# Facebook vs Telegram Messenger

The clearest difference is rating: Facebook at 4.5 against Telegram Messenger's 4.0. Facebook also leads on ratings volume (28M vs 280K). Telegram Messenger's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Facebook sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and Telegram Messenger sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Facebook holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Facebook has 28M ratings behind it against 280K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Facebook's written reviews are positive against 35% of Telegram Messenger's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Facebook | Telegram Messenger |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (28M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/facebook/id284882215/reviews)** | [4.0 (280K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/telegram-messenger/id686449807/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **28M** | 280K |
| Positive reviews | **40.2% of reviews** | 34.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#2** | #3 |
| Size | 484 MB | 232 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Meta Platforms, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284882218) | [Telegram FZ-LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/686450210) |

## What reviewers say

### Facebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/facebook/id284882215)

**Currently charting:** #2 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #4 Top Free · Social Networking, #24 Top Grossing, #43 Top Free (US App Store)

Connect with friends and discover communities based on your interests. Share moments, explore content, and use AI tools to express yourself creatively. Find unique items and engage with creators.

**Highlights:** Personalized feed, Marketplace shopping, AI-powered content creation, Reels and stories, Community groups, Direct messaging

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supporter | $2.49 | per month |
| Supporter | $4.99 | per month |
| 99 Stars | $0.99 | one-time |
| 45 Stars | $0.99 | one-time |
| 95 Stars | $1.99 | one-time |
| 145 Stars | $2.99 | one-time |
| 250 Stars | $4.99 | one-time |
| 310 Stars | $5.99 | one-time |
| 530 Stars | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1200 Stars | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Helpful for staying connected with family and friends
- 👍 Useful for business and advertising
- 👍 Great for sharing photos and memories
- 👍 Convenient marketplace for buying and selling items

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy and buggy app with frequent issues
- 🤖 Overly aggressive content moderation and censorship
- 🤖 Biased and inconsistent enforcement of community guidelines
- 🤖 Lack of effective customer support
- 💸 Overrun with scams and fraudulent activity

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes and login issues
- Inability to edit or delete old posts and comments
- Marketplace listings getting incorrectly flagged or removed
- Inconsistent behavior between mobile app and web version

**Requested features**

- Improved customer support and appeal process
- More transparency and consistency in content moderation
- Better tools for managing and organizing content
- Customizable feed and notification settings


### Telegram Messenger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/telegram-messenger/id686449807)

**Currently charting:** #3 Top Free · Social Networking, #4 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #34 Top Free, #43 Top Grossing (US App Store)

A fast, secure, and powerful instant messaging app synced across all devices. It offers unlimited media and file sharing, robust encryption, and extensive group chat capabilities. Enjoy a simple, private, and customizable communication experience.

**Highlights:** Cross-device synchronization, Unlimited file and media sharing, End-to-end encrypted secret chats, Large group chats (up to 200,000 members), Customizable themes and stickers, Bots for task automation, Photo and video editing tools

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Wallet, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Telegram Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Telegram Premium Annual | $35.99 | per year |
| 50 Telegram Stars | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1x Telegram Premium (One Week) | $1.19 | one-time |
| 100 Telegram Stars | $1.99 | one-time |
| 250 Telegram Stars | $5.09 | one-time |
| 500 Telegram Stars | $9.99 | one-time |
| Telegram Premium (3 Months) | $14.99 | one-time |
| 750 Telegram Stars | $14.99 | one-time |
| Telegram Premium (6 Months) | $19.99 | one-time |
| 1x Premium (6 Months) | $19.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Telegram Stars | $19.99 | one-time |
| 1500 Telegram Stars | $29.99 | one-time |
| Telegram Premium (1 Year) | $35.99 | one-time |
| 1x Premium (1 Year) | $35.99 | one-time |
| 2500 Telegram Stars | $50.90 | one-time |
| 5x Premium (3 Months Each) | $74.99 | one-time |
| 10x Premium (3 Months Each) | $149.99 | one-time |
| 5x Premium (1 Year Each) | $179.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Customizable and user-friendly
- 💡 Innovative features like channels and bots
- 🌟 Great overall messaging experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable at times
- 🔋 Battery life issues
- 🚫 Lack of video calling feature
- 📂 Issues with media uploads and downloads
- 🔍 Inadequate search functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard issues and cursor placement problems
- Frequent app crashes, especially in large group chats
- Inaccurate 'last seen' timestamps
- Notification issues and duplicate messages
- Problems with media auto-save and download

**Requested features**

- Add video calling feature
- Improve search capabilities
- Implement a story/status feature
- Allow more customization options
- Segregate channels, bots, and individual chats


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Facebook free?

Facebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Telegram Messenger free?

Telegram Messenger is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Facebook or Telegram Messenger?

Facebook is rated higher. Facebook averages 4.5 out of 5 from 28M ratings, while Telegram Messenger averages 4.0 from 280K ratings.

### Do Facebook or Telegram Messenger have ads?

Facebook shows ads; Telegram Messenger does not.

### Which is updated more often, Facebook or Telegram Messenger?

Facebook ships an update weekly, and Telegram Messenger weekly. Most recently, Facebook was updated on September 24, 2026 and Telegram Messenger on September 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Facebook or Telegram Messenger?

Facebook currently peaks at #2 in the App Store charts, and Telegram Messenger at #3. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*