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All industries · head to head

Telegram vs Textline

Telegram logo

Telegram

All industries

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
T

Textline

Communication & Collaboration

Business texting for teams

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Telegram has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Telegram end-to-end encryption applies only to Secret Chats; private and group Cloud Chats use server-client encryption, so Telegram holds the data; Textline outbound messages beyond the plan allowance are billed per message at $0.03 to $0.04 each, plus a separate campaign registration fee

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Telegram and Textline actually diverge.

Attributes where Telegram and Textline differ
AttributeTelegramTextline
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, AndroidWeb
CategoryAll industriesCommunication & Collaboration
Founded2013Unknown

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 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

Only in Textline

Nothing recorded that Telegram does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Telegram

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

Textline

No use cases recorded yet. See the Textline review.

Where each one falls short

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

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

Textline

  • Outbound messages beyond the plan allowance are billed per message at $0.03 to $0.04 each, plus a separate campaign registration fee

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Textline

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Textline review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Textline if

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

Textline review

Questions people ask

Is Telegram or Textline better?
Neither clearly leads. Telegram starts at Free and Textline at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Telegram or Textline?
Telegram has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Telegram and On request for Textline.
Does Telegram or Textline run on more platforms?
Telegram runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android. Textline runs on Web.
Can I use Telegram for free?
Yes. Telegram has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Textline starts at On request.
What is Telegram best used for?
Telegram is most often used for group messaging and large channels with files of any type and size, private device-bound conversations with self-destructing messages, running bots and broadcast channels for an audience. Of those, group messaging and large channels with files of any type and size and private device-bound conversations with self-destructing messages are not what Textline is typically brought in for.
What can Telegram do that Textline cannot?
Telegram covers Cloud-based messaging, End-to-end encryption, Self-destructing messages, Large group chats.
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Related pages

More on Telegram

More on Textline

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