Telegram

Telegram is a cloud-based messaging app for one-to-one chats, group conversations and broadcast channels. Messages sync across phones, tablets and computers, and it is used by a very large global audience, particularly in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, South Asia and among crypto and technology communities. Its scale features set it apart from other messengers. Groups can hold up to hundreds of thousands of members, with admin tools, topics, slow mode and moderation bots for large communities. Channels let one account broadcast to an unlimited number of subscribers, which has made Telegram a major platform for news outlets, creators, brands and communities to publish directly to audiences. Large file sharing, voice and video calls, and live streams in groups and channels round out the communication features. Telegram is also a platform for developers. The Bot API makes it easy to build bots that automate tasks, answer questions, run games or provide services inside chats, and Mini Apps let developers build full web applications that run inside Telegram, including payments. That ecosystem has made it popular for customer service, communities and, notably, crypto projects. Security and privacy require nuance. Standard chats are cloud chats, encrypted between the device and Telegram's servers but stored on those servers so they can sync across devices. End-to-end encryption is available only in optional secret chats between two people, not in groups by default. That design is often contrasted with Signal and WhatsApp, which encrypt all messages end to end. Telegram Premium is a subscription adding higher limits, faster downloads and extra features, while the core app is free. Alternatives include WhatsApp, the most widely used messenger with end-to-end encryption by default; Signal, privacy-focused and open source; Discord for community servers with voice channels; Slack for workplace messaging; Viber and LINE in particular regions; and Element for encrypted, federated messaging. Choose Telegram when you need large groups, broadcast channels or bots. Choose Signal when private communication matters most.