditions

1. What Buddy Check is

Buddy Check helps certified divers find compatible dive buddies, post dives, and talk to each other. We are an introduction platform — we do not organise, supervise, or lead dives.

2. Age requirement

Buddy Check is restricted to adults: you must be at least 18 years old to create an account and use the platform, and you confirm this at signup. If an account is reported or found to belong to someone under 18, we suspend or delete it immediately, without notice.

You also agree to our Community Guidelines, which cover honesty, safety, respect and blocking or reporting other divers.

3. Certification & safety disclaimer

Buddy Check facilitates introductions between divers. We do not vet, supervise, guarantee, or take responsibility for the safety, certification accuracy, experience, fitness, gear, or conduct of any user.

Certification info is self-reported. Any agency, level, or certification number shown on a profile was entered by that diver. Buddy Check does not request, store, or review certification cards or ID documents, and does not independently verify these details. A “Self-Reported” badge means only that a diver typed in cert information — never that Buddy Check confirmed it. Entries may be spot-checked, and accounts found to misrepresent credentials may be removed.

You verify your buddy. Before diving with anyone you meet through Buddy Check, you are solely responsible for asking to see their certification card, discussing their real experience and recent dives, agreeing on a dive plan within both divers’ training and limits, and confirming gear and emergency procedures. Meeting on land first — a coffee or a video call — is strongly recommended.

Diving carries inherent risk. Scuba diving and freediving can result in serious injury or death, including in circumstances outside anyone’s control. You dive at your own risk and accept full responsibility for your decisions in and around the water, including whether to dive at all. Buddy Check is not a dive operator, training agency, instructor, or supervisor, and nothing in the app constitutes dive training, medical, or safety advice. Carry your own dive insurance and follow the standards of your training agency.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Buddy Check and its operators are not liable for any injury, loss, damage, or dispute arising from dives, trips, meetings, or arrangements made between users introduced through the platform.

4. The guide directory

Buddy Check's guide directory is an informational listing only — not a booking or employment platform. Buddy Check is not responsible for the services, payment arrangements, or safety outcomes between users and listed guides. Guides listed here are independent professionals, not Buddy Check staff or agents. Rates shown are guidance published by the guide; all bookings and payments happen directly between you and the guide, off-platform. We take no commission and offer no guarantee, refund, or dispute resolution for those arrangements. Verify a guide's certification and insurance yourself before diving with them.

5. Subscriptions & payments

Profiles, browsing, dive posts, and the guide and dive shop directory are free. The Buddy plan ($1.99/month) unlocks direct messaging with peers, full compatibility detail, compatibility filters, and the members forum. Payments are processed by Stripe; Buddy Check does not store your card details. You can pause or cancel a monthly subscription at any time; cancellation takes effect at the end of the paid period. Previously purchased lifetime access does not expire.

Refunds: Because Buddy Check is a low-cost subscription and access takes effect immediately, refunds are considered on a case-by-case basis. To request a refund, contact us via the in-app feedback option or the address listed on your receipt, and we'll review your request.

6. Community conduct

Be decent. Prohibited behaviour includes harassment of any kind, fake profiles or impersonating another person, and misuse of the forum or messaging (spam, abuse, or solicitation). You may not misrepresent your credentials or diving experience. Buddy Check reserves the right to suspend, restrict, or remove accounts and content that violate these rules, with or without notice.

7. Content ownership & licence

You retain ownership of the content you post — photos, bios, dive posts, and forum contributions. By posting it, you grant Buddy Check a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to display that content within the app for the purpose of operating the service. You confirm you have the rights to any content you upload.

8. Account termination & deletion

You can delete your account and associated data at any time from your account settings. Deleting your account removes your profile, dives, and messages, and cancels any active subscription. Buddy Check may also suspend or terminate accounts that breach these Terms, are inactive for an extended period, or where required for legal or safety reasons.

9. Dating mode

"Open to dating" is optional and off by default. It never changes safety expectations: buddy compatibility and diving within your training come first.

10. Changes to these terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be reflected in the "Last updated" date above. Continued use of Buddy Check after a change means you accept the updated Terms.