Privacy Policy
Last updated: April 2, 2026
SOMO ("we", "our", or "us") operates the SOMO mobile application (the "App"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our App.
1. Information We Collect
Personal Information You Provide:
- Phone number — used for account creation and OTP-based authentication via Firebase.
- Name and email address — provided when you set up or edit your profile.
- Vehicle details — vehicle type and number, used for parking bookings.
Information Collected Automatically:
- Location data — with your permission, we access your device's GPS to show nearby parking spots and provide navigation. We use approximate (coarse) and precise (fine) location.
- Camera and photos — with your permission, we access your device camera to let you upload images (e.g., parking spot photos). Images are stored on Cloudinary, a third-party cloud storage service.
- Device information — basic device and app usage data for performance monitoring and crash reporting.
Payment Information:
- Payments are processed through Razorpay, a third-party payment gateway. We do not store your credit/debit card numbers or UPI details on our servers. Razorpay handles all payment data in accordance with PCI-DSS standards. Please refer to Razorpay's Privacy Policy for more details.
2. How We Use Your Information
- To create and manage your account.
- To enable parking spot search, booking, and payment.
- To display nearby parking locations using your device location.
- To send booking confirmations and notifications.
- To provide customer support.
- To improve and optimize the App's performance and user experience.
3. Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services that may collect information:
- Firebase (Google) — for phone authentication and analytics.
- Supabase — for database and backend services.
- Razorpay — for payment processing.
- Cloudinary — for image storage.
Each third-party service operates under its own privacy policy. We encourage you to review their policies.
4. Data Storage and Security
Your data is stored securely on cloud servers managed by Supabase (hosted on AWS). We implement row-level security policies, encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS), and access controls to protect your personal information.
While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your data, no method of electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.
5. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services. You can request deletion of your account and associated data at any time by contacting us.
6. Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Access your personal data stored with us.
- Update or correct your profile information through the App.
- Delete your account and request removal of your data.
- Revoke permissions (location, camera) at any time through your device settings.
7. Children's Privacy
Our App is not intended for use by children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we discover that a child under 13 has provided us with personal data, we will delete it promptly.
8. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically.
9. Contact Us
Terms & Conditions
Effective Date: April 5, 2026
1. Service Overview
SOMO is a parking discovery and booking platform that connects customers with parking space partners. SOMO acts as an intermediary and does not own or operate any parking facilities.
2. Payment Terms
Hourly Bookings (Pay After Parking)
- No upfront payment is required for hourly bookings (30 min, 1 hr, 2 hrs, 4 hrs, 8 hrs).
- Payment is collected after parking ends, based on actual time used.
- Actual time is rounded up to the nearest 30-minute interval.
- Payment is processed via Razorpay (UPI, Card, or Net Banking).
Long-term Bookings (Prepaid)
- Daily, Weekly, and Monthly bookings require upfront payment at the time of booking.
- Payment is processed immediately via Razorpay.
3. Booking & Check-in Process
- Upon booking, a 4-digit verification code (OTP) is generated.
- Customer must share this OTP with the parking partner to confirm check-in.
- Parking timer starts only after OTP is confirmed by the partner, not from the booking time.
- If OTP is not confirmed within 30 minutes of the scheduled time, the booking is automatically cancelled.
4. Platform Commission
- SOMO charges a 20% commission on each completed booking.
- A convenience fee and applicable GST are added to the customer's bill.
- Partners receive 80% of the base fare for each booking.
5. Surge Pricing
- During high demand (occupancy above 60%), surge pricing may apply.
- Surge multipliers: 60-75% occupancy = 1.1x, 75-90% = 1.25x, 90%+ = 1.5x.
- Surge pricing is displayed before booking confirmation.
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Effective Date: April 5, 2026
Hourly Bookings (Pay After Parking)
| Scenario |
Charge |
| Cancel before check-in (OTP not shared) |
No charge (₹0) |
| No-show (auto-cancel after 30 min) |
No charge (₹0) |
| After check-in (OTP confirmed) |
No cancellation. Billed for actual time used. |
| Booking complete |
Payment collected based on actual usage (rounded to 30 min) |
Prepaid Bookings (Daily / Weekly / Monthly)
| Scenario |
Refund |
| Cancel before check-in (OTP not shared) |
100% refund to SOMO Wallet |
| No-show (auto-cancel after 30 min) |
100% refund to SOMO Wallet |
| After check-in (OTP confirmed) |
No cancellation or refund |
Important Notes
- Refunds to SOMO Wallet are instant and can be used for future bookings.
- SOMO reserves the right to modify this policy with prior notice.
- Fraudulent or repeated abuse of free cancellation may result in account restrictions.
- Partners who repeatedly bypass OTP verification may have their accounts suspended.
Partner Terms
- Partners list parking spaces at their own set rates.
- SOMO deducts a 20% commission from each completed booking.
- Partners must verify customer check-in via OTP. Bypassing OTP is a violation of terms.
- Partners can manually mark slots as occupied for walk-ins or other platform bookings.
- Settlement of partner earnings is processed periodically to the partner's registered bank account.
- Cash collection policy: When partners collect cash from customers, the platform commission (20%) is tracked as a payable balance. Partners must clear outstanding dues when the balance reaches ₹100. New bookings will be paused until dues are cleared via in-app payment.
- Partners who repeatedly avoid clearing dues or attempt to bypass the payment system may have their accounts suspended.