Signal has introduced its first-ever paid feature: secure, end-to-end encrypted backups for older chats and media.
The subscription costs $1.99 per month and allows users to back up both their text message history and media files beyond the free tier’s 45-day limit.
In a blog post, Signal’s VP of Engineering Jim O’Leary explained the reasoning: “Media requires a lot of storage, and storing and transferring large amounts of data is expensive. As a nonprofit that refuses to collect or sell your data, Signal needs to cover those costs differently than other tech organizations that offer similar products but support themselves by selling ads and monetizing data.”
Alongside the paid plan, Signal is rolling out a free secure backup option. This tier saves media for 45 days and allows unlimited text message backups capped at 100MB — which Signal says is enough for even heavy users.
Backups are protected with a recovery key, with no direct link to payment details or accounts. Signal warns that if a user loses the recovery key, the company cannot restore access. Devices will automatically create a new backup every day when the feature is enabled.
The feature is currently available in the Android beta app, with a wider public release, iOS support, and desktop integration expected “soon.” Signal also plans to give users the option to store backups in a location of their choice in future updates.
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