Terms of Service
Couchside · last updated July 2026
Couchside is a utility for controlling your own computer on your own network. Try every feature free for 7 days; keep it with a one-time unlock. No subscription, no account. The service is open-source (MIT), the app's source is public (PolyForm Noncommercial), and the software is provided as-is. Don't use it on machines you don't have permission to control.
Who we are
Couchside is made by ETS3D LLC ("we", "us"). These terms are an agreement between you and ETS3D LLC covering the Couchside mobile app, the Couchside service, and this website. By using them, you agree to these terms.
What Couchside is
Couchside is a phone app that connects to a small service you install on your own computer (a SteamOS, Bazzite, or other Linux machine, or the Windows service in beta) over your local network. It shows system information and lets you run a limited, audited set of actions on that machine. It is a tool for administering computers you own or are authorized to manage — using it against machines without permission is prohibited.
Trial, pricing, and purchases
- The app is free to download and includes a full-featured 7-day trial. After the trial, continued use of the gated features requires a one-time unlock purchased through the Apple App Store or Google Play.
- The unlock is a single non-consumable purchase tied to your store account — no subscription, no recurring charges. It can be restored on new devices through the store's normal restore mechanism ("Restore Purchases" in the app).
- Purchases are processed entirely by Apple or Google under their terms. Refunds are handled by the store you bought from, per their policies — we never see your payment details.
- Prices may change (for example, launch pricing that later increases). A price change never affects an unlock you already bought.
Licenses
Two licenses cover the project, and both are more permissive than typical app terms:
- The service, installer, and protocol are open source under the MIT license. Use them however you like, including building your own client.
- The app's source code is public and source-available under the PolyForm Noncommercial License 1.0.0: you may read, audit, modify, and compile it for your own personal, noncommercial use. You may not sell it or redistribute it commercially. The store builds are the official, paid distribution.
Full texts live in the GitHub repository (root LICENSE and app/LICENSE). If these terms and those licenses ever appear to conflict about the source code, the licenses win.
Acceptable use
- Only connect Couchside to machines you own or are explicitly authorized to control.
- Don't use Couchside to violate any law, or to interfere with networks or systems that aren't yours.
- Don't misrepresent modified builds as official Couchside releases.
Your data
We don't collect any. There is no account and no server operated by us; the app talks only to your own service on your own LAN. Details in the Privacy Policy.
Warranties and liability
Couchside is provided "as is", without warranty of any kind. It is a tool that restarts sessions, changes power state, and sends input to a machine you point it at — you are responsible for what you run it against. To the maximum extent permitted by law, ETS3D LLC is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of the software, and our total liability for any claim is limited to the amount you paid for the unlock (or $5 if you paid nothing). Some jurisdictions don't allow certain limitations, so parts of this may not apply to you.
Third parties
Couchside is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Valve, the Bazzite project, the Fedora Project, Lenovo, Apple, Google, or any other vendor mentioned in its documentation. Steam, Steam Deck, and SteamOS are trademarks of Valve Corporation. App Store purchases are additionally subject to Apple's standard EULA terms where applicable; Google Play purchases are subject to Google Play's terms.
Changes to the service and these terms
We may update the app, the service, and these terms over time. Material changes to these terms will be posted here with a new date. Because the software runs entirely on your own devices, nothing we do server-side can take away functionality you already have installed.
Termination
You can stop using Couchside at any time by uninstalling the app and the service — nothing lingers, since there is no account to close. If you materially breach these terms, your permission to use the official builds ends; the open-source and source-available licenses are governed by their own terms.
Contact
Questions? Email support@couchside.tv or open an issue on GitHub.