Terms of service.

Agreement to these terms

These Terms of Service (the “Terms”) form a binding agreement between you and Higglo Digital LLC (“Higglo Digital,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), the operator of Web Design Awards (the “Service”), accessible at webdesignawards.io and related subdomains. By accessing the Service, creating an account, submitting an entry, purchasing a subscription, or otherwise using any feature, you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

• Who you bindIf you use the Service on behalf of a company, agency, studio, or other entity, you represent that you have authority to bind that entity, and references to “you” include both you and that entity.
• Supplemental termsSome features (paid plans, sponsorships, judging, jobs board, badges, certifications) may have additional posted terms or order forms. Those supplemental terms are part of this agreement and prevail over these Terms only for that specific feature.

Definitions

• AccountA registered profile used to access submissions, agency pages, dashboards, or paid features.
• SubmissionAny website, project, image, copy, asset, link, screenshot, or metadata you submit, upload, or otherwise provide for the awards program or other listings.
• AwardA recognition, ranking, certification, badge, or designation conferred by the Service, including monthly, annual, regional, and category awards.
• Paid ServicesAny subscription, listing fee, sponsorship, premium placement, certification, brief unlock, or other feature requiring payment.
• ContentSubmissions plus any reviews, comments, profile information, messages, or other material you make available through the Service.
• Project BriefA description of work you want done, together with your contact details, submitted through Get Matched or a similar feature.
• Matched AgencyAn agency or studio that pays, or uses a subscription allotment, to access a Project Brief in order to contact the Brief Submitter.

Eligibility and accounts

• Minimum ageYou must be at least 16 years old to use the Service and at least 18 to enter into paid transactions. The Service is not directed to children under 16.
• Legal capacityYou must have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract in your jurisdiction and must not be barred from receiving the Service under applicable law.
• SanctionsYou may not use the Service if you are located in, ordinarily resident in, or a national of any country or region subject to comprehensive U.S. sanctions, or if you are on any U.S. government restricted-party list.

• Accurate informationYou agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information at registration and to keep it updated.
• CredentialsYou are responsible for safeguarding your password and for all activity under your account. Notify us promptly at support@webdesignawards.io of any suspected unauthorized access.
• One account per entityUnless we expressly agree otherwise, each individual or entity may maintain one active account. We may merge or disable duplicate accounts.

Submissions and the awards program

Web Design Awards is a curated program. We accept submissions on a rolling and seasonal basis, evaluate them according to our published rubric, and may select recipients for monthly, annual, regional, agency, designer, and category awards.

• Ownership and rightsYou represent that you own or have all necessary rights, licenses, consents, and permissions in your Submission, including from clients, collaborators, photographers, illustrators, type designers, and any individuals depicted.
• No infringementYour Submission does not infringe any copyright, trademark, trade secret, right of publicity, privacy, contract, or other right, and does not contain unlawful, defamatory, or harmful material.
• AccuracyInformation you submit (credits, dates, URLs, agency or studio attribution, project descriptions) is truthful and not misleading.

• ScopeYou grant Higglo Digital a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable, and transferable license to host, store, reproduce, modify (for formatting and accessibility), create derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, and distribute your Submission and associated metadata in connection with operating, promoting, and marketing the Service.
• Promotional usesThis includes use in award listings, leaderboards, badges, certificates, social media, newsletters, blog posts, sponsor decks, year-in-review collections, books, and similar materials in any media now known or later developed.
• TermThe license is perpetual for materials we have already published and continues for as long as the Service displays the Submission. You may request removal under section 17 (Termination).

• CurationWe curate every listing. We may accept, decline, edit, re-categorize, re-rank, decline to renew, archive, or remove any Submission for any lawful reason at any time.
• No guaranteed outcomeSubmission does not guarantee inclusion, recognition, ranking, certification, or any specific placement, and prior recognition does not guarantee future recognition.
• No purchase necessaryFree entry tracks are available. Paid plans may unlock additional services (faster review, premium placement, badges, certifications) but do not buy an award. Awards are conferred based on editorial judgment, not payment.

Judging, rankings, and editorial

All evaluations are subjective and are provided for inspiration, marketing, and discovery. Judges, reviewers, and editors apply our published rubric to assess design, usability, accessibility, performance, and craft, and may weigh additional contextual factors at their discretion.

• MethodologyRankings, “best-of” lists, and category leaderboards are produced through a combination of editorial review, judge scoring, traffic and engagement signals, and recency. Methodology may evolve.
• No financial adviceInclusion is not an endorsement of any business, product, or investment. Listings are not, and should not be relied on as, professional advice of any kind.
• Conflicts of interestJudges and reviewers are required to disclose conflicts. We may rotate panels or recuse individuals as needed.
• Errors and correctionsIf you believe a listing contains a factual error, contact support@webdesignawards.io with the URL and the requested correction. We review correction requests in good faith but reserve final editorial judgment.

Paid services, billing, and renewals

Some paid features are one-time purchases, and others are recurring subscriptions (collectively, “Paid Services”). One-time Paid Services include premium and rushed nomination reviews, SEO and web design certifications, job postings, company spotlight placements, website reviews, and unlocking a project brief as a Matched Agency. Subscription Paid Services include premium agency listings and judge membership. Sponsorship placements may be sold as a one-time purchase or arranged directly by invoice. Pricing is shown at point of purchase, or in your invoice, and may change for future terms.

• Order acceptanceYour order is an offer to purchase. We accept it by confirming the purchase or beginning to deliver the Paid Service. We may refuse or cancel any order, including for suspected fraud, mispricing, or unavailability.
• Payment processorPayments are processed by third-party processors (such as Stripe). You authorize us and our processors to charge your selected payment method for the amounts due, including taxes and fees.
• Currency and taxesPrices are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated and are exclusive of applicable taxes (sales, VAT, GST), which are added at checkout where required. You are responsible for any taxes not collected by us.

• Which Paid Services renewOnly subscription Paid Services - premium agency listings and judge membership - automatically renew. One-time Paid Services (nominations, rushed judging, certifications, job postings, company spotlight, website reviews, and project-brief unlocks) are single charges with no renewal; we do not charge you again unless you make a new purchase.
• RenewalSubscriptions automatically renew at the end of each term (monthly or annual, as selected) at the then-current rate, until canceled.
• CancellationYou may cancel renewal at any time from your account settings or by emailing support@webdesignawards.io. Cancellation stops future renewals and takes effect at the end of the current paid term; you retain access until then.
• Price changesWe may change prices for renewal terms with at least thirty (30) days’ notice by email or in-product notice. If you do not agree, cancel before the new price takes effect.

• Standard policyExcept where required by law, fees are non-refundable, including for unused time, partial periods, or features you choose not to use.
• Discretionary refundsWe may issue refunds at our discretion - for example, accidental duplicate charges, undelivered services, or a project brief that turns out to be spam, a duplicate, or already unlocked by another agency. Submit refund requests within thirty (30) days of the charge to support@webdesignawards.io.
• Sponsorships and placementsBooked sponsorships, spotlights, and other scheduled placements are non-refundable once the placement window has begun, but unstarted bookings may be rescheduled subject to availability.

• TrialsFree trials, if offered, convert to paid subscriptions at the end of the trial unless canceled before the trial ends.
• Promotional creditsDiscount codes and promotional credits are non-transferable, have no cash value, and may have additional restrictions stated at issuance.

Project briefs and agency matching

Get Matched and similar features let a person or company (a “Brief Submitter”) describe a project they want built, and let agencies pay for access to qualified opportunities (a “Matched Agency”). This section governs that exchange.

• No fee to submitSubmitting a Project Brief is free and does not guarantee you will be matched, contacted, or satisfied with any resulting work.
• We share your details with a Matched AgencyWhen an agency pays to unlock your brief, we send that agency your contact details and project description so they can reach out to you directly. You can ask us to remove an unmatched brief, or stop offering it to further agencies, at any time - see our Privacy Policy.
• We are not a party to your engagementAny contract, payment, deliverable, or dispute between you and a Matched Agency is exclusively between you and that agency. We do not vet, guarantee, warrant, or take responsibility for a Matched Agency's work, pricing, licensing, insurance, or conduct.

• Paid accessUnlocking a Project Brief is a one-time purchase (or drawn from your subscription quota, if applicable) that reveals the Brief Submitter's contact details and description for your own outreach.
• Permitted useUse unlocked contact details only to evaluate and pitch for the described project. Do not resell, publicly post, or reuse unlocked contact details for unrelated marketing, and comply with applicable marketing and anti-spam laws when you reach out.
• No exclusivity or guaranteeWe may offer the same or a similar brief to other agencies, and we do not guarantee a brief is accurate, current, still available, or will convert into paid work.

Badges, certifications, and trademark use

When you receive an Award, certification, or eligible listing, we may make available digital badges, certificates, and embed code (collectively, “Marks”) for use on your own website and marketing materials.

• License to use MarksWe grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to display the Marks specifically associated with your verified Award or certification, in unmodified form, in a manner that accurately reflects the Award.
• Required attributionMarks must remain legible, must not be altered (except for permitted resizing), and must link to the corresponding listing on the Service when displayed online.
• Prohibited usesDo not modify the Marks, suggest endorsement, sponsorship, or partnership beyond what was actually conferred, use Marks for awards or tiers you did not receive, or use them after they have expired or been revoked.
• Our trademarks“Web Design Awards,” the wda logomark, and related names and designs are trademarks of Higglo Digital. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
• RevocationWe may revoke any license to use Marks if the underlying Award is rescinded, the listing is removed, your account is terminated, or you breach these Terms.

Acceptable use

You agree not to use the Service in any way that violates law or these Terms. The following are expressly prohibited:

• MisrepresentationSubmitting work you did not create or do not have rights to publish; impersonating another person, agency, or studio; falsely claiming awards, rankings, or certifications.
• ManipulationAttempting to influence rankings, votes, judges, or editorial decisions through bribery, vote stuffing, fake accounts, automated submissions, or other manipulation.
• Harmful contentPosting content that is unlawful, defamatory, obscene, harassing, hateful, threatening, sexually explicit involving minors, or that promotes violence or discrimination.
• Security and abuseProbing or scanning vulnerabilities, breaching authentication, scraping at volumes that materially burden the Service, circumventing rate limits, or interfering with other users.
• Reverse engineeringReverse engineering, decompiling, or attempting to extract source code, except to the extent expressly permitted by applicable law.
• Commercial misuseReselling, sublicensing, or redistributing the Service or its data; using our content to train, fine-tune, or augment machine-learning models without our prior written consent.
• Spam and unsolicited messagesUsing the Service’s contact features to send spam, phishing attempts, malware, or unsolicited commercial communications.

Intellectual property

• Service IPThe Service, including its software, design, layout, copy, rubrics, taxonomies, leaderboards, compilations, badges, certificates, and trademarks, is owned by Higglo Digital or its licensors and is protected by U.S. and international intellectual-property laws.
• Limited use licenseSubject to your compliance with these Terms, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Service for its intended purposes.

• You retain ownershipYou retain all ownership rights in your Submissions and Content, subject only to the licenses you grant in these Terms.
• FeedbackIf you send us suggestions or feedback, you grant us a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free license to use that feedback without obligation to you.

Third-party services and links

• External sitesThe Service contains links to third-party websites, including the websites of nominees and award recipients. We do not control and are not responsible for those sites, their content, products, services, or privacy practices.
• IntegrationsIf you connect a third-party service (for example, payments, analytics, or email), your use of that service is governed by its own terms. We are not liable for acts or omissions of third-party providers.
• Independent contractorsSponsors, advertisers, listed agencies, and Matched Agencies are independent third parties. A listing, sponsorship, or brief match is not an employment, agency, partnership, joint venture, or franchise relationship.

Copyright complaints (DMCA)

We respect intellectual-property rights and respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement that comply with the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

• How to file a noticeSend a written notice to support@webdesignawards.io with the subject line “DMCA Notice.” Include: (a) a physical or electronic signature of the rights owner or authorized agent; (b) identification of the copyrighted work; (c) the URL or location of the allegedly infringing material; (d) your contact information; (e) a good-faith statement that the use is not authorized; and (f) a statement, under penalty of perjury, that the notice is accurate and that you are authorized to act.
• Counter-noticeIf you believe content was removed in error, you may submit a counter-notice with the equivalent statutory information.
• Repeat infringersWe will, in appropriate circumstances, terminate the accounts of users we determine to be repeat infringers.

Privacy and data

Our collection and use of personal information is described in our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated by reference into these Terms. By using the Service, you consent to the practices described there, including transfer and processing of your information in the United States and other jurisdictions where we or our service providers operate.

Disclaimers

THE SERVICE, ALL CONTENT, AWARDS, RANKINGS, BADGES, CERTIFICATIONS, AND PAID SERVICES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE,” WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.

• No implied warrantiesTo the maximum extent permitted by law, Higglo Digital disclaims all implied warranties, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, non-infringement, and any warranties arising from course of dealing or usage of trade.
• Editorial judgmentWe do not warrant that listings, rankings, or recognitions are exhaustive, error-free, free of bias, or that any specific business, traffic, leads, or revenue outcome will result from inclusion.
• AvailabilityWe do not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, secure, or free of bugs, viruses, or harmful components, or that defects will be corrected.
• Matching outcomesWe do not warrant that Get Matched or similar features will produce a suitable agency match, a response, or any successful project outcome.

Limitation of liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW:

• Excluded damagesHigglo Digital and its officers, employees, contractors, judges, and agents will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, or for any loss of profits, revenue, goodwill, business opportunities, data, or substitute services, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
• Aggregate capOur aggregate liability arising out of or relating to the Service or these Terms will not exceed the greater of (a) the amount you paid to us in the twelve (12) months preceding the event giving rise to the claim, or (b) one hundred U.S. dollars ($100).
• Basis of the bargainThese limitations are an essential basis of the agreement between you and us and apply to all claims, whether in contract, tort, statute, or otherwise. Some jurisdictions do not allow some of these limitations; in those jurisdictions, our liability is limited to the smallest extent permitted by law.

Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Higglo Digital and its affiliates, officers, employees, contractors, judges, and agents from and against any claims, demands, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or related to: (a) your Submissions or Content; (b) your use of the Service; (c) your violation of these Terms; (d) your violation of any law or third-party right, including intellectual-property, publicity, or privacy rights; (e) any misrepresentation regarding awards, certifications, or badges; or (f) your use of contact details obtained by unlocking a Project Brief. We may, at our option, assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter subject to indemnification, in which case you will cooperate with our defense.

Suspension and termination

• By youYou may stop using the Service and close your account at any time from your settings or by contacting support@webdesignawards.io. Cancellation of a paid subscription is governed by section 6.
• By usWe may suspend or terminate your access, remove Submissions, revoke awards or certifications, and/or refuse future submissions, with or without notice, if we reasonably believe you have violated these Terms, created legal or security risk, or engaged in conduct harmful to other users or the Service.
• Effect of terminationUpon termination, your right to use the Service ceases. Sections that by their nature should survive (including IP, license grants for already-published Submissions, disclaimers, limitations of liability, indemnification, governing law, and dispute resolution) will survive.
• Removal of contentWe may, but are not required to, retain or delete your Content following termination. We may also retain backup copies and information required for legal, audit, or operational purposes.

Governing law and dispute resolution

• Choice of lawThese Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, United States, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. The U.N. Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods does not apply.

• Notice of disputeBefore filing a formal claim, you agree to first contact us at support@webdesignawards.io with a written description of the dispute and your contact information, and to attempt in good faith to resolve the dispute informally for at least sixty (60) days.

• Arbitration agreementAny dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service that is not resolved informally will be resolved by binding individual arbitration administered by JAMS under its then-current rules. The seat of arbitration is Wilmington, Delaware. Judgment on the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.
• Class action waiverYou and Higglo Digital agree that any proceeding will be conducted only on an individual basis. No class, collective, or representative actions are permitted, and the arbitrator may not consolidate claims of more than one person.
• ExceptionsEither party may bring an individual action in small-claims court for qualifying disputes, and either party may seek injunctive or equitable relief in court for actual or threatened infringement, misappropriation, or violation of intellectual-property rights.
• Opt-outYou may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to support@webdesignawards.io within thirty (30) days of first accepting these Terms; opting out will not affect any other provision.

International users and export controls

• Operated from the United StatesThe Service is operated from the United States. If you access it from elsewhere, you do so on your own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws.
• Export complianceYou agree to comply with all applicable export and re-export control laws and regulations, including U.S. Export Administration Regulations and sanctions programs administered by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Changes to these terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. If a change is material, we will provide notice by posting an updated effective date and, where appropriate, by email or in-product notice at least thirty (30) days before the change takes effect. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not agree, stop using the Service before the effective date.

Miscellaneous

• Entire agreementThese Terms, the Privacy Policy, and any supplemental terms or order forms together form the entire agreement between you and us regarding the Service and supersede any prior agreements on the same subject.
• SeverabilityIf any provision of these Terms is held unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect, and the unenforceable provision will be modified only to the minimum extent necessary.
• WaiverFailure to enforce any right or provision is not a waiver of that right or provision.
• AssignmentYou may not assign or transfer these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, or sale of assets, or by operation of law, with notice.
• Force majeureWe are not liable for delays or failures resulting from causes beyond our reasonable control, including acts of God, labor disputes, internet outages, denial-of-service attacks, war, terrorism, governmental action, and pandemics.
• Notices to youWe may give notice by email to the address associated with your account or by posting on the Service. Notice is effective when sent or posted.
• HeadingsSection headings are for convenience only and have no legal effect.

How to reach us

If you have questions about these Terms or need to send a legal notice, contact us at support@webdesignawards.io. Please reference the relevant section number and the URL at issue, if any, so we can respond promptly.

• OperatorHigglo Digital LLC, operator of Web Design Awards
• Supportsupport@webdesignawards.io
• PostalAvailable on written request to the support address above.