API Terms of Use

About these terms

These API Terms of Use ("API Terms") are between you and Prices with Pinch Pty Ltd (ACN 692 824 463) ("Pinch", "we", "us", "our"). They govern your access to and use of the Pinch Grocery Data API (the "API") at pinch-app.com/api, including the MCP server interface.

These API Terms supplement our general Terms of Use. By registering for an API key or making API requests, you agree to be bound by both these API Terms and the general Terms of Use. Where the two conflict, these API Terms prevail for API usage.

1. Australian Consumer Law

Our services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. Nothing in these terms excludes, restricts, or modifies rights under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), including the consumer guarantees in Schedule 2 (the Australian Consumer Law), or any other applicable Australian consumer protection legislation.

2. API key registration

To use the API, you must register for an API key. By registering, you agree to:

• Provide accurate and complete registration information
• Keep your API key confidential and not share it with third parties
• Accept responsibility for all activity under your API key
• Notify us promptly if you suspect unauthorised use of your key

Each email address may hold one active API key. API keys are shown once at registration and cannot be recovered. If you lose your key, contact us for a replacement.

3. Permitted use

Subject to these terms and your tier's rate limits, you may use the API to:

• Build applications, tools, and services that query grocery price data
• Display Pinch data to your end users
• Perform analysis and research using the data
• Integrate with AI agents via the MCP server interface

Commercial use is permitted for all tiers. Free tier users must provide attribution to Pinch (e.g., "Price data by Pinch" or "Powered by Pinch") wherever Pinch data is displayed to end users. Paid tier users are not required to provide attribution.

4. Prohibited use

You agree not to:

• Redistribute raw API data in bulk, or make the data available as a standalone dataset or data feed
• Use the data to build a competing grocery price comparison database or service that replicates the core functionality of Pinch
• Circumvent, disable, or interfere with rate limiting, authentication, or other security measures
• Use the API in a way that degrades service for other users
• Misrepresent the source, accuracy, or freshness of the data
• Use the API for any unlawful purpose

5. Rate limits and tiers

API access is subject to rate limits based on your tier (Free, Registered, or Partner). Current limits are published in the API documentation and may be updated from time to time.

If you exceed your rate limits, the API will return HTTP 429 responses with a Retry-After header. Persistent or deliberate abuse of rate limits may result in key revocation.

We reserve the right to adjust rate limits, introduce new tiers, or modify tier pricing with at least 30 days' notice to affected users.

6. Data accuracy and freshness

Pinch tracks grocery prices across Australian retailers and strives for accuracy. However:

• Price data is collected periodically and may not reflect real-time changes
• We track national online pricing and do not capture regional variations, in-store markdowns, or member-only discounts
• Product matching across retailers involves automated processes that may occasionally produce incorrect matches
• Historical price data reflects prices at the time of collection and is not retroactively corrected

All API responses include a generated_at timestamp. You should not present data to your users as "live" or "real-time" without noting its collection date. We recommend displaying a disclaimer such as: "Prices as at [date]. Prices may have changed since collection."

7. Intellectual property

The API, its documentation, the product matching taxonomy, and the Pinch Index methodology are owned by Prices with Pinch Pty Ltd and protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws.

Individual price data points (e.g., "Woolworths Full Cream Milk 2L costs $3.90") are factual information. You may use, display, and analyse these facts freely within the scope of permitted use above.

You may not reproduce, redistribute, or create derivative works from the API's proprietary elements (matching algorithms, normalised taxonomy, index methodology) without our written permission.

8. Disclaimers and limitations of liability

Subject to Section 1 (Australian Consumer Law) above, and to the maximum extent permitted by law:

• The API is provided "as is" and "as available"
• We do not warrant uninterrupted access, error-free operation, or complete data accuracy
• We do not warrant that price data will be current at all times
• We are not responsible for decisions made by you or your users based on the data

Subject to Section 1, our total liability to you for any claim arising from or related to these API Terms or your use of the API is limited to the fees you have paid us for API access in the 12 months preceding the claim (or, if you have not paid us anything, $100 AUD).

Subject to Section 1, we are not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of the API or reliance on its data.

9. Suspension and termination

We may revoke your API key or suspend your access if you materially breach these terms, after giving you reasonable notice where practicable. In urgent cases (such as abuse, security threats, or unlawful activity), we may suspend access immediately.

If you subscribe to a paid tier, cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. You will retain access until that date.

You may stop using the API at any time. We do not provide refunds for partial billing periods unless required by Australian Consumer Law.

10. Changes to these terms

We may modify these API Terms from time to time. We will give at least 30 days' notice of material changes by updating the "Last updated" date above and, where changes are significant, notifying you via the email address associated with your API key.

Your continued use of the API after the notice period constitutes acceptance of the modified terms. If you do not agree to the changes, you should stop using the API.

11. Governing law and jurisdiction

These API Terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia. Each party submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New South Wales and any courts that may hear appeals from those courts.

Nothing in this clause limits your right to bring proceedings in any court of competent jurisdiction, including under the Australian Consumer Law.

12. Contact

If you have questions about these API Terms of Use, please contact us.

Prices with Pinch Pty Ltd
ACN 692 824 463
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia