# Telegram Messenger vs GIOE

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: GIOE at none against Telegram Messenger's 22. GIOE also leads on iOS requirement (12.2 vs 15.0). Telegram Messenger's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 23 months) and chart position (#4 vs unranked). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Telegram Messenger sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. GIOE asks for nothing beyond the download.

Telegram Messenger ships an update fortnightly, GIOE every 23 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Telegram Messenger | GIOE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (282K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/telegram-messenger/id686449807/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **282K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 34.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 23 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#4** | — |
| Size | 244 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.2** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Telegram FZ-LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/686450210) | [LRR Technologies (Hyderabad) Private Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1120119116) |

## What reviewers say

### Telegram Messenger

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

**Currently charting:** #4 Top Free · Social Networking, #5 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #26 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


### GIOE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gioe/id1612028381)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Telegram Messenger free?

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

### Is GIOE free?

GIOE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Telegram Messenger or GIOE have ads?

Neither Telegram Messenger nor GIOE shows ads.

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

Telegram Messenger ships an update fortnightly, and GIOE every 23 months. Most recently, Telegram Messenger was updated on October 15, 2026 and GIOE on October 7, 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.*