The comparison: Whatsapp vs Telegram

If we have to choose a messaging app, is it better to install WhatsApp or Telegram? Here’s a point-by-point challenge between the two messaging apps

To date, WhatsApp is the most popular and most used messaging app in the world, but that could quickly change. Something is starting to squeak within the leadership, while all around serious rivals are starting to appear who aspire to nibble market share from the Facebook-owned messaging platform. In Europe, for example, continues to grow the user base of Telegram, messaging app designed and created by Russian Pavel Durov.

In fact, Telegram and WhatsApp have the same functions: they are a useful tool to exchange messages with friends and acquaintances. This, however, only at first superficial glance. If you make an in-depth comparison between WhatsApp and Telegram, in fact, you’ll find that there are much more marked differences between the two platforms than you think. For example, Telegram gives the possibility to create super-groups with hundreds or thousands of users, allows the use of stickers (Facebook Messenger-style stickers) and also has chatbots, that is, conversations with robots powered by artificial intelligence that we can use to receive various information.

To move the needle on the side of Telegram, with many users ready to abandon the platform owned by Facebook, however, are the features related to privacy and defense of personal data. On Telegram, for example, there are timed chats, special conversations that self-destruct after a short period of time established by the user. In this way you can send any message to anyone you want without fear of being spied on. But let’s see in detail in a point by point challenge which application is better between WhatsApp and Telegram.

Group Chats

Not everyone uses messaging applications to create group chats with many registered users, but many people for work or to receive information like to sign up for popular groups. For example, there are those who use chats with many people to sponsor events, products or simply to inform their fellow citizens of incidents, accidents or news related to countries and cities where they live. If we use messaging apps to have very numerous group chats Telegram beats WhatsApp. Not only will we be able to have a greater number of subscribers but for administrators there will be a whole series of additional functions that will ensure fast and intuitive management of the group.

State Updates

If for our messaging app we want functions with photos and pop-up texts that can inform our contacts about what we’re doing then WhatsApp is the app for us more than Telegram. The service now in the hands of Facebook has in fact introduced for some time now the States, which are pop-up photos that only our contacts can see, and that inform the people saved in our address book if we are busy or if we are free.

Computer security

If our priority in using an instant messaging application is computer security, then Telegram can offer us something more than WhatsApp. Not only the pop-up chats we’ve already talked about, but also a refusal by Telegram to share chat encryption security keys with third-party companies or government agencies. WhatsApp also uses end-to-end encryption to defend users’ chats from hackers and cyber criminals, but given the recent cybersecurity issues related to the Facebook universe, at the moment Telegram seems a more solid app from this point of view.

Data usage

If we have a fairly meager monthly data plan one of the most important aspects in choosing between WhatsApp and Telegram is definitely the app’s consumption of Internet gigabytes. In this field there have been still few comparisons and the data are not certain but it seems that WhatsApp, not using chatbots and some additional services that are instead present on Telegram, is better optimized to consume less Internet data. Obviously then it depends a lot on the user, whether or not they turn off media downloads if they activate the data connection.

Video calls

If you use the app to make calls and every now and then you need video calls WhatsApp clearly beats Telegram which doesn’t have this particular feature inside. On WhatsApp, video calls can also be made in groups, an aspect that should not be underestimated and that may allow the app to replace similar services like Skype.

File Sharing

We close with another feature that is highly sought after by users on apps of this genre: file sharing. In this field there is no battle. Telegram wins 2-0 with one network per time. WhatsApp in fact only allows the sharing of files no larger than 16MB, on Telegram we will be able to send even complex work projects up to a maximum of 1.5GB.