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Alternatives · Team Chat

Telegram alternatives

As of Nov 13, 2026, the best Telegram alternative for most people is Slack (2.8 GPA), first in our ranking of team communication apps. The best free one is Discord (3.6 GPA).

Telegram compared with 5 alternatives: Signal, Discord, Element, Wire and Slack.

Telegram has a free plan. Paid plans start at $4.99 (Premium; billing period not shown in the listing). All 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan.

Listings checked up to Nov 12, 2026 · Where the facts come from

Black Friday: is there a Telegram sale?

At a glance

ToolPriceFree planRuns on
TelegramThis toolFree plan · from $4.99YesWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
SignalFreeFreemacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
DiscordFree plan · from $2.99/moYesWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
ElementFree planYesWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
WireFree plan · from €7.45/moYesWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
SlackFree plan · from $7.25/moYesWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android

How each one differs from Telegram

  1. Signal

    Nonprofit messenger with end-to-end encrypted chats and calls

    • Signal is free.
    • Signal lists no web app, which Telegram has.
    • Signal is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.

    Suits: Small groups that want private chats at no cost

  2. Discord

    Free text, voice and video chat built around servers

    • Discord starts at $2.99 per month.
    • Discord also covers file sharing.

    Suits: Gaming groups and friends who want always-open voice chats

  3. Element

    End-to-end encrypted chat and calls on the Matrix standard

    • Element is open source, self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
    • Element also covers file sharing.

    Suits: Governments and regulated organizations that self-host encrypted chat

  4. Wire

    End-to-end encrypted messaging and calls for organizations

    • Wire starts at €7.45 per person / month, paid annually.
    • Wire is open source, self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
    • Wire also covers file sharing.

    Suits: Organizations that need end-to-end encryption for messages, calls and files

  5. Slack

    Channel-based team messaging with huddles, workflows and AI

    • Slack starts at $7.25 per user / month, billed annually.
    • Slack also covers workflow automation, documents and file sharing.

    Suits: Teams that want conversations organized by channel rather than email threads

Limits worth knowing in Telegram

  • Regular chats and groups are not end-to-end encrypted; only Secret Chats, which work per device, are.
  • It has no workspace admin console or team plan; Premium is a per-account subscription.
  • Premium prices vary by country and by where it is bought; the $4.99 figure is the US App Store listing, which omits the billing period.
Telegram pricing and details

Common questions

What are the alternatives to Telegram?

The alternatives to Telegram in this directory are Signal, Discord, Element, Wire and Slack. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Telegram.

Is there a free alternative to Telegram?

Yes. Signal is free to use. Discord, Element, Wire and Slack have a free plan alongside paid ones.

Is there an open-source alternative to Telegram?

Element and Wire are described as open source on their own sites.

When were these prices checked?

Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.