Signal Messenger has introduced its first paid feature — the ability to create secure backups of media and text messages. For $1.99 per month, users can archive media files and enjoy unlimited text backup.

All data is encrypted end-to-end, and access is granted only through a unique recovery key. If this key is lost, the company will not be able to assist with recovery.

Signal explains that the introduction of this paid option is necessary to cover the costs of storing large amounts of data. As a non-profit organization that does not monetize user data or display ads, the service is seeking alternative funding sources.

For users without a subscription, media is stored for only 45 days, while text messages are kept indefinitely but limited to 100 MB. According to Vice President of Engineering Jim O’Leary, this amount should be sufficient even for active users.

Backups are created daily, independent of an account or payment. In the future, Signal plans to allow users to store archives in a location of their choosing.

The new feature is already available in the beta version of Signal for Android, with a public release and support for iOS and desktop platforms expected soon.