Short answer: Telegram Premium is Telegram’s optional paid subscription. It adds 4 GB uploads, faster downloads, voice-to-text, ad-free channels, doubled limits and extras such as premium stickers, custom emoji and more reactions. The price varies by country; in the US it starts at around $4.99 a month. Every Premium subscription also comes with 4 boosts, and those boosts are what raise channels to higher levels.
For years Telegram was completely free, and every core feature still is. Premium arrived in 2022 as an extra tier for people who want more. Today it matters beyond personal use too, because only Premium users can boost channels. This guide covers what Premium includes, how to buy and gift it, how it connects to boosts and whether it is worth paying for.
What Telegram Premium includes
Telegram’s Premium announcement and FAQ highlight these features:
- 4 GB uploads: free accounts can send files up to 2 GB, Premium doubles that to 4 GB per file.
- Faster downloads: files download as fast as your network allows.
- Voice-to-text: turn voice and video messages into text.
- No sponsored messages: official sponsored messages in large public channels are hidden.
- Premium stickers, emoji and reactions: full-screen animated stickers, extra reactions and custom emoji in messages.
- Emoji status and Premium badge: a badge or emoji of your choice next to your name.
- Advanced chat management: set a default folder and auto-archive and mute new chats.
- Animated profile pictures and special app icons.
Telegram keeps adding Premium features, so the Premium screen inside the app always has the latest list.
The doubled limits
The higher limits are among the most practical benefits. According to Telegram’s announcement, Premium users can:
| Limit | With Premium |
|---|---|
| Channels you can join | Up to 1,000 |
| Chat folders | Up to 20 |
| Chats per folder | Up to 200 |
| Accounts in one app | 4 |
| Pinned chats in the main list | Up to 10 |
| Public t.me links you can reserve | Up to 20 |
| Bio and media captions | Longer text, plus a link in your bio |
If your subscription ends, nothing is deleted. The Premium FAQ says your first 10 folders and first 5 pinned chats keep working, but you cannot add new channels or chats beyond the free limits.
How much Telegram Premium costs
There is no single global price for Telegram Premium. What you pay depends on your country, currency and where you buy it. In the US a monthly plan starts at around $4.99, and an annual plan brings the monthly cost down. Buying through the App Store or Google Play can cost a little more because of store fees. To see your exact price, open Settings > Telegram Premium in the app, which lists the monthly and annual options in your local currency.
How to buy Telegram Premium
Android and iOS
- Open Settings in Telegram.
- Tap Telegram Premium.
- Pick a monthly or annual plan and confirm the payment through Google Play or the App Store.
Desktop
- Open Settings from the menu in the top-left corner.
- Choose Telegram Premium and select a plan.
Telegram also sells Premium through its official @PremiumBot. Buy only inside the app or through the official bot, and avoid third parties that promise “cheap Premium” and ask for your login details.
Gifting Premium
You can gift Premium to a friend or a subscriber. Open their profile and tap Gift Premium. Telegram offers gifts for 3, 6 or 12 months at discounted rates, and because gifts use a global rate they can be sent to users in any country.
There is a bonus for channel admins. The Premium FAQ says admins receive 3 boosts for every Premium they gift, which they can assign to their own channel. To reach a wider audience, you can use Telegram’s official giveaways instead: every Premium subscription given away in a giveaway gives the channel 4 boosts straight away.
How Premium and boosts fit together
Only Premium users can boost channels. Each Premium subscription gives you 4 boost slots, which you can put on one channel or spread across several. When you move a slot to another channel, the boost leaves the old channel at once. Telegram applies a cooldown between moves, long reported as 24 hours, and the app shows you when a slot is free again.
Boosts last as long as the subscription behind them. When the subscription ends, its boosts are removed. That means a channel’s level depends directly on whether its boosters renew Premium. See how many boosts Telegram Premium gives for the numbers, and how to check your channel level to see where you stand.
One common mix-up: a Premium subscriber in your channel is not the same as a boost. A Premium user can join your channel without ever boosting it. We look at what Premium members do for discovery in does Telegram Premium increase channel visibility.
Common misconceptions about Premium
- “Buying Premium levels up my channel automatically.” It does not. Premium gives you 4 boosts, but you still have to assign them. If your channel’s threshold is above 4 boosts, the level may not change.
- “Premium ranks my channel higher in search.” Telegram has not said that Premium directly lifts channel rankings. Search visibility has more to do with the channel name, description and engagement.
- “When Premium ends, I lose everything.” You do not. You return to the free limits. Extra folders and pins are locked, but your content stays.
- “Premium removes all ads.” It hides Telegram’s official sponsored messages only. Promotional posts by channel admins still show.
Is Telegram Premium worth it?
It depends on how you use Telegram:
- Worth it: if you send large files, follow a lot of channels and groups, prefer reading voice messages or want to boost your own channel, Premium makes a real difference day to day.
- Probably not: if you only message a handful of people, the free version is likely enough.
- For channel owners: Premium alone will not grow your channel. It gives you 4 boosts and higher limits. If your target level needs far more than 4 boosts, you will have to close the gap by asking subscribers to boost, running a giveaway or adding boosts another way.
If your own Premium does not cover the boosts your channel needs, you can order more on our Telegram boost page with just your channel link and no password. You can track the order status in the panel and send any questions to t.me/nexasupports.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Telegram Premium cost?
It depends on your country and where you buy it. In the US a monthly plan starts at around $4.99, and annual plans usually work out cheaper per month. Your exact local price is shown under Settings > Telegram Premium.
How many boosts does Telegram Premium give?
A Premium subscription gives you 4 boosts. You can put all of them on one channel or spread them across several. Channel admins who gift Premium also earn extra boosts for each gift.
What happens when Premium expires?
Premium features switch off and the boosts from that subscription leave the channels they were on. Folders, pinned chats and usernames fall back to the free limits. Existing content is kept, but you cannot add more beyond the free limits.
Can you gift Telegram Premium?
Yes. Open the person’s profile and choose Gift Premium. Gifts come in 3, 6 and 12-month options, and Telegram says they can be sent between users in different countries.
Do Premium users see ads on Telegram?
Official sponsored messages in large public channels are hidden for Premium users. Promotional posts that channel admins publish themselves still appear.