Telegram vs. WhatsApp – Which Works For You

Telegram and WhatsApp both work across various platforms. Designed for instant messaging, they have around two billion users between them – that’s getting on for around a third of the world’s population. If you’re looking to get into the world of instant messaging and aren’t sure which app is best for you, you’re in the right place

This article will tell you everything you need to know about the Telegram vs WhatsApp debate.

Telegram vs. WhatsApp – How Do They Measure Up?

Both messaging apps enable users to set up groups with varying numbers (WhatsApp has a limit of 256 whereas Telegram allows up to 200,000). Messages can be exchanged between groups or individuals. Whilst primarily used for sharing messages, the apps can also be used to share various media, in particular photographs, videos, documents, location, and making calls.

In addition, they can be used for making video calls and messages that can be encrypted to protect the privacy of users. Encryption is an important issue for a lot of users. WhatsApp messages are automatically encrypted, so you don’t have to do anything. Telegram, on the other hand, requires you to opt in to encryption. This could be a potential game-changer – for the less tech-savvy users.

Channels in Telegram

Whilst the popularity of both apps isn’t in question, one area where Telegram has the advantage is Channels. Telegram private channels enable you to exclusively send messages to an unlimited group of people who are unable to reply to the messages. This is a useful and easy way for anyone providing information to a particular group of people.

Then there are the public channels. Anyone can view a public channel. However, you have to be invited to a private channel. A public channel with many subscribers is a great way to get messages or news across to a great number of people. WhatsApp doesn’t offer the sophisticated Channel facilities that Telegram does. WhatsApp is limited in this respect and doesn’t look like it will catch up anytime soon.

Ongoing Development

Both Telegram and WhatsApp continue to develop their platforms. This is an extremely competitive market which WhatsApp has dominated so far. Both apps have strong, reliable platforms. Whichever one you choose for connecting with friends, family, work colleagues, or for sharing photos or other media, you won’t be disappointed.

Intuitiveness

No discussion about messaging platforms would be complete without gauging their intuitiveness. After all, you want your platform to be easy to use. Otherwise, you’d instantly look for an alternative if you can’t find the basic functions, such as previous chats and call buttons.

Thankfully, both WhatsApp and Telegram do a great job in this respect. Setting up an account on either app is straightforward. They require minimal information, such as your phone number. Other than that, you typically need to provide a registration code, which shouldn’t take too long. Once you start the registration process, the apps quickly send a text to your phone, which contains the code. Check it out in the upper part of your screen, copy it to the registration window, and you’re good to go.

Users also appreciate that they can access most (if not all) critical functions from the homepage. WhatsApp deserves special praise here in particular.

After logging in and starting your session, you’ll see all your chats right in front of you. The interface is organized using three convenient headings: Chats, Status, and Calls. You can also find the “New Message” button in the lower-right part of the display, which allows you to start a conversation with an existing or new contact. Furthermore, the camera symbol in the top-right section lets you take quick photos and videos.

Even though WhatsApp reigns supreme as the more intuitive platform, Telegram isn’t too far behind. Once you launch your app, you’ll see a similar home screen. It contains your previous conversations as well as phone contacts of those who have recently created their account. Like WhatsApp, Telegram provides a “New Message” button in the lower-right section of the display.

Navigate to the top-right part of the screen, and you’ll find the ever-helpful search button. Many people think they can only look up their contacts here, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Here are all the search criteria you can use here:

• Chats
  
• Media
  
• Downloads
  
• Links
  
• Files
  
• Music
  
• Voice
  

As a result, Telegram doesn’t restrict your options if you want to retrieve certain information. For instance, if you wish to change your phone’s ringtone with music from Telegram, the search function will be your best friend.

That said, it’s worth noting that WhatsApp is still easier to use. The biggest reason why is that Telegram lacks a dedicated calls window on the homepage. Instead, it’s hidden in the section represented by three horizontal lines in the upper-left part of your screen, along with “People Nearby,” “Saved Messages,” “Settings,” and many other tabs. Although it only takes a tap to access this section, it would be nice if the app enabled you to make calls right from your home screen. Special Features

Now let’s take a look at all the special features you can access on these two messaging giants. Both Telegram and WhatsApp bring a lot to the table, so it’s hard to declare a clear winner here. The value you can get from either platform depends on your needs and what you expect from a messaging/calling program.

On the one hand, Telegram is a great choice if the following features are a priority:

• Editing and replacing pictures after hitting the “Send” button
• Self-destruct account
• Saving chats in folders
• Scheduling and translating messages
• Locking chats

On the other hand, WhatsApp isn’t too shabby with a rich lineup of unique features:

• Colorized text
• Pinning chats
• Data usage overview
• Restoring messages
• Starting broadcasts
• Disabling media downloads

Pros of WhatsApp:

• Easy to communicate with many active users
• Simple, easy to use design

• The ability to send photos, videos, and documents
• Helps families to stay in touch and companies to conduct business
• Free voice or video calls
• Secure with encrypted messages
• Ability to set up group chats for social or business purposes
• Easy file transfer

Cons of WhatsApp:

• Privacy issues
• Limited customization
• Have to register and verify your account with your phone number
• Limited file sizes

Server issues regarding delivery of messages or files

Pros of Telegram:

• Provides encryption but you have to opt in to use it
• Cloud storage
• Telegram lets you send considerably bigger files than WhatsApp – 2GB in size,
• Customization options like background themes
• Large group chats (up to 200,000 members)
• Good for voice calls and messages
• Can be used on various platforms =

Cons of Telegram:

• Have to opt in for end-to-end encryption
• Smaller user base than WhatsApp
• Have to provide your phone number to sign up
• Better business features than Telegram
• Needs a good quality internet connection
• Use ads to generate revenue from its platform

Making a Decision

Choosing between Telegram and WhatsApp is really a case of personal preferences. They offer different things but they’re both good apps

Of course, rather than choose between them, you could just go ahead and install both. They’re free!

Telegram allows you do a lot more in the way of customisation and has a number of additional features. Whereas WhatsApp has a far wider user base making it the most popular of the two.

Do you use Telegram or WhatsApp? What was it that made you choose one over the other? Let us know it the comments section below.