WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger’s little cousin Telegram has shown a steady growth over the past few years. Free, focused on the user, and with a strict privacy policy, it has its fair share of fans.
Many consider the application revolutionary and for good reason. Not only does it feature encrypted calls and texts, but it doesn’t run advertisements either.
And with the increasing concerns over Facebook and WhatsApp’s privacy policies, its popularity skyrocketed even more.
See the app’s development throughout the years in our list of Telegram statistics below.
Captivating Telegram Stats to Keep in Mind in 2022
- Telegram has 500 million active monthly users.
- Its daily active user base is 55.2 million.
- The number of first-time Telegram installs increased by 323% YOY during the 2019 protests in Hong Kong.
- Telegram gained 100 million new users between April 2020 and January 2021.
- The app reached 500 million downloads on the Google Play Store.
- Android users spend 2.9 hours per month on average on Telegram.
- The app’s user base is made up of 41.4% females and 58.6% males.
General Telegram Statistics
Before getting into the specifics, let’s cover some basics. What’s Telegram and how does it stand out from the crowd?
It’s simple.
Telegram is a highly secure messaging software, which offers unique and powerful capability. You can share up to 2 GB files, form groups with 5,000 members, create secret encrypted conversations, use end-to-end encryption for audio calls, and so on.
Pretty impressive, huh? Let’s see how that worked out for it.
1. Telegram was founded in 2013.
(Source: Business of App)
The brothers Nikolai and Pavel Durov, creators of Russia's largest networking site VK, founded Telegram in Russia back in 2013.
The owners changed their company’s location several times to avoid different problematic jurisdictions. The messaging app Telegram is currently headquartered in Dubai.
2. In January 2021, Telegram became the most downloaded app globally.
(Source: First Post)
The Telegram messenger surpassed 63 million installations in January 2021, becoming the world’s most downloaded app. Indian users contributed the most to this success, accounting for 24% of all downloads.
This increase is most likely part of the aftermath of WhatsApp's recent privacy policy changes. Many people started searching for more secure alternatives.
3. The channel Telegram Tips has 7.5 million subscribers.
(Source: TGstat)
Apart from private conversions, Telegram offers the option to broadcast messages to large audiences through its so-called channels.
The top Telegram channels by subscribers include Telegram Tips with 7.5 million users, Telegram News with 6.3 million, then Bollywood HD movies with 4.1 million. Company data reveals that the first two continue growing.
4. Telegram is the world's 11th most popular social networking platform.
(Source: Dream Grow)
The app that profited the most from Facebook’s recent crisis is Telegram. So much so that Android users spend more time on Telegram than on Facebook Messenger.
According to social media experts, the typical user spends 2.9 hours per month on Telegram and 2.7 hours on Messenger.
Telegram Users
Even though Telegram hasn’t reached the popularity of WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or WeChat, it is growing significantly. Some would argue it’s a threat to WhatsApp.
Let’s take a look at some Telegram demographics to see who’s downloading the app.
5. Telegram has 500 million active monthly users.
(Source: Backlinko)
Telegram’s usage grew by 25% in less than a year. Since 2019, the messaging app has seen 300 million newcomers.
That’s 60% of its existing user base!
The recent jump in popularity aside, Telegram stats reveal a steady 40% growth YOY since its launch.
6. Telegram has a daily active user base of 55.2 million.
(Source: Statista)
In 2014, only 35 million people were using the app. Four years later, that number increased to 200 million and reached 400 million in 2020.
But the Telegram popularity keeps growing. Today, its daily active users are more than its overall user base in 2014!
7. 38% of Telegram users come from Asia.
(Source: SimilarWeb)
Perhaps not surprisingly, the app’s most popular in Asia. Next comes Europe, accounting for 27% of its user base, then Latin America with 21%.
Looking at the count of Telegram users by country, it is the most popular messaging app in 20 countries. These include Azerbaijan, Belarus, Cambodia, and Egypt, among others.
8. Telegram gained 25 million new users in 72 hours.
(Source: Mothership)
The Telegram user base is growing rapidly in 2021. It gains around 8.33 million new sign-ups every day. In January 2021 alone, more than 100 million new users joined Telegram.
This explains the significant increase from the 1.5 million people on Telegram in 2020.
9. 30.6% of Telegram users are between the ages of 25 and 34.
(Source: Statista)
A look at the average age of Telegram users reveals that the app is most popular among 25-34 year-olds. 21.9% of users are between 18 and 24, and 21.3% are between 35 and 44.
People between 45 and 64 account for 18.5% of Telegram’s user base. The app is the least popular among children, with only 7.7%.
10. Telegram is expected to reach one billion users by 2022.
(Source: Olhar Digital)
Looking at the popularity of Telegram by country, we can see it’s already the number one social networking app in 20 locations. As such, the predictions about its growing user base aren’t surprising.
That said, according to some resources, the company is in debt. Finding the resources to sustain its rapid growth won’t make its financial situation easier.
Let’s crunch the numbers.
Telegram Revenue
Telegram is on a roll, acquiring tens of millions of new users. So it’s natural to assume that its earnings are through the roof. However, that’s not exactly the case.
Let’s look at a few Telegram stats that will help us understand its financial situation better.
11. Telegram implements new monetization strategies from 2021.
(Source: Telegram)
Telegram is free and open source. According to a message by one of the founders from December, 2020, he was using his personal finances to fund the platform.
Pavel Durov then outlines his strategy for monetizing the app in 2021.
The new strategies include adding ads on public channels, premium features for businesses, and paid sticker packs, among others.
12. Telegram Channels will feature ads from 2021.
(Source: Engadget)
The owner assures users that the changes will be minimal. Telegram will display ads only on public one-to-many channels. Personal communication will remain unaffected.
“There will be no advertisements in Telegram chats. Users who use Telegram as a messaging app rather than a social network will never see advertisements. Private and group chats are ad-free and will remain so in the future.”
13. Telegram raises money from donations.
(Source: Telegram Guide)
So, how does Telegram make money?
As you have probably guessed by now, Telegram doesn’t generate much profit. In 2018, it raised approximately $1.7 billion through Initial Coin Offerings (fundraising). However, the SEC banned this method of income.
Plus, the majority of resources are reinvested in the app. With the expansion of the app, the revenue accumulated through the new monetization strategies will probably have the same faith, at least for a while.
Telegram Alternatives
Many individuals choose Telegram because it is safe and private. That said, it has many and much more popular alternatives.
In this section, we look at some Telegram stats that show how it stacks up against its competitors.
14. Telegram vs Signal: the battle of encrypted messaging platforms
(Source: Tech Crunch)
Although the two services are very similar in terms of functionality, Telegram wins in the popularity department.
At the end of December 2020, Signal had approximately 20 million monthly active users worldwide. According to recent Telegram statistics, the app has over 500 monthly active users.
In January, 2021, Telegram ranked number one on the App Store in 40 countries and in 18 countries on the Google Play store.
15. Telegram vs Telegram X: the battle of the extra features
(Source: Steemit)
Telegram Messenger LLP released Telegram X in 2017. To compare them, you need to know what Telegram X is.
Telegram X is quicker and uses less battery power than the original software. Plus, it has a slick new look and a clean, bubble-free interface.
Telegram has amazing capabilities, but Telegram X adds a few useful extras that improve user experience.
16. Is Telegram better than WhatsApp?
(Source: Blusteak)
We end this section with the ultimate competition: Telegram vs WhatsApp.
Let’s examine all facts before we give our final ruling.
- WhatsApp has more monthly active users, but Telegram is coming in hot.
- A group on WhatsApp can have a maximum of 256 members. On Telegram, you can add up to 200,000 members. Besides, Telegram groups can be either public or private, while WhatsApp only allows private messages.
- Telegram usage isn’t limited to chatting. You can also build quizzes and polls and even automate posting from various social networks.
- You can share files up to 100 MB in size on WhatsApp and up to 2 GB on Telegram.
- Lastly, we have to consider Telegram privacy and security, which is its biggest strength. It’s also what brought many WhatsApp users to Telegram.
Wrap Up
Telegram is a blessing for those who feel that big tech has no business spying on people's private conversations.
End-to-end encryption, a self-destruct function for messages, and a security feature that prevents users from forwarding messages are only part of Telegram’s security measures.
The platform’s popularity has been increasing at a steady rate since 2013. And Telegram statistics reveal it will only grow stronger in the future.
Sources
Unaware that life beyond the internet exists, Nick is poking servers and control panels, playing with WordPress add-ons, and helping people get the hosting that suits them.
