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Publisher Agreement

Between: Panels Store, operated by Produkt Software Engineering S.L. ("Panels," "we," "us") and Publisher/Creator ("you," "your")

Effective Date: When you create your publisher account on Panels Store.

1. Rights and Ownership​

You retain full ownership and copyright of all your works.

By joining Panels Store, you grant Panels a non-exclusive, worldwide, revocable license to host, display, market, and sell your digital comics ("Content") through the Panels Store website and the Panels apps.

This license does not include any right to translate, adapt, or create derivative works from your Content. Panels apps include an on-device translation feature — a display-only functionality optionally enabled by the reader that renders translated text as an overlay on the page. This feature does not modify, store, or redistribute your Content in any form; your original files remain unchanged, and you acknowledge that on-device, display-only translation does not constitute a derivative work for purposes of this agreement.

You can remove your Content at any time with written notice.

2. Revenue Share​

The final store price is your set price plus $0.40 in operative costs (covering transaction fees, file storage, and distribution).

  • Panels retains 20% of your set price as a platform fee
  • You receive the remaining 80% of your set price

Example: You set $5.00 → Buyer pays $5.40 (before applicable taxes) → Panels retains $1.00 (20%) → You receive $4.00 (80%)

See Platform Fees for complete pricing examples and edge cases.

3. iOS App Store Distribution​

Panels is available as a native iOS app. When readers purchase your Content through the iOS app, Apple charges a mandatory 30% commission on every transaction. This commission applies to all apps selling digital content on iOS and is not negotiable.

You can choose between two options:

  • Raise iOS price (default): Panels automatically increases the in-app price so that after Apple's 30% cut, you receive approximately the same net amount as on the web.
  • Keep the same price: Your Content shows the same price on iOS and on the web. Your earnings per iOS sale will be lower due to Apple's commission.

You can change this preference at any time from your store settings. See iOS App Store Pricing for a full breakdown.

4. Payouts​

Payments are processed monthly on the 1st of each month for the previous month's sales, via Stripe Connect, to your connected Stripe account.

We charge the higher of either 0.5% of the payout amount or $4.00 per transfer to cover Stripe Connect fees.

You can configure your minimum payout threshold (starting at $4, with a recommended default of $50). Balances below your threshold roll over to the next month and never expire.

See Payout System for detailed examples, thresholds, and troubleshooting.

Publishers may request an audit of sales records relating to their Content once per calendar year with 30 days' written notice. Audits are conducted at the Publisher's expense, by a qualified independent accountant bound by confidentiality, and are limited to records from the 12 months preceding the request.

5. Pricing and Control​

You set your own prices for all titles, subject to the minimum and other rules published at Setting Prices.

Panels may suggest pricing or participation in promotional campaigns, but the final decision is always yours. There is no exclusivity or minimum catalog requirement.

6. Refunds and Chargebacks​

Refunds. If a refund is issued to a buyer, the corresponding platform fee, operative cost, and publisher share are reversed proportionally. You will not retain revenue from refunded sales, and no fees are charged on refunded transactions.

Chargebacks. When a buyer disputes a transaction through their bank or card network, Stripe charges a dispute fee regardless of outcome. If the chargeback is upheld, your share of that sale is reversed. If Panels determines that a pattern of chargebacks is attributable to your Content (fraudulent uploads, misleading metadata, etc.), Panels may deduct dispute fees from your balance and, in serious or repeated cases, suspend or terminate your account.

7. Taxes and VAT​

Panels Store acts as the merchant of record for all sales. Produkt Software Engineering S.L. is the party responsible for collecting and remitting applicable sales taxes — including EU VAT under the One Stop Shop (OSS) scheme, UK VAT, and US state sales tax where applicable.

  • The prices you set are net of applicable sales taxes. Taxes are added at checkout based on the buyer's location and do not affect your revenue share.
  • You do not need to register for VAT or sales tax in buyer jurisdictions as a result of selling on Panels Store.
  • You remain solely responsible for reporting and paying income tax (and any other taxes applicable to you) on the earnings you receive from Panels.

If your tax status requires specific documentation (e.g., VAT ID for intra-EU reverse charge on platform fees, 1099 / W-8 forms), you agree to provide accurate information through your account settings and keep it up to date.

8. Distribution and DRM​

Panels distributes your Content in DRM-free formats including CBZ, CBR, CB7, PDF, and EPUB. Files are delivered to buyers without modification beyond necessary packaging or metadata adjustments.

You may upload multiple file formats for the same comic. Content is delivered both as streaming and direct downloads: readers can open and start reading instantly without downloading the full file, and may also download their purchased files to store and use on any personal device outside of the Panels app.

9. Promotional Use of Content​

You grant Panels the right to use cover images, sample pages, metadata, and any preview material you designate as publicly visible during upload for the purpose of promoting your Content and the Panels Store across our website, apps, social media accounts, email newsletters, editorial content, and paid advertising.

Promotional use will always credit you as the creator or publisher. You may revoke this right for specific Content with 30 days' written notice to publish@panels.store, after which Panels will cease new promotional use of that Content, though existing scheduled or printed materials may run their course.

10. Content Standards and Restrictions​

You agree that all Content you publish complies with Panels Store's Content Policies, incorporated into this agreement by reference and available at docs.panels.store/content-policies. These policies are binding and may be updated from time to time under the amendment process in Section 17.

In addition to the detailed policies, you acknowledge the following categorical prohibitions:

  • Sexualization of minors (real or fictional) — zero tolerance, no exceptions
  • Child sexual abuse material — zero tolerance, reported to authorities
  • Sexually explicit or pornographic material
  • Sexual or adult services
  • Obscene or extreme content combining sexual acts with violence
  • Content promoting hatred, violence, or harm against protected groups
  • Content infringing third-party intellectual property rights
  • Any attempt to circumvent these restrictions

Mature content containing strong language, graphic violence, adult themes, psychological horror, or nudity — including nudity in sexual contexts, provided it does not cross into pornographic or obscene material — is permitted and must be rated "18+ (Mature)" through the age-rating questionnaire.

AI-Generated Content. Panels Store does not allow AI-generated comics. Our platform exists to support the writers and artists who create comics, and our catalog is reserved for work created by them.

Specifically prohibited:

  • AI-generated artwork. Pages or panels produced by generative AI systems (including but not limited to Midjourney, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, Sora, and similar text-to-image, image-to-image, or text-to-video tools), whether used whole or as the primary basis for your pages.
  • AI-generated narrative. Scripts, dialogue, captions, or story content produced by large language models or similar systems, whether used verbatim or as the primary basis for your story.
  • AI-generated comics end-to-end. Tools that take a prompt and return a finished comic book.

What is allowed is human creators using AI as a production aid: color flatting or correction, lettering assistance, image cleanup and upscaling, reference generation for your own drawing, research, translation support, and accessibility features. The test is not "did you touch an AI tool" — it is "did an AI generate the comic, or did you?"

By publishing on Panels Store, you confirm in good faith that your Content meets this standard, and you agree to disclose any meaningful use of generative AI during the upload process. We acknowledge that enforcement depends heavily on creator honesty — we cannot detect every violation — but the policy is absolute, and Content found to be AI-generated will be removed. Repeated violations will result in account termination.

You must accurately complete the age-rating questionnaire for all Content. Panels may re-classify, restrict, or remove Content, suspend accounts, or withhold payouts for violations without prior notice. You may appeal any moderation decision by contacting publish@panels.store.

11. Data and Privacy​

Panels owns the buyer relationship and all associated data, including buyer identities, email addresses, purchase history, and reader behavior. You will not receive personally identifiable information about individual buyers.

Panels will provide you with aggregated and anonymized sales data through your dashboard (units sold, revenue, country-level geography, etc.). If a buyer chooses to contact you directly through Panels' messaging features (where available), standard privacy rules apply.

You agree not to attempt to identify, contact, or collect data on Panels Store buyers outside the mechanisms provided by Panels.

12. Representations and Indemnification​

You represent and warrant that:

  • You own or have all necessary rights and licenses to distribute your Content;
  • Your Content does not infringe any third party's copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, or other rights;
  • The information you provide to Panels (identity, tax details, payout information, metadata) is accurate and kept up to date;
  • Your Content complies with this agreement and all incorporated policies.

Indemnification. You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Panels, Produkt Software Engineering S.L., and their officers and employees from any third-party claims, damages, losses, or legal costs (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from (a) Content you publish, (b) your breach of this agreement or the incorporated policies, or (c) misrepresentation of rights or ownership. Panels will notify you promptly of any such claim and reasonably cooperate with your defense.

13. Limitation of Liability​

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Panels' total aggregate liability to you under this agreement, for any cause and under any theory of liability, is capped at the greater of (a) the total fees Panels received from your sales in the 12 months preceding the claim, or (b) €100.

Panels is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including lost profits or lost sales opportunities.

Nothing in this section limits liability that cannot be limited under applicable law (including, in the EU, liability for willful misconduct or gross negligence).

14. Termination and Content Availability​

Either party may end this agreement at any time with written notice.

Panels will stop selling your Content within 48–72 hours of receiving notice. Any pending payouts for sales made before termination will still be processed on the next regular payout cycle.

Purchased Content Accessibility. If you remove Content from the Platform, new users will no longer be able to see or purchase it. Readers who previously purchased your Content retain permanent access to it in their library. This ensures readers maintain access to content they have paid for.

Panels may terminate this agreement immediately, without notice, for material breach — including but not limited to illegal Content, repeated policy violations, fraud, or chargeback abuse.

15. Regional Availability​

Payouts via Stripe Connect are currently available to publishers in the European Union, United Kingdom, and United States.

Publishers outside these regions should contact publish@panels.store to discuss options. We are working to expand to additional payment providers and regions.

16. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution​

This agreement is governed by the laws of Spain, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles.

Any dispute arising from this agreement will be resolved in the courts of Madrid, Spain, and you consent to exclusive jurisdiction and venue there. Where applicable, mandatory consumer-protection rights under the laws of your country of residence remain unaffected.

Before filing any formal dispute, the parties agree to attempt in good faith to resolve the matter by email to publish@panels.store within 30 days.

17. Amendments​

Panels may update this agreement from time to time. Material changes will be communicated to you at least 15 days in advance by email to the address on file and through your publisher dashboard.

Your continued use of Panels Store after the effective date of updated terms constitutes acceptance. If you do not agree to the changes, you may terminate under Section 14.

Non-material changes (clarifications, typo fixes, updated links) take effect on publication.

18. Acceptance​

By creating a publisher account on Panels Store, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to these terms and to the Content Policies incorporated by reference.