--- title: Telegram canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/telegram/ category: Secure Messaging Apps points: 54 rank: 9 of 12 facts_checked: 2026-10-08 --- # Telegram 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 points out of 100. #9 of 12 secure messaging apps. Vendor: Telegram FZ-LLC. Website: https://telegram.org/ - Private messaging on Telegram is free and will stay free, according to its FAQ [1]. - Cloud chats, including private and group chats, use server-client encryption; end-to-end encryption applies to secret chats only [1]. - Groups can have up to 200,000 members [1]. - Apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and web; Telegram says the apps are open source [2]. - Sign-up needs a mobile phone number; usernames let people contact you without it [1][7]. Verdict: 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 more [3]. The catch: everyday chats are not end-to-end encrypted, and a phone number is required to register [1]. Best for: People who want very large groups and sync across devices and accept that normal chats are not end-to-end encrypted. ## Points | Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note | |---|---|---|---|---| | Encryption | End-to-end encrypted by default | No | 0/12 | Cloud chats, private and group, use server-client encryption; end-to-end encryption is for secret chats only [1][5]. | | Encryption | Post-quantum key exchange | Not published | 0/4 | Not published on the vendor's MTProto page [5]. | | Encryption | Encrypted backups | No | 0/4 | Chat history syncs through cloud chats, which use server-client encryption rather than end-to-end [1]. | | Source and audits | Open-source apps | Yes | 8/8 | The apps page says Telegram apps are open source; Desktop is GPLv3 with an OpenSSL exception [2][8]. | | Source and audits | Independent audit since 2022 | Not published | 0/10 | Not published on the vendor's MTProto page [5]. | | Source and audits | Public bug bounty | Yes | 4/4 | Bug bounty active since 2014, paying $100 to $100,000 or more; reports go to Telegram directly [3]. | | Source and audits | Transparency report | Not published | 0/4 | The privacy policy says quarterly reports are published at t.me/transparency; no report covering 2025 or later is shown on the vendor's pages [4]. | | Sign-up and identity | No phone number needed | No | 0/12 | FAQ: accounts can only be connected to a mobile number; the privacy policy says phone numbers are the unique identifiers [1][4]. | | Sign-up and identity | Contacts by username | Yes | 4/4 | With a username, anyone can find and contact you without knowing your phone number [7]. | | Chats and calls | Disappearing messages | Yes | 5/5 | Auto-delete timers of 24 hours or 7 days can be enabled in all chats, with secret chats keeping their own timers [6]. | | Chats and calls | Largest group chat | 200000 | 4/4 | FAQ: Telegram groups can have up to 200,000 members [1]. | | Chats and calls | Encrypted voice and video calls | Yes | 5/5 | FAQ: voice and video calls, and group calls, are end-to-end encrypted [1]. | | Systems | Apps | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web | 12/12 | Apps page lists Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone and iPad, Android, and web apps WebK and WebA; no beta labels [2]. | | Systems | Windows works without the phone | Yes | 4/4 | FAQ: you can log in from as many devices as you like, all at the same time, with cloud chats synced [1]. | | Price | Cost for one person | $0 | 8/8 | FAQ: private messaging on Telegram is free and will stay free; Premium is optional and ignored [1]. | ## Plans | Plan | Price | Per month (USD) | |---|---|---| | Telegram | Free [1] | $0 | Telegram Premium is an optional paid subscription and is not counted in the price [1]. ## Strengths - Groups of up to 200,000 members [1]. - Apps for all six platforms, with open-source code and reproducible builds [2]. - Auto-delete timers can be set in all chats, not only secret chats [6]. - Voice and video calls, including group calls, are end-to-end encrypted [1]. - Public bug bounty paying from $100 to $100,000 or more [3]. ## Limits - Cloud chats use server-client encryption, not end-to-end [1][5]. - A phone number is required to create an account [1]. - Synced chat history is not end-to-end encrypted [1]. - In 2016 an Iran-linked attack collected public data on about 15 million accounts, Telegram said [9]. ## Vendor claims (not scored) - Telegram says it has disclosed 0 bytes of user messages to third parties, including governments [1]. ## Concerns - 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 accessed [9]. ## Sources 1. [Telegram FAQ](https://telegram.org/faq), Telegram, accessed 2026-10-08 2. [Telegram apps](https://telegram.org/apps), Telegram, accessed 2026-10-08 3. [Telegram Bug Bounty](https://core.telegram.org/bug-bounty), Telegram, accessed 2026-10-08 4. [Telegram Privacy Policy](https://telegram.org/privacy), Telegram, accessed 2026-10-08 5. [MTProto Mobile Protocol](https://core.telegram.org/mtproto), Telegram, accessed 2026-10-08 6. [Auto-Delete, Widgets and Expiring Invite Links](https://telegram.org/blog/autodelete-inv2), Telegram, accessed 2026-10-08 7. [Usernames and Secret Chats 2.0](https://telegram.org/blog/usernames-and-secret-chats-v2), Telegram, accessed 2026-10-08 8. [telegramdesktop/tdesktop](https://github.com/telegramdesktop/tdesktop), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-08 9. [Telegram explains what really happened from its massive hacker attack](https://venturebeat.com/mobile/telegram-explains-what-really-happened-from-its-massive-hacker-attack), VentureBeat, accessed 2026-10-08