Telegram or WhatsApp? Which is the best? How Telegram works

Every day we hear more and more about it. Telegram is conquering an ever-larger segment of Android and iPhone users, positioning itself as

alternative to WhatsApp.

But is it really worth installing this application? What does Telegram have more than WhatsApp? Is it also worth downloading this messaging app on our "already full" smartphones?

Let's find out.

Telegram

Instant messaging service active since 2013, it was founded and is managed by the company of the same name founded by the Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov. Initially widely used only in Russian-speaking countries, it quickly expanded also in Europe and the United States, especially when WhatsApp was first officially purchased by Facebook and then when the WhatsApp Terms of Use were changed .

At the end of 2021 this led to Telegram reaching 500 million active users, a number that is growing day after day.

Telegram has presented itself on the market as a possible alternative to WhatsApp as for Line, WeChat, Signal and many other apps.

Competitors that it has surpassed quite easily if considering the numbers at a global level, positioning itself as a valid alternative to WhatsApp itself.

Telegram and Russian origin

A small stop to Telegram's growth came following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Russian origin of the owners and developers of this App has in fact led to the idea of ​​a boycott, which was immediately reversed when Pavel Durov demonstrated that he too was a victim of Putin's limitations and lack of democracy.

How does this messaging app work?

The entire Telegram system works on a free and open source software concept that relies on the Telegram cloud for every phase. The Telegram Cloud therefore guarantees advanced and automatic backup functions as well as simple and fast daily use.

The server-side software part is instead created in an encrypted and encrypted manner in order to guarantee safety in operation and in the backup file (which is safer by remaining on the proprietary server and not on a Google Drive account or similar).

Telegram features

This messaging app has some very interesting and innovative features. Here are the ones that have received the most attention from users:

Telegram web

Telegram's computer interface, unlike the "standard" WhatsApp one, can work even when the phone is not connected to the network. Note: WhatsApp also launched an equivalent feature in April 2022.

Classic and private chats

The classic chat uses the traditional Telegram encryption system, with the conversation encrypted on the server and synchronization between all the various connected devices.

Private or secret chats are encrypted from one device to another, without any saving on the Telegram servers. This guarantees the secrecy of the messages, which can be implemented by self-destructing them after a given period. This secret mode is obviously only available for the two devices involved in the exchange.

Groups

Another interesting Telegram function is that of groups. Large groups of people (up to 200,000 users) and the ability to define administrators with special permissions. Even for "standard" users it is possible to insert rules, such as those of a minimum time period between one message and the next.

Telegram channels

Conceptually quite similar to groups, it is also possible to establish one or more administrators for channels. For each channel you can create a quick link and a unique name which will be used for searching and accessing it.

Voice messages

In addition to text messages, Telegram, like WhatsApp, also gives the possibility of sending audio messages between users or in groups and channels. In a subsequent update, Telegram added further functions specifically dedicated to groups, such as the possibility of raising your hand and asking permission to intervene during a live broadcast.

This was then also extended to calls and video calls.

Telegram Bot

Another particularly appreciated function, especially in Groups and Channels, is that of Bots. These automations are standard commands managed by the app that allow immediate responses to be given to users automatically.

The most common bots are:

@gif – To search and send GIFs;

@vid – To share videos from YouTube;

@bing – To share images with Bing;

@pic – To share images with Yandex;

@wiki – To share Wikipedia entries in all languages;

@Imdb – To share information about movies;

@bold – To format parts of text;

@ youtube – For direct video embedding;

@ music – For selecting and loading music files;

@foursquare – Link to the popular app;

@ sticker – To quickly select stickers.

Bots are also constantly evolving, with new automations released with each release.

Telegram or WhatsApp

In light of the interesting features, if we had to choose, which is better Telegram or WhatsApp?

In our daily use we have found some interesting features that Telegram has "today" while WhatsApp has yet to implement.

Here they are:

the Telegram app is lighter and solves the problem of local backups;

since there are no local backups, many saving, transfer and disk space problems are avoided;

the PC version, despite the new release of WhatsApp, works even better on Telegram;

Telegram fully and natively supports iPad and Apple Watch;

Telegram allows you to choose a nickname;

In terms of security, Telegram clearly surpasses WhatsApp for the above;

Updates. Telegram is updated much more frequently than WhatsApp;

Groups. They can be considered almost exclusive to Telegram. WhatsApp has something similar but only in name, the features are much more limited;

Channels. Present only in Telegram, they are a perfect support for a news site or for greater interaction between "creator" and "user".

The advantages of WhatsApp, however, are above all concentrated in its greater diffusion which makes it the primary, if not only, choice even for less technological users.

This therefore makes WhatsApp non-replaceable with Telegram in most cases. However, the advanced features of the latter, combined with the exclusive functions of groups and channels, make Telegram an excellent alternative.

Our advice at the moment is to install both to get the best from both applications. Popularity on the one hand and exclusive features on the other.