Encrypted messaging platform Telegram has announced paid subscription on its platform that is likely to cost around $5 (about Rs 400) a month. The company said that it now has over 700 million monthly active users (MAUs) and has become one of the top-five downloaded apps worldwide this year. “This growth is solely from personal recommendations. Telegram has never paid to advertise its apps,” the company said in a statement.

“We’re launching ‘Premium Telegram Premium’, a subscription that lets you support Telegram’s continued development and gives you access to exclusive additional features,” it added.

By subscribing to Telegram Premium, users will unlock doubled limits, 4 GB file uploads, faster downloads, exclusive stickers and reactions, improved chat management and more. Moreover, non-premium users will be able to enjoy some of Premium’s benefits, like download the extra-large documents and view stickers sent by premium users, as well as tap to increase counters on premium reactions that were already added to a message.

“The contributions of premium subscribers will help improve and expand the app for decades to come, while Telegram will remain free, independent and uphold its users-first values, redefining how a tech company should operate,” said the company that directly competes with WhatsApp and Signal.

Any user can upload large files and media, each up to 2 GB in size and enjoy unlimited storage in the Telegram Cloud for free.