How to Delete a Contact on Telegram: Every App, Bulk and Sync
29/10/2026How to Turn a Telegram Group Into a Supergroup (2026)
29/10/2026
Who benefits from Telegram, and does it fit you?
Telegram suits seven kinds of people best: everyday chatters who want messages on every device, creators who need a channel with no subscriber cap, shops using Telegram Business tools, community leads running groups of up to 200,000 members, developers building bots and Mini Apps, newsrooms, and privacy-minded users who switch to Secret Chats. It fits less well if you need every chat end-to-end encrypted by default, or if your people already live on another app.
- Cloud chats synced on phone, desktop, web and, since June 2026, smartwatch apps
- Files up to 2 GB each, or 4 GB with Premium
- End-to-end encrypted calls with up to 200 people
Catch: ordinary chats are not end-to-end encrypted. Use a Secret Chat for sensitive talks.
How big is Telegram, and how big can your audience get?
First the measuring tape: how many people each kind of Telegram chat holds, next to the apps people compare it with. Tap a mark. Then the official numbers, each with its date and who said it.
200,000 members: the cap for one Telegram group, stated in the Telegram FAQ. That is about 195 times the biggest WhatsApp group.
- 1 billion+monthly active users. Pavel Durov, 19 March 2025, on his channel, reported by TASS. The Telegram FAQ also says “over 1 billion”.
- 15 millionPremium subscribers. Durov, late May 2025, reported by 3DNews. So most people use Telegram free.
- 12 updates, 55+ featuresshipped in the year to Telegram’s 13th birthday, per the August 2026 blog.
- 2 GB per fileor 4 GB with Premium (Telegram FAQ).
Daily users, country rankings and revenue figures you see elsewhere come from third-party trackers, not from Telegram. We leave them out.
Which Telegram setup fits what you want to do?
Three measurements, one pattern. The card cuts out the setup to start with, the first moves and the seam to watch.
- Set a username so friends can find you without your number.
- Create a group for family or friends from the new message button.
- Use Saved Messages as your own cloud notebook.
Seam to watch: regular chats are not end-to-end encrypted. Start a Secret Chat for sensitive one-to-one talks.
Read next: Saved Messages
What does each type of user actually get from Telegram?
The benefits of Telegram depend on who you are. Pick a swatch: each fitting shows what that person gets, when it arrived, whether it costs anything, and the catch nobody mentions.
What do everyday users get from Telegram?
One account, every device, and room for big files. You talk to people by username, so your phone number can stay private.
- Cloud syncChats open on phone, desktop and web at once. Apple Watch and Wear OS apps arrived in June 2026.free
- Big filesSend files up to 2 GB each, 4 GB with Premium.free
- Group callsEnd-to-end encrypted calls with up to 200 people, started from a link (April 2025).free
- PasskeysLog in with Face ID or a fingerprint instead of an SMS code (December 2025).free
Catch: normal chats use client-server encryption, not end-to-end. Use a Secret Chat when it matters.
Next: add people and use Saved Messages.
What do creators and bloggers get from Telegram?
A channel is a one-way feed with no subscriber limit, and every post lands in your readers’ chat list like a message from a friend.
- Unlimited channelsNo cap on subscribers, with built-in statistics once the channel grows.free
- Ad revenue shareOwners of public channels with 1,000+ subscribers get 50% of ad revenue, paid in Toncoin through Fragment (March 2024).earn
- Suggested postsReaders can offer Stars or Toncoin for a post you approve (July 2025).earn
- Welcome messagesGreet each new subscriber with text and media only they see (August 2026).free
Catch: there is no algorithmic feed pushing your posts to strangers. People find channels through links, search and the Similar Channels shelf, so growth is slower at the start.
Next: channel limits and make a channel public.
What do businesses and shops get from Telegram?
Telegram Business turns a personal account into a shop front, and since May 2026 any account can let a bot answer chats.
- Telegram BusinessOpening hours, location, start page, quick replies, greeting and away messages, chat links and tags (March 2024).Premium
- Chat AutomationConnect a bot that replies for you, and choose which chats it may see. Open to every user since May 2026.free
- Mini Apps and StarsRun a catalogue or checkout inside Telegram and take payments in Stars.build
- Links to chatLinks that open a chat with a ready-made message and count their taps.Premium
Catch: Telegram’s own blog says all Business tools are, for now, free for Premium subscribers, which means you need Premium. Customers also need Telegram installed.
Next: the full playbook in Telegram for business.
What do communities and educators get from Telegram?
Big groups, real moderation tools, and since July 2026 a way to tie groups, channels and bots together into one Community.
- 200,000 membersOne group holds up to 200,000 people, with topics, slow mode and admin rights.free
- CommunitiesLink groups, channels and bots so members can see and join them without invite links (July 2026).free
- Polls that teachMedia in questions, descriptions, time limits, shuffled options and new quiz types (March 2026).free
- Member tags and guardiansTags for roles (March 2026) and AI guardian bots that screen join requests (June 2026).free
Catch: large public groups attract spam bots. Moderation is your job, so set permissions and an anti-spam bot before you share the link.
Next: group limits and anti-spam.
What do developers get from Telegram?
A free Bot API, Mini Apps that open inside chats, and a 2026 run of features aimed at AI agents.
- Bot APIFree to use. Bots get buttons, payments in Stars and, since June 2026, rich text up to 32,768 characters.free
- Guest AI botsMention a bot in any chat and it answers there, seeing only the message that tagged it (May 2026).free
- Bot-to-bot chatsBots can reply to other bots, and bots can create and manage bots for users (March and May 2026).free
- Log in with TelegramLet people sign up to your site or app with their Telegram account (March 2026).free
Catch: Telegram runs the API, not your code. You host the bot, keep the token secret and handle rate limits yourself.
Next: what a bot is and build your own.
What do journalists and news outlets get from Telegram?
Fast, unlimited broadcast with a public web preview, and a way to search public posts across channels.
- Instant broadcastA public channel reaches every subscriber’s chat list and has a web preview at t.me/s/ that anyone can open.free
- Public post searchA Posts tab in Search finds posts from public channels, first for Premium users (July 2025).Premium
- DiscussionAttach a group so readers comment under each post.free
- Restrict savingStop forwarding and saving in a channel when you need to.free
Catch: look-alike channels copy names and logos, and posts travel without context. Verify before you quote, and expect sponsored messages in large public channels.
Next: restrict forwarding and report fakes.
What do privacy-minded users get from Telegram?
Real tools, as long as you know which chats they cover.
- Secret ChatsEnd-to-end encrypted one-to-one chats that stay on the two devices.free
- Encrypted callsVoice and video calls, including group calls of up to 200, are end-to-end encrypted with emoji checks.free
- Hidden numberChat by username and choose who can see your phone number.free
- Open appsOfficial apps are open source, with verifiable builds on iOS and Android.free
Catch: groups, channels and normal chats are not end-to-end encrypted, the server code is not public, and you still need a phone number.
Next: protect your account and manage blocked users.
What are the honest downsides of Telegram?
Every garment has a care label. These are Telegram’s, sewn in order of how often they surprise people. Red means it can hurt you, amber means it costs time or money.
- Not end-to-end by defaultCloud chats use client-server encryption. Only Secret Chats and calls are end-to-end.
- Scams and fakesFake support accounts, fake giveaways and investment pitches are common. Spot and report them.
- Phone number neededYou sign up with a number. A username and privacy setting hide it from others.
- Premium gatesBusiness tools, the rich text editor and blocking screenshots in private chats need Premium.
- Spam in big groupsOpen groups draw bots. Plan moderation from day one, see anti-spam.
- Ads in public channelsSponsored messages can appear in large public channels. Private chats and groups have none.
- Closed serverApps are open source. The server code is not published.
- Every chat must be end-to-end encrypted by default. Signal and WhatsApp do that for all chats.
- Your customers or family will not install another app. Meet them where they already are.
- You need strangers to discover you through a feed. Telegram growth runs on links, search and cross-promotion.
How does Telegram compare with WhatsApp, Signal and Discord?
Five points, each checked against the app’s own pages or a dated report. Pick a point and the swatch book turns to it.
Pick Telegram for big groups, unlimited channels, bots and many devices at once.
Pick another app when default end-to-end encryption or where your people already are matters more.
How do you get started with Telegram in your role?
Pick a track. Each one is five stitches, in the order that saves you rework later.
- Install the official appGet it from telegram.org or your app store and sign up with your phone number.
- Choose a username and hide your numberSettings > Privacy and Security > Phone Number. People can still reach you by username.
- Lock the accountTurn on Two-Step Verification and add a passkey in Privacy and Security. Our password setup guide walks through it.
- Know when to go secretOpen a contact’s profile and start a Secret Chat for anything sensitive.
- Tidy your chat listUse folders, mute noisy chats and keep notes in Saved Messages.
- Create a channelTap the new message button, then New Channel. Give it a name people would search for.
- Make it publicPick a short username so the link is easy to share. See private to public.
- Add commentsLink a discussion group in the channel settings so readers can reply under posts.
- Greet newcomersChannel profile > Edit > Welcome Message. Only new subscribers see it.
- Measure and earnWatch statistics as you grow. At 1,000 subscribers on a public channel, ad revenue sharing opens up.
- Create the groupNew Group, add a few people, then set a public link or invite links. Limits are in group limits.
- Set the rulesPermissions, slow mode and member tags before you invite anyone.
- Add a gatekeeperAn anti-spam or guardian bot as admin. See add a bot.
- Join things upLink your group, channel and bots into one Community so members find all of them.
- Serve customersTurn on Business tools with Premium, or connect a bot through Chat Automation. Details in Telegram for business.
What changed for each type of user in 2025 and 2026?
The collection so far, dated from Telegram’s own blog. Filter by who you are; the rest fades back on the rail.
- Encrypted group calls up to 200
- Paid suggested posts in channels
- Public post search (Premium first)
- Passkey login
- Member tags in groups
- Log in with Telegram
- Disable sharing in private chats (Premium)
- Polls with media, limits and new quizzes
- Bots that manage bots
- Chat Automation for every user
- Guest AI bots and bot-to-bot chats
- Apple Watch and Wear OS apps
- AI guardians for join requests
- Communities of groups, channels and bots
- Rich text editor (Premium)
- Welcome messages for new members
- Several buttons in one message
Is your new channel or group too empty to look trustworthy?
A channel with a few dozen subscribers is hard to join, even when the posts are good. A starting base can help the first real visitors stay.
Honest note: bought members and views add social proof. They do not read, comment or buy like people who chose to follow you, and some leave over time (why members drop). Good posts still do the real work.
What else do people ask about who benefits from Telegram?
Who benefits most from Telegram?
People who need reach or many devices: creators running channels with no subscriber cap, community leads with groups of up to 200,000 members, shops using Telegram Business, developers building bots and Mini Apps, newsrooms, and everyday users who want their chats on every screen.
Is Telegram free to use?
Yes. Messaging, groups, channels, calls and bots are free. Telegram Premium is an optional subscription that adds things like 4 GB uploads, Telegram Business tools and the rich text editor. Durov reported 15 million Premium subscribers in May 2025, against more than 1 billion monthly users.
Is Telegram private and secure?
Partly. Secret Chats and voice and video calls are end-to-end encrypted. Normal chats, groups and channels use client-server encryption stored in Telegram’s cloud. Add Two-Step Verification and a passkey, and hide your phone number behind a username.
Is Telegram good for business?
Yes, if your customers use it. Telegram Business adds opening hours, quick replies, greeting and away messages, chat links and connected bots, all included with Premium. Since May 2026 any user can connect a bot through Chat Automation.
How many people use Telegram?
More than 1 billion monthly active users, according to Pavel Durov in March 2025. The Telegram FAQ also says over 1 billion. Telegram has not published a newer official figure.
Is Telegram better than WhatsApp?
It depends on the job. Telegram wins on group size (200,000 against 1,024), channels without a subscriber cap, bots and multi-device use. WhatsApp encrypts every chat end-to-end by default, which Telegram only does in Secret Chats.
Can you make money on Telegram?
Yes. Public channels with at least 1,000 subscribers get 50% of the ad revenue shown in them, paid in Toncoin. Channels can also accept paid suggested posts in Stars or Toncoin, and bots and Mini Apps can sell in Stars.
Do you need a phone number for Telegram?
Yes, an account is tied to a mobile number. You can hide it from other people with a username and the Phone Number privacy setting, and log in with a passkey instead of an SMS code.
Which guides go deeper for your role?
How we checked this guide. On 27 October 2026 we read the Telegram FAQ, the channels tour and Telegram’s blog posts on Business, channel revenue sharing, group calls, passkeys, Chat Automation and AI bots, Communities and welcome messages. For the comparison we used WhatsApp’s encryption post, the 1,024-member report, Signal’s group help page, Signal usernames and heise on Discord calls. Written by the AddTelegramMember team, a Telegram growth service since 2019.