Telegram Ads: how advertising on Telegram works
There are two ways to advertise on Telegram: the official Telegram Ads platform, which shows short sponsored messages in large public channels, and buying posts directly in other channels. They differ in price, targeting and how fast they bring subscribers. Here is how each works, what affects the cost, and how to promote a channel without wasting the budget.
Two kinds of Telegram advertising
| Telegram Ads (official) | Posts in channels | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | A short text message with a button, shown in public channels | A full post written by you or the channel |
| Targeting | By channel topics, specific channels, language, location | You choose each channel yourself |
| Payment | Per thousand views, from a prepaid balance | A fixed price per post, agreed with the owner |
| Entry budget | Higher; small advertisers often go through resellers | Can be small |
How Telegram Ads works
Telegram Ads shows a sponsored message at the bottom of public channels with enough subscribers. The ad is short text with a link to a channel, bot, mini app or website. Advertisers choose where it appears and set a price per thousand impressions; Telegram shows the ad to subscribers of the selected channels. Ads do not use personal data from private chats, and users with Telegram Premium do not see them.
The balance is topped up in advance, often with TON, either directly on the ads platform or through official partners and agencies that accept other payment methods and smaller budgets.
What Telegram Ads cost
There is no single price. Cost per thousand views depends on the topic and audience: crypto, finance and business channels cost more than entertainment. What really matters is the cost per subscriber or per user: divide the money spent by the people who came and stayed. Start small, compare several channels, and scale only what works.
Buying posts in channels
- Find channels with your audience through catalogs and ad exchanges, or by searching your topic in Telegram.
- Check average views per post, not the subscriber count. A channel with 50,000 subscribers and 1,000 views is mostly inactive or fake.
- Look at the view curve: real views grow over hours, bought ones jump at once.
- Ask the owner for stats from previous ads and agree on the posting time and how long the post stays.
- Use a separate invite link per channel to see which one actually brought subscribers.
How to measure results
Create a unique invite link or bot start parameter for every campaign. Then compare: cost, people who joined, people still there a week later, and what they did. A cheap subscriber who leaves the next day is expensive.
Rules and rejections
Telegram reviews official ads. Gambling, adult content, misleading financial promises and some regulated products are rejected or restricted by country. Text with exaggerated income claims is the most common reason crypto and earning projects get rejected, so describe what the product does, not what it will earn.
For channel owners: earning from ads
Channel owners earn by selling posts, receiving Stars from subscribers and, in countries where the program is available, getting a share of Telegram Ads revenue shown in their channel, paid in TON. How to start a channel: how to create a Telegram channel. Other ways to earn on the platform: make money on Telegram.
Telegram is also home to mini apps and games. TotalHash, a free mining game in Telegram, is one example of a project that grows through Telegram channels and bots.
See a Telegram mini app game in action.
Open TotalHashQuick answers
What is Telegram Ads?
Telegram's official ad platform. It shows short sponsored messages at the bottom of large public channels, targeted by channel topics, specific channels, language and location.
How much does it cost to advertise on Telegram?
Official ads are paid per thousand views from a prepaid balance, and prices depend on the audience. Posts in channels have a fixed price agreed with each owner.
How do I advertise my Telegram channel cheaply?
Buy posts in small and medium channels with real engagement, use a unique invite link for each, and scale only the channels that bring subscribers who stay.
Can channel owners earn from Telegram Ads?
Yes, in countries where the program is available, owners of eligible public channels receive a share of ad revenue in TON.