Last updated: May 22, 2026
These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the Pearla platform ("Pearla", "the Platform", "the Service") operated by Tidecraft Co. (ABN 31 787 550 075) ("we", "us", "our", "Tidecraft"). By creating an account or using the Platform, you ("you", "the Operator") agree to these Terms in full.
Pearla is a charter management platform designed for charter boat and experience operators. The Platform handles customer enquiries, bookings, payment collection, post-booking communications, and customer relationship management on behalf of operators via SMS, email, and a branded online booking page.
Pearla is a software tool. It is not a financial services provider, a payment processor, or a licensed booking agent. Pearla does not guarantee any specific business outcomes, booking volumes, revenue increases, or customer conversion rates.
You must be at least 18 years old and legally authorized to operate a business in your jurisdiction to use Pearla. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials. You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.
Each account is for a single business operation. You may not share or resell access to the Platform.
Standard Plan: $199 USD per month for up to 3 boats. For operations with more than 3 boats, an additional fee of $99 USD per month per boat applies.
Founding Captain Plan: Available to the first 50 operators. Founding Captains receive a permanent 25% discount off the current standard subscription rate for the lifetime of their account, provided the subscription remains active. At launch, this is $149 USD per month (25% off the $199 standard rate). If the standard rate changes in the future, the Founding Captain rate will adjust accordingly but will always reflect a 25% discount off the current standard price. If a Founding Captain cancels and later re-subscribes, the 25% discount is no longer guaranteed.
All subscriptions are billed monthly in advance. Prices are in US dollars and do not include any applicable taxes.
Pearla does not charge any commission, booking fee, or per-transaction fee on operator bookings. The subscription fee is the only fee charged by Pearla.
Customer payments for bookings are processed through Stripe Connect using direct charges. All booking revenue is deposited directly into the operator's connected Stripe account. Pearla does not hold, manage, or have access to the operator's booking revenue at any point during the transaction.
Standard Stripe payment processing fees apply to all transactions (currently 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction in the US, rates vary by region). These fees are charged by Stripe, not by Pearla, and are deducted from the payment before it reaches the operator's bank account. Pearla has no control over Stripe's fee structure.
Operators are responsible for maintaining their own Stripe account in good standing. Pearla is not responsible for any issues arising from Stripe account holds, disputes, chargebacks, or changes to Stripe's terms or pricing.
New subscribers may request a full refund of their first month's subscription fee within 30 days of their initial sign-up date. Refund requests must be made by contacting us at hello@getpearla.co within this 30-day window.
This guarantee applies to the first subscription payment only. Subsequent monthly payments are non-refundable. After the initial 30-day period, no refunds will be issued for any reason, including partial months, unused time, or dissatisfaction with the Service.
You may cancel your subscription at any time. There are no long-term contracts, cancellation fees, or lock-in periods. Upon cancellation, your access to the Platform will continue until the end of your current billing period. After that, your account will be deactivated and Pearla will stop processing customer communications on your behalf.
Cancellation does not entitle you to a refund of the current or any previous billing period, except as described in Section 5 (30-Day Money-Back Guarantee).
You are responsible for:
If you provide incorrect information (such as wrong pricing, inaccurate trip details, or outdated policies), Pearla may communicate this information to your customers. Tidecraft is not liable for any consequences arising from inaccurate operator-provided information.
Pearla communicates with your customers using the information, trip details, policies, seasonal notes, and FAQ answers you provide. When Pearla encounters a question it cannot answer from available information, it will escalate the question to you for a response rather than guessing or providing inaccurate information.
Pearla is designed to communicate in a warm, professional tone. However, as an automated system, responses may occasionally be imperfect, incomplete, or contextually inappropriate. You acknowledge that Pearla is a software platform and not a human employee, and that no automated communication system is perfect.
For sensitive matters including complaints, safety concerns, legal questions, and medical situations, Pearla is designed to provide the operator's direct contact details and step back from the conversation.
Pearla platform administrators may access your account for the purposes of providing technical support, troubleshooting issues, assisting with setup and configuration, monitoring service quality, and ensuring compliance with these Terms. Access is limited to authorized Tidecraft personnel and is used solely to support your use of the Platform.
We will not modify your business information, trip details, or pricing without your knowledge or consent, except where required to correct a technical error or comply with legal requirements.
Pearla stores and processes customer data (including names, phone numbers, email addresses, and booking details) on behalf of the operator to provide the Service. This data is stored in secure, encrypted databases. Each operator's data is logically isolated from other operators.
All customer conversations conducted through the Platform are logged, stored, and accessible to the operator through the dashboard. Pearla may use conversation data to improve the Service, including training and refining the platform's communication capabilities.
For full details on how data is collected, stored, and used, please refer to our Privacy Policy.
Operators use Pearla to send SMS messages to their own customers in connection with charter bookings. This section describes the SMS messaging program operated through the Platform on behalf of operators.
Program description: A customer opts in to receive SMS messages by entering their mobile phone number and checking the SMS consent box on an operator's Pearla booking page, or by messaging an operator's dedicated Pearla phone number. By opting in, the customer agrees to receive SMS messages from that operator relating to their booking. Message types include booking confirmations, payment reminders, hold-expiry reminders, pre-trip reminders, and post-trip follow-up messages.
Message frequency: Message frequency varies and depends on booking activity and the stage of the customer's trip.
Message and data rates: Message and data rates may apply, depending on the customer's mobile carrier and plan.
Opt-out: A customer can opt out of SMS messages at any time by replying STOP to any message. After opting out, the customer will receive no further SMS messages other than a single confirmation that they have been unsubscribed.
Help: A customer can reply HELP to any message for assistance, or contact the operator directly. For platform-level support, contact hello@getpearla.co.
Privacy: Mobile phone numbers and SMS opt-in data are never shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. See our Privacy Policy for details.
Pearla relies on third-party services to deliver its functionality, including services for payment processing, SMS messaging, email delivery, and conversation processing. These services are provided by established, industry-standard providers.
Tidecraft is not responsible for outages, errors, policy changes, or service interruptions caused by any third-party provider. If a third-party service experiences downtime, some or all of Pearla's functionality may be temporarily unavailable.
We aim to provide reliable, continuous access to the Platform. However, we do not guarantee 100% uptime. The Service may be temporarily unavailable due to scheduled maintenance, infrastructure issues, third-party service outages, or circumstances beyond our reasonable control.
Pearla includes a fallback system designed to ensure no customer is left without a reply in the event of a system error. However, we cannot guarantee that every message will be delivered or that every customer interaction will be handled without interruption in all circumstances.
The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied.
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Tidecraft Co. shall not be liable for:
Our total liability for any claim arising from or related to the Service is limited to the amount you paid to Pearla in the one (1) month immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim.
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Tidecraft Co., its directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:
The Pearla platform, including its design, code, features, documentation, and branding, is the intellectual property of Tidecraft Co.. You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use the Platform for the duration of your subscription.
You retain ownership of all business information, trip details, FAQ content, and customer data you provide to or generate through the Platform.
You may not use the Platform to:
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account if we reasonably believe you are in violation of these terms.
We may update these Terms from time to time. Updated Terms will be posted on this page with a revised "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Platform after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically.
We reserve the right to change our subscription pricing at any time. Any price change will not apply to your current billing period. Founding Captains will continue to receive a 25% discount off the current standard rate as described in Section 3, meaning their rate will adjust proportionally if the standard rate changes.
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account at any time for violation of these Terms, fraudulent or illegal activity, non-payment, or any other reason at our reasonable discretion. In the event of termination by us for reasons other than your breach of these Terms, we will issue a pro-rata refund for any unused portion of your current billing period.
These Terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia. Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the Platform shall be resolved in the courts of New South Wales, unless otherwise required by the laws of your jurisdiction.
If you have questions about these Terms, please contact us:
Tidecraft Co.
ABN 31 787 550 075
Email: hello@getpearla.co
Website: getpearla.co