Telegram Pricing Details: Free vs Premium Plans Explained
Telegram is widely known for offering a quick, secure, and feature-rich messaging experience — and then for most users, it’s free. However, in mid-2022, Telegram introduced a Premium subscription tier to offer enhanced capabilities whilst keeping the core app free for anyone. This move helps Telegram remain ad-free in private chats and sustain its growth without compromising user privacy.
Here’s a dysfunction of telegram pricing details, including what’s free and what incorporates Telegram Premium.
🔹 Telegram Free Plan – What You Get
Telegram’s free version is incredibly generous and includes:
Unlimited messaging and chat history
Groups with as many as 200,000 members
Channels with unlimited subscribers
Cloud storage for files (as much as 2 GB per file)
Secret chats with end-to-end encryption
Bot support and mini apps
Voice and video calls
Media sharing without compression
Stories with basic features
Access across multiple devices
This robust feature set can be obtained to all users without cost — one reason Telegram has grown to over 900 million monthly active users globally.
🔹 Telegram Premium – What’s Included
Telegram Premium is a paid subscription that unlocks exclusive and enhanced features for power users. As of 2025, Telegram Premium typically costs around $4.99/month, though regional pricing can vary greatly.
✅ Premium Features Include:
4 GB file upload limit (vs 2 GB in free plan)
Faster download speeds
Doubled limits:
Join approximately 1,000 channels
Create 20 chat folders
Save 10 stickers per pack
Add 4 accounts to a single app
Voice-to-text conversion (transcribe voice messages instantly)
Unique premium stickers and emoji
Animated profile pictures
No sponsored messages in public places channels
Premium badge next to your name
Prioritized support and improved spam filtering
Advanced story tools (e.g. longer stories, stealth mode, permanent stories)
🔹 Are Telegram Ads Involved?
Telegram won't show ads in private chats or groups. However, it occasionally displays sponsored messages in large public channels (with 1,000+ subscribers). These are minimal, non-personalized, simply appear at the end of the channel.
Premium users do not see any sponsored messages.
🔹 Is Telegram Business Paid?
Telegram introduced Telegram Business features in 2024. These tools (like custom business profiles, automated replies, and location hours) are free, but premium capabilities may be added in future updates or included in Telegram Premium.
🔹 How to Subscribe to Telegram Premium
You can subscribe via:
The Telegram app (Settings → Telegram Premium)
Apple App Store / Google Play
Telegram Premium Bot (for discounted rates in some regions)
Note: Some regions offer discounted pricing via local payment providers beyond app stores to avoid platform fees.
Telegram’s core features remain free and open to everyone. But for users who wish enhanced functionality, speed, storage, and status, the Telegram Premium plan offers excellent value with an affordable monthly cost.