Signal vs Telegram

June 07, 2023 | Author: Adam Levine
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Signal
Privacy is possible, Signal makes it easy. Send high-quality group, text, picture, and video messages, all without SMS and MMS fees.
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Telegram
Telegram is a messaging app with a focus on speed and security. It’s super-fast, simple, secure and free. Telegram seamlessly syncs across all of your devices and can be used on desktops, tablets and phones alike. You can send an unlimited amount of messages, photos, videos and files of any type (.doc, .zip, .pdf, etc.). Telegram groups have up to 200 people and you can send broadcasts to up to 100 contacts at a time. Be sure to check our website for a list of Telegram apps for all platforms.
Signal and Telegram are both popular messaging apps that prioritize user privacy and security, but they have some key differences in terms of features and focus.

Signal is renowned for its strong emphasis on end-to-end encryption, ensuring that messages and calls are secure and can only be accessed by the intended recipients. It offers a simple and user-friendly interface with features like disappearing messages, encrypted group chats, and self-destructing media. Signal is widely regarded as one of the most secure messaging apps available, and it places a high priority on user privacy and data protection.

Telegram, on the other hand, offers a wider range of features and a larger user base. While Telegram also provides end-to-end encryption for secret chats, it offers optional encryption for regular chats. Telegram supports large group chats, channel broadcasts, file sharing, voice and video calls, and a bot platform for developers. It focuses on providing a versatile messaging experience with features like stickers, GIFs, and a customizable interface.

See also: Top 10 Business Messaging platforms
Signal vs Telegram in our news:

2024. Signal now lets you keep your phone number private with the launch of usernames



Signal is introducing usernames, a new feature that eliminates the need to share your phone number to connect with others on the platform. This update, currently in beta, will be gradually available to all users in the upcoming weeks. While Signal still mandates a phone number during registration, this move enhances privacy by allowing users to maintain their phone numbers confidential. This step reinforces Signal's reputation as a leader in secure, end-to-end encrypted messaging, as it mitigates a potential loophole exploited by hackers who could gain access to users' messages by hijacking registered phone numbers at the carrier level.


2022. Telegram is now offering a Premium subscription



Telegram is introducing a Premium subscription to leverage its significant growth. Priced at $5 per month, Telegram Premium offers a range of additional features alongside the existing free functionalities. Subscribers can now enjoy the ability to upload larger files, with a size limit of up to 4GB, as well as accelerated file downloads. Furthermore, the subscription doubles various limits within the app, such as the ability to follow up to 1,000 channels, create 20 chat folders with 200 chats each, pin 10 chats, save 10 favorite stickers, and add a fourth account to the app. Premium users also gain access to exclusive stickers, including those with full-screen animations, unique reaction emojis, premium badges, and voice-to-text conversation capabilities.


2021. Signal expands encrypted group video calls to 40 people



The messaging app Signal has expanded its group video chat capabilities to accommodate up to 40 participants, a significant increase from the previous limit of five. Importantly, the end-to-end encryption feature remains intact, ensuring that only the participants in the call have access to the messages or video content. This means that neither the messaging provider, government authorities, nor hackers can view the calls, unless a participant grants them access to the video session or compromises your device's security.


2021. Telegram added group video chat and screen-sharing



Telegram has introduced a new feature that allows users to engage in video chats with up to 30 people. This functionality is integrated into the Voice Chat feature of the app. When initiating a voice chat room, you will now notice a camera icon, which, when tapped, enables your video feed. Similar to other video conferencing applications like Zoom and Google Meet, Telegram allows you to expand the video to fullscreen and pin a specific participant to the center of the call. This ensures that the focus remains on the pinned individual even when others join the chat. Furthermore, Telegram now supports screen sharing. While on a video call, you have the flexibility to switch between your camera feed and the content displayed on your screen or even show both simultaneously.


2020. Signal adds encrypted group video calls



Signal, the popular encrypted messaging app known for its commitment to privacy and security, has introduced a new feature: end-to-end encrypted group video calls. This feature allows up to five participants to engage in a video call within a Signal group, providing seamless connectivity and flexibility. Unlike Facebook's Messenger Rooms, Signal ensures that all group video calls are end-to-end encrypted, prioritizing the privacy of its users. Initiating a video call in an existing Signal group is as simple as tapping the video icon located in the upper-right corner of the screen. Once the call has started, group members can freely join or leave the call at any time, enhancing the convenience and accessibility of group communication.


2019. Telegram now allows to kill chat history



Telegram has introduced a new feature that enables users to delete messages in one-to-one and/or group private chats retrospectively, extending beyond their own inbox. With this feature, users have the ability to selectively delete their own messages as well as messages sent by others in the chat. To delete a message from both ends, users simply need to tap on the message, choose the 'delete' option, and then they are presented with two choices: 'delete for [the name of the other person in the chat or 'everyone']' or 'delete for me'. Opting for the former option removes the message across all devices, while the latter option only removes it from the user's own inbox. This feature grants users greater control over their conversations and ensures privacy and discretion when needed.


2018. Telegram’s new widget lets businesses connect with users



Messaging app Telegram has introduced a new web login widget feature. This functionality enables website owners, particularly business owners, to establish a direct connection with Telegram users through a Telegram bot integrated into their site. By combining the bot with the web plugin, businesses can leverage this system to send reminders, sales confirmations, updates, and other relevant information directly to customers via chat. It's worth noting that Facebook launched a similar plugin last year, enabling businesses to connect with users through Messenger. Additionally, Facebook is developing business-focused applications that allow companies to tap into its vast monthly userbase of 1.5 billion, with upcoming payment features on the horizon as well.


2017. Encrypted messenger Signal adds voice and video calling



A beta version of the encrypted chat application Signal has recently introduced voice and video calling functionality. As mentioned in the app's changelog, beta users now have the opportunity to test this new feature with others who have also enabled it. While Signal primarily targets privacy-conscious users, it competes more broadly with messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Google Duo, all of which offer video calling capabilities. Nowadays, incorporating these features has become a standard requirement for messaging apps that aim to provide alternative client options. Signal is gradually catching up with its competitors in terms of feature set; however, the app faces challenges when it comes to user adoption due to its intentional avoidance of network effects and social integration. Unlike other apps, Signal does not import contacts from social networks, upload address books, or offer features like Snapchat's Snapcodes to facilitate adding new friends. This deliberate approach aligns with Signal's commitment to prioritize security and privacy.


2017. Telegram adds unsend feature



The popular messaging app Telegram has introduced a new feature called "unsend," allowing users to retrieve or delete messages within a two-day timeframe after sending them. In a similar move, the secure messenger Signal also recently incorporated an ephemeral messaging feature back in October, primarily focusing on maintaining tidiness rather than emphasizing privacy. Telegram's unsend functionality is applicable to both one-to-one and group messaging scenarios but must be utilized within the 48-hour window. The intention behind this feature is to provide users with a way to address "morning after messaging regret" by enabling them to erase content they wish they had never expressed.


2016. Telegram released Bot Platform 2.0



The bot platform of the messaging platform Telegram has announced a significant 2.0 update, marking its largest update since its launch last year. This update introduces the capability for developers to create bots that can send various types of content supported on Telegram, including documents, MP3s, videos, stickers, animations, and contacts. It also includes support for location-based services and allows for deep integration with other services based on users' phone numbers. Furthermore, the update incorporates inline keyboards that can be customized to align with a specific bot's messages. This feature enables users to simply tap on predefined buttons to interact with the bot, eliminating the need to type out specific instructions. To showcase these new features, Telegram has developed four sample bots: @music, which allows users to search for and share classical music; @youtube, designed for searching and sharing YouTube videos; @foursquare, aimed at discovering nearby restaurants and sharing addresses with friends; and @sticker, a bot that assists in finding stickers using emoji as the starting point for a sticker search.

Author: Adam Levine
Adam is an expert in project management, collaboration and productivity technologies, team management, and motivation. With an extensive background working at prestigious companies such as Microsoft and Accenture, Adam's in-depth knowledge and experience in the field make him a sought-after professional. Currently, he has ventured into entrepreneurship, owning a thriving consulting and training agency where he imparts invaluable insights and practical strategies to individuals and organizations, empowering them to achieve their goals and maximize their potential. You can contact Adam via email adam@liventerprise.com