Is PostMortem free? PostMortem pricing, plainly

Is PostMortem free?

Yes. You download PostMortem from the App Store or Google Play, create an account with your email, and use every feature in the app without paying. There is no trial that expires, no subscription to cancel, no premium tier hiding the useful parts, and nothing to buy inside the app today.

This applies to everyone, including the people you leave messages for. Recipients do not need the app or an account. When a box is released they receive an email with a link, open it in a browser, and decrypt the contents with the access key card you gave them earlier. They never pay anything either.

If you want to see the whole thing before you trust it with anything real, the built-in test box runs a full release to your own email address in about an hour, also free. You can read more about how the pieces fit together on how PostMortem works.

What do you get for free?

The free app is the whole app. This is what each box can hold, so you can judge whether it covers what you need.

• Message boxes with a check-in interval

  Create as many message boxes as you need. Each box has its own check-in interval: hourly, daily, weekly, monthly (30 days) or a custom length from 1 hour up to 12 months (360 days). If you stop checking in and the interval runs out, that box is released to its recipients.

• Up to 3 text messages per box

  Each box can hold up to three written messages, with no length limit. Many people use one for a personal letter and another for practical instructions; see writing a legacy letter for ideas.

• Login credentials, no count limit

  Store accounts and passwords inside a box. There is no limit on how many you add. This is the piece most people want for passwords after death and two-factor backup codes.

• Financial records, no count limit

  Record debts, obligations or assets you want someone to know about. There is no limit on how many entries a box holds.

• Up to 5 files per box, 20 MB each

  Attach images, PDFs, Office documents, text or CSV files and audio (mp3, wav, aac, m4a).

• At least one recipient per box, no maximum

  Each recipient is a name and an email address. You can tell them in advance with an optional intro email, or keep the box private until release. The choice is per box.

• Reminders by email and push

  The app reminds you to check in at about 60%, 70%, 80% and 90% of each interval, by email and push notification. One tap in the app resets every active box at once.

• End-to-end encryption on your phone

  Messages, passwords, file names and file contents, and debt details are encrypted on your phone (AES-256) before upload and decrypted in the recipient's browser. Details are on the security page.

• Seven languages

  The app is available in English, Spanish, German, French, Russian, Portuguese and Arabic.

What about managed protection?

Today your personal access key is self-managed: you generate it, save the key card to your photo gallery, and hand copies to your recipients. That is also what keeps PostMortem out of your data, because the key never leaves your hands. Managed protection, an alternative way of looking after that key, is listed in the app as coming soon. Everything described on this page is free now, with nothing to buy inside the app.

How does a free dead man's switch app pay for itself?

PostMortem is independently built, and the team has chosen to keep the app free so that leaving instructions behind is not something only people with a spare subscription can do. There is no advertising in the app, and because content is encrypted on your phone before upload, there is nothing in your messages for the service to read or sell. What you control stays the same whatever happens: your key card, the test box that shows you a full release, and the PDF and ZIP your recipients can download once a box is released.

How does PostMortem compare with paid dead man's switch apps?

Most dead man's switch and digital legacy services charge something. The common patterns are a monthly or yearly subscription, a one-off fee for a lifetime plan, or a free tier that caps the number of messages, recipients or storage and then asks you to upgrade. Prices vary widely and change often, so treat any figure you see elsewhere as a snapshot rather than a fixed cost.

PostMortem's free app has no such cap on boxes or recipients. Each box holds three messages and five files, for everyone equally, rather than as a nudge toward a paid plan. Whether that is the right fit depends on what you are leaving behind. If you need to pass on large media archives or hundreds of documents, a storage-focused service may suit you better, and we would rather you choose well than choose us.

For a wider look at the category, including how switches differ from a password manager's emergency access, see dead man's switch apps and dead man's switch alternatives.

Frequently asked questions

• Is PostMortem really free, with no catch?

  Yes. There is no subscription, no paid tier and no in-app purchase today. Every feature described on this page is available to every user at no cost.

• Do recipients have to pay to open a message?

  No. Recipients receive an email with a link, open the box in a browser, and decrypt it with the access key card you gave them. They do not need the app, an account or a payment.

• Is there a free trial that expires?

  No. There is no trial period because there is nothing to upgrade to. The app simply works for as long as you keep your account.

• What are the limits on the free app?

  Per box: up to 3 text messages, 5 files of up to 20 MB each, and at least one recipient with no maximum. Credentials and financial records have no count limit. Check-in intervals run from 1 hour to 12 months. There is no limit on the number of boxes.

• What is managed protection, and does it cost money?

  Managed protection is listed in the app as coming soon. It is an alternative to self-managing your personal access key card. Today you hold the only key, which is also what keeps PostMortem out of your data.

• Can I cancel or delete my account for free?

  Yes. Account deletion is done inside the app. Be aware that deleting your account deletes every box, including released ones, so recipients lose access to anything already delivered.