# Telegram Messenger vs SOLE SMILING

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SOLE SMILING at 100% against Telegram Messenger's 34%. SOLE SMILING also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 10). Telegram Messenger's advantage is ratings volume (286K vs 2) and chart position (#3 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Telegram Messenger sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. SOLE SMILING asks for nothing beyond the download.

SOLE SMILING holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Telegram Messenger has 286K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 34% of Telegram Messenger's written reviews are positive against 100% of SOLE SMILING's.

Telegram Messenger ships an update weekly, SOLE SMILING every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Telegram Messenger | SOLE SMILING |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (286K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/telegram-messenger/id686449807/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sole-smiling/id6748345566/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **286K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 34.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 11 days |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#3** | — |
| Size | 244 MB | 373 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Telegram FZ-LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/686450210) | [SOLE SMILING LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1825339281) |

## What reviewers say

### Telegram Messenger

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

**Currently charting:** #3 Top Free · Social Networking, #4 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #22 Top Free, #41 Top Grossing (US App Store)

A fast, secure, and feature-rich instant messaging application. It offers end-to-end encryption for private chats, large file sharing, and group chats with up to 200,000 members. The app is designed for reliability, even on weak mobile connections, and provides extensive customization options.

**Highlights:** Fast and secure instant messaging, Cross-device synchronization, Unlimited media and file sharing, End-to-end encrypted secret chats, Large group chats up to 200,000 members, Customizable themes and animated stickers, Bot platform for tasks

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Telegram Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Telegram Premium Annual | $35.99 | per year |
| 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 |
| 750 Telegram Stars | $14.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Telegram Stars | $19.99 | one-time |
| 1500 Telegram Stars | $29.99 | one-time |
| 2500 Telegram Stars | $50.90 | 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


### SOLE SMILING

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sole-smiling/id6748345566)

Discover a personalized content universe filled with unique bonds and connections. Engage with experiences tailored exclusively for you.

**Highlights:** Personalized content exploration, Unique bonds and connections, Tailored experiences, Social networking, Content discovery

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Telegram Messenger free?

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

### Is SOLE SMILING free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Telegram Messenger or SOLE SMILING?

SOLE SMILING is rated higher. Telegram Messenger averages 4.0 out of 5 from 286K ratings, while SOLE SMILING averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Telegram Messenger or SOLE SMILING have ads?

Neither Telegram Messenger nor SOLE SMILING shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Telegram Messenger or SOLE SMILING?

Telegram Messenger ships an update weekly, and SOLE SMILING every 11 days. Most recently, Telegram Messenger was updated on November 12, 2026 and SOLE SMILING on October 30, 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.*