Terms
These terms explain the conditions for trying, using, and licensing the Merceq macOS application. Merceq is developed by Mustafa Arslan under the VagaStudio name. How the software handles data and the circumstances in which it connects to the internet are described in the Privacy Policy and Security pages.
When paid sales begin, the terms of the authorized seller identified at checkout will also apply to payments and billing. Please review those terms and the information provided before purchasing.
1. Scope of the license
Merceq’s paid licensing model is based on a one-time purchase, not a recurring subscription. A purchase grants the right to use the software under these terms; it does not transfer ownership of the software.
- Perpetual use: A purchased license does not expire like a subscription for the versions it covers. This is not a guarantee of compatibility with every future macOS release or Mac model.
- Two Macs: One license may be activated on up to two Macs at the same time. The license belongs to one user and may be used for personal or commercial work. Each person on a team needs their own license.
- Changing Macs: You can free an activation slot by selecting Deactivate This Mac on the license screen. You may perform this self-service deactivation at most four times in any rolling 365-day period. If a Mac is lost or no longer usable, you may contact support for assistance.
- Offline use: The initial activation requires an internet connection. After that, the signed license is verified on your Mac. Regular use does not require periodic connections to the licensing server. Actions such as manually refreshing your license information or deactivating a Mac require internet access.
You may not share your license key with others or transfer your license without authorization. Any rights granted to you by law concerning use, transfer, interoperability, or open-source licenses remain unaffected.
2. Update entitlement: 12 months
A purchased Merceq license includes the right to use updates released during the 365 days (12-month update period) following the purchase date. When your update entitlement ends, you may continue using versions released during that period and covered by your license. Access to versions released afterward requires an extension of your update entitlement.
Renewing your update entitlement is optional; your license does not become a subscription. If you extend it before the current period expires, 365 days are added to the existing end date. If you extend it after expiration, 365 days are added from the renewal date. The renewal price and process will be explained when sales are available. Automatic renewal and automatic charges are not promised.
A newer version released outside your update entitlement may not activate with your existing license. If you need to reinstall an older version, you can contact support. We do not currently promise a publicly available archive of older installers.
3. Free trial: 14 days or 2,000 new clips
You can try Merceq for free before purchasing it. The trial begins when you select Start Trial in the application and connect to the internet. You do not need to create an account or provide a credit card.
The trial ends 14 days after it starts, or when you reach 2,000 new clips during the trial, whichever comes first. Technical limits may apply to prevent trial abuse. We do not claim that every person is limited to exactly one trial for life.
Once the trial ends, new imports, copying to disk first, and Export are unavailable. This also applies to imports from an iPhone connected by cable. You can still access your existing library, review and search clips, make selection decisions, organize clips into folders, and use settings. Your files and decisions are not deleted automatically. Purchasing a valid license restores access to license-dependent operations.
The 14-day free trial is separate from any post-purchase refund or statutory withdrawal rights. Merceq Go is a separate feature that has not yet been released; it is not promised as part of the current trial.
4. Purchases, payments, and license delivery
Paid Merceq sales are planned to be handled through Paddle. Once sales are available, Paddle’s checkout will show the seller, the amount payable, applicable taxes, relevant purchase terms, and available payment methods. Mustafa Arslan is the developer of Merceq and the provider of its software license.
Under the initial sales process, a license key may be prepared manually and sent by email after payment has been verified. We therefore do not promise that an automated license email will be sent immediately after checkout or that the key will be delivered instantly. Before paid sales begin, the license delivery process must be clearly explained on the order page.
Paddle’s Buyer Terms and Refund Policy may also apply to a purchase. Mandatory provisions concerning sales, taxes, and consumer rights remain unaffected.
5. Refunds and withdrawal rights
Refund and withdrawal requests are subject to the seller’s terms applicable at the time of purchase, Paddle’s Refund Policy, and any mandatory consumer rights that apply where you live. Refunds are planned to be handled through Paddle as the authorized seller. You may also send questions to Merceq support.
VagaStudio does not offer a separate, unconditional “14-day money-back guarantee” in addition to applicable statutory rights and Paddle’s applicable refund terms.
A refunded or revoked license cannot be used to activate a new Mac or renew the license. Because Merceq does not continuously contact the server during normal use, an existing offline installation may not be disabled immediately for technical reasons. This does not mean that the right to use a refunded license continues. Revocation information may be incorporated into later application releases.
6. Restrictions on use
You must use Merceq in compliance with applicable laws. You may not use someone else’s license without permission, publish a license key publicly, or deliberately circumvent activation limits. Redistribution and modification of the software are subject to the applicable rights holders’ terms.
These terms do not restrict interoperability rights, reverse engineering permitted by law, consumer rights, or rights granted under licenses for third-party open-source components. In the event of a material license violation, the license may be suspended or revoked in accordance with applicable rules.
7. Alpha program terms — temporary
This section applies only to alpha participants. It is not a mandatory part of the general paid license or the standard free trial.
- Time-limited access: An alpha license has an expiration date. After it expires, new imports, copying to disk first, and Export are unavailable; your existing library and video files remain in place. Alpha access may be extended. If an alpha license appears to have expired, the application may make one automatic renewal request on startup. If that fails, you can use Refresh License.
- Experimental software: Bugs, incomplete features, and changes in behavior may occur. Keep an independent backup of important footage and your library.
- Alpha measurements: Usage measurements run only with an alpha license and only if you separately grant permission inside the application. Declining or later withdrawing that permission does not disable your license or alpha access. Accepting alpha participation terms on the website does not automatically enable in-app measurement permission. Details are available on the Privacy Policy page.
- Feedback: Feedback and crash reports are separate from usage measurements and are sent only when you select Send.
- Contributor licenses: At the developer’s discretion, eligible alpha participants may receive a separate, free, perpetual contributor license. It is not granted automatically to all participants. A contributor license may be activated on up to two Macs; its entitlement to future versions may also be time-limited.
8. Protection of files and libraries
Your videos, notes, tags, decisions, and library records belong to you. Merceq’s approach to copying and verification is explained in the Copy and Verify Your Footage Safely guide. Technical safeguards are not an absolute guarantee against disk failure or data loss; you should maintain backups of important footage.
Standard imports and Copy operations leave source videos in place. If you choose Move, the file’s location may change. When moving across disks, the supported source may be sent to the macOS Trash after a verified copy has been created. Cleaning up rejected clips also requires a separate user action. Merceq does not provide a command that permanently deletes source videos; managing the Trash is your responsibility.
9. Liability, support, and consumer rights
The application may contain bugs or have compatibility limitations with particular macOS versions, drives, and file systems. If you encounter a problem, you can contact [email protected]. Any liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law, and any mandatory consumer rights, remain unaffected.
10. Intellectual property and open source
The applicable rights in Merceq’s original software belong to Mustafa Arslan; VagaStudio is the publishing brand. Your license does not transfer ownership of the software to you. Rights in your content, videos, and work decisions made in the application remain yours.
Merceq includes third-party open-source components, including FFmpeg. Their license texts can be accessed offline from the application’s Settings. Rights granted by third-party licenses remain unaffected. A link to the FFmpeg source and build files will be published once those files are actually available at that address.
11. Changes to these terms
If these terms are updated, their effective date will be changed. Earlier versions will be retained in a dated archive. Changes will not retroactively take away usage rights acquired under earlier purchases.
12. Applicable rules and disputes
Disputes relating to the software license and its use are subject to applicable laws, relevant agreements, and mandatory consumer redress procedures. For purchases made through Paddle, Paddle’s Buyer Terms also apply to the payment and sales relationship where relevant. Consumer rights that cannot legally be waived remain unaffected.
13. Contact
Developer and license provider: Mustafa Arslan (VagaStudio)
Email: [email protected]
Website: vagastudio.io