Are you looking for a Telegram vs Signal Comparison? Do you need guidelines for choosing the right network for you? Well, lucky for you, today at the Phone Counters, we are going to tell you the key differences between Telegram and Signal.
Telegram vs Signal Comparison
1. Core Philosophy
Telegram has a primary Focus on feature-rich communication. It offers its services for as low as $6.99/month, which almost sounds free of cost, right? Telegram attracts a lot of users due to its low-cost services. These mainly include groups, channels, and casual users. Whereas Signal has a core privacy-first messaging policy. It is a non-profit, donation-funded platform. Therefore, attracting activists, journalists, and privacy-focused individuals
2. Security & Encryption
Both Telegram and Signal provide data encryption. Telegram uses Server-client (MTProto 2.0), whereas Signal offers End-to-end (Signal Protocol). The key difference is that
- Telegram prioritizes cloud sync across devices (non-E2EE by default). Here, the phone numbers are linked to the account indefinitely, and the group membership is visible to the server only.
- Signal’s “Sealed Sender” hides sender metadata even from the servers, and the phone numbers are hashed with Argon2id (deleted if inactive for 24h). In Signal server cannot see participants.
3. Features & Functionality
Telegram supports large group chats (up to 200,000 members), channels for broadcasting to unlimited audiences, and bots for automated tasks. Users can send files up to 2 GB, sync messages across devices via cloud storage, and customize themes/chat backgrounds. Signal, on the other hand, offers group chats, media sharing, and customizable privacy settings like incognito keyboard and relay calls to mask IP addresses. Let’s have a detailed look.
| Category | Telegram | Signal |
| Group Size | Up to 200,000 members | Up to 1,000 members |
| File Sharing | 4GB files (Premium: 8GB) | 100MB files |
| Bots/API | Advanced bot ecosystem | Basic integrations |
| Self-Destruct | Timer in Secret Chats (1s–1 week) | Disappearing messages (1s–4 weeks) |
| Multi-Device | Unlimited (sync via cloud) | 5 devices (linked via primary phone) |
| Unique Features | Public channels with unlimited subscribers
Custom themes and animated stickers Scheduled messages and polls |
“Note to Self” encrypted chat
Blur faces in media (privacy tool) Incognito keyboard (disables app-specific learning) |
4. Privacy Controls
Telegram offers strong privacy controls designed for user security and anonymity. Key features include Secret Chats with end-to-end encryption, self-destruct timers for messages (1 second to 1 week), and two-step verification for account protection. Whereas Signal’s Sealed Sender feature anonymizes metadata to hide sender identities, while disappearing messages (auto-delete timers from 30 seconds to 4 weeks). Users can enable screen security to block screenshots. Let’s have an overview.
| Control | Telegram | Signal |
| Phone Number Visibility | Optional username system | Requires phone number (hidden from contacts) |
| Screen Security | No | Block screenshots in-app |
| Data Export | Full chat history (cloud-based) | Local backup only (encrypted) |
| Recent Update | Ad-free public channels (2025) | Usernames without phone numbers (2024) |
5. Performance & Compatibility
| Metric | Telegram | Signal |
| Cross-Platform | iOS, Android, Web, Desktop (Win/macOS/Linux) | iOS, Android, Desktop (Win/macOS/Linux) |
| Storage Usage | 1.2GB (avg. for 10K messages) | 350MB (avg. for 10K messages) |
| Call Quality | 720p video (Premium: 1080p) | 720p video (prioritizes encryption) |
6. Regulatory Compliance
- Telegram:
Stores encryption keys in Dubai/Singapore data centers. It complies with localized data laws (e.g., EU GDPR).
- Signal:
Signal offers no access to user data. It has fought subpoenas successfully in 2023.
Conclusion
So, we suggest that you should choose Telegram if you require large group coordination or public broadcasting, prefer cloud-based message history, or like fancy customizable themes. And go for Signal if you prioritize open-source transparency, want minimal data retention, or want anonymous sensitive conversations.
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