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Busy Meter

Terms of Service

Effective date: October 13, 2026 · Last updated: October 13, 2026

These terms cover the Busy Meter light, the free Busy Meter app, the Print Files, and thebusymeter.com (including the web flasher). They're an agreement between you and Zachary Tonsmeire ("Busy Meter", "we", "us"). By buying a Busy Meter, downloading the app or the Print Files, or using the website, you agree to them. Our Privacy Policy explains how we handle information.

The short version #

  • The app is free to use with your Busy Meter, at home or at work. Please don't resell or redistribute it.
  • The light shows a best guess. It can be wrong, late or dark, and on a shared network other people can change it. Don't rely on it to tell you a camera or microphone is off.
  • Work computers: check that your employer allows the app and lets you connect your work accounts.
  • Flashing light: the red and blue Flash can be slowed down or recolored, and the camera can show a steady level instead. A double-tap on the meter still starts the Flash.
  • Hardware comes with a 1-year limited warranty and 30-day returns. Print Files are for personal use.
  • Your meter doesn't depend on our servers. Tap control and Home Assistant keep working even without the app.

1. Buying from us #

You must be at least 18, or have a parent's or guardian's permission, to buy from us.

Prices and payment. Prices are in U.S. dollars. Tax and shipping are shown at checkout. Payment is handled by the payment provider or marketplace shown at checkout.

Made by hand. Each meter is 3D-printed and assembled by hand. Small differences in color, texture and print lines are normal and aren't defects.

Cancellations. We may cancel an order, for example after a pricing mistake, if we can't ship to your address, or if we suspect fraud. If we do, we'll refund you in full.

Marketplace orders. If you buy through a marketplace such as Etsy, its terms and buyer protections also apply to your purchase.

2. Shipping #

We ship to the United States. Ship dates and delivery times are estimates.

If your order arrives damaged or doesn't arrive, contact us within 14 days of delivery (or of the expected delivery date). We'll replace it or refund you.

3. Returns #

  • Desk and Doorway units: return within 30 days of delivery for a refund, in original condition with all parts and mounts.
  • DIY Kits: return within 30 days of delivery if unassembled and unused.
  • Print Files: because they're digital, they can't be returned once downloaded. If the files are broken and we can't fix them, we'll refund you.

Email hello@thebusymeter.com with your order number to start a return. You pay return shipping unless the item is defective or we made a mistake. Refunds go to your original payment method within 10 days of us receiving the return.

Nothing in this section limits rights you have under consumer protection law.

4. Limited warranty #

What's covered. We warrant that Desk and Doorway units are free from defects in materials and workmanship for 1 year from delivery. DIY Kit parts are covered as shipped for 90 days; your assembly isn't.

What we'll do. If a covered defect shows up, email hello@thebusymeter.com with your order number and a photo or short video. We'll repair it, replace it or refund you, at our choice. You may need to send the meter back first.

What's not covered:

  • Accidents, drops, misuse or normal wear, such as scratches or faded color
  • Heat damage. The plastic housing can warp above about 50 °C (120 °F), for example in a hot car, in direct sun or near a heater
  • Water or moisture
  • Power from anything other than a standard 5 V USB port or charger
  • Damage caused by opening, modifying or rewiring the meter
  • Things you print or build yourself from the Print Files

Changing your meter's settings or firmware doesn't void the warranty, but damage caused by the change isn't covered.

Implied warranties. As far as the law allows, implied warranties on hardware (such as merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose) last only as long as this limited warranty. Some states don't allow limits on how long an implied warranty lasts, so this limit may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other rights that vary by state or country.

5. The Busy Meter app #

Your license. We give you a free, personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to install and use the app on computers you own or control, to run your Busy Meter lights. Using it at work is fine.

You may not:

  • sell, rent, share or redistribute the app;
  • reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble it, except where the law allows this despite this restriction;
  • remove its copyright or license notices;
  • use it to break the law or anyone else's terms.

Updates. The app checks for updates on its own and installs them when you quit it or choose Restart now, to fix problems and add features. Updates can add, change or remove features. Features marked "coming soon" are planned but not guaranteed, and have no fixed date.

Beta updates. In Settings › About & updates you can choose the beta channel instead of stable. Beta versions are test versions: they may have more bugs and may change or remove things before a stable release.

If the app goes away. We may stop offering or supporting the app, and we'll try to give notice first. Your meter runs on its own firmware and doesn't need our servers: tap control and Home Assistant keep working without the app.

Ownership. We own the app. You get a license to use it, not ownership of it. The license ends if you break these terms; if that happens, uninstall the app.

Open-source parts. The app includes open-source components and fonts, listed under Third-party notices in Settings › About & updates. Their own licenses apply to them, and nothing in these terms limits your rights under those licenses. The meter runs the open-source WLED firmware, version 16.0.1, unmodified, licensed under the EUPL-1.2. Its source code is at https://github.com/wled/WLED/tree/v16.0.1. Busy Meter isn't affiliated with or endorsed by the WLED project.

6. Connected services and your employer #

Other companies' services. When you connect Microsoft, Slack, a calendar or Home Assistant, you use those services under their own terms. They can change or switch off features the app relies on, and your organization can block the app. If that happens, some status sources may stop working. We'll try to fix or work around it in an update, but we can't promise to, and we're not responsible for changes other companies make.

The app's connection to Teams on your PC uses a Teams setting that Microsoft can change or remove at any time.

AI tools. If you connect Claude Code or Codex, or set up Claude Desktop or Claude Code as an AI assistant, the app adds its own entries to that tool's settings file and leaves the rest as it was. You use those tools under their makers' terms, and they can change how their settings or hooks work, which may stop these features working.

Work computers and accounts. You're responsible for making sure your employer allows you to install the app and connect your work accounts. Some organizations require IT approval first.

7. What the light can and can't do #

The light shows a best guess from the signals the app can see. It can be wrong, late or dark, for example when your PC is asleep, the app is closed, a sign-in has expired, a service is down or your organization blocks a source.

  • Don't rely on it for safety, security or privacy. In particular, don't treat it as proof that a camera or microphone is off. Check your computer instead.
  • It isn't a safety device or a medical device. Don't use it anywhere a wrong or missing status could cause harm.
  • Programs and AI assistants you allow under External connections can change what the light shows. Allow only ones you trust.
  • On a shared Wi-Fi network, anyone on that network can change what the light shows, without a password. The settings PIN on meters we flash protects firmware updates and settings, not what the light shows. See "The meter" in our Privacy Policy, and keep the meter on USB if that matters to you.

8. Safety #

Flashing lights. The Flash level flashes red and blue. By default it's set to about twice a second, and the app won't set it faster than three times a second. The camera turning on starts it, and so does a double-tap on the meter's touch pad. By default the camera's Flash stops after 10 seconds and a steady level shows instead (Settings › Sources › Camera); a double-tap Flash lasts until the next tap unless you set a time. If you or anyone who can see the meter has photosensitive epilepsy or is sensitive to flashing light, slow the Flash down or change its colors (Settings › Look), and set the camera signals to a steady level (Settings › Levels). A double-tap still shows the Flash, so keep the meter where it won't be tapped by accident. If anyone feels unwell, turn the meter off and get medical advice.

Power. Use the included cable with a standard 5 V USB port or a charger from a reputable brand. Don't use a damaged cable.

Where to use it. Indoors, in dry places, away from heaters, direct sun and other heat sources.

Mounting. Follow the mounting guide. Use screws and anchors suited to your wall, make sure the meter doesn't block a door or walkway, and check the mount from time to time. You're responsible for mounting it safely.

Children. Busy Meter isn't a toy. DIY Kits contain small parts and need soldering, which can cause burns. They're for adults, or for older children under close adult supervision. Solder in a ventilated area.

9. Print Files #

Your license. When you buy the Print Files, we give you a personal, non-commercial, non-transferable license to print them and build Busy Meters for your own use, including as gifts. You may change the files for your own use.

You may not:

  • sell prints, kits or finished lights made from the files, or from changed versions of them;
  • share, resell or upload the files (changed or not) anywhere, including model-sharing sites.

Your build. You print, wire and power your build at your own risk. We can't vouch for parts you source, your printer settings or your wiring, and the warranty in section 4 doesn't cover things you build.

Firmware. The WLED firmware included with the Print Files is licensed under the EUPL-1.2, and nothing in these terms limits your rights under that license. Boards flashed from the Print Files or the web flasher don't get the per-unit firmware-update password or settings PIN that meters we flash have, so anyone on your network can change their settings. Securing your build is up to you.

10. Our designs and trademarks #

The Busy Meter name, the light's design, the app, the guides and this website are ours. Except as these terms allow, you may not copy them or sell copies.

Microsoft, Teams, Outlook, Slack, Zoom, Webex, Google, Apple, Home Assistant, WLED, Claude, Anthropic, Codex and OpenAI are trademarks of their owners. Busy Meter isn't affiliated with or endorsed by any of them.

11. Using the website #

Don't misuse the website: no attacking it, overloading it, or using it to break the law.

Web flasher. Flashing firmware erases what was on the board, including its Wi-Fi details and, on a meter we flashed, its firmware-update password and settings PIN. Use the web flasher only with Busy Meter boards or the ESP32-C3 boards the guide lists. Follow the guide; you use the flasher at your own risk.

12. Disclaimers #

EXCEPT FOR THE LIMITED WARRANTY IN SECTION 4, AND AS FAR AS THE LAW ALLOWS, THE APP, THE PRINT FILES, THE FIRMWARE IMAGES, THE GUIDES AND THE WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE", WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. WE DON'T PROMISE THAT THE APP WILL WORK WITH EVERY ACCOUNT, ORGANIZATION OR OTHER SERVICE, OR THAT IT WILL BE ERROR-FREE OR UNINTERRUPTED.

13. Limits on our liability #

AS FAR AS THE LAW ALLOWS:

  • WE AREN'T LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR FOR LOST PROFITS, LOST DATA OR LOSSES CAUSED BY THE LIGHT SHOWING A WRONG OR MISSING STATUS.
  • OUR TOTAL LIABILITY FOR ANY CLAIM IS LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT YOU PAID FOR THE PRODUCT THE CLAIM IS ABOUT, OR US$50 IF YOU PAID NOTHING.

Some places don't allow these limits, so they may not apply to you. Nothing in these terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud, or for anything else the law doesn't let us limit.

14. Disputes #

Talk to us first. If you have a problem, email hello@thebusymeter.com. We'll try to sort it out within 30 days.

Governing law. These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Georgia, USA, without regard to its conflict-of-law rules. Disputes go to the state or federal courts in Bartow County, Georgia, except that either of us can bring a claim in small-claims court where you live. If you're a consumer outside the U.S., you keep any protections that your local law doesn't let a contract take away.

15. Changes to these terms #

When we change these terms, we'll update the "Last updated" date. If we make a significant change, we'll announce it on this page and in the app's release notes before it takes effect. Orders are covered by the terms in effect when you placed them. If you don't agree to new terms for the app, stop using it and uninstall it.

16. Everything else #

  • These terms and our Privacy Policy are the whole agreement between us about Busy Meter.
  • If a court finds part of these terms unenforceable, the rest still applies.
  • If we don't enforce part of these terms right away, we can still enforce it later.
  • We may transfer these terms if the business is sold. You may not transfer them without our permission.

Contact #

Zachary Tonsmeire, Busy Meter Cartersville, Georgia, United States hello@thebusymeter.com