Telegram

Cloud-based messaging with very few limits is the pitch behind Telegram, the chat app from Telegram FZ-LLC. It keeps conversations on the company's servers so they follow users across phones, tablets and computers, and it layers large groups, channels and bots on top of ordinary chat.

Because history lives in the cloud, a message started on one device can be finished on another, and chats do not fill up local storage. Each app works on its own, so the phone does not need to stay connected for the desktop version to run. Files of almost any type can be shared, up to 2 GB each, and groups can hold as many as 200,000 members. Bots can be set up for specific jobs, and developers get a documented open API, with open-source apps and reproducible builds to match the published code. The listing describes its encryption as a combination of AES, RSA and Diffie-Hellman key exchange.

Ratings are split. Telegram averages 3.8 from 17,255,790 ratings: 62% five stars, but 23% one star. It has passed 1,000,000,000+ installs. There are no ads in the record, and in-app purchases range from $0.31 to $289.99 per item. The last update is from 2026-09-22, the Android requirement varies with device and it is rated Mature 17+. We list 82 versions, the latest being 12.10.1 at 119.4 MB.

People who juggle several devices, move large files or run big communities will find its limits generous. Those put off by the high one-star share or the mature rating may prefer a simpler messenger.