These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and WishEDA Inc. ("Company," "we," "our," or "us"), the company behind Trace.
Acceptance of Terms
By accessing or using Trace, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and all applicable laws and regulations. If you do not agree with any of these terms, you are prohibited from using the Service. These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you (or the entity you represent) and WishEDA Inc. If you are using Trace on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have the authority to bind that organization to these Terms.
Eligibility
You must be at least 16 years old to use Trace. If you are between 16 and 18, you may only use Trace with the consent of a parent or legal guardian who agrees to be bound by these Terms. By using Trace, you represent and warrant that you meet these eligibility requirements.
The Service
Trace is an AI-native PCB design tool built on KiCad. We provide the software as a desktop application (macOS, Windows, Linux), a web-based dashboard, AI design assistance, cloud-based autorouting, manufacturing ordering, collaboration features, and related services (collectively, the "Service"). The Service includes AI-powered chat accessible from both the desktop application and the web dashboard, subject to usage limits and rate limits that vary by plan. We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Service at any time, with or without notice. We will make reasonable efforts to notify you of significant changes that materially affect your use of the Service.
Your Account
You need an account to use Trace. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and to keep your account information updated. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. You must notify us immediately at hello@buildwithtrace.com if you suspect unauthorized access. One person per account unless you have a team plan. We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that we reasonably believe are being shared or used in violation of these Terms.
Teams and Shared Workspaces
Team plans allow multiple users to collaborate within a shared workspace. Team owners and administrators may view conversations and projects that members have explicitly shared with the team. Sharing a conversation or project with your team makes it visible to all team members according to their access level (full access or view-only). Team owners can view aggregated and per-member usage data. Per-seat billing applies to team plans; adding or removing members adjusts the subscription quantity accordingly. When a team is deleted, shared conversations revert to their original owners. You are responsible for ensuring that any content you share with your team does not violate these Terms or the rights of any third party.
Intellectual Property
The Service, including all software, algorithms, AI models, user interface designs, trademarks, logos, and documentation, is the exclusive property of WishEDA Inc. and is protected by intellectual property laws. These Terms do not grant you any right, title, or interest in the Service except for the limited right to use it in accordance with these Terms. You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, lease, reverse engineer, decompile, or create derivative works of any part of the Service. "Trace," "WishEDA," and associated logos are trademarks of WishEDA Inc. You may not use them without our prior written consent.
Your Content
You retain full ownership of all designs, schematics, files, and other content you create or upload to Trace ("Your Content"). By using the Service, you grant WishEDA Inc. a limited, non-exclusive, worldwide license to process, store, and display Your Content solely to provide and operate the Service. This license terminates when you delete Your Content or close your account. We do not claim any ownership rights over Your Content. We collect anonymized usage analytics (page views, feature interactions, API performance metrics) to improve Trace. These business analytics are essential for operating the Service and cannot be disabled. We may also collect anonymized design data to train and improve our AI models; you can opt out of AI training data collection at any time from your dashboard settings.
Shared Links and Public Content
You may generate shareable links that allow others to view specific conversations or projects. When you create a shared link, the associated content becomes accessible to anyone with the link (authentication may be required to view). We track view counts, viewer identity (if the viewer is logged in), and basic analytics (IP address, user-agent) for shared links. You are solely responsible for the content you share and for revoking access when appropriate. You may revoke a shared link at any time from your dashboard. We are not responsible for content that was accessed or copied before revocation. Shared content may be indexed by search engines if publicly accessible.
Public Profiles
You may create a public profile accessible at a URL based on your username. Public profile information — including your display name, avatar, headline, bio, location, website, and social media handles — is visible to anyone on the internet and may be indexed by search engines. You are responsible for the accuracy and appropriateness of your public profile content. We reserve the right to remove profiles that violate these Terms or applicable law.
Acceptable Use
You agree not to: (a) use Trace for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable laws or regulations; (b) attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Service, other accounts, or computer systems; (c) reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or attempt to derive the source code of the Service (except as permitted by the GPL for open-source components); (d) use automated means (bots, scrapers, crawlers) to access the Service; (e) transmit viruses, malware, or other harmful code; (f) interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the Service; (g) use the Service to develop a competing product; (h) resell, sublicense, or redistribute access to the Service without our written consent; (i) use the API Playground or any evaluation tools for production workloads or to circumvent rate limits; or (j) misrepresent your eligibility for promotional programs (including education, beta, or promotional pricing).
Payment and Billing
Paid plans are billed in advance on a recurring basis (monthly or annually, depending on the plan you select). Team plans are billed per seat. All fees are quoted in US Dollars and are non-refundable except as expressly stated herein or required by law. Your subscription will automatically renew at the end of each billing cycle unless you cancel before the renewal date. You may cancel at any time from your dashboard settings; cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period, and you will retain access until then. We may change our pricing with at least 30 days' notice; continued use after a price change constitutes acceptance. If payment fails, we may suspend access after a 7-day grace period. Free tier accounts are subject to usage limits, which we may adjust at our discretion. Promotional codes are single-use, non-transferable, may not be combined with other offers, and may be revoked or expired at our discretion. Manufacturing orders (PCB fabrication) are billed separately at the time of order and are subject to the Manufacturing Services section below.
Manufacturing Services
Trace offers PCB manufacturing ordering as part of the Service. When you submit a manufacturing order, your design files (including Gerber files, drill files, and bills of materials) are transferred to our third-party manufacturing partners (currently including PCBWay and Pikkolo, with additional partners such as JLCPCB to be integrated over time) for fabrication and fulfillment. Trace acts as an intermediary and is not itself the manufacturer. We do not guarantee manufacturing quality, delivery timelines, or fitness of manufactured boards for any purpose. Manufacturing orders are subject to the partner's production capabilities, capacity, and acceptance. Shipping, customs duties, import taxes, and delivery risks are your responsibility once the order leaves the manufacturing facility. You acknowledge that manufacturing partners may retain copies of your design files as required for production, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance. Refund and cancellation policies for manufacturing orders are governed by the terms displayed at checkout.
Termination
You may cancel your account at any time. We may suspend or terminate your account if you violate these Terms, engage in fraudulent activity, or if required by law. Upon termination: (a) your right to use the Service ceases immediately; (b) you will have 30 days to export your data, after which we may delete it; (c) any outstanding fees remain due; and (d) provisions that by their nature should survive termination (including Intellectual Property, Limitation of Liability, Indemnification, Governing Law, and Dispute Resolution) will survive.
AI-Generated Content
Trace uses artificial intelligence to assist with PCB design. AI-generated outputs — including but not limited to schematics, component selections, routing suggestions, layout recommendations, design rule checks (DRC), electrical rule checks (ERC), design reviews, and cloud-based autorouting results — are provided as suggestions only and are not guarantees of correctness, safety, manufacturability, or fitness for any particular purpose. When you use cloud autorouting, your design data is transmitted to our cloud infrastructure for processing; the routing results are returned to your local environment. AI-powered design reviews may flag potential issues or suggest improvements, but may also produce false positives or miss actual errors. You are solely responsible for reviewing, verifying, and validating all designs before fabrication, production, or any other use. You acknowledge that AI outputs may contain errors, inaccuracies, or omissions. WishEDA Inc. is not liable for any damages, losses, or injuries arising from reliance on AI-generated outputs, including but not limited to manufacturing defects, component failures, safety hazards, or regulatory non-compliance.
Disclaimer of Warranties
THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING OUT OF COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE. WISHEDA INC. DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, SECURE, OR FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS. WISHEDA INC. MAKES NO WARRANTY REGARDING THE ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, OR COMPLETENESS OF ANY CONTENT, INCLUDING AI-GENERATED OUTPUTS. YOU USE THE SERVICE AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Limitation of Liability
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL WISHEDA INC., ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OR AFFILIATES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, REVENUE, GOODWILL, OR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, WHETHER BASED ON WARRANTY, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT LIABILITY, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. OUR TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR THE SERVICE SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNTS YOU PAID TO US IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, OR (B) ONE HUNDRED US DOLLARS ($100). SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES, SO SOME OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless WishEDA Inc. and its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to: (a) your use of the Service; (b) Your Content; (c) your violation of these Terms; (d) your violation of any applicable law or regulation; (e) any products manufactured based on designs created using the Service; or (f) any claim that Your Content infringes a third party's intellectual property rights.
Export Controls
The Service may be subject to export control laws and regulations, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR). You agree not to use, export, re-export, or transfer the Service or any technical data obtained through it in violation of any applicable export control laws or regulations. You represent that you are not located in, or a national or resident of, any country subject to U.S. trade sanctions, and that you are not on any U.S. government restricted party list.
Restricted Manufacturing Use
You will not, without advance written authorization from WishEDA Inc., use the Service for the development, production, or design of printed circuit boards, electronic assemblies, or related hardware intended for fabrication at any facility that is subject to restrictions under the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (15 C.F.R. § 744.23) or any successor regulation, including but not limited to semiconductor fabrication facilities or electronics manufacturing sites located in jurisdictions subject to U.S. entity list restrictions. You will not use the Service to produce design outputs (including Gerber files, drill files, pick-and-place data, or bills of materials) that you know or have reason to believe will be used in the development or production of items at such restricted facilities. You agree to comply with all applicable sanctions, embargoes, and export control laws of the United States, the European Union, and any locally applicable jurisdiction. Violation of this section constitutes a material breach of these Terms and may result in immediate termination of your account without notice.
Beta Features
We may offer features labeled as "beta," "preview," "experimental," or similar designations. Beta features are provided as-is without any warranty, may contain bugs or errors, and may be modified or discontinued at any time without notice. Your use of beta features is at your sole risk, and any feedback you provide about beta features may be used by us without obligation to you.
Open Source Components
Trace is built upon KiCad, an open-source Electronic Design Automation (EDA) suite licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL). We gratefully acknowledge the KiCad development team and community for their foundational work. Our modified source code is available at github.com/buildwithtrace/trace in compliance with the GPL license. To the extent that any open-source license terms conflict with these Terms, the open-source license terms shall prevail solely with respect to the applicable open-source component.
Education and Special Programs
We may offer special programs including education access (for verified students and universities), beta programs, and promotional pricing. Eligibility for these programs is determined at our sole discretion. Education program access is conditional on valid enrollment at a qualifying institution; we may verify enrollment status and revoke access if eligibility requirements are no longer met. Beta program participation is governed by the Beta User Agreement presented during enrollment. Special program benefits are personal, non-transferable, and may be modified or terminated at any time. Misrepresentation of eligibility constitutes a material breach of these Terms.
Career Applications
Our career application system uses invite-only token-based authentication; a Trace account is not required to apply. By submitting a career application, you consent to the collection and processing of the information you provide (including name, email, school, qualifications, and resume) for recruitment purposes. Application data is retained for up to 2 years after submission unless you request earlier deletion. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic.
Investor and Confidential Materials
Certain areas of the Service or associated communications may contain materials designated as confidential, including but not limited to investor updates, financial data, strategic plans, and internal metrics. If you receive access to such materials (whether through an investor portal, direct communication, or shared link), you agree to treat them as confidential information of WishEDA Inc. You will not reproduce, distribute, forward, or disclose such materials to any third party without our prior written consent. This obligation survives termination of these Terms.
Governing Law
These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, United States, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Any legal action or proceeding not subject to arbitration shall be brought exclusively in the federal or state courts located in Delaware, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.
Dispute Resolution
Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service shall first be attempted to be resolved through good-faith negotiation for a period of 30 days. If unresolved, the dispute shall be settled by binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. The arbitration shall be conducted by a single arbitrator in Delaware. The arbitrator's decision shall be final and binding, and judgment may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. YOU AGREE THAT ANY DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEEDINGS WILL BE CONDUCTED ONLY ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND NOT IN A CLASS, CONSOLIDATED, OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION. If for any reason a claim proceeds in court rather than in arbitration, you waive any right to a jury trial.
Force Majeure
WishEDA Inc. shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance due to causes beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, pandemics, war, terrorism, government actions, power failures, internet disruptions, or third-party service provider outages.
Severability and Entire Agreement
If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and WishEDA Inc. regarding the Service and supersede all prior agreements and understandings. Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.
Changes to Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated Terms on this page with a revised "Last updated" date and, for significant changes, by sending an email to the address associated with your account at least 30 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you must stop using the Service.