This is a collaborative post with my CAT learners to compare the Instant Messaging apps, Telegram and WhatsApp.
As an adult using an Instant Messaging app, the ability to edit sent messages is a deal-breaker. Telegram provides this and many other features such as extremely easy message scheduling. Additionally, Telegram offers a totally independent Desktop version; WhatsApp’s version still requires you to be signed in to your smartphone.
The table below represents a feature parity comparison. Where both apps have the same feature, multiple tick marks represent one apps superiority over another for that feature.
| Feature | Telegram | |
|---|---|---|
| Edit sent messages | ✔ | ✖ |
| Scheduled Messages | ✔ | ✖ |
| Smartphone (Android) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Smartphone (iOS) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Desktop Version 1 | ✔ | ✖ |
| Portable Version | ✔ | ✖ |
| API | ✔ | ✖ |
| Interface customization | ✔ | |
| Folders to organize Chats | ✔ | ✖ |
| Bots | ✔ | ✖ |
| Stickers | ✔✔ | |
| Emojis | ✔✔ | ✔ |
| GIFs | ✔ | ✔ |
| Voicenotes | ✔ | ✔ |
| Calls | ✔ | ✔ |
| No Limit to Devices | ✔ | Limit of 4 |
| Stores private data | Less | More |
And the reason you have not switched from WhatsApp to Telegram? Let me guess: “All my friends are on WhatsApp”.
Footnotes:
- Fully standalone, logged-in phone not required