# Telegram review, pricing and alternatives

Source: https://listme.name/software/telegram
Website: https://telegram.org/

Cloud messenger with groups, channels and open client code

Telegram is a cloud-based messaging app for Android, iPhone and iPad, Windows, macOS, Linux and the web. Its FAQ says private messaging is free, with no ads and no subscription fees. Its client code is published, while end-to-end encryption applies only to its Secret Chats mode.

Telegram handles personal chats, groups of up to 200,000 members, and channels for broadcasting to an audience. Its homepage says messages sync across devices, and it lists apps for Android, iPhone and iPad, Windows, macOS and Linux, plus web apps. Bots and communities link groups and channels together, and Telegram adds media and file sharing with no size limit on media and chats.

Regular Telegram chats are stored in the cloud and sync to every device, so they are not end-to-end encrypted by default. Secret Chats use end-to-end encryption and are a separate mode that the FAQ describes. Telegram says its API and code are open, and the Android client is published under GPL-2.0. The service suits group and community messaging better than private one-to-one conversations where end-to-end encryption by default matters.

- Free | Android, iOS, iPadOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web | open source (GPL-2.0)
- Price: Free for private messaging, with no ads or subscription fees
- Checked: 2026-10-10

## Strengths

- Groups for up to 200,000 members and public channels
- Syncs chats across phone, desktop and web
- Client apps are open source (GPL-2.0 for Android)

## Limits

- Default chats are not end-to-end encrypted
- Secret Chats are a separate mode with fewer features

## Rankings

- #3 of 10 in [best Messaging apps](https://listme.name/best/messaging-apps), score 85.0: Offers large groups, public channels and sync across phone, desktop and web with no limit on media size. Regular chats are not end-to-end encrypted by default, which Signal and WhatsApp do provide.

## Alternatives

- [Signal](https://listme.name/software/signal), score 92.5
- [WhatsApp](https://listme.name/software/whatsapp), score 90.0
- [Messages](https://listme.name/software/apple-messages), score 84.0
- [Element](https://listme.name/software/element), score 82.0
- [Threema](https://listme.name/software/threema), score 80.5
- [Session](https://listme.name/software/session), score 79.5
- [Discord](https://listme.name/software/discord), score 78.5
- [SimpleX Chat](https://listme.name/software/simplex-chat), score 78.0