If you are one of the many who have decided to make a switch to Telegram after WhatsApp’s last privacy policy update, then you are certainly not alone. As competitor messaging apps like Signal and Telegram offer a safe, private and most importantly, free option, it’s only a matter of time before users made the big switch to these popular alternatives.
However, it should not be a case of jumping from one fire into another so it’s best to make an informed decision about the messaging app you intend to use and how they make money to run their operations.
Related: How Does Signal Make Money?
Telegram is no slouch!
The only messaging app bigger than Telegram is WhatsApp. The messaging app was created by Nikolai and Pavel Durov in 2013, who had both founded a social media equivalent of Facebook called VK in Russia.
Secret texts, cool stickers, lack of ads, and most importantly, no surveillance by any corporate giant to convert the user into a product makes Telegram the preferred app for users to switch to when apps like WhatsApp gets too invasive. Another major reason that Telegram is gaining popularity is because of its not-for-profit model.
Related: Is Signal Really Safe and Secure?
Telegram’s operations and revenue model
Telegram is a cloud-based messaging app and pretty much all spending that goes into this app is to maintain its servers, infrastructure and the salary of those employees involved in maintaining the smooth functioning of this app.
Paul Durov has unequivocally stated that Telegram’s goal has never been to make profits. It is also towards this end that he has been personally donating funds to Telegram to ensure its smooth running right from its inception.
Related: Who Owns Signal App?
So how does Telegram make money?
Running ads goes against the very ethos of Telegram and as stated by Durov himself, user privacy is of the utmost importance so there is absolutely no product to sell here. Besides, Telegram’s major concern is only to ensure that there is enough funding to run the app and maintain it, profit is literally not the point of this app.
Currently, the only way Telegram is able to sustain itself is thanks to wealthy donors, including the founder Durov himself. But it’s also important to keep in mind that making money was never the end goal for Durov, it was to offer a safe communication app.
Durov’s Post and the future of Telegram’s funding
As Telegram steadily approaches its 500 million user mark, it’s imperative that it acquire funding simply to run the app and maintain its infrastructure. It has become apparent that donor funding is simply not enough to sustain the user traffic and servers. Keeping this in mind, Durov uploaded this post in which he delved into the future of Telegram.
Durov has unequivocally stated that he will not be selling Telegram to cover it’s expenses. Instead, Telegram will use means that are in line with its principles to generate the income required to cope with current as well as future traffic.
While the private chat component of this app will continue to remain free, the social media aspect will introduce Telegram’s own Ad-Platform that will be in line with the app’s ethos. Another way that Telegram intends to generate revenue is by introducing premium stickers. This way, not only will Telegram generate income, so will creators and artists on its platform.
If you were apprehensive about Telegram’s income and revenue model, we hope you’ve found the clarity needed to quell the same. Indeed when something sounds too good to be true, it becomes necessary to confirm the fine print on the matter.
Nevertheless, from what has been revealed, Telegram is one of the good guys and will continue to fight the good fight. So if you have decided to make the switch to Telegram, you’re definitely making the right decision. Take care and stay safe!
