Frequently asked questions

What is RaptureMail?

You write a letter now and name the people it should reach. We hold it, encrypted, and deliver it only if the rapture happens. The idea is simple: if you are taken, the people you love receive your words. If you are not, the letter stays with us and no one sees it.

How does delivery work?

A named administrator starts delivery by hand, in two separate actions a day apart. There is no timer, no heartbeat, no automatic condition. The first action records who is declaring and why; only after a full day can the second action send everything. During the gap, any administrator can cancel. The full mechanism is described in how it works.

Do you detect the rapture?

No. Nothing in the world announces the rapture in a way software can read. There is no feed, no signal, no test. Anyone who tells you their system detects it is describing something that does not exist. What we offer is a person who decides, openly, and a process that makes a rash decision difficult.

What if the administrator is wrong?

Then your letter goes to living people, including you. The two-step, day-apart process makes this unlikely but not impossible. This is a human judgement and it carries the failures of one. We describe it honestly so you can decide whether that is acceptable to you.

Who are the administrators?

A named group of people who, by the premise of this service, would be among those left behind. They are the only ones who can start or cancel delivery. Every action they take is written to an audit log recording who did it and when.

Can you read my letter?

Yes. Your letter is encrypted in our database, but we hold the key, because we have to. The entire point of the service is that we can open your letter at a moment when you are not available to open it for us. Any service in this category that claims your letter is unreadable to them is either confused or lying. What we offer instead is a practical commitment: we do not read letters, access is restricted, and every action is audited. See privacy for the full account.

Is my letter encrypted?

Yes. Each letter is encrypted with a key unique to it, and that key is itself encrypted under a master key held separately. If someone steals our database, what they get is unreadable. But as noted above, this protects your letter from outsiders, not from us.

Can I edit my letter after sealing?

No. Sealing fixes the words permanently. You can still update who receives it, and you can delete it at any time, but changing what it says means writing another letter. If you are unsure whether you want to say a thing yet, leave it as a draft — drafts cost nothing and can be edited freely.

Can I delete my letter?

Yes, at any time. Deleting removes the letter and its recipients from our store. We cannot recover it afterwards, and neither can anyone else. Deleting a sealed letter does not return the payment.

What do my recipients receive?

Your letter, unedited, with a short note at the top explaining who it is from and why it has arrived. A message from someone who has vanished would be frightening without context. We send once. We do not add them to anything.

Can I send a printed letter?

Yes. You can choose to have your letter printed and posted to a physical address as well as emailed. Printed letters cost more because half of what you pay is set aside in a segregated account for future printing and postage, which may be decades from now. See pricing for details.

How much does it cost?

Letters cost $5 each, less in a pack. You pay once — there is no subscription. Most people find they have more than one letter to write, which is why letters come in packs. Unused letters never expire. See pricing.

Are all sales final?

Yes. All payments are final and there are no refunds. You are paying for us to hold and deliver your letter, and that commitment begins at purchase. Full details are in our terms.

How long will you hold my letter?

Indefinitely, or until you delete it. There is no expiry. You pay once, and we hold it for as long as it takes. That is the commitment.

How do I know this will still be here when it matters?

We built this to last. One payment, no subscription, no outside investors with exit timelines. The service is designed to be simple enough to run for decades, because it may need to. The fewer moving parts, the fewer things that break when no one is watching.