# ChatSecure Messenger vs Telegram Messenger

The clearest difference is update cadence: Telegram Messenger at weekly against ChatSecure Messenger's every 2 months. Telegram Messenger also leads on ratings volume (280K vs 282) and chart position (#4 vs unranked). ChatSecure Messenger's advantage is review sentiment (51% vs 35%) and rating (4.2 vs 4.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ChatSecure Messenger sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 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.

ChatSecure Messenger holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Telegram Messenger has 280K ratings behind it against 282, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of ChatSecure Messenger's written reviews are positive against 35% of Telegram Messenger's.

ChatSecure Messenger ships an update every 2 months, Telegram Messenger weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ChatSecure Messenger | Telegram Messenger |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (282 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chatsecure-messenger/id464200063/reviews)** | [4.0 (280K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/telegram-messenger/id686449807/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 282 | **280K** |
| Positive reviews | **51.0% of reviews** | 34.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#4** |
| Size | 34 MB | 232 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Chris Ballinger](https://appshunter.io/developer/433040866) | [Telegram FZ-LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/686450210) |

## What reviewers say

### ChatSecure Messenger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chatsecure-messenger/id464200063)

This free and open source messaging app provides secure, end-to-end encrypted conversations using OTR and OMEMO over the XMPP protocol. It offers interoperability with other XMPP clients and uses well-known cryptographic libraries for privacy.

**Highlights:** OTR encryption, OMEMO encryption, XMPP protocol, TLS certificate pinning, SQLCipher local encryption, Open source

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| $2.99 Donation | $2.99 | per month |
| $5.99 Donation | $5.99 | per month |
| $9.99 Donation | $9.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app
- 🔒 Secure chat
- 👍 Intuitive setup
- 🚀 Reliable
- 👍 Excellent service

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes often
- 🐛 Buggy
- 🐛 Notifications not working
- 🐛 Messages not syncing
- 🐛 Stability issues

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on startup
- Fails to send messages
- Notifications not working
- Syncing issues across devices
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add group chat support
- Improve background support
- Add search functionality
- Customization options
- Improve message delivery reliability


### Telegram Messenger

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

**Currently charting:** #4 Top Free · Social Networking, #4 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #46 Top Free, #48 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 ChatSecure Messenger free?

ChatSecure Messenger 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, ChatSecure Messenger or Telegram Messenger?

ChatSecure Messenger is rated higher. ChatSecure Messenger averages 4.2 out of 5 from 282 ratings, while Telegram Messenger averages 4.0 from 280K ratings.

### Do ChatSecure Messenger or Telegram Messenger have ads?

Neither ChatSecure Messenger nor Telegram Messenger shows ads.

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

ChatSecure Messenger ships an update every 2 months, and Telegram Messenger weekly. Most recently, ChatSecure Messenger was updated on September 15, 2026 and Telegram Messenger on September 28, 2026.

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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.*