Chal Buddy

Companion Agreement

Last updated: 24 October 2026 · Version 2026-10-draft-1

This agreement is between you (the "Companion") and [Company legal name] ("Chal Buddy"), CIN [CIN], registered office [Registered address]. It applies when you offer your time through the Chal Buddy website, web app and mobile apps (the "Platform"). The Terms of Use, Community Guidelines, Safety Policy and Privacy Policy also apply to you.

1. Your relationship with Chal Buddy

1.1 You are an independent service provider, not an employee, partner or agent of Chal Buddy. You decide whether to offer your time, when you are available, which activities you offer and your hourly price within the limits on the Platform.

1.2 Chal Buddy provides the Platform, verification, payment handling, safety tools and support, and earns a commission on each completed booking.

1.3 Chal Buddy may treat you as a platform worker under the Code on Social Security, 2020 and share the information that law requires with the government (for example for registration on the e-Shram or a similar portal).

2. Eligibility and verification

2.1 You must be at least 18 years old and allowed to work in India.

2.2 Before your profile goes live you must complete all of these steps:

  • verify your identity through DigiLocker (we store only the last 4 digits of your Aadhaar number, a reference from the verification provider and the result);
  • take a live selfie that is matched to your ID;
  • add your PAN;
  • add a bank account in your own name for payouts;
  • complete the safety and rules training and pass the quiz;
  • accept this agreement online.

2.3 We ask some Companions to attend a short video interview before approval. This happens only when a risk flag is raised (for example the selfie does not match the ID, a photo or bio is flagged as unsuitable, or a phone number, device or payment method is already used by another account), when you are picked in our random sample, or when you offer an activity that always needs an interview.

2.4 Some activities, such as elder companionship (not yet available), also need a police clearance certificate.

2.5 Your profile, photos and changes to them are reviewed by our team before they go live.

3. What you offer

3.1 You offer platonic company for the activities you choose, at approved public venues within booking hours, or online sessions inside the Chal Buddy app.

3.2 You must never offer, ask for or accept physical intimacy of any kind, or any service outside the booked activity. Doing so leads to permanent removal from the Platform and, where the law requires, a report to the authorities.

3.3 Talk and listen sessions are friendly company. You must not present yourself as a counsellor, therapist or health professional, or give medical advice. If a customer is in distress, share the Tele-MANAS helpline (14416) and, in an emergency, encourage them to call 112; tell our safety team through the app.

3.4 You may offer in-person activities only after you have signed in to the Chal Buddy mobile app at least once. Meetups and online sessions run only in the mobile app.

4. During a booking

4.1 Meet only at the venue in the booking. Check in with the code in the app when you both arrive, keep the app open during the meetup, answer safety check-ins, and check out at the end.

4.2 Do not share personal contact details or social media handles, and do not ask for payment outside the Platform. Do not bring other people, consume alcohol or drugs, or record the customer without their consent.

4.3 Use SOS in the app, leave the venue and call 112 if you ever feel unsafe.

5. Prices, commission and payouts

5.1 You set your hourly price within the minimum and maximum for each activity.

5.2 Chal Buddy keeps a commission of 20% of your price for each completed booking. For the first 100 approved Companions the commission is 15% for 90 days from approval. We will give you at least 30 days' notice of any change to the commission.

5.3 The customer pays through Razorpay. After both of you check out, your share is released to your bank account 24 hours later, provided no dispute has been raised. If a dispute is raised, your payout is held until our team decides.

5.4 Chal Buddy deducts tax at source (TDS) where the Income-tax Act, 2025 requires it (currently section 393(1), formerly section 194-O): no TDS while you have given your PAN and your gross earnings for the financial year stay within ₹5,00,000; 0.1% above that with PAN; 5% if you have not given your PAN. We issue TDS certificates. [CA to confirm rates and thresholds before launch.]

5.5 You are responsible for your own income tax and, if applicable to you, GST registration.

6. Cancellations, no-shows and strikes

6.1 If you cancel a booking, or do not check in, the customer is refunded in full and you receive one strike. Three strikes within 90 days pause your account for review.

6.2 Customer cancellations are paid to you as set out in the Cancellation and Refund Policy.

7. Reviews, reports and suspension

7.1 Customers can rate you and report you. A critical or high-severity report freezes your account until our team reviews it.

7.2 We may suspend or end this agreement immediately if you break it, give false information, or put anyone's safety at risk. You may stop using the Platform at any time; bookings you have already accepted must be honoured or cancelled through the Platform.

8. Confidentiality and data

8.1 Keep information about customers confidential and use it only for the booking.

8.2 We process your personal data as described in the Privacy Policy. Your ID images are kept in private storage, seen only by authorised staff, and deleted after verification unless they are needed for a safety case.

9. Your profile content

You keep ownership of the photos and text you add to your profile. You give Chal Buddy a licence to show and use them on the Platform and to promote the Platform while your profile is active. Ads and recruiting material describe the activity, never the person.

10. Liability and indemnity

To the extent permitted by law, Chal Buddy's liability to you is limited to the commission earned from your bookings in the three months before the claim. You agree to make good any loss Chal Buddy suffers because you broke this agreement or the law.

11. Changes, law and disputes

11.1 We may update this agreement with at least 30 days' notice for material changes.

11.2 This agreement is governed by the laws of India. Courts at [City], Gujarat have jurisdiction. Complaints can first be raised through our Grievance Redressal process.