After unveiling Telegram Premium earlier this month, the Dubai-based firm has rolled out its paid tier that unlocks additional perks and features for users for a nominal price of around $5 a month. Find out how to join Telegram Premium and learn everything about it.
The official announcement about Telegram’s Premium plan came via a blog post that also claims the instant messaging app has crossed more than 700 million monthly active users. Telegram surpassed 500 million monthly active users just in January 2022.
The blog post also reveals that Telegram is now one of the top-5 downloaded apps worldwide in 2022, and follows up by explaining the extra features and special perks for the premium users.
What is Telegram Premium?
Telegram Premium is the company’s premium subscription tier that unlocks additional features and grants perks like doubled limits, 4 GB file uploads, faster downloads, exclusive stickers, improved chat management, and more.
The usual Telegram features are already available but premium users get extra ones that make them the VIPs of the app. However, the subscription doesn’t come free. It comes with a monthly price that you’ll have to pay at the end of your billing date every month.
Telegram Premium is being officially rolled out for Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS!
The changelog: pic.twitter.com/n38Kc5wHar
— Alvin (@sondesix) June 21, 2022
Telegram was teasing about the premium subscription for the last few months and the arrival of its premium tier was evident. It’s considered WhatsApp’s top competitor and recently it’s been performing up to the mark.
How much does Telegram Premium cost?
Telegram Premium plan starts from $3.99/month (via Android Police). The company hasn’t revealed the prices in the official blog post. We’ll find out the official figures in the coming days.
In India, the Telegram subscription costs INR 469 (~$6) on an iPhone. Whereas, a Spain-based Technology commentator reported seeing €5.49 ($5.77) as the cost for the monthly subscription.
How to Join Telegram Premium on iOS & Android?
Joining Telegram Premium is very straightforward. You need to head over to the App Store or Play Store and update the Telegram app to the latest version (8.8.1). Initially, the update rolled out for iOS users but now it is also available for Android users.
After updating the app to the latest version, launch the Telegram app. Tap on the three-bars present on the left and tap on “Settings.”
Now tap on “Telegram Premium” and the app will explain to you about the paid service. Scroll down to find the “Join” button which will also reveal the price in your currency. After that, you’ll have to select a payment option and pay for the service.
Once done, your Telegram Premium will be activated and you’ll be able to access the perks and features.
Telegram Premium Features and Perks
Telegram Premium comes with a bunch of features that won’t be available to free users. We’ve already given a quick overview of the key features like faster downloads, heavier uploads, ad-free usage, and others.
Now let’s take a brief look at the features and perks of Telegram’s paid monthly subscription. This will help you understand if you should start paying for it or continue to use it for free.
Increased Limits for Everything
Telegram Premium users will get increased limits for almost everything in the app. For instance, they can join up to 1,000 channels, and create up to 20 chat folders having up to 200 chats each,
They can also add a fourth Telegram account, pin 10 chats in the main list and save up to 10 favorite stickers. That’s almost double everything as compared to the free users.
Share Files up to 4GB
Free users of the Telegram app can only share or upload files up to 2GB. However, premium users can upload and send files up to 4GB. Although free users can download heavier files sent by premium users.
Faster Download Speed
Telegram Premium users will be able to download media and other files on the app at the fastest possible speed. “You can access everything in your unlimited cloud storage as fast as your network can keep up,” says Telegram in the official blog post.
Access to New Chat Management Tools
Telegram Premium users will have access to the newly introduced Chat Management tools. These tools are capable of changing the default chat folder to a customer one. This will result in better management of the conversations.
They also allow enabling settings in Privacy and Security to automatically archive and mute new chats.
Access to more Stickers & Reactions
Telegram Premium users will get access to extra stickers with full-screen animations and 10 new emojis. These will be visible to everyone but only premium subscribers can use them.
Set Animated Profile Photos and Premium Badges
Telegram Premium users will be able to set animated profile photos that everyone will be able to view. They can also use short videos to display their personality just using their DP.
The paying subscribers will also get a special blue star premium badge next to their name in the chat list, chat headers, and member lists in groups. This feature is similar to the one available in Twitter Blue.
Redesigned App Icons
Telegram Premium users will also get three new icons for the app- Premium Star, Night Sky, and Turbo Plane. Users can choose from them and add the to their Home Screen to blend better with the wallpaper.
Voice-to-Text Functionality
Telegram Premium subscribers will also be able to convert voice messages into text when they aren’t able to listen to them. This is a fairly good feature for when you’re traveling or don’t have access to your headphone.
Users can also rate the transcriptions to help Telegram improve its quality. It may be a bit inaccurate in the beginning though.
Ad-free Usage
Telegram shows Sponsored Messages (ads) on big public channels in some countries. The company says ads help in the operating costs. However, premium users will not have to see ads as they’ll be paying a fixed cost every month.
Final Take: Is Telegram Premium worth it?
Telegram Premium unlocks a number of additional features that aren’t available for everyone. However, you’ll have to pay a fixed cost every month. For a casual user who only uses Telegram for chatting and sharing regular files, the premium tier isn’t of much use.
In my opinion, it seems suitable for professionals who regularly have to upload bigger files, and need to download videos quickly. Users who don’t like ads on Telegram and want to use it ad-free can also buy the subscription.
It’s great that Telegram didn’t put any existing features behind the paywall and the already available features still exist for free. Thus, the ultimate decision to join Telegram Premium will be yours.
What do you think? Are you considering joining Telegram Premium? Let us know in the comments.
