Signal launches phone-numberless signup for $3

Signal's Android 8.28.0 beta adds optional registration without a phone number via a one-time $3 in-app purchase in the US, with per-country pricing. Accounts are identified by an Account ID and Account Key, while a zero-knowledge proof hides the link between payment and account rather than replacing the phone number.

• Phone-free signup is Android-only and still in beta as of 16 September 2026
• One-time in-app purchase costs $3 in the US, with per-country differences
• The ZKP hides the payment-to-account link, not the user's identity
• No recovery: losing the Account ID and Account Key means losing the account