Softwr

Communication & Collaboration · head to head

Chatwork vs Telegram

Chatwork logo

Chatwork

Communication & Collaboration

Group chat for global teams, built to replace email with real-time communication

From
On request
Rated
-
Telegram logo

Telegram

All industries

Pure instant messaging — simple, fast, secure, and synced across all your devices

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Telegram has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Chatwork no pricing figures or plan names are shown on the vendor's own homepage; only Sign up for free and Get Started buttons are offered, with pricing details requiring further navigation not present on the fetched page; Telegram end-to-end encryption applies only to Secret Chats; private and group Cloud Chats use server-client encryption, so Telegram holds the data

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chatwork and Telegram actually diverge.

Attributes where Chatwork and Telegram differ
AttributeChatworkTelegram
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android
CategoryCommunication & CollaborationAll industries
FoundedUnknown2013

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Chatwork

Nothing recorded that Telegram does not also cover.

Only in Telegram

  • Cloud-based messaging
  • End-to-end encryption
  • Self-destructing messages
  • Large group chats
  • Voice and video calls
  • Bot platform
  • Channels and broadcasts
  • Cross-platform sync

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Chatwork

No use cases recorded yet. See the Chatwork review.

Telegram

  • Group messaging and large channels with files of any type and sizenot Chatwork
  • Private device-bound conversations with self-destructing messagesnot Chatwork
  • Running bots and broadcast channels for an audiencenot Chatwork

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Chatwork

  • No pricing figures or plan names are shown on the vendor's own homepage; only Sign up for free and Get Started buttons are offered, with pricing details requiring further navigation not present on the fetched page
  • The homepage highlights 256-bit encryption and ISO27001 certification as its main security claims without stating which plan tier includes them

Telegram

  • End-to-end encryption applies only to Secret Chats; private and group Cloud Chats use server-client encryption, so Telegram holds the data
  • Secret Chats are device-specific and are not part of the Telegram cloud, so they can only be read on the device they started on
  • Logging out destroys all of your Secret Chats
  • The Secret Chat self-destruct timer applies only to messages sent after the timer is set and has no effect on earlier messages
  • Telegram states screenshot detection cannot be guaranteed on some Android and Windows Phone devices, so screenshots of Secret Chats can be taken silently
  • Messages cannot be forwarded out of Secret Chats
  • The self-destruct timer in cloud chats covers media only, not text

Pricing, plan by plan

Chatwork

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Chatwork review.

Telegram

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited messages
    • 2GB file sharing
    • Group chats up to 200K members
  • Telegram Premium$4.99/month
    • Everything in Free
    • 4GB file uploads
    • Faster downloads

Which should you pick?

Choose Chatwork if

Nothing in the data separates Chatwork from Telegram on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Choose Telegram if

  • You need cloud-based messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
  • You also want end-to-end encryption.

Questions people ask

Is Chatwork or Telegram better?
Neither clearly leads. Chatwork starts at On request and Telegram at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chatwork or Telegram?
Telegram has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Chatwork and Free for Telegram.
Does Chatwork or Telegram run on more platforms?
Chatwork runs on Web. Telegram runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
Can I use Telegram for free?
Yes. Telegram has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Chatwork starts at On request.
What can Chatwork do that Telegram cannot?
Telegram covers Cloud-based messaging, End-to-end encryption, Self-destructing messages, Large group chats.

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