New app lets you send text, audio and video messages to loved ones after you die

Psychic mediums performing séances are what people normally visualize when they think of receiving messages from the dead, but in 2024, all they need is their cell phone or computer.

Eternal Applications, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based web hosting company, launched an “afterlife messaging platform” on Thursday that lets people create personalized messages to be sent to family and friends after they die.

People will be able to use “easy-to-use text, video and audio tools” to record and send messages, Eternal Applications said in a press release.

The company aims to provide “peace of mind to users” who want their heritage, wisdom or life stories to be shared and remembered, the statement said.

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In the photo, a woman uses Eternal Applications "After-death messaging platform." — Pictured is a woman using Eternal Applications’ “after-death messaging platform.”

“Losing a loved one is one of the most emotionally painful things you can experience and can last for months or even years. Eternal Applications offers users a way to help their loved ones through this difficult time,” Chris Jalbert, founder of Eternal Applications, said in the release. “Words fade over time, but creating a message that your loved one can reread as often as they like is priceless.”

How does the Eternal Applications app work?

Users can leave messages for any occasion they won’t be alive to celebrate, including birthdays, holidays and upcoming anniversaries, the company said.

“It’s often difficult to have difficult conversations face-to-face, and even more difficult to convey exactly what you want to convey in the moment,” the release said. “The Eternal Applications platform allows users to craft their message exactly how they want it in a comfortable environment. Users can create their message while they are still sane and the person their loved ones want to remember.”

In the photo, a woman and a man are using Eternal Applications "After-death messaging platform." — Pictured are a woman and a man using Eternal Applications’ “afterlife messaging platform.”

Once the user creates their message, they can choose the recipient of the message and enter their contact information, the company said. When the delivery date arrives, Eternal Applications then sends the recipient a link to a secure page where they can read, view or listen to the message. The recipient can also download the message and save it to their phone, computer or tablet.

The app uses an administrator system that notifies when a user dies so their messages can be queued, the statement said. An administrator can be anyone, but spouses, children or family members typically have that responsibility, Eternal Applications said.

How much does the Eternal Applications app cost?

The messages can be purchased in three packages, all of which have a 50-year delivery window, according to the release. Recipients will also have the ability to edit and delete the messages for free at any time in the future, the company said.

The costs of the services vary and offer three packages, including:

Basic ($49.99 for one message with 10 unique recipients)
Plus ($99.99 for three messages with 30 unique recipients)
Premium ($149.99 for 10 messages with 100 unique recipients)

All purchases are one-time purchases, so no subscription is required, the statement said. All message types cost the same, Eternal Applications said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New app from Eternal Applications lets deceased people send messages to loved ones