Telegram Reaches 700 Million Users, Launches Premium Subscription Tier
Telegram introduces a paid subscription plan costing up to $6 monthly, offering enhanced limits as its user base surpasses 700 million. This move marks the messaging app's first major step toward sustainable monetization without relying on advertisers.
Telegram reaches a major milestone of 700 million monthly active users and introduces its first-ever premium subscription tier. The paid plan costs between $4.99 and $6 per month, depending on the region, and aims to generate sustainable revenue while keeping the core app free of advertisements. This launch marks the first time a major instant messaging platform with hundreds of millions of users implements a paid subscription model.
The premium tier significantly expands the app's existing capabilities for paying customers. Subscribers enjoy doubled file upload limits of 4 GB, faster download speeds, and the ability to follow up to 1,000 channels instead of the standard 500. The upgrade also allows users to manage up to four accounts, pin 10 chats, and organize up to 20 chat folders with 200 chats each.
Founder Pavel Durov states that this monetization strategy directly responds to power users who demand more storage and bandwidth. Unlike its major rivals such as WhatsApp, Signal, and Facebook Messenger, Telegram chooses to fund its development through user subscriptions rather than selling ads. The company previously explored blockchain-based monetization but abandoned that effort in 2020 after facing regulatory hurdles, ultimately opting for this straightforward premium approach.