Softwr

Communication · head to head

Lark vs Telegram

Lark logo

Lark

Communication

The super app for team collaboration

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Telegram logo

Telegram

Communication

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Lark vendor website positions as best-priced but actual costs not verified; Telegram end-to-end encryption applies only to Secret Chats; private and group Cloud Chats use server-client encryption, so Telegram holds the data
  • They diverge on capability: Lark covers Team messaging, Telegram covers Cloud-based messaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lark and Telegram actually diverge.

Attributes where Lark and Telegram differ
AttributeLarkTelegram
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Founded20192013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Communication).

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 Lark

  • Team messaging
  • Video conferencing
  • Collaborative docs
  • Cloud storage
  • Calendar
  • Jira
  • GitHub
  • Salesforce

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

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Windows support
  • Macos support

What people use each for

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

Lark

  • Team collaborationnot Telegram
  • All-in-one workspacenot Telegram
  • Communication platformnot Telegram
  • Project managementnot Telegram
  • Document collaborationnot Telegram

Telegram

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

Where each one falls short

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

Lark

  • Vendor website positions as best-priced but actual costs not verified

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

Lark

Free
  • StarterFree
    • Up to 50 users
    • 100GB storage
    • Unlimited messaging
  • Pro$12/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 1TB storage per user
    • 24-hour meetings
  • Enterprise$20/month
    • SSO/SAML
    • eDiscovery
    • Custom retention

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 Lark if

  • You need team messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
  • You also want video conferencing.
Lark review

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.
Telegram review

Questions people ask

Is Lark or Telegram better?
Neither clearly leads. Lark starts at Free and Telegram at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lark or Telegram?
Lark starts at Free and Telegram at Free.
Does Lark or Telegram run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Lark for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Lark best used for?
Lark is most often used for team collaboration, all-in-one workspace, communication platform, project management. Of those, team collaboration and all-in-one workspace are not what Telegram is typically brought in for.
What can Lark do that Telegram cannot?
Lark covers Team messaging, Video conferencing, Collaborative docs, Cloud storage. Telegram covers Cloud-based messaging, End-to-end encryption, Self-destructing messages, Large group chats. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support, Windows support, Macos support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lark: What pricing plans does Lark offer?

Lark advertises itself as a best-priced all-in-one solution with multiple pricing plans, but specific pricing tiers, costs, and features are not publicly detailed on accessible pages.

Source
Telegram: Does Telegram cost money?

Telegram is a completely free messaging application. There are no subscription plans, in-app purchases, or ads. The service is funded through cryptocurrency investments.

Source
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