diff --git a/cmd/init.go b/cmd/init.go
index aa983e6..a51f20d 100644
--- a/cmd/init.go
+++ b/cmd/init.go
@@ -222,9 +222,9 @@ func initQueries(sqlFile string, db *sqlx.DB, fs stuffbin.FileSystem, prepareQue
 }
 
 // initSettings loads settings from the DB.
-func initSettings(q *Queries) {
+func initSettings(q *sqlx.Stmt) {
 	var s types.JSONText
-	if err := q.GetSettings.Get(&s); err != nil {
+	if err := q.Get(&s); err != nil {
 		lo.Fatalf("error reading settings from DB: %s", pqErrMsg(err))
 	}
 
diff --git a/cmd/main.go b/cmd/main.go
index 0e98223..a55684d 100644
--- a/cmd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/main.go
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ func init() {
 	_, queries := initQueries(queryFilePath, db, fs, true)
 
 	// Load settings from DB.
-	initSettings(queries)
+	initSettings(queries.GetSettings)
 }
 
 func main() {
@@ -180,7 +180,9 @@ func main() {
 	srv := initHTTPServer(app)
 
 	// Star the update checker.
-	go checkUpdates(versionString, time.Hour*24, app)
+	if ko.Bool("app.check_updates") {
+		go checkUpdates(versionString, time.Hour*24, app)
+	}
 
 	// Wait for the reload signal with a callback to gracefully shut down resources.
 	// The `wait` channel is passed to awaitReload to wait for the callback to finish
diff --git a/cmd/settings.go b/cmd/settings.go
index 5b2af27..72e9412 100644
--- a/cmd/settings.go
+++ b/cmd/settings.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ type settings struct {
 	AppFromEmail        string   `json:"app.from_email"`
 	AppNotifyEmails     []string `json:"app.notify_emails"`
 	EnablePublicSubPage bool     `json:"app.enable_public_subscription_page"`
+	CheckUpdates        bool     `json:"app.check_updates"`
 	AppLang             string   `json:"app.lang"`
 
 	AppBatchSize     int `json:"app.batch_size"`
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/Settings.vue b/frontend/src/views/Settings.vue
index ad9a3d6..40ba896 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/Settings.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/Settings.vue
@@ -59,6 +59,12 @@
                     name="app.enable_public_subscription_page" />
               </b-field>
 
+              <b-field :label="$t('settings.general.checkUpdates')"
+                :message="$t('settings.general.checkUpdatesHelp')">
+                <b-switch v-model="form['app.check_updates']"
+                    name="app.check_updates" />
+              </b-field>
+
               <hr />
               <b-field :label="$t('settings.general.language')" label-position="on-border">
                 <b-select v-model="form['app.lang']" name="app.lang">
diff --git a/i18n/de.json b/i18n/de.json
index a99acaa..baa256b 100644
--- a/i18n/de.json
+++ b/i18n/de.json
@@ -279,6 +279,8 @@
     "settings.errorNoSMTP": "Mindestens ein SMTP Block muss aktiviert sein",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmails": "Admin Benachrichtigungen",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmailsHelp": "Komma getrennte Liste von E-Mail Adressen welche Admin Benachrichtigungen erhalten. Wie Importupdates, Fertigstellung von Kapganen, Fehler usw.",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdates": "Check for updates",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdatesHelp": "Periodically check for new app releases and notify.",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPage": "Enable public subscription page",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPageHelp": "Show a public subscription page with all the public lists for people to subscribe.",
     "settings.general.faviconURL": "Favicon URL",
diff --git a/i18n/en.json b/i18n/en.json
index 7c63602..8c088ad 100644
--- a/i18n/en.json
+++ b/i18n/en.json
@@ -279,6 +279,8 @@
     "settings.errorNoSMTP": "At least one SMTP block should be enabled",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmails": "Admin notification e-mails",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmailsHelp": "Comma separated list of e-mail addresses to which admin notifications such as import updates, campaign completion, failure etc. should be sent.",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdates": "Check for updates",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdatesHelp": "Periodically check for new app releases and notify.",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPage": "Enable public subscription page",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPageHelp": "Show a public subscription page with all the public lists for people to subscribe.",
     "settings.general.faviconURL": "Favicon URL",
diff --git a/i18n/es.json b/i18n/es.json
index 3eebf1c..3d478ef 100644
--- a/i18n/es.json
+++ b/i18n/es.json
@@ -279,6 +279,8 @@
     "settings.errorNoSMTP": "Al menos un bloque SMTP debe estar habilitado",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmails": "Correos electrónicos para notificacion de administradores",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmailsHelp": "Lista de correos electrónicos separados por comas, a donde las notificaciones como actualizaciones de importación, campañas completadas, fallas, etc deben ser enviadas.",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdates": "Check for updates",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdatesHelp": "Periodically check for new app releases and notify.",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPage": "Habilitar pagina publica de subscripción",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPageHelp": "Muestra una página con todas las listas públicas para subscribirse.",
     "settings.general.faviconURL": "Favicon URL",
diff --git a/i18n/fr.json b/i18n/fr.json
index a861961..f6b9289 100644
--- a/i18n/fr.json
+++ b/i18n/fr.json
@@ -279,6 +279,8 @@
     "settings.errorNoSMTP": "Au moins un bloc SMTP doit être activé",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmails": "Emails pour les notifications admin",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmailsHelp": "Liste d'adresses email (séparées par des virgules) auxquelles les notifications d'admin telles que les mises à jour d'importation, fins de campagnes, échecs, etc. seront envoyées.",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdates": "Check for updates",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdatesHelp": "Periodically check for new app releases and notify.",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPage": "Activer la page d'abonnement publique",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPageHelp": "Afficher une page d'abonnement publique avec toutes les listes publiques auxquelles les personnes peuvent s'abonner.",
     "settings.general.faviconURL": "URL du favicon",
diff --git a/i18n/it.json b/i18n/it.json
index ba8c375..ff37f49 100644
--- a/i18n/it.json
+++ b/i18n/it.json
@@ -279,6 +279,8 @@
     "settings.errorNoSMTP": "Devi attivare almeno un blocco SMTP",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmails": "Mail di notifica amministratore",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmailsHelp": "Lista indirizzi mail separati da virgole ai quali saranno inviate notifiche di amministrazione come gli aggiornamenti di importazione, la fine della campagna, eventuali problemi ecc.",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdates": "Check for updates",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdatesHelp": "Periodically check for new app releases and notify.",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPage": "Attiva la pagina di iscrizione pubblica",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPageHelp": "Visualizza una pagina di iscrizione pubblica con tutte le liste pubbliche a cui è possibile iscriversi.",
     "settings.general.faviconURL": "URL della favicon",
diff --git a/i18n/ml.json b/i18n/ml.json
index 79b46b7..db7cd96 100644
--- a/i18n/ml.json
+++ b/i18n/ml.json
@@ -279,6 +279,8 @@
     "settings.errorNoSMTP": "കുറഞ്ഞപക്ഷം ഒരു എസ്. എം. ടീ. പീ ബ്ലൊക്കെങ്കിലും പ്രവർത്തനക്ഷമയിരിക്കണം",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmails": "കാര്യനിര്‍വ്വാഹകർക്കുള്ള അറിയിപ്പ് ഇ-മെയിലുകൾ",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmailsHelp": "ഇംപോർട്ട് ചെയ്തതിലുള്ള വിവരങ്ങൾ, ക്യാമ്പേയ്ൻ പൂർത്തീകരണം, പ്രശ്നങ്ങൾ എന്നിങ്ങനെയുള്ള പ്രധാനപ്പെട്ട കാര്യനിര്‍വ്വാഹകർക്കുള്ള അറിയിപ്പിനായുള്ള കോമാ ഉപയോഗിച്ച് വേർതിരിച്ച ഇ-മെയിൽ വിലാസങ്ങൾ.",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdates": "Check for updates",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdatesHelp": "Periodically check for new app releases and notify.",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPage": "Enable public subscription page",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPageHelp": "Show a public subscription page with all the public lists for people to subscribe.",
     "settings.general.faviconURL": "ഫാവ് ഐക്കൺ യൂ. ആർ. എൽ",
diff --git a/i18n/pl.json b/i18n/pl.json
index 40d7b81..e89fdd8 100644
--- a/i18n/pl.json
+++ b/i18n/pl.json
@@ -279,6 +279,8 @@
     "settings.errorNoSMTP": "Co najmniej jeden blok SMTP powinien być aktywowany",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmails": "Adres email do powiadomień admina",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmailsHelp": "Lista maili oddzielona przecinkami do adminów, którym przesyłać informacje o importach, zakończonych kampaniach, błędach itd. ",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdates": "Check for updates",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdatesHelp": "Periodically check for new app releases and notify.",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPage": "Włącz publiczną stronę subskrypcji",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPageHelp": "Pokaż publiczną stronę do zapisu na subskrypcje publicznych list.",
     "settings.general.faviconURL": "URL Favicony",
diff --git a/i18n/pt-BR.json b/i18n/pt-BR.json
index 78b6583..be1e2b8 100644
--- a/i18n/pt-BR.json
+++ b/i18n/pt-BR.json
@@ -279,6 +279,8 @@
     "settings.errorNoSMTP": "Pelo menos um bloco SMTP deve estar habilitado",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmails": "E-mails de notificação de administrador",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmailsHelp": "Lista de e-mails separados por vírgula para os quais as notificações de administração, como atualizações de importação, conclusão da campanha, falha, etc. devem ser enviadas.",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdates": "Check for updates",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdatesHelp": "Periodically check for new app releases and notify.",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPage": "Habilitar a página pública de inscrição",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPageHelp": "Habilitar a página pública de inscrição com todas as listas públicas para as pessoas se inscreverem.",
     "settings.general.faviconURL": "URL do Favicon",
diff --git a/i18n/pt.json b/i18n/pt.json
index 42fadb3..4a12eb2 100644
--- a/i18n/pt.json
+++ b/i18n/pt.json
@@ -279,6 +279,8 @@
     "settings.errorNoSMTP": "Pelo menos um bloco SMTP deve estar ativo",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmails": "Emails de notificação de administração",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmailsHelp": "Lista separada por vírgulas dos endereços de email para os quais devem ser enviadas notificações de administração como updates importantes, conclusão de campanhas, falhas, etc.",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdates": "Check for updates",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdatesHelp": "Periodically check for new app releases and notify.",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPage": "Ativar página de subscrição pública",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPageHelp": "Mostrar uma página de subscrição pública com todas as listas públicas para as pessoas se subscreverem.",
     "settings.general.faviconURL": "URL do Favicon",
diff --git a/i18n/ru.json b/i18n/ru.json
index c8b798c..8ff8899 100644
--- a/i18n/ru.json
+++ b/i18n/ru.json
@@ -279,6 +279,8 @@
     "settings.errorNoSMTP": "Должен быть включён минимум один блок SMTP",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmails": "Письма с уведомлениями для администратора",
     "settings.general.adminNotifEmailsHelp": "Список адресов электронной почты, разделенных запятыми, на которые следует отправлять уведомления администратора, такие как обновления импорта, завершение кампании, сбой и т.д. ",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdates": "Check for updates",
+    "settings.general.checkUpdatesHelp": "Periodically check for new app releases and notify.",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPage": "Включить публичную страницу подписки",
     "settings.general.enablePublicSubPageHelp": "Показать страницу общедоступной подписки со всеми общедоступными списками, на которые можно подписаться.",
     "settings.general.faviconURL": "Favicon URL",
diff --git a/internal/migrations/v1.0.0.go b/internal/migrations/v1.0.0.go
index a593060..3a9a8ef 100644
--- a/internal/migrations/v1.0.0.go
+++ b/internal/migrations/v1.0.0.go
@@ -8,6 +8,17 @@ import (
 
 // V1_0_0 performs the DB migrations for v.1.0.0.
 func V1_0_0(db *sqlx.DB, fs stuffbin.FileSystem, ko *koanf.Koanf) error {
-	_, err := db.Exec(`ALTER TYPE content_type ADD VALUE IF NOT EXISTS 'markdown'`)
-	return err
+	if _, err := db.Exec(`ALTER TYPE content_type ADD VALUE IF NOT EXISTS 'markdown'`); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if _, err := db.Exec(`
+		INSERT INTO settings (key, value) VALUES
+			('app.check_updates', 'true')
+			ON CONFLICT DO NOTHING;
+	`); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/schema.sql b/schema.sql
index bd4f221..8a68b65 100644
--- a/schema.sql
+++ b/schema.sql
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ INSERT INTO settings (key, value) VALUES
     ('app.message_sliding_window_duration', '"1h"'),
     ('app.message_sliding_window_rate', '10000'),
     ('app.enable_public_subscription_page', 'true'),
+    ('app.check_updates', 'true'),
     ('app.notify_emails', '["admin1@mysite.com", "admin2@mysite.com"]'),
     ('app.lang', '"en"'),
     ('privacy.individual_tracking', 'false'),