secure messaging app · Telegram FZ-LLC

Free cloud messenger with open-source apps and groups of up to 200,000; end-to-end encryption for messages only in secret chats.

54/100

#9 of 12 secure messaging apps
Facts checked 8 Oct 2026

In short

Private messaging on Telegram is free and will stay free, according to its FAQ¹.
Cloud chats, including private and group chats, use server-client encryption; end-to-end encryption applies to secret chats only¹.
Groups can have up to 200,000 members¹.
Apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and web; Telegram says the apps are open source².
Sign-up needs a mobile phone number; usernames let people contact you without it^1,7.

Telegram suits people who want big groups, multi-device sync and open-source apps^1,2. Its bug bounty pays $100 to $100,000 or more³. The catch: everyday chats are not end-to-end encrypted, and a phone number is required to register¹.

Best for: People who want very large groups and sync across devices and accept that normal chats are not end-to-end encrypted.

Where the points come from

Encryption0 of 20

Source and audits12 of 26

Sign-up and identity4 of 16

Chats and calls14 of 14

Systems16 of 16

Price8 of 8

Encryption 0 of 20 points

Rule	What is published	Points
End-to-end encrypted by default	NoCloud chats, private and group, use server-client encryption; end-to-end encryption is for secret chats only^1,5.	0 / 12
Post-quantum key exchange	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's MTProto page⁵.	0 / 4
Encrypted backups	NoChat history syncs through cloud chats, which use server-client encryption rather than end-to-end¹.	0 / 4

Source and audits 12 of 26 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Open-source apps	YesThe apps page says Telegram apps are open source; Desktop is GPLv3 with an OpenSSL exception^2,8.	8 / 8
Independent audit since 2022	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's MTProto page⁵.	0 / 10
Public bug bounty	YesBug bounty active since 2014, paying $100 to $100,000 or more; reports go to Telegram directly³.	4 / 4
Transparency report	Not publishedThe privacy policy says quarterly reports are published at t.me/transparency; no report covering 2025 or later is shown on the vendor's pages⁴.	0 / 4

Sign-up and identity 4 of 16 points

Rule	What is published	Points
No phone number needed	NoFAQ: accounts can only be connected to a mobile number; the privacy policy says phone numbers are the unique identifiers^1,4.	0 / 12
Contacts by username	YesWith a username, anyone can find and contact you without knowing your phone number⁷.	4 / 4

Chats and calls 14 of 14 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Disappearing messages	YesAuto-delete timers of 24 hours or 7 days can be enabled in all chats, with secret chats keeping their own timers⁶.	5 / 5
Largest group chat	200000FAQ: Telegram groups can have up to 200,000 members¹.	4 / 4
Encrypted voice and video calls	YesFAQ: voice and video calls, and group calls, are end-to-end encrypted¹.	5 / 5

Systems 16 of 16 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Apps	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, WebApps page lists Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone and iPad, Android, and web apps WebK and WebA; no beta labels².	12 / 12
Windows works without the phone	YesFAQ: you can log in from as many devices as you like, all at the same time, with cloud chats synced¹.	4 / 4

Price 8 of 8 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Cost for one person	$0FAQ: private messaging on Telegram is free and will stay free; Premium is optional and ignored¹.	8 / 8

The rule behind each line: how we score secure messaging apps.

Plans and prices

As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.

Plan	Price as listed	Per month	Notes
Telegram1 person	Free¹	$0	Private messaging is free; Premium is optional

Telegram Premium is an optional paid subscription and is not counted in the price¹.

Strengths

Groups of up to 200,000 members¹.
Apps for all six platforms, with open-source code and reproducible builds².
Auto-delete timers can be set in all chats, not only secret chats⁶.
Voice and video calls, including group calls, are end-to-end encrypted¹.
Public bug bounty paying from $100 to $100,000 or more³.

Limits

Cloud chats use server-client encryption, not end-to-end^1,5.
A phone number is required to create an account¹.
Synced chat history is not end-to-end encrypted¹.
In 2016 an Iran-linked attack collected public data on about 15 million accounts, Telegram said⁹.

Concerns on record

On 2 August 2016 Telegram said about 15 million accounts were implicated in an Iran-linked attack that collected publicly available data, and said no accounts were directly accessed⁹.

What Telegram FZ-LLC says

Vendor claims. We show them, but they earn no points.

Telegram says it has disclosed 0 bytes of user messages to third parties, including governments¹.

Other secure messaging apps

1
SimpleX ChatPeople who want a messenger that holds no account identifier or phone number
86/100
$0cost for one person
2
ThreemaPeople who want a messenger with no phone number and no subscription
79/100
$6/yrcost for one person
3
WirePeople who want default encryption and open-source apps without handing over a phone number
78/100
$0cost for one person
4
ElementPeople who want open-source apps on every platform and no phone number
69/100
$0cost for one person

All 12 secure messaging apps

Sources

Telegram FAQ, Telegram. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Telegram apps, Telegram. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Telegram Bug Bounty, Telegram. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Telegram Privacy Policy, Telegram. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
MTProto Mobile Protocol, Telegram. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Auto-Delete, Widgets and Expiring Invite Links, Telegram. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Usernames and Secret Chats 2.0, Telegram. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
telegramdesktop/tdesktop, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Telegram explains what really happened from its massive hacker attack, VentureBeat. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.

Website: telegram.org · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Telegram FZ-LLC.