Introduction
Contents
- Introduction
- Editor’s Choice
- WhatsApp vs Telegram Features
- WhatsApp vs Telegram Messaging Features Statistics
- WhatsApp vs Telegram Chatbots Capabilities Statistics
- WhatsApp vs Telegram User Review Online Statistics
- WhatsApp vs Telegram User Statistics
- WhatsApp vs Telegram Demographic Statistics
- WhatsApp vs Telegram Number of Downloads Statistics
- WhatsApp vs Telegram Revenue Statistics
- Conclusion
WhatsApp vs. Telegram Statistics: WhatsApp and Telegram are two of the most popular messaging applications worldwide, each offering different features and user experiences. WhatsApp is known for its large global user base and simple interface, whereas Telegram is favored for its focus on privacy, cloud-based storage, and customizable options.
In 2024 and 2025, comparing their usage statistics, features, market share, and growth trends can help us understand which application performs better and is more suitable for different users. We need to focus on the above article, “WhatsApp vs Telegram Statistics – Which is Better?”.
Editor’s Choice
- WhatsApp has almost 3 billion users worldwide, much more than Telegram’s 800+ million active users.
- WhatsApp lets you send longer messages (up to 65,536 characters), while Telegram limits messages to 4,096.
- Both apps allow sending files up to 2GB, but WhatsApp only lets you send videos up to 16 MB. Telegram supports much bigger video files.
- Telegram lets you send video messages up to 1 minute long, but WhatsApp limits video messages to 30 seconds.
- Telegram allows up to 3 accounts on one device and unlimited device connections. WhatsApp only allows one account per device and up to 4 linked devices.
- WhatsApp scores 4.7 stars on the Apple App Store and 4.3 stars on Google Play. Telegram has ratings of 4.3 and 4.5 stars, respectively.
- WhatsApp has over 5 billion downloads on Google Play, making it one of the most downloaded apps ever. Telegram has millions of downloads every month, but fewer overall.
- WhatsApp Business earned over $330 million in 2023. Telegram made about $6.1 million from in-app purchases in early 2024.
- WhatsApp is great for everyday chatting with strong security. Telegram is better if you want more features, larger file sharing, and use on many devices.
WhatsApp vs Telegram Features
Telegram | ||
Voice/Video Calls |
Available, but not as polished as WhatsApp’s | High-quality voice and video calls |
Cross-Device Sync | Seamless across all devices |
Seamless across devices but with a phone number |
Channels |
Admins can enable comments from channel followers | One-way messages |
Bots | Supports bots for automation and interaction |
Does not support bots |
Encryption |
Cloud-based encryption on regular chats, end-to-end encryption on Secret Chats | End-to-end encryption for all chats (regular, group, etc.) |
Customization | Custom themes, emojis, and bots |
Limited customization options |
Cloud Storage |
Cloud-based access from any device | Cloud-based but less flexible than Telegram |
File Sharing Limit | 2GB per file |
16MB per file |
Group Size |
Up to 200,000 members | Up to 512 members |
Status/Stories | Yes (Status updates) |
No direct equivalent, but it has channels |
Secret Chats |
Not available |
Available with self-destruct timers |
WhatsApp vs Telegram Messaging Features Statistics
- WhatsApp lets you send a single message with up to 65,536 characters.
- Telegram only allows 4,096 characters per message.
- WhatsApp supports video messages that are up to 30 seconds long.
- Telegram lets you record video messages up to 1 minute long.
- Telegram lets you attach up to 10 items in one message.
- WhatsApp allows you to send up to 30 videos or pictures in a single message.
- Both apps now support file uploads up to 2GB, which is equivalent to around 2 hours of Full HD (1080p) video.
(Source: doubletick.io)
- The above chart shows the number of WhatsApp messages sent globally per day.
- Before May 2022, WhatsApp only allowed files up to 100MB, much less than what Telegram offered.
- But there’s still a catch—WhatsApp only allows video files up to 16MB, which means your video can be between 90 seconds and 3 minutes, depending on your phone’s quality settings.
- So, even though you can send up to 2GB of other file types, WhatsApp still restricts video size to 16 MB.
- Both apps let you remove messages, which is helpful when you make a mistake or send the wrong thing.
- WhatsApp shows a message like “This message was deleted.”
- Telegram lets you delete messages without leaving any visible trace, and you can even edit messages after they’re sent.
- WhatsApp only lets you use one account on a phone, but you can also connect it to 4 more devices, plus your main phone.
- Telegram allows you to use up to 3 accounts on the same phone and log in from an unlimited number of devices simultaneously.
WhatsApp vs Telegram Chatbots Capabilities Statistics
Capability | Telegram | |
AI integration |
Via BSP or custom logic and external APIs | Via direct API calls to AI/NLP services |
Native interactive elements | Quick replies, CTA buttons, list/product messages |
Custom keyboards, commands, inline buttons, polls |
Development tools |
API, BSPs, no-code builders | Open API, libraries (Python, JS), and no-code tools |
Setup | API access via BSP with verification |
Instant setup using a token |
(Reference: masterofcode.com)
Telegram Chatbot Statistics
- Telegram has over 10 million bots offering services like payments, automation, games, and customer help.
- Telegram’s Mini Apps—which act like chatbots—are used by 500 million people each month as of July 2024.
- In October 2024, Telegram boosted the speed at which bots can send messages up to 1,000 per second. If bots exceed the free limit of 30 messages per second, Telegram charges through Telegram Stars.
- Around the world, about 987 million people regularly use AI-based chatbots for different needs.
- The worldwide chatbot industry is worth $15.57 billion and is expected to grow to $46.64 billion by 2029.
- Eight out of 10 users say they’ve interacted with a chatbot at least once, which shows how common they’ve become.
- Starting in December 2024, developers can make money with Telegram Stars and referral programs by promoting services and allowing in-app purchases.
- With over 1 billion monthly users in 2025, Telegram gives developers a massive audience to reach with their chatbots.
WhatsApp Chatbot Statistics
- The global market for WhatsApp chatbots is growing fast. It’s expected to increase from about $1.34 billion in 2023 to nearly $10.3 billion by 2030.
- By 2025, using WhatsApp chatbots is estimated to save businesses around 2.6 billion hours yearly on customer service tasks.
- As of 2025, WhatsApp has over 2.78 billion users worldwide, and this number is expected to surpass 3.14 billion by the end of the year.
- 68% feel safe messaging businesses on WhatsApp because of its strong privacy.
- 75% of customers like to get support after buying something through messaging apps like WhatsApp.
- 65% say they’re likelier to buy from businesses they can chat with.
- Around 80% of big companies plan to use the WhatsApp Business API in their communication tools by 2025.
- About 80% of small businesses use WhatsApp to talk with customers in countries like India and Brazil.
- Chatbots on WhatsApp are saving a lot of time. They’re expected to save over 2.5 billion hours of customer service time by 2023, and that number is still growing.
- 55% of businesses say that using chatbots has helped them get better leads and talk to more potential customers.
WhatsApp vs Telegram User Review Online Statistics
- WhatsApp has a high rating of 4.7 out of 5 on the Apple App Store, based on feedback from 10.1 million users.
- Its score on Google Play is slightly lower, at 4.3 out of 5, based on over 160 million reviews.
Most reviews are still favorable, but newer ones are more critical. Common user issues include:
- Bugs and problems with staying connected
- Missing messages or photos
- The camera is not working properly
- Concerns about the updated privacy rules
- Trouble logging in or recovering chats and media
Some reviewers even said they’d rate it zero stars if possible. Many blame Facebook (Meta) for making the app worse over time.
Telegram
- Telegram is rated 4.3 out of 5 on the Apple App Store based on 140,000+ user reviews.
- On Google Play, it has a 4.5 out of 5 rating, with feedback from over 11 million users.
- Earlier reviews were more negative, mainly because the app didn’t support video calls, a now available feature.
Newer reviews are mostly positive, although some users still mention:
- Slow notifications that don’t show until the app is opened
- Occasional lag in connection
- Requests for a “Status” feature like the one on WhatsApp.
WhatsApp vs Telegram User Statistics
- As of January 2024, WhatsApp has 2.78 billion monthly active users.
- Statista reported, based on WhatsApp vs. Telegram Statistics – Which is Better?” that nearly 1.5% of WhatsApp users are different from the platform.
- WhatsApp is the second most popular smartphone application, and it is based on monthly active users.
- After Facebook and WhatsApp in 2014, the number of active users increased by 365%, from 465 million to 2 billion monthly users.
(Source: coolest-gadgets.com)
- That number is expected to grow to nearly 3 billion by June 2024, a 7% increase from June 2023.
- WhatsApp has the best open rate among social apps. About 83% of people who use it check the app daily, putting it ahead of platforms like Facebook.
- Roughly 3% of everyone in the world uses WhatsApp.
(Source: coolest-gadgets.com)
- Around 32.4% of global users aged 13 and up are active on WhatsApp.
- Among internet users between 16 and 64 years old, about 7% say WhatsApp is their #1 favourite social platform.
- Daily, people spend over 2 billion minutes on voice and video calls through WhatsApp.
- Between 2010 and 2020, WhatsApp’s user base grew 200 times in monthly active users.
- The average user opens WhatsApp 25 to 30 times daily.
Telegram
- According to a survey, Telegram had almost 1 billion monthly active users as of March 2025. That is up from the 950 million monthly active users stated in July 2024.
(Reference: backlinko.com)
Date | Monthly Active Users |
March 2025 |
1 billion |
July 2024 |
950 million |
September 2024 |
900 million |
May 2023 |
800 million |
June 2022 |
700 million |
July 2021 |
550 million |
January 2021 |
500 million |
April 2020 |
400 million |
October 2019 |
300 million |
March 2018 |
200 million |
December 2017 |
180 million |
February 2016 |
100 million |
September 2015 |
60 million |
December 2014 |
50 million |
WhatsApp vs Telegram Demographic Statistics
WhatsApp Statistics
- In the U.S., most WhatsApp users fall in the 26–35 age group, making up about 27% of the total users.
- In contrast, people over 56 are the least active group on WhatsApp in the country, making up only 13% of the app’s user base.
(Reference: demandsage.com)
Age Group | Share of Users |
56+ |
13% |
46-55 |
17% |
36-45 |
20% |
26-35 |
27% |
15-25 |
19% |
- WhatsApp’s global user base is almost 47.7% women and 52.2% males.
Gender | Share Of Users |
Females |
47.7% |
Males |
52.2% |
Telegram
- Telegram is mostly used by men between the ages of 25 and 44.
Here’s a clearer picture of how Telegram users are spread by Age:
- Over 50% of Telegram users are in the 25 to 44 age group.
- About 25% of users are under 24 years old as of 2023.
- Roughly 21.6% of Telegram’s users are 45 years or older.
Here is the table that shows the Telegram users by Age:
Age Group | Share of Telegram Users |
Over 45 years |
21.6% |
35 to 44 |
23.8% |
25 to 34 |
29.4% |
18 to 24 |
18.8% |
Up to 17 |
6.4% |
- As of October 2023, about 58% of Telegram’s users are men, meaning the app’s majority audience is male.
- Statista reported, based on WhatsApp vs. Telegram Statistics – Which is Better?” that 42% of users are women, making up a smaller portion of Telegram’s total user base.
- Below is a quick look at the gender split:
Gender | Share of users |
Male |
58% |
Female |
42% |
WhatsApp vs Telegram Number of Downloads Statistics
- WhatsApp has been downloaded over 5 billion times from the Google Play Store.
- By the end of 2024, the app saw about 564.33 million new downloads across the globe.
- In December 2024, WhatsApp was the #2 most downloaded app worldwide.
- India had the highest downloads, while Indonesia and Pakistan were ranked second and third.
- Here’s a quick look at where most of the downloads came from:
Country | Number of Downloads |
Algeria |
2.84 million |
Colombia |
3.02 million |
Russian Federation |
3.31 million |
United States |
4.30 million |
Egypt |
4.51 million |
Mexico |
5.05 million |
Brazil |
7.37 million |
Pakistan |
11.27 million |
Indonesia |
11.27 million |
India |
34.02 million |
Telegram
- The highest number of downloads occurred in October 2023, when Telegram was downloaded around 42.61 million times.
- In February 2024, Telegram was downloaded about 35.33 million times.
- That’s lower than in Jan 2024, when downloads hit 37.87 million and less than the 35.02 million downloads recorded in December 2023.
- Here’s a simplified table showing how Telegram’s downloads changed month by month:
Month Year | Number of downloads |
Feb 2023 |
28.47 million |
Mar 2023 |
29.31 million |
Apr 2023 |
29.74 million |
May 2023 |
32.86 million |
Jun 2023 |
32.19 million |
Jul 2023 |
33.97 million |
Aug 2023 |
38.25 million |
Sep 2023 |
36.28 million |
Oct 2023 |
42.61 million |
Nov 2023 |
36.92 million |
Dec 2023 |
35.02 million |
Jan 2024 |
36.87 million |
Feb 2024 |
34.33 million |
- India has the most Telegram app downloads, with 83.85 million users.
- In 2023, India had the highest number of Telegram downloads worldwide, followed by Russia with 35.06 million downloads.
- There was a big difference between the total downloads in India and Russia.
- The United States was third, with 29.92 million Telegram downloads in 2023.
(Reference: demandsage.com)
Country | Number of Downloads |
Italy |
4.14 million |
Malaysia |
5.52 million |
United Kingdom |
6.04 million |
France |
7.45 million |
Kazakhstan |
9.36 million |
Ukraine |
11.77 million |
Vietnam |
17.55 million |
Brazil |
22.83 million |
Indonesia |
24.34 million |
United States |
29.92 million |
Russia |
35.06 million |
India |
83.85 million |
WhatsApp vs Telegram Revenue Statistics
WhatsApp Revenue
- WhatsApp is very popular, with 97% of people who use chat apps in India having WhatsApp as of April 2023. However, in Australia, only about 33% of users use WhatsApp.
- WhatsApp Business has earned more than $330 million worldwide.
- By 2023, WhatsApp Business made over $330 million in total revenue globally.
(Reference: demandsage.com)
- The Asia-Pacific area leads with over $127 million in earnings, while Latin America made about $100 million.
- On average, WhatsApp Business earns $0.26 per user.
- In 2023, WhatsApp Business earned about $0.26 per user worldwide, but it was much higher at $1.31 per user in Europe.
- Medium and big companies are putting a lot of money into WhatsApp.
- In 2019, companies worldwide spent $38.7 million on WhatsApp Business. This number is expected to increase to around $3.6 billion by 2023.
- According to WhatsApp data, Brazil makes the most money from WhatsApp Business.
- In December 2023, Brazil earned about $5.28 million from WhatsApp Business, ranking first. Mexico was second with about $1.93 million.
Telegram Revenue
- In February 2024, Telegram earned about $6.1 million from purchases made inside the app.
- This amount is almost $0.6 million more than it made in January 2024.
- In total, $4.86 million came from the Apple App Store, while $1.22 million came from the Google Play Store.
(Reference: demandsage.com)
Month-Year | Apple App Store | Google Play Store |
May 2023 |
2.45 million | 0.62 million |
Jun 2023 | 2.30 million |
0.57 million |
Jul 2023 |
2.86 million | 0.63 million |
Aug 2023 | 3.09 million |
0.73 million |
Sep 2023 |
2.94 million | 0.78 million |
Oct 2023 | 3.18 million |
0.79 million |
Nov 2023 |
3.35 million | 0.82 million |
Dec 2023 |
3.87 million |
0.97 million |
Jan 2024 | 4.44 million |
1.14 million |
Feb 2024 |
4.86 million |
1.22 million |
Conclusion
When looking at WhatsApp and Telegram, both apps have good messaging features, but they meet different needs. WhatsApp is still the most popular worldwide, with almost 3 billion active users by 2025. It is easy to use and perfect for everyday chatting and calling. Telegram, however, offers advanced features like bigger file sharing, more privacy choices, and a paid Telegram Premium plan. It is growing quickly, especially among users who want more control and extra tools.
So, the best app depends on what you want: WhatsApp for a large user base and simple use, or Telegram for more features and flexibility. Through this article, we have shed enough light on “Whatsapp vs Telegram Statistics – Which is Better?”.