Netlify provides several notable user-friendly privacy commitments and recognizes access, deletion, portability, and opt-out rights. But the terms also include a perpetual content license for website submissions, broad indemnity, strict liability caps, unilateral updates, tracking for interest-based ads, and California forum selection.
Netlify’s legal posture is mixed but relatively transparent. It offers meaningful privacy commitments—such as not selling code/content, no AI training on customer content without opt-in, and user privacy rights—while still reserving broad operational data use, ad/partner sharing in some contexts, unilateral terms changes, strong liability limits, and broad content-related discretion on its website.
Points of interest
If something goes wrong, Netlify’s liability for website-related claims is capped at the lesser of your current-month fees or $100, while many damages are excluded entirely. This substantially limits your practical recovery.
"NETLIFY’S AGGREGATE LIABILITY... IS LIMITED TO NO MORE THAN THE LESSER OF (A) THE TOTAL FEES PAID BY YOU IN THE THEN-CURRENT MONTH OR (B) ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS"
Netlify says it does not sell your code or content, which is a strong privacy commitment for a cloud platform. It also says customer content is only used to operate and improve the service.
"We do not sell your code or content. We do not use your code or content to train AI models unless you explicitly opt in."
Your code and content are not used for AI model training unless you explicitly opt in. This reduces the risk of your hosted materials being repurposed for model development without consent.
"We do not use your code or content to train AI models unless you explicitly opt in."
Netlify recognizes a broad set of privacy rights, including access, correction, deletion, restriction, transfer, objection, and consent withdrawal, subject to local law. That gives users meaningful control over personal data.
"these rights may include the right to: Access... Erase... Restrict... Transfer... Object... Withdraw your consent at any time"
Netlify uses cookies and similar technologies for interest-based advertising, meaning your browsing activity may be used to tailor ads. Under California law, some of this may count as "sharing" personal information.
"we use cookies to gather information to provide interest-based advertising which is tailored to you based on your online activity"
Personal data may be shared with affiliates, partners, integrations, and event sponsors, with sponsor sharing sometimes tied to consent or event participation. This can expand who receives your information beyond core service providers.
"we may share your Personal Data with sponsors of the event... Partners... Netlify Third-party Integrations"
If you submit content, feedback, or other material through the website, Netlify gets a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free license to use it. That is broader and longer-lasting than many users would expect for website submissions.
"you grant Netlify a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free right and license... to use... your Content"
You must defend and reimburse Netlify for third-party claims tied to your use, content, or third-party products/services connected through the website. This can shift legal and financial risk onto users.
"You shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless Netlify... arising out of or relating to your use of the Website, your Content"
Netlify says it responds to Global Privacy Control signals and offers opt-outs from certain sales/sharing under California law. This is a practical privacy benefit for users trying to limit ad-tech disclosures.
"We respond to these signals by processing them as a request to opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of your Personal Information"
Netlify may revise the terms, and continued use means you accept the changes. Users need to monitor updates because changes can take effect without negotiated consent.
"Netlify may revise these Terms from time to time... Your continued access or use of the Website constitutes your acceptance of any revisions."
Disputes must be brought in state or federal courts in San Francisco County under California law. This may be inconvenient or costly for users located elsewhere, though it is not an arbitration clause.
"You and Netlify agree to submit to the personal and exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within San Francisco County, California"
Netlify says it keeps data as long as needed for the original purpose or legal obligations, and some data may not be fully deleted for technical reasons. This is common, but the policy does not give concrete retention timelines.
"We may retain your Personal Data for a period of time consistent with the original purpose of collection... unable, for technical reasons, to delete entirely"
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Documents
Terms of Service
source ↗- •You must be at least 13, or older if your country requires it, and use the website only through a device you control.
- •Netlify gives you a limited, revocable, non-transferable license to access the website, but you do not get ownership or copying rights.
- •If you submit content or feedback, you give Netlify a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free license to use it to operate, secure, and improve the website.
- •You must not post illegal, infringing, pirated, hateful, slanderous, or otherwise objectionable material, and Netlify may monitor use and remove content.
- •Violations can lead to project removal or account termination, sometimes without notice, though Netlify usually gives 48 hours to fix certain content issues.
- •Your website use must follow Netlify’s Acceptable Use Policy, Privacy Policy, other published policies, and applicable laws.
- •Netlify may collect and analyze usage data, share aggregated or non-identifying information, and disclose content or information when required by court order or subpoena.
- •The website is provided "as is" without warranties, and Netlify is not responsible for third-party websites linked from its site.
- •You must indemnify Netlify against third-party claims related to your use, content, or third-party products or services connected through the website.
- •California law governs disputes, exclusive courts are in San Francisco County, and Netlify’s total liability is capped at the lesser of current-month fees or $100.
Privacy Policy
source ↗- •Netlify collects account, profile, payment, marketing, support, event, customer content, device, usage, cookie, and third-party sign-in information, depending on how you use it.
- •It uses personal data to provide, secure, maintain, improve, and support services and the website, manage accounts, process payments, run events, and send marketing.
- •Netlify says you own your content, it does not sell your code or content, and it does not use them for AI training unless you opt in.
- •It may share data with service providers, affiliates, event sponsors, partners, integrations, advisers, and authorities, and sponsor sharing may be subject to your consent.
- •Netlify transfers data internationally and says it uses legal safeguards like Standard Contractual Clauses and Data Privacy Framework commitments for certain transfers.
- •You can request access, correction, deletion, restriction, transfer, objection, consent withdrawal, and certain marketing and third-party disclosure opt-outs, subject to local law.
- •Marketing emails include an unsubscribe link, and you can join Netlify’s internal do-not-call list while still receiving service and security messages.
- •Netlify keeps personal data as needed for the original purpose or legal obligations, then deletes it when possible, though complete deletion may not always be technically possible.
- •Netlify does not knowingly collect data from children under 16, and it may close accounts if it learns a user is under 16.
- •It says it uses security measures but cannot guarantee complete security, and external links and third-party sites are governed by their own privacy practices.
