Snapchat has announced it will begin charging users for storing older photos and videos, a move that has prompted backlash from those with large archives of saved posts.

The app’s Memories feature, introduced in 2016, has until now allowed users to keep content previously shared for 24 hours or less without charge. However, users with more than five gigabytes (GB) of saved Memories will now need to pay to retain them.

Snap said the changes are part of new “Memories Storage Plans” designed to support long-term use of the feature, with over one trillion items saved to date. The company stated that “for the vast majority of Snapchatters, who have less than 5GB of Memories, nothing will change.”

Under the new plans, users exceeding the 5GB limit will be prompted to upgrade to a 100GB storage option, with larger tiers available through Snapchat+ or Snapchat Premium subscriptions. A Snapchat spokesperson told TechCrunch that in the US the 100GB plan will cost $1.99 per month, while a 250GB plan will be priced at $3.99. A 5TB option will also be offered through Snapchat Platinum. UK pricing has not yet been disclosed.

The company confirmed it would provide 12 months of temporary storage for those above the limit, with the ability for users to download their content directly to their devices.

In a statement, Snapchat said: “Since we launched Memories in 2016, Snapchatters have saved more than 1 trillion Memories. Unlike the camera roll full of duplicates and screenshots, Memories on Snapchat are special because Snapchatters choose to save the moments that really matter.

“When we first launched Memories, we never expected it to grow to what it has become today. We want to make sure that our community can continue to store all of their Memories over the long term, so we are introducing new Memories Storage Plans to support Snapchatters with more than 5GB of Memories.

“For the vast majority of Snapchatters, who have less than 5GB of Memories, nothing will change. For Snapchatters with more than 5GB of Memories, meaning thousands of Snaps, we are rolling out new options to upgrade and increase storage. The introductory Memories Storage Plans offer 100GB, 250GB with Snapchat+, or 5TB with Snapchat Platinum.

“We’ll provide 12 months of temporary Memories storage for any Memories that exceed the 5GB storage limit. Snapchatters can upgrade to a Memories Storage Plan at any time, and as always, will be able to download their Memories directly to their devices. It’s never easy to transition from receiving a service for free to paying for it, but we hope the value we provide with Memories is worth the cost.”

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It doesn’t take a whole lot of digging on social media to see what the general sentiment towards the move is, the words “unfair” and “greedy,” popping up frequently, with many users arguing they are being forced to choose between paying for storage or losing years of saved content.

Some long-time users also said they had accumulated well above the 5GB limit due to relying on Snapchat’s previously free storage.

Snap said in April that Snapchat had surpassed 900 million monthly active users with platforms like Instagram and TikTok counting their user bases in the billions.