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No. 10346836
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Katherine Chabolla v. Classpass, Inc.
No. 10346836 · Decided February 27, 2025
No. 10346836·Ninth Circuit · 2025·
FlawFinder last updated this page Apr. 2, 2026
Case Details
Court
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Decided
February 27, 2025
Citation
No. 10346836
Disposition
See opinion text.
Full Opinion
FOR PUBLICATION
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
KATHERINE CHABOLLA, No. 23-15999
Individually and on Behalf of All
Others Similarly Situated, D.C. No.
4:23-cv-00429-
Plaintiff-Appellee, YGR
v.
OPINION
CLASSPASS INC.; CLASSPASS,
LLC; CLASSPASS USA, LLC,
Defendants-Appellants.
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Northern District of California
Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, District Judge, Presiding
Argued and Submitted September 11, 2024
San Francisco, California
Filed February 27, 2025
Before: Jay S. Bybee, Salvador Mendoza, Jr., Circuit
Judges, and Michael W. Fitzgerald,* District Judge.
*
The Honorable Michael W. Fitzgerald, United States District Judge for
the Central District of California, sitting by designation.
2 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
Opinion by Judge Mendoza;
Dissent by Judge Bybee
SUMMARY**
Arbitration
The panel affirmed the district court’s order denying
ClassPass, Inc.’s motion to compel arbitration in a case in
which plaintiff filed a complaint, on behalf of herself and a
class of California consumers similarly charged for an auto-
renewed subscription, alleging that ClassPass—a company
that offers packaged-deal access to gyms, fitness studios, and
fitness classes—violated California’s Automatic Renewal
Law, Unfair Competition Law, and Consumers Legal
Remedies Act.
Plaintiff purchased an online subscription. ClassPass did
not charge plaintiff’s account for months during the COVID-
19 pandemic, but when gym operations resumed so did
ClassPass’s charges. ClassPass argued that when plaintiff
used its website, she agreed to arbitrate any claims against
it.
Because ClassPass’s website provides a link to the
Terms of Use but does not require that the user actually read
them before moving on to purchase a subscription, the
website most closely resembles a “sign-in wrap agreement.”
**
This summary constitutes no part of the opinion of the court. It has
been prepared by court staff for the convenience of the reader.
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 3
Plaintiff navigated through four webpages to purchase her
subscription: the landing page and screens 1, 2, and 3.
The panel held that neither the landing page nor screen 1
provided plaintiff with reasonably conspicuous notice of the
Terms of Use. Even if screens 2 and 3 did, at no point did
plaintiff unambiguously manifest her assent to the Terms of
Use on those screens. Nor did plaintiff’s use of the website,
viewed in total, amount to her unambiguous manifestation
of assent to the Terms of Use. Plaintiff did not agree to be
bound to the arbitration clause within those Terms of Use.
Dissenting, Judge Bybee would hold that plaintiff agreed
to ClassPass’s Terms of Use. The screens, considered
individually, required plaintiff to manifest her assent to the
Terms of Use. When considering all three screens together,
that conclusion is overwhelming. Plaintiff received three
conspicuous notices of the Terms and unambiguously
assented three times during the sign-up process. This was
enough to bind her in contract. He would reverse the
judgment of the district court and order the arbitration
provision enforced.
COUNSEL
Jessica L. Hunter (argued), Wittels McInturff Palikovic,
New York, New York; Daniel E. Birkhaeuser, Robert M.
Bramson, and Alan R. Plutzik, Bramson Plutzik Mahler &
Birkhaeuser LLP, Walnut Creek, California; for Plaintiff-
Appellee.
Benjamin G. Shatz (argued), Christine M. Reilly, and Justin
J. Rodriguez, Manatt Phelps & Phillips LLP, Los Angeles,
California, for Defendants-Appellants.
4 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
OPINION
MENDOZA, Circuit Judge:
Like many wishful thinkers, Katherine Chabolla started
off 2020 by resolving to improve her fitness and wellness.
So that January, she went online and purchased a trial
subscription with ClassPass, a company offering packaged-
deal access to gyms, fitness studios, and fitness classes.
Putting many of us to shame, her New Year’s resolution
lasted through February. But March brought with it a global
pandemic, and California’s gyms and studios closed their
doors. ClassPass did not charge Chabolla’s account for
months, but when operations resumed so did ClassPass’s
charges. Chabolla sued, alleging the resumed charges
violated California law. ClassPass argues that when
Chabolla used its website, she agreed to arbitrate any claims
against it.
We are presented with a question of ever-increasing
ubiquity in today’s e-commerce world: whether an internet
user’s online activities bound her to certain terms and
conditions. We do not know if Chabolla’s New Year’s
resolution survived 2020. But as to her claim in federal
court, we hold that it survives ClassPass’s motion to compel
arbitration and affirm.
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 5
I. BACKGROUND
A. Underlying Factual History
ClassPass1 sells subscription packages that grant
subscribers access to an assortment of gyms, studios, and
fitness and wellness classes. On January 30, 2020,
California resident Katherine Chabolla (“Chabolla”)
purchased a one-month subscription at a discounted rate,
subject to monthly renewal at the standard rate. As
discussed in greater detail below, the website required that
Chabolla navigate through several webpages to complete her
purchase. She did so and availed herself of ClassPass’s
partner gyms and studios over the following weeks.
In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and
government response closed California’s gyms, studios, and
fitness and wellness classes, and ClassPass paused its
monthly charges. A little over a year later, ClassPass
resumed charging subscribers, including Chabolla. The
particulars of those resumed payments and ClassPass’s
billing practices are not at issue in this interlocutory appeal.
B. ClassPass’s Website
Chabolla navigated through four webpages to purchase
her subscription, which we will call the “landing page” and
“screens 1, 2, and 3.” Representative examples of each are
1
“ClassPass, LLC” succeeded “ClassPass, Inc.” on March 30, 2022.
“ClassPass USA LLC” is a subsidiary of “ClassPass, LLC.” There is no
dispute over which entity is the proper defendant, and we collectively
refer to them as “ClassPass.”
6 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
found in the appendix; this summary recounts their relevant
features.2
The landing page—the first page Chabolla
encountered—invited the user to join ClassPass at various
discounted rates. Chabolla selected a 45-Credit plan, which
cost $39 for the first month, then $79 for subsequent months.
Below the listed rates was a large blue button labeled
“Continue.” Clicking the “Continue” button took the user to
screen 1. The landing page contained no language indicating
that a subscription is governed by any additional terms or
conditions not listed on the page.
Screen 1 again invited the user to join ClassPass and
described the selected discount. The right third of screen 1
contained action items, including directions to “[e]nter your
email to continue,” a field to do so, and another “Continue”
button. Below that was a divider, “ —or —”, that separated
the “Continue” button from an equal-sized “Sign up with
Facebook” button. Below that, in the smallest font on the
page, read “By clicking ‘Sign up with Facebook’ or
‘Continue,’ I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.”
The words “Terms of Use” and “Privacy Policy” were in
2
ClassPass provides images of webpages that its Marketing Director
explained are “in substantially the same form as [they] would have been
presented to Ms. Chabolla on January 30, 2020.” The parties are
satisfied that these images sufficiently represent the webpages that
Chabolla saw such that we may rely on these images to decide the legal
issues in this appeal. So, we too are satisfied with the images. See
Keebaugh v. Warner Bros. Ent. Inc., 100 F.4th 1005, 1015 (9th Cir.
2024) (“[W]here the authenticity of screenshots is not subject to factual
dispute, courts may decide the issue [of constructive notice] as a pure
question of law.’” (quoting Oberstein v. Live Nation Ent. Inc., 60 F.4th
505, 518 (9th Cir. 2023)).
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 7
blue, while the rest of the text was in gray. Entering an email
address and clicking “Continue” took the user to screen 2.
Screen 2 retained much of screen 1 but the action items
on the right third of the page were new. Screen 2’s right
third now asked “What’s your name?” and provided fields
for a first and last name. Below those fields, in the same
small font from screen 1 appeared the text: “By signing up
you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.” Again,
“Terms of Use” and “Privacy Policy” were in blue while the
rest of the font was in gray. Below that text appeared another
“Continue” button. Entering a first and last name and
clicking the “Continue” button took the user to screen 3.
Screen 3 was a checkout page that described the selected
discount, the amount owed, and the details of the offer. The
right third of the screen provided fields to enter payment
information. Below those fields the site presented a
collection of payment options, including text asking the user
if she had “Received a ClassPass gift card?” in blue font.
Below this question appeared the same small font from
screens 1 and 2, which read “I understand that my
membership will automatically renew to the [$79] per month
plan plus applicable tax until I cancel. I agree to the Terms
of Use and Privacy Policy.” And again, “Terms of Use” and
“Privacy Policy” were in blue while the rest of the text was
in gray. Below that text was a button labeled “Redeem
now.”
On screens 1, 2, and 3, the small blue text reading
“Terms of Use” and “Privacy Policy” (smaller than the font
for screen 3’s “Received a ClassPass gift card?”) contained
8 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
hyperlinks that took the user to those documents. The
second paragraph of the Terms of Use explains that
THESE TERMS CONTAIN A BINDING
ARBITRATION AGREEMENT AND
CLASS ACTION WAIVER THAT
REQUIRE YOU TO ARBITRATE ALL
DISPUTES YOU HAVE WITH CLASS
PASS [sic] ON AN INDIVIDUAL
BASIS . . . . YOU EXPRESSLY AGREE
THAT DISPUTES BETWEEN YOU AND
CLASSPASS WILL BE RESOLVED BY
BINDING, INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION,
AND YOU HEREBY WAIVE YOUR
RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS
ACTION LAWSUIT OR CLASS WIDE
ARBITRATION.
“Section 18” is the “Arbitration Agreement,” outlining
arbitration procedures in greater detail, including that “all
disputes between you and ClassPass shall be resolved by
binding arbitration.”
C. The Litigation
Chabolla filed a complaint in the Northern District of
California on behalf of herself and a class of California
consumers that ClassPass similarly charged for an auto-
renewed subscription. She alleges ClassPass violated
California’s Automatic Renewal Law, Unfair Competition
Law, and Consumers Legal Remedies Act. ClassPass filed
a Motion to Compel Arbitration, seeking dismissal or a stay
of proceedings during arbitration. The district court denied
the motion. This appeal follows.
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 9
II. JURISDICTION & STANDARD OF REVIEW
We have jurisdiction over the interlocutory appeal of an
order denying a motion to compel arbitration under the
Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”). 9 U.S.C. § 16(a)(1)(B);
Lopez v. Aircraft Serv. Int’l, 107 F.4th 1096, 1097 (9th Cir.
2024); Ortiz v. Randstad Inhouse Servs., LLC, 95 F.4th
1152, 1158 (9th Cir. 2024). We review a district court’s
denial of a motion to compel arbitration de novo and any
underlying findings of fact for clear error. Lopez, 107 F.4th
at 1098 (quoting Bielski v. Coinbase, 87 F.4th 1003, 1008
(9th Cir. 2023)). The party seeking to compel arbitration
bears the burden of proving the existence of an agreement to
arbitrate by a preponderance of evidence. Keebaugh v.
Warner Bros. Ent. Inc., 100 F.4th 1005, 1014 (9th Cir. 2024)
(citing Johnson v. Walmart Inc., 57 F.4th 677, 681 (9th Cir.
2023)).
III. DISCUSSION
As Ross Geller and Chandler Bing once learned the hard
way, there are few contracts more difficult to escape than
those for gym memberships.3 But to hold Chabolla to an
arbitration clause we must discern whether she entered into
such a contract in the first place. Berman v. Freedom Fin.
Network, LLC, 30 F.4th 849, 855 (9th Cir. 2022)
(“The [FAA] requires district courts to compel arbitration of
claims covered by an enforceable arbitration agreement.”
(citing 9 U.S.C. § 3) (emphasis added)); see also Lifescan,
Inc. v. Premier Diabetic Servs., Inc., 363 F.3d 1010, 1012
(9th Cir. 2004) (citing 9 U.S.C. § 4). “In determining
whether the parties have agreed to arbitrate a particular
3
Friends: The One with the Ballroom Dancing (NBC television
broadcast Oct. 16, 1997).
10 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
dispute, federal courts apply state-law principles of contract
formation.” Oberstein, 60 F.4th at 510 (quoting Berman, 30
F.4th at 855).
Online contracts are subject to the same elemental
principles of contract formation as paper contracts. Berman,
30 F.4th at 855–56. “To form a contract under
California . . . law, there must be actual or constructive
notice of the agreement and the parties must manifest mutual
assent.” Oberstein, 60 F.4th at 512–13 (citing Berman, 30
F.4th at 855).4 A party may manifest assent through
conduct. Berman, 30 F.4th at 855. To do so, the party must
intend the conduct and know, or have reason to know, the
other party may infer her assent from the conduct. Id.
In the world of internet contracts, there are browsewrap,
clickwrap, scrollwrap, and sign-in wrap agreements, each of
which purport to bind users through different “assent”
mechanisms. Keebaugh, 100 F.4th at 1014. In a
browsewrap, the “user accepts a website’s terms of use
merely by browsing the site,” although those terms are not
always immediately apparent on the screen. Id. (quoting
Sellers v. JustAnswer LLC, 289 Cal. Rptr. 3d 1, 15 (Ct. App.
4
On appeal, the parties agree that our Berman and Oberstein decisions
are controlling. 30 F.4th at 855; 60 F.4th at 510. In Berman, we applied
California law but observed that New York has “substantially similar
rules” and either state’s law would lead to the same result. 30 F.4th at
855 (citing Meyer v. Uber Techs., Inc., 868 F.3d 66, 74 (2d Cir. 2017)
and Nguyen v. Barnes & Noble, Inc., 763 F.3d 1171, 1175 (9th Cir. 2014)
(internal quotation marks omitted)). In Oberstein, we applied California
law. 60 F.4th at 510. Neither party asks us to depart from the forum
state’s law; each advocates its case under the forum state’s law and, to
whatever extent an argument for applying New York law can be made,
we find no substantive difference between New York and California law
affecting the outcome of this case. See Berman, 30 F.4th at 855.
Therefore, we apply California law.
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 11
2021)). Courts consistently decline to enforce browsewraps.
Id. (citing Nguyen v. Barnes & Noble, Inc., 763 F.3d 1171,
1178–79 (9th Cir. 2014)). In a clickwrap, the website
presents its terms of use in a “pop-up screen” and the user
accepts those terms by clicking or checking a box stating she
agrees. Oberstein, 60 F.4th at 513. Courts routinely enforce
clickwraps. Id. In a scrollwrap, which provides “the
strongest notice” and are usually enforced, the user must
scroll through all the terms before the website allows her to
click a box to agree. Keebaugh, 100 F.4th at 1014 (citing
Sellers, 289 Cal. Rptr. 3d at 15). Finally, a sign-in wrap lives
somewhere in the middle: the website provides a link to
terms of use and indicates that some action may bind the user
but does not require that the user actually review those terms.
Id.
The parties agree that ClassPass’s website resembles
something between clickwrap and browsewrap. Because
ClassPass’s website provides a link to the Terms of Use but
does not require that the user actually read them before
moving on to purchase a subscription, the website most
closely resembles a “sign-in wrap agreement.” Id. Like all
online contracts, “a sign-in wrap agreement may be an
enforceable contract based on inquiry notice if (1) the
website provides reasonably conspicuous notice of the terms
to which the consumer will be bound; and (2) the consumer
takes some action, such as clicking a button or checking a
box, that unambiguously manifests his or her assent to those
terms.” Id. (quotation marks omitted).
A. Reasonably Conspicuous Notice of Terms
“To be conspicuous, [the] notice ‘must be displayed in a
font size and format such that the court can fairly assume
that a reasonably prudent Internet user would have seen it.’”
12 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
Keebaugh, 100 F.4th at 1014 (quoting Berman, 30 F.4th at
856). The “context of the transaction,” as well as the
“traditional inquiry related to the visuals involved with the
notice, such as font size, text placement, and overall screen
design,” inform whether a website provides reasonably
conspicuous notice of the terms of an agreement. Id. at 1019
(citing Oberstein, 60 F.4th at 516; B.D. v. Blizzard Ent., Inc.,
292 Cal. Rptr. 3d 47, 62 (Ct. App. 2022); Sellers, 289 Cal.
Rptr. 3d at 26). The nature of the service or goods offered
and the visual aspects of every page of a multi-page
transaction should be considered together. See Oberstein, 60
F.4th at 515–16 (“[T]he inquiry has always been context-
and fact-specific.” (quotation marks omitted)); Sellers, 289
Cal. Rptr. 3d at 26–28.
i. Context of the Transaction
The nature of an agreement may anticipate “some sort of
continuing relationship . . . that would require some terms
and conditions[.]” Sellers, 289 Cal. Rptr. 3d at 26 (emphasis
omitted); see Keebaugh, 100 F.4th at 1019. A user should
expect that certain relationships are bound by terms, even if
not explicitly told. See Keebaugh, 100 F.4th at 1020 (finding
that users who download and play a mobile game that
includes in-app purchases should expect a continuing
relationship with the developer governed by terms of use);
Oberstein, 60 F.4th at 517 (finding that users who make an
account with a ticket purchasing website through a “full
registration process” should expect “‘some sort of
continuing relationship’ that would have put users on notice
for a link to the terms of that continuing relationship.”).
Conversely, when a user simply purchases goods or avails
herself of a one-time discount offer, there is less reason for
her to expect a continued relationship beyond the purchase.
Sellers, 289 Cal. Rptr. 3d at 25; see also Berman, 30 F.4th at
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 13
869 (Baker, J., concurring) (“In this case involving one-off
transactions, reasonably prudent users of defendants’ sites
are unlikely to be on the lookout for fine print.”).
Taken as a whole, the landing page and screens 1, 2, and
3 give some indication of a continuing relationship. The user
is invited to “join ClassPass” and the purchase is described
as a “plan” or “a membership.” The point of ClassPass is to
gain access to gyms, studios, and classes for fitness and
wellness benefits, a proposition that should conjure in
reasonable minds at least the specter of continuing habit. On
the other hand, users are advised that they are “never locked
in,” that there are “no commitments,” and that they can
“cancel anytime.” The user does not create a username or
password and is not asked to make an account. The “offer”
is for “1 month,” and the user purchases “45 credits” to be
traded in for classes. The user concludes the transaction by
“redeeming” that offer. The transaction could easily be
considered a one-time purchase of credits at a discounted
rate to be traded in at gyms and studios, rather than the
formation of an ongoing relationship with ClassPass.
The transaction here abstractly resembles the one at issue
in Sellers, where the users availed themselves of a trial
opportunity and did not anticipate any ongoing relationship
after a one-time use of services. 289 Cal. Rptr. at 26. As we
said previously of Sellers: “[u]nlike a user who signs up for
an account and ‘clearly contemplate[s] some sort of
continuing relationship,’ the users of the website at issue
were merely attempting to start a free trial, making it less
likely that they would ‘scrutin[ize] the page for small text
outside the payment box or at the bottom of the screen
linking them to 26 pages of contractual terms.’” Oberstein,
60 F.4th at 516 (quoting Sellers, 289 Cal. Rptr. at 26)
(alterations in original). But the transaction is also reflective
14 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
of the one in Oberstein, where users made accounts and
needed to use their accounts to purchase tickets. See id. at
517. The “context of th[at] transaction . . . put users on
notice for a link to the terms of that continuing relationship.”
Id.
Viewed as a whole, the “context of the transaction” at
issue here neither weighs in favor of nor against the notice
requirement. We decline to find that Chabolla had zero
indication her relationship with ClassPass would be
ongoing. But we also decline to find that the nature of
whatever relationship formed gave her reason to look for
additional terms and conditions not explicitly listed on
ClassPass’s website. Given that it is ClassPass’s burden to
establish “the existence of an agreement to arbitrate,”
Keebaugh, 100 F.4th at 1013, and that “the onus must be on
website owners to put users on notice of the terms to which
they wish to bind consumers,” Sellers, 289 Cal. Rptr. 3d at
20 (quotation marks omitted), we cannot find the vague
nature of business with ClassPass alerted Chabolla to look
for additional terms.
ii. Visual Aspects of the Website
“Website users are entitled to assume that important
provisions—such as those that disclose the existence of
proposed contractual terms—will be prominently displayed,
not buried in fine print.” Berman, 30 F.4th at 857. “While
terms may be disclosed through hyperlinks, the presence of
a hyperlink ‘must be readily apparent,’ and ‘[s]imply
underscoring words or phrases . . . will often be insufficient
to alert a reasonably prudent user that a clickable link
exists.’” Keebaugh, 100 F.4th at 1014 (quoting Berman, 30
F.4th at 857) (alteration in original). “This court looks to
‘the conspicuousness and placement of the Terms of Use
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 15
hyperlink, other notices given to users of the terms of use,
and the website’s general design’ in determining ‘whether a
reasonably prudent user would have inquiry notice of a
[sign-in wrap] agreement.’” Oberstein, 60 F.4th at 515
(quoting Nguyen, 763 F.3d at 1177); see Keebaugh, 100
F.4th at 1020–21 (applying Berman and Oberstein to a sign-
in wrap agreement).
Neither party argues that the landing page is significant
to the dispute. Indeed, the landing page presents no
indication that a membership is conditioned upon terms
beyond those explicitly listed (that the offer is for new
members only, the offer cannot be combined with other
offers, and there are no limits to how often a member can
visit a studio).
Screens 1, 2, and 3 present the Terms of Use by
hyperlink within a short one- or two-sentence advisory
paragraph written in a small gray font against a white
background, with “Terms of Use” and “Privacy Policy”
written in blue. For a hyperlink to be reasonably
conspicuous, it must be denoted by design elements tailored
to notify the reasonably prudent internet user of its presence.
Berman, 30 F.4th at 857. In Berman and Oberstein, we
indicated that the use of a blue font can be reasonably
conspicuous. 30 F.4th at 857; 60 F.4th at 516; see also
Mahram v. Kroger, 324 Cal. Rptr. 3d 575, 577 (Ct. App.
2024) (finding that terms noted by green text were
sufficiently conspicuous). But there is no bright-line test for
finding that a particular design element is adequate in every
circumstance. We must instead consider how those design
elements appear on the page. See, e.g., Berman, 30 F.4th at
857 (finding “the textual notice is further deemphasized by
the overall design of the webpage, in which other visual
16 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
elements draw the user’s attention away from the barely
readable critical text.”).
Screen 1 contains text in varying font sizes and images
of people exercising. The user is directed to the action box
in the right third of the page and must enter an email to
continue. For users (like Chabolla) who enter their email
address, the most obvious and natural next step is to click
“Continue.” If a user continued to read down the page, they
would see an option to “Sign up with Facebook.” The notice
of additional terms is found below the “Sign up with
Facebook” option, on the periphery of where a user
intending to use their email would be looking. A reasonably
prudent user would likely click “Continue” and read no
further if she had no intention of using Facebook. It is not
apparent that a user agrees or commits to anything on screen
1 other than sharing her email address. Here, the notice
seems to fade into the irrelevancy of other aspects of the
page.
Compare, for example, the notices in Oberstein and
Patrick, which we found sufficient for notice and which the
dissent considers as conspicuous as the notice on screen 1.
Dissent at 34. The Oberstein screens were less crowded and
interjected notice of the terms and conditions directly above
or below the relevant action item in a manner disrupting the
natural flow of actions. See Oberstein v. Live Nation Ent.,
No. 20-cv-3888, 2021 WL 4772885, at *5 (C.D. Cal. Sept.
20, 2021). The sign-in/sign up pages placed the notice
directly below the necessary action items and above the sign-
in button, and the payment screen placed it between the
amount of money the user is about to pay and the place order
button, see id., a fact we found dispositive on appeal,
Oberstein, 60 F.4th at 516–17. And in Patrick, the screen
was also less crowded than screen 1, and notice was
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 17
prominently displayed directly below the only action button
on the page: the place order button. Patrick v. Running
Warehouse, LLC, No. 22-cv-9978, 2022 WL 10584136, at
*2 (C.D. Cal. Oct. 18, 2022), aff’d, 93 F.4th 468 (9th Cir.
2024). Comparatively, in Berman, where the notice was not
sufficient, there were superfluous items separating the
relevant action items from the notice. 30 F.4th at 859–60.
Screen 1 falls on the Berman side of the equation.
Because of the notice’s distance from relevant action items,
its placement outside of the user’s natural flow, and its
font—notably timid in both size and color, we find that it is
“deemphasized by the overall design of the webpage” and
not “prominently displayed” on screen 1. Berman, 30 F.4th
at 857.
On the other hand, screens 2 and 3 place the notice of the
Terms of Use more centrally. The question then becomes
whether this notice is sufficient. The notice remains the
smallest and grayest on the page, with blue hyperlinks. On
screen 2, it now interrupts the natural flow of the action items
in a manner closer to what we found adequate in Oberstein.
60 F.4th at 517 (“The notices were not buried on the bottom
of the webpage or placed outside the action box, but rather
were located directly on top of or below each action
button.”). Similarly, on screen 3, the user must move past
the notice to continue. But the transition remains somewhat
muddled by language regarding gift cards, which may or
may not be relevant to the user’s transaction. A reasonable
user could easily assume the notice pertains to gift cards and
hastily skim past it.
We decline to consider any further whether the notices
on screens 2 and 3 are conspicuous enough. The dissent says
we waffle. Dissent at 38–39. Not so. As discussed below,
18 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
even if screens 2 and 3 provided notice of the Terms of Use,
Chabolla had no means of manifesting her assent to those
terms on those screens. We disagree that California’s
contract formation test can be met with broad reference to
the conspicuousness of notice across three separate pages
and a manifestation of assent constructed from three
different action buttons. We must discern intent; this
requires notice of contract terms as well as “unambiguous
manifestation of assent to those terms[.]” Patrick, 93 F.4th
at 475 (emphasis added). For example, it would be improper
to infer that Chabolla manifested her assent on screen 1 to a
notice she hadn’t yet seen on screen 2. So further discussion
on the conspicuousness of the notices on screens 2 and 3
would be non-dispositive and fruitless.
B. Unambiguous Manifestation of Assent to Terms
Reasonable conspicuousness alone is not sufficient to
bind a user—a user must agree to the terms, not merely see
them. Oberstein, 60 F.4th at 515. “The second part of the
test—whether the user takes some action that
unambiguously manifests assent—is relatively
straightforward.” Id. (quoting Berman, 30 F.4th at 857). “A
user’s click of a button can be construed as an unambiguous
manifestation of assent only if the user is explicitly advised
that the act of clicking will constitute assent to the terms and
conditions of an agreement.” Berman, 30 F.4th at 857.
“[T]he notice must explicitly notify a user of the legal
significance of the action she must take to enter into a
contractual agreement.” Id. at 858.
Given that screen 1 fails to provide reasonably
conspicuous notice of the Terms of Use, any action the user
takes on the page cannot unambiguously manifest her assent
to those terms. See Oberstein, 60 F.4th at 515. Notably,
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 19
screen 1 is the only screen where the language advises the
user that by clicking a particular button they agree to the
Terms of Use. The notice on screen 1 reads, “[b]y clicking
‘Sign up with Facebook’ or ‘Continue,’ I agree to the Terms
of Use and Privacy Policy,” and provides buttons with those
options.
Conversely, the notice language on screens 2 and 3 is
ambiguous. Screen 2 explains that “[b]y signing up you
agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.” There is no
“sign up” button, and the only button on screen 2 reads
“Continue.” At no point on any screen is a user advised that
a particular action has “signed her up” or will “sign her up,”
other than screen 1’s option to “Sign up with Facebook.”
Rather than provide explicit instruction, screen 2 asks the
user “What’s your name?” and includes fields for a first
name and last name. It is up to the user to assume that
entering a first and last name and clicking the “Continue”
button amounts to “signing up.” The dissent finds that “the
language could have been clearer”—indeed, the resulting
ambiguity is dispositive. Dissent at 41. A website must
“explicitly notify” a user of the legal significance of her
actions and a manifestation of assent must be
“unambiguous.” Berman, 30 F.4th at 858. We find too
much ambiguity in screen 2’s language to find that a user
binds herself to the Terms of Use by continuing past it.
Screen 3 resolves none of the ambiguity. The relevant
notice language reads, “I agree to the Terms of Use and
Privacy Policy,” and the action button that follows is labeled
“Redeem now.” In Berman, we found near-identical
language insufficient to amount to an unambiguous
manifestation of assent. 30 F.4th at 858. There, the
webpages stated “‘I understand and agree to the Terms &
Conditions,’ but [] did not indicate to the user what action
20 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
would constitute assent to those terms and conditions.” Id.
Further, in Berman, “the text of the button itself gave no
indication that it would bind plaintiffs to a set of terms and
conditions.” Id. (explaining that the buttons at issue read
“This is correct, Continue!” and “Continue”). Similarly,
here, screen 3 fails to tell the user the significance of clicking
“Redeem now,” and therefore fails to provide the
opportunity to unambiguously manifest assent to the Terms
of Use. Moreover, the presence of the “Received a
ClassPass gift card?” language further muddles the meaning
of “Redeem now”—a user may reasonably be left with the
impression that to “Redeem” means to “Redeem a gift card,”
rather than purchase a membership, much less manifest her
assent to additional terms.
The dissent observes that “ClassPass might have used
different language than ‘Redeem now[.]’” Dissent at 42.
We agree, as does the case law. As we observed in Berman,
“[t]his notice defect could easily have been remedied by
including language such as, ‘By clicking the Continue >>
button, you agree to the Terms & Conditions.’” 30 F.4th at
858 (citing Meyer v. Uber Techs., Inc., 868 F.3d 66, 78–80
(2d Cir. 2017)). In fact, several courts, including ours, have
repeatedly found webpages that did so formed contracts. For
instance, in Patrick, clicking a “Place Order” button
unambiguously manifested assent because the website
explained that “by submitting an order, the consumer
‘confirms [he] . . . agree[s] to our privacy policy and terms
of use.’” 93 F.4th at 477 (alterations in original). Similarly
in Oberstein, clicking a “Place Order” button and continuing
past webpages unambiguously manifested assent because
the website explained that “by clicking on this button, ‘you
agree to our Terms of Use,’” “[b]y continuing past this page,
you agree to the Terms of Use,” and “[b]y continuing past
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 21
this page and clicking ‘Place Order’, you agree to our Terms
of Use.” 60 F.4th at 515–16. In Keebaugh, clicking a “Play”
button unambiguously manifested assent to additional terms
because the screen advised that “[b]y tapping ‘Play’ I agree
to the Terms of Service.” 100 F.4th at 1020. And in
Mahram, clicking a “Sign up with email” button
unambiguously manifested assent because the website
explained that “[b]y signing up, you agree to our Terms of
Service.” 324 Cal. Rptr. 3d at 577. In each of these cases,
the website told the user what clicking a button meant.
ClassPass’s website provides no analogous language
providing the user with an option to unambiguously agree to
its Terms of Use.
Finally, ClassPass urges us to consider its “webflow” as
a “multi-page enrollment process” and argues that “[a]ny
reasonable Internet user would understand what she was
doing.” The dissent, too, suggests that considering all three
screens together shows that a contract formed. Dissent at 44.
However, three faulty notices do not equal a proper one.
While ClassPass has a clear understanding of what it wanted
its website to entail, we must consider “the breadth of the
range of technological savvy of online purchasers[.]”
Sellers, 289 Cal. Rptr. 3d at 20 (citations omitted). Viewed
as a whole, the website offered an “[e]xclusive deal,” and a
quick and efficient means to take advantage of that deal.
What the deal was, and whether it included the Terms of Use,
remained in obscurity. The website asked for little—just an
email address, a name, and payment information. And it
provided the user the opportunity to “Continue,”
“Continue,” “Continue,” then “Redeem now.” A reasonable
user could infer she “enrolled” in something—a
membership, a subscription, an agreement to purchase
credits—but the contours of that enrollment are vague, and
22 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
what the user manifests by enrolling is ambiguous at best. In
fact, the website advertises “[n]o commitments.” It is ironic
that ClassPass now argues Chabolla unambiguously
manifested her commitment to an arbitration clause. Viewed
in total, we do not think a reasonably prudent internet user
unambiguously manifests assent to the Terms of Use by
working her way through ClassPass’s multi-page website.
IV. CONCLUSION
Neither the landing page nor screen 1 provided Chabolla
with reasonably conspicuous notice of the Terms of Use.
Even if screens 2 and 3 did, at no point did Chabolla
unambiguously manifest her assent to the Terms of Use on
those screens. Nor did Chabolla’s use of the website, viewed
in total, amount to her unambiguous manifestation of assent
to the Terms of Use. Chabolla did not agree to be bound to
the arbitration clause within those Terms of Use, so she
eludes the Gordian knot that Ross Geller and Chandler Bing
struggled against. We AFFIRM the district court’s order
denying ClassPass’s motion to compel arbitration.
BYBEE, Circuit Judge, dissenting:
Katherine Chabolla signed up for a trial subscription
with ClassPass for online fitness classes. She entered her
name and credit card number, including the expiration date
and three-digit CVC number. By the time she had entered
her credit card information, Chabolla had navigated three
screens, each of which informed her that by continuing and
enrolling with ClassPass, she was agreeing to its Terms of
Use. Three times Chabolla clicked an action button that was
just above or just below the Terms of Use provision. In
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 23
return for her $39 initial payment, Chabolla knew she would
receive six to nine classes each month and that the
membership would automatically renew at $79 monthly
until she cancelled it. When Chabolla realized she was being
charged for classes she no longer wanted, she sued to void
her membership and reclaim the money ClassPass charged
her credit card. ClassPass sought to enforce an arbitration
clause contained in its Terms of Use. See AT&T Mobility
LLC v. Concepcion, 563 U.S. 333, 339 (2011) (“[C]ourts
must place arbitration agreements on an equal footing with
other contracts . . . and enforce them according to their terms
. . . .”) (internal citations omitted).
This case asks a simple question: did Chabolla agree to
ClassPass’s Terms of Use after seeing a hyperlink to those
Terms of Use on three separate screens, agreeing to
continue, and registering for ClassPass? The majority
answers “no,” on the grounds that Chabolla did not
“unambiguously manifest her assent to the Terms of Use.”
Maj. Op. at 22. That decision is inconsistent with the test
we recognized in Berman v. Freedom Financial Network,
LLC, 30 F.4th 849, 856 (9th Cir. 2022) (applying California
law), and our decisions applying Berman in Patrick v.
Running Warehouse, LLC, 93 F.4th 468 (9th Cir. 2024), and
Oberstein v. Live Nation Entertainment, Inc., 60 F.4th 505
(9th Cir. 2023). Because the majority opinion will force
internet services to alter their practices, contrary to what we
have previously, and explicitly, approved, I respectfully
dissent.
I
“In California, internet contracts are classified ‘by the
way in which the user purportedly gives their assent to be
bound by the associated terms: browsewraps, clickwraps,
24 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
scrollwraps, and sign-in wraps.’” Keebaugh v. Warner Bros.
Ent. Co., 100 F.4th 1005, 1014 (9th Cir. 2024) (quoting
Sellers v. JustAnswer LLC, 289 Cal. Rptr. 3d 1, 15 (Cal. Ct.
App. 2021)). The California Court of Appeal has explained
these terms:
A “browsewrap” agreement is one in which
an internet user accepts a website’s terms of
use merely by browsing the site. A
“clickwrap” agreement is one in which an
internet user accepts a website’s terms of use
by clicking an ‘I agree’ or ‘I accept’ button,
with a link to the agreement readily available.
A “scrollwrap” agreement is like a
“clickwrap,” but the user is presented with
the agreement and must physically scroll to
the bottom of it to find the “I agree” or “I
accept” button. “Sign-in wrap” agreements
are those in which a user signs up to use an
internet product or service, and the sign-up
screen states that acceptance of a separate
agreement is required before the user can
access the service. While a link to the
separate agreement is provided, users are not
required to indicate that they have read the
agreement’s terms before signing up.
Sellers, 289 Cal. Rptr. 3d at 15 (internal citations omitted).
“To ensure that an online agreement passes muster,
clickwrap is the safest choice,” Oberstein, 60 F.4th at 517,
although “the strongest notice is the scrollwrap agreement,”
Keebaugh, 100 F.4th at 1014. But, for better or worse, we
have held that clickwraps and scrollwraps are not the only
permissible choices for a website. We have approved
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 25
websites which bind users to Terms of Use through a
“hybrid” type of wrap—something more than a
“browsewrap” but less than a “clickwrap.” Oberstein, 60
F.4th at 516–17. Applying a two-part test we identified in
Berman, we have held that “[u]nder California law a sign-in
wrap agreement may be enforceable based on inquiry
notice,” so long as a “reasonably prudent Internet user”
(1) has “reasonably conspicuous notice” of the Terms of
Use, and (2) unambiguously manifests assent to the Terms
of Use. Keebaugh, 100 F.4th at 1014 (citing Berman, 30
F.4th at 856). Since Berman, we have upheld these “hybrid
wraps” repeatedly. See, e.g., Keebaugh, 100 F.4th at 1014
(approving “a sign-in wrap agreement”); Patrick, 93 F.4th at
477 (approving a browsewrap agreement); Oberstein, 60
F.4th at 516–17 (approving a “hybrid form of agreement”
without identifying it precisely); see also Domer v. Menard,
Inc., 116 F.4th 686, 694–95, 699–700 (7th Cir. 2024)
(relying on our Berman test and approving an “online
agreement [that] fall[s] somewhere in between” browsewrap
and clickwrap).
II
This case should present a straightforward application of
Berman and its progeny. ClassPass provided conspicuous
notice of its Terms of Use on three separate occasions, and
Chabolla unambiguously manifested her assent to those
conditions at multiple points in the registration process by
clicking either “Continue” or “Redeem now.” This was a
sign-in wrap agreement similar to others we have approved.
Maj. Op. at 10–11; see Keebaugh, 100 F.4th at 1014.
Nonetheless, the majority holds that ClassPass’s sign-in
wrap fails the Berman test and therefore failed to bind Ms.
Chabolla to its Terms of Use, including the arbitration and
class action provisions therein. The majority reaches its
26 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
result by selectively parsing the webpages at issue here and
ignoring our recent applications of the Berman test.
I turn now to the two Berman prongs.
A. Reasonably conspicuous notice
To be reasonably conspicuous, the notice must be
“displayed in a font size and format such that the court can
fairly assume that a reasonably prudent Internet user would
have seen it.” Berman, 30 F.4th at 856 (internal citations
omitted). Disclosing Terms of Use through a hyperlink is
sufficient, but “the fact that a hyperlink is present must be
readily apparent.” Id. at 857. “Simply underscoring words
or phrases” is not enough. Id. Consumers should not have
to “ferret out hyperlinks,” id., and the notice should not be
“tucked away in obscure corners of the website,” Nguyen v.
Barnes & Noble Inc, 763 F.3d 1171, 1177 (9th Cir. 2014).
In general, “the conspicuousness and placement of the
‘Terms of Use’ hyperlink, other notices given to users of the
terms of use, and the website’s general design all contribute
to whether a reasonably prudent user would have inquiry
notice of a browsewrap agreement.” Id. A “full registration
process” may show “the contemplation of some sort of
continuing relationship that . . . put[s] users on notice for a
link to the terms of that continuing relationship.” Oberstein,
60 F.4th at 517 (internal quotations omitted).
With these rules in mind, the notices in Berman and our
more recent cases are helpful comparators. In Berman, we
deemed the notice insufficient. It was “the antithesis of
conspicuous.” 30 F.4th at 856. The relevant text was
“printed in a tiny gray font considerably smaller than the font
used in the surrounding website elements, and indeed in a
font so small that it [wa]s barely legible to the naked eye.”
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 27
Id. at 856–57. The phrase “Terms & Conditions” was
underlined but appeared in the same gray font. Id. at 856–
57, 859. The pictures and text elsewhere on the page
“direct[ed] the user’s attention everywhere else.”1 Id. at
857.
By contrast, in Oberstein, Ticketmaster presented users,
at “three independent stages—when creating an account,
signing into an account, and completing a purchase— . . .
with a confirmation button above which text inform[ed]
[them] that, by clicking on this button, ‘you agree to our
Terms of Use.’” 60 F.4th at 515. For example, users who
already had an account would see this text directly above the
“Sign in” button and then again when they finalized their
order and clicked “Place Order.” Id. at 515–16. The phrase
“Terms of Use” was in “bright blue font,” distinguishing it
from the gray text of the rest of the notice. Id. at 516. As
the screenshots from Oberstein show, the sentence that
1
I have provided screenshots of relevant webpages when appropriate.
See Berman, 30 F.4th at 859 (Appendix A).
28 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
included the Terms of Use was readable, but it was also the
smallest-sized text on the page.2
2
See Oberstein v. Live Nation Ent., Inc., No. CV 20-3888, 2021 WL
4772885, at *2 (C.D. Cal. Sept. 20, 2021); Answering Brief for
Defendants-Appellees, No. 21-56200, at 9.
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 29
We found the Oberstein notice reasonably conspicuous
for three reasons: (1) the Terms of Use “were not buried on
the bottom of the webpage or placed outside the action box,
but rather were located directly on top of or below the action
30 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
button,”3 (2) the blue hyperlink distinguished the Terms
from the rest of the text, and (3) “the context of this
transaction, requiring a full registration process, reflected the
contemplation of ‘some sort of continuing relationship’ that
would have put [reasonably prudent Internet] users on notice
for a link to the terms of that continuing relationship.” Id. at
516–17 (quoting Sellers, 289 Cal. Rptr. 3d at 29).
Most recently, in Patrick v. Running Warehouse, LLC,
we found a single screen sufficiently conspicuous. 93 F.4th
at 477. The phrase “Terms of Use” appeared “on an
uncluttered page,” directly below the “Place Order” button.
Id. It was “not hidden or obscured” but instead was “clear
and legible,” in “bright green—contrasted against the
surrounding white background and adjacent black text.” Id.
That the phrase “Terms of Use” was the same color as other
links on the page “suggest[ed] clearly” that it was a
hyperlink, even though the links were “not blue, underlined,
or capitalized.” 4 Id.
3
An “action box” is the space on the webpage where the user enters
personal information and the “action button” is what the user must click
on to continue to the next screen or conclude the transaction.
4
Mem. at 13, Patrick v. Running Warehouse, No. 2:21-cv-9978 (C.D.
Cal. Apr. 7, 2022) (Dkt. 49).
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 31
With these cases in mind, I turn to the screens at issue
here. In order to sign up with ClassPass, Chabolla had to
move through three screens that referred to the Terms of
Use. She could not bypass any screen; in order to proceed
from Screen #1 to Screen #2 or from Screen #2 to Screen #3,
Chabolla had to click an action button, as she did to complete
her order on Screen #3.
32 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
1. Screen #1
The left-side of Screen #15 has large text and bullet-point
explanations of the offer Chabolla was signing up for, along
with multiple photos of fitness activities. The screen is
relatively unencumbered—it has just 107 words in various
fonts and sizes; 18 of those words are the sentence with the
reference to the Terms of Use. On the right side, there is an
action box with two action buttons inside. The user must
either enter her email and then click the “Continue” button,
or simply click the blue “Sign up with Facebook” button to
move forward with the registration process. Below both of
those buttons—but still inside the action box—it says, “By
clicking ‘Sign up with Facebook’ or ‘Continue,’ I agree to
the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.” This sentence is in a
smaller, gray font, and the phrases “Terms of Use” and
“Privacy Policy,” are hyperlinked and in blue. See Berman,
30 F.4th at 854 (noting blue is the typical color that denotes
a hyperlink).
5
The screenshots provided by the parties show slightly lower prices ($35
initially and $75 per month thereafter) than Chabolla signed up for ($39
initially and $79 thereafter). The parties agree that the screens are
otherwise substantially the same as the ones she saw.
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 33
Screen #1 is less cluttered than the one we found
deficient in Berman. The action box is delineated and lacks
extraneous information. It asks for an email (or to sign up
with Facebook) and includes the Terms of Use proviso. The
font is smaller than other text on the page, but easily
readable, unlike in Berman. Id. at 856–57, 859 (screenshot
showing “barely legible” font size).
The notice on Screen #1 is at least as obvious as the one
we found to be conspicuous in Patrick. In Patrick, the screen
had a hyperlink to the Terms of Use in a smaller, yet still
legible font size, but it was green instead of blue. Patrick,
93 F.4th at 477. Just as in Patrick, the sentence mentioning
ClassPass’s Terms of Use is below the action button, and the
screen has a white background. Id. Admittedly, the
ClassPass page has a bit more clutter, but it is set off to the
left side of the screen. The additional “Sign up with
34 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
Facebook” box also detracts from the conspicuousness, but
a reasonably prudent Internet user would see the Terms of
Use sentence that is inside the action box and directly below
that button.
The notice we approved in Oberstein is also similar to
Screen #1. Its initial “Sign Up” or “Sign In” screen each had
the Terms of Use hyperlinked in blue in a smaller but still
legible blue font, set against a white background in the action
box. Oberstein, 60 F.4th at 516–17. Oberstein is only a bit
less cluttered than the ClassPass website, which includes
photographs and additional text outside the action box. Id.
In sum, Screen #1 alone is as conspicuous as the notices
deemed acceptable in Oberstein and Patrick. The majority
goes to great lengths to find otherwise. Maj. Op. at 16–17.
On this point, a screenshot is worth a thousand words—the
notices in Berman, Oberstein, and Patrick, as well as Screen
#1, are above. Screen #1 is much closer to Oberstein and
Patrick than Berman.
A reasonably prudent Internet user would have seen the
Terms of Use at this point.6 And unlike Patrick or Berman,
this screen is just the first of three that Chabolla saw.
6
The majority concludes that Screen #1 is lacking because of the Terms
of Use disclaimer’s “distance from relevant action items.” Maj. Op. at
17. To the majority, this notice, placed just centimeters away from the
action buttons, is “on the periphery of where a user intending to use their
email would be looking” and “seems to fade into the irrelevancy of other
aspects of the page.” Maj. Op. at 16. But the notice is in the action box,
in bright blue font, and is directly below the sign-up buttons. In deeming
Screen #1 unacceptable, the majority decides that a “reasonably prudent
Internet user,” someone who in the 2020s sees “Terms of Use” policies
everywhere she looks on the Internet, would just breeze past this notice.
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 35
2. Screen #2
Even if Screen #1 somehow failed to provide Chabolla
with reasonably conspicuous notice of the Terms, she saw
two more screens, each of which independently provided
sufficient notice. Screen #2 is the most conspicuous of the
three screens. It has the same basic format as Screen #1—
the left side is identical to that Screen, and the right side has
an action box. Screen #2 has only 98 words total on the page
and 13 comprise the sentence warning that by continuing the
user is agreeing to the Terms of Use. The action box requires
the user to enter her first and last name. This time though,
the Terms of Use proviso, which reads “By signing up you
agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy,” appears
directly above the action button, which once again says
“Continue.” The font is the same legible size as Screen #1,
and the text is once again gray except for “Terms of Use”
and “Privacy Policy” which are hyperlinked in blue. There
is nothing between the first and last name fields and the
Terms of Use proviso, which means that anyone filling in the
first and last name boxes and then hitting “Continue” had to
pass through the sentence that hyperlinked the Terms of Use.
36 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
Screen #2 is nearly identical to the “Sign Up” and “Sign
In” screens from Oberstein. See Oberstein, 60 F.4th at 516–
517. The notice is even more conspicuous than the screen in
Patrick because it has blue, not green, hyperlinks and places
the notice above the action button, not below. See Patrick,
93 F.4th at 477. A reasonably prudent Internet user would
have seen the Terms of Use notice on her way to clicking
“Continue.”
3. Screen #3
In case Screen #1 and Screen #2—alone or in
conjunction—were not enough to provide reasonably
conspicuous notice of the Terms, Chabolla then moved to
Screen #3. This screen is once again split left and right. On
the left, the details of the offer are listed in larger font, the
price is listed, and there are three paragraphs of text in small
gray font. On the right side, there is an action box. This box
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 37
asks for standard billing information—name of card holder,
card number, expiration date, CVC code, and zip code.
Below that, the box includes small logos from various credit
card companies, a clickable link regarding gift card
redemption, and then in the same gray font as before, the
following sentence: “I understand that my membership will
automatically renew to the [$79] per month plan plus
applicable tax until I cancel. I agree to the Terms of Use and
Privacy Policy.” Again, “Terms of Use” and “Privacy
Policy” are hyperlinked in blue. These two sentences appear
directly above the “Redeem Now” button that Chabolla
clicked to complete the transaction.
This screen is similar to the purchase screen in
Oberstein. There, after completing credit card and billing
information, the user clicked “Place Order,” but directly
above it was a sentence in small but legible black font that
38 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
said, “By continuing past this page and clicking ‘Place
Order,’ you agree to our Terms of Use,” with “Terms of Use”
in blue. Oberstein, 60 F.4th at 515–16. And as with Screen
#2, this screen on its own is as good or better than the one
we approved in Patrick—the notice is more conspicuously
placed (above the action button instead of below), and the
hyperlink is in blue, not green. Patrick, 93 F.4th at 477.
* * *
By the time Chabolla clicked “Redeem now” on Screen
#3, ClassPass had placed the Terms of Use in the action box
three different times. Each time the notice sat directly above
or below the action button (not in some far-off corner of the
webpage) in legible blue text. Moreover, the three screens,
asking for Chabolla’s email, name, and credit card
information, show this was a “full registration process” that
culminated in her being charged $39 on the date she
registered, and agreeing to monthly payments in the future.
Oberstein, 60 F.4th at 517. As even the majority
acknowledges, Maj. Op. at 13, the ClassPass sign-up process
“reflected the contemplation of some sort of continuing
relationship that would have put [a reasonably prudent
Internet user] on notice for a link to the terms of that
continuing relationship.” Oberstein, 60 F.4th at 517
(internal citations omitted); see Sellers, 289 Cal. Rptr. 3d at
26 (noting a “majority of the federal cases finding an
enforceable sign-in wrap agreement involve continuing,
forward-looking relationships”).
I would hold that the ClassPass screens, considered
individually or jointly, satisfied the “reasonably conspicuous
notice” requirement. I am confused by the majority opinion
on this prong. The majority questions whether ClassPass’s
Screen #1 satisfies the “reasonably conspicuous prong,” and
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 39
then waffles as to whether Screens #2 or #3 individually (or
considered together) satisfy it. Maj. Op. at 16–18. Although
the majority admits there is “some indication of a continuing
relationship,” Maj. Op. at 13, and that the transaction here is
“reflective of the one in Oberstein,” which we found
acceptable, Maj. Op. at 13–14, the majority “decline[s] to
consider any further whether the notices on Screens #2 and
#3 are conspicuous enough,” thus rendering its incomplete
discussion dicta.7 Maj. Op. at 17. In my view, Oberstein
and Patrick are not so easily ignored. Those cases approved
notices that were less clear (and on fewer screens). Any one
of the screens Chabolla saw was enough to put a reasonably
prudent Internet user on notice of the Terms of Use, and all
three screens taken together, plus the continuing nature of
this transaction, is more than enough to satisfy Berman’s
first prong.
B. Unambiguous manifestation of assent
The second Berman prong asks whether the user
“unambiguously manifested their assent to be bound by the
terms and conditions.” Berman, 30 F.4th at 857. “A user’s
click of a button can be construed as an unambiguous
7
The majority’s response to this point is even more confusing. The
majority states that “[e]ven if screens 2 and 3 provided notice of the
Terms of Use, Chabolla had no means of manifesting her assent to those
terms on those screens,” and therefore any discussion of
conspicuousness as to these screens would be “non-dispositive and
fruitless.” Maj. Op. at 17–18. I am left wondering if this means the
majority is conceding that the first Berman prong—reasonable notice—
is met, and the dispositive issue with the ClassPass screens is really the
second prong—whether Chabolla unambiguously manifested her assent
to those terms. If so, both the majority and I agree that the first Berman
prong has been satisfied. In Section II.B, below, I address the dispositive
issue, the second Berman prong.
40 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
manifestation of assent only if the user is explicitly advised
that the act of clicking will constitute assent to the terms and
conditions of the agreement.” Id. (citing Specht v. Netscape
Commc’ns Corp., 306 F.3d 17, 29–30 (2d Cir. 2002)).
That’s because “merely clicking on a button on a webpage,
viewed in the abstract, does not signify a user’s agreement
to anything.” Id. “The presence of ‘an explicit textual notice
that continued use will act as a manifestation of the user’s
intent to be bound’ is critical . . . .” Id. at 857–58 (quoting
Nguyen, 763 F.3d at 1177). This part of the Berman “test—
whether the user takes some action that unambiguously
manifests assent—is relatively straightforward.” Oberstein,
60 F.4th at 515.
1. Screen #1
Here, Screen #1 does exactly what Berman says is
enough. It states that “By clicking ‘Sign up with Facebook’
or ‘Continue,’ I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy
Policy.” The webpage in Berman failed this prong because,
although the notice said, “I understand and agree to the
Terms and Conditions,” it “did not indicate to the user what
action would constitute assent” to those Terms. 30 F.4th at
858. But Berman provided e-commerce websites with a
solution. We said that a webpage with a “Continue” action
button and a notice that said, “By clicking the Continue >>
button, you agree to the Terms and Conditions” would work.
Id. (citing Meyer v. Uber Techs., Inc., 868 F.3d 66, 78–80
(2d Cir. 2017) (finding an enforceable agreement when the
Uber mobile app explicitly warned, “By creating an Uber
account, you agree to the TERMS OF SERVICE &
PRIVACY POLICY”)). Where “the notices at issue
explicitly alert the user that by creating an account, signing
in, or purchasing [the service] and proceeding to the next
page, the user ‘agrees to our Terms of Use,’” Berman’s
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 41
second prong has been fully satisfied. Oberstein, 60 F.4th at
517; see Patrick, 93 F.4th at 477.
Nonetheless, Chabolla argues Screen #1 fails the second
Berman prong because its “context is non-contractual” since
it is placed at the first stage of the sign-up process. But
nothing in Berman requires that the manifestation of assent
occur at any particular stage of the enrollment process. In
Berman, the user entered her zip code on the screen that
attempted to notify users of the Terms of Use and then
continued to another screen where she provided “personal
information” to complete the enrollment process. Berman,
30 F.4th at 853–54. The Berman court’s issue with the
notice was that it failed to “indicate to the user what action
would constitute assent to those terms and conditions.” Id.
at 858. Screen #1 has no such flaw. See Oberstein, 60 F.4th
at 517 (“[Plaintiffs] do not contest that the notices at issue
explicitly alert the user that by creating an account, signing
in, or purchasing a ticket, and proceeding to the next page,
the user ‘agrees to our Terms of Use.’ As the Berman court
emphasized, that is all that is required.”) (citing Berman, 30
F.4th at 858)). Screen #1 does exactly what Berman requires
and, therefore is sufficient on its own to meet Berman’s
second prong.
2. Screen #2
Screen #2 required Chabolla to input her first and last
name and said, “By signing up you agree to our Terms of
Use and Privacy Policy,” along with a “Continue” action
button. Although the language could have been clearer—
“By signing up” does not correspond precisely with the
action required (clicking “Continue”)—it provided Chabolla
with easy access to the Terms of Use as she continued with
the sign-up process. See Berman, 30 F.4th at 858; see
42 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
Keebaugh, 100 F.4th at 1021 n.6 (finding that even when the
Terms proviso said “By tapping ‘Play’ I accept the Terms of
Use . . .” and the Terms themselves were hyperlinked as
“Terms of Service,” the user assented to those Terms
because, “[g]iven the prevalence of Terms of Use and Terms
of Service in modern society and the frequency they are
presented to users, it [wa]s clear from the context what was
meant by “Terms of Use”); see also Lee v. DoNotPay, Inc.,
683 F. Supp. 3d 1062, 1067, 1075 (C.D. Cal. 2023)
(concluding that a “language mismatch from the proximate
disclaimer”—the disclaimer said “By signing up or signing
in” and the action button said “Continue”—“did not
undermine assent”). Screen #2 also satisfies Berman’s
second prong.
3. Screen #3
Screen #3 required Chabolla to input her credit card
information and conclude the transaction. This screen is
undoubtedly contractual. It said, “I agree to the Terms of
Use and Privacy Policy,” alongside an action button that
said, “Redeem Now.” Chabolla argues this screen is
insufficient to satisfy Berman because it is not
“unambiguous” as to whether clicking “Redeem now”
would constitute assent to the Terms of Use. See Berman,
30 F.4th at 858. There is no merit to her argument.
ClassPass might have used different language than
“Redeem now,” but in context it was clear what she was
doing when she clicked that button. By the time Chabolla
reached Screen #3, she knew the enrollment process was at
an end. She had given ClassPass her email, name, and credit
card information. There was nothing more for Chabolla to
do but sign up for the service and pay her initial fee. At this
point, one must ask what Chabolla (or any reasonably
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 43
prudent Internet user) would think is happening when she
clicks “Redeem now” after entering her credit card
information. Berman does not require magic words or a
perfect match between the notice phrasing and the action
button text. Instead, it requires that “the notice . . . explicitly
notify a user of the legal significance of the action she must
take to enter into a contractual agreement.”8 Id.; see Patrick,
93 F.4th at 477 (finding unambiguous assent when the notice
said “By submitting your order . . . [you] agree to
our . . . terms of use,” alongside an action button that stated,
“Place Order”).9 When Chabolla completed Screen #3,
8
The majority makes much of the fact that “Redeem now” is at the
bottom of the page and follows “Received a ClassPass gift card?” on
Screen #3. Maj. Op. at 20. The majority finds that this phrase “muddles
the meaning of ‘Redeem now’” because a user may think “Redeem now”
means they are redeeming a gift card, rather than purchasing a
membership. Maj. Op. at 20. But in context, there is no ambiguity.
Screens #1 and #2 had bold typeface stating, “Save $40 on your first
month” and had a separate blue box stating “$40 off first month.” Screen
#3 made clear that the first month’s charge was $39, and just above the
“Redeem now” button was the statement “I understand that my
membership will automatically renew to the [$79] per month plan plus
applicable tax until I cancel.” “Redeem now,” when read in the context
of all three screens—and unambiguously on Screen #3—was an
invitation to redeem the special offer. The question “Received a
ClassPass gift card?” appeared just below icons of three major credit
cards and clarified that you could also sign up and pay for ClassPass
using a gift card.
9
The majority summarizes our cases as requiring “the website t[ell] the
user what clicking a button meant,” Maj. Op. at 21, and cites Patrick as
an example of doing just that, Maj. Op. at 20. We found the screen in
Patrick acceptable notwithstanding a mismatch between the action
button and disclaimer because, as the majority requires, it sufficiently
“told the user what clicking a button meant.” So too here. Chabolla saw
three screens and manifested her assent to the Terms of Use by clicking
44 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
signed up for ClassPass, and agreed to be charged for the
service, she unambiguously manifested assent to the Terms.
* * *
The screens, considered individually, required Chabolla
to manifest her assent to the Terms of Use. When we
consider all three screens together, that conclusion is not
only inevitable but overwhelming. Chabolla received three
conspicuous notices of the Terms and unambiguously
assented three times during the sign-up process. For any
reasonably prudent Internet user, this was enough to bind her
in contract.
III
I respectfully disagree with the majority’s conclusion. If
this were just about Chabolla—if this were just a minor
dispute about the vagaries of language—I might not be so
concerned to put this all in writing. But I fear the effects of
the majority’s opinion extend far beyond this case. The
majority’s decision demonstrates that we will examine all
internet contracts with the strictest scrutiny and that minor
differences between websites will yield opposite results. A
website such as ClassPass cannot rely on our decisions in
Patrick and Oberstein, which approve nearly identical
language. That sows great uncertainty in this area.
When companies structure their websites to respond to
our opinions but can’t predict how we are going to react from
one case to another, we destabilize law and business. After
“Continue” twice and “Redeem Now” once. Just last year in Patrick we
did not require an exact disclaimer/button match. The majority provides
no explanation for why we should do so now, and in the process creates
an intra-circuit split on what constitutes manifestation of assent under
Berman.
CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC. 45
today’s decision, a website will have to guess whether any
nuance at all in its sign-in wrap will be held against it. The
result is one of caveat websitus internetus (roughly
translated as “internet websites beware!”). Our decision
today will drive websites to the only safe harbors available
to them, the clickwrap or scrollwrap agreements. As a policy
matter, that may be a perfectly acceptable landing place, but
it is not the landing place that we have approved in the past,
and we are neither the Congress nor the California State
Assembly.
Because I would hold that Chabolla agreed to
ClassPass’s Terms of Use, I would reverse the judgment of
the district court and order the arbitration provision
enforced. I respectfully dissent.
46 CHABOLLA V. CLASSPASS, INC.
APPENDIX
Plain English Summary
FOR PUBLICATION UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT KATHERINE CHABOLLA, No.
Key Points
01FOR PUBLICATION UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT KATHERINE CHABOLLA, No.
0223-15999 Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, D.C.
03OPINION CLASSPASS INC.; CLASSPASS, LLC; CLASSPASS USA, LLC, Defendants-Appellants.
04Bybee, Salvador Mendoza, Jr., Circuit Judges, and Michael W.
Frequently Asked Questions
FOR PUBLICATION UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT KATHERINE CHABOLLA, No.
FlawCheck shows no negative treatment for Katherine Chabolla v. Classpass, Inc. in the current circuit citation data.
This case was decided on February 27, 2025.
Use the citation No. 10346836 and verify it against the official reporter before filing.