# Telegram Messenger vs Swiftgram

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Swiftgram at 69% against Telegram Messenger's 35%. Swiftgram also leads on rating (4.2 vs 4.0). Telegram Messenger's advantage is ratings volume (280K vs 567) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Telegram Messenger sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Swiftgram sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Swiftgram 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 567, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 35% of Telegram Messenger's written reviews are positive against 69% of Swiftgram's.

Telegram Messenger ships an update weekly, Swiftgram monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Telegram Messenger | Swiftgram |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (280K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/telegram-messenger/id686449807/reviews) | **[4.2 (567 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swiftgram-telegram-mod-client/id6471879502/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **280K** | 567 |
| Positive reviews | 34.6% of reviews | **69.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#4** | — |
| Size | 232 MB | 239 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Telegram FZ-LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/686450210) | [Akentech Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1716113804) |

## What reviewers say

### 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, #47 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


### Swiftgram

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swiftgram-telegram-mod-client/id6471879502)

A modified Telegram client offering enhanced privacy, unlimited accounts, and advanced messaging features. Enjoy ad-free communication with tools like message filtering, real-time translation, and voice-to-text transcription.

**Highlights:** Unlimited accounts, Message filtering, Voice-to-text transcription, Real-time chat translation, Customizable interface, Apple Watch companion, Privacy-focused features

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Swiftgram Pro | $3.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and accurate translation
- 🔒 Robust security features
- 👍 Extensive customization options
- 🚀 Lightweight and efficient
- 👍 Feature-rich alternative to official Telegram

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔒 Accounts sometimes get locked or banned
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- 🐛 Unreliable voice message transcription

**Reported bugs**

- Search bar crashes the app
- Forwarded messages disappear
- Notification issues and unknown caller spam
- Slow message loading and account switching
- Crashes when accessing storage usage section

**Requested features**

- Add Thai language support
- Integrate with iOS call features
- Implement 'show restricted content' for entire chats
- Add 'add to cloud' option for direct message saving
- Allow custom app icon selection


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Telegram Messenger free?

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

### Is Swiftgram free?

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

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

Swiftgram is rated higher. Telegram Messenger averages 4.0 out of 5 from 280K ratings, while Swiftgram averages 4.2 from 567 ratings.

### Do Telegram Messenger or Swiftgram have ads?

Neither Telegram Messenger nor Swiftgram shows ads.

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

Telegram Messenger ships an update weekly, and Swiftgram monthly. Most recently, Telegram Messenger was updated on September 27, 2026 and Swiftgram on September 26, 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.*