Signal vs Telegram (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Signal and Telegram share a 3.2 GPA, both have a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on whether you care more about ease of use, where Signal grades higher, or platforms, where Telegram does.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Telegram
Cloud-based messenger with large groups, channels and bots
Which one is for you
Pick Signal if
- Fits if you want private messaging with friends, family or a small group
- Works for people who want no ads and no tracking
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need a workplace tool, as it has no channels, roles or admin console
- Not for you if you want a desktop app on its own, since it needs linking from a phone
- Too light for support, because no paid or business tier is listed
- Watch out: no integrations or bots are listed, so it will not plug into your other tools
Pick Telegram if
- Fits if you run a big public group or broadcast channel
- Works for developers who want to build bots for free
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need end-to-end encryption on every chat, as only Secret Chats have it
- Not for you if you want a team workspace, because it has no admin console or team plan
- Tight if you want Premium, as the $4.99 listing price omits the billing period and varies by country
- Watch out: a 4.0 store rating is below most messengers we have graded
How we grade them
| 3.2GPASignalVery good | 3.2GPATelegramVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree outright with no ads or trackers, paid for by grants and donations. | AMessaging, calls, groups and channels are free outright. Premium is $4.99 on the US App Store, with the billing period not shown. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole app is free, with no cap and no paid tier to be pushed toward. | AFree groups of 200,000, channels and files up to 2 GB. Premium adds limits, not the basics. |
| Features | CText, voice, files, group chats and calls. For a team-chat tool it has no channels, roles or admin controls. | CLarge groups, channels, cloud sync, calls and bots. Regular chats are not end-to-end encrypted and there are no workspace tools. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record, but you install it and start texting with nothing to set up. | C4.0 on the US App Store from about 286,000 ratings. |
| Platforms and integrations | BiOS, Android, Windows, Mac and Linux. No web app, and desktop depends on a linked phone. | AWeb, iOS, Android, Windows, Mac and Linux, with a free Bot API. |
| Best for | private one-to-one and group messaging | large group chats and public channels |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Signal and Telegram. How we grade
Where they differ
- Signal is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
At a glance
| Signal | Telegram | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $4.99 (Premium; billing period not shown in the listing) |
| Free plan | None | Messaging, calls, groups and channels are free; Telegram says features that existed before Premium stay free. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Signal Technology Foundation | Telegram FZ-LLC |
| Price read from | signal.org | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Signal
- Built as a personal messenger: the pages describe no admin console, roles, channels or workspace controls.
- The desktop apps work only after Signal is installed and linked from a phone.
- No paid plan or business support tier is listed; the app is funded by donations.
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.
Key features
Signal
- End-to-end encryption by default
- Signal says every message and call is end-to-end encrypted using the open source Signal Protocol, with no optional secure mode.
- Text, voice and files
- Send text, voice messages, photos, videos, GIFs and files over the phone's data connection instead of SMS or MMS.
- Voice and video calls
- Make voice and video calls to other Signal users with no long-distance charges.
- Group chats
- Group chats keep family, friends or coworkers in one conversation.
- Desktop apps
- Apps for Mac, Windows and Linux; Signal must first be installed on a phone before a desktop app can be used.
- No ads or tracking
- Signal says it carries no ads, no affiliate marketers and no tracking, and cannot be acquired by a major tech company.
Telegram
- Large groups and channels
- Groups can have up to 200,000 members with replies, mentions, hashtags and forum-style topics; channels broadcast to unlimited audiences.
- Cloud sync
- Chats are stored in the cloud and open on several devices at once, with files of up to 2 GB each (4 GB with Premium).
- Secret Chats
- Device-specific Secret Chats add end-to-end encryption and self-destructing messages; ordinary chats are not end-to-end encrypted.
- Voice and video calls
- End-to-end encrypted voice and video calls, plus group calls for up to 200 participants and voice chats in groups.
- Bot API
- A free Bot API lets developers build bots, including AI bots; bots can charge for services in Telegram Stars.
- Telegram Business
- Business features include opening hours, quick replies, automatic greeting messages and chatbots, without coding.
Plans
Signal
Free$0
The whole app is free, with no ads or trackers; development is funded by grants and donations.
Telegram
Free$0
Messaging, groups of up to 200,000 members, channels, calls, and files up to 2 GB each.
Telegram Premium$4.99
US App Store listing; billing period not shown
Doubled limits, 4 GB file uploads, voice-to-text and no ads. Bought in the app or via @PremiumBot.
Telegram Premium Annual$35.99
per year
The same Premium features billed yearly; the listing labels it Premium Annual.
Ways to pay less
Signal
No public discounts listed.
Telegram
- Other savings
Cheaper Premium through @PremiumBot
Telegram says subscriptions bought through @PremiumBot cost less because Apple and Google fees do not apply; yearly plans are also discounted.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Signal or Telegram?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Signal is free, and Telegram starts at $4.99 (Premium; billing period not shown in the listing).
Which has a free plan, Signal or Telegram?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Signal and Telegram have a free plan.
Which platforms do Signal and Telegram run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Telegram lists a web app. Both list macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.