Ask HN: How does Telegram make money?

6 points by 13415 11 hours ago

I've never used it and just learned that you can store arbitrary files there. They also store videos. Storage is quite expensive and I've heard that Youtube has troubles making money.

So how does Telegram make enough money to support unlimited file storage?

wheresmyshadow 10 hours ago

In couple ways:

- Premium - a monthly subscription that gives some additional gimmicks

- Ads - they sell context-based ads in some large channels

- Crypto - they developed and invest in TON which used to be fully theirs (maybe still is? idk) and it's incorporated in the app

- Paid features inside the app, like you can buy their in-app currency to then use it in bots and whatnots

I think these are the main ways, also their CEO is a billionaire which is supposed to cover the rest of expenses and can gather investors to help.

Edit: sorry I suck at formatting

misterioss 10 hours ago

Selling the ads. Also cooperation with Russian government

  • ivanmontillam 9 hours ago

    By that logic, why would have Pavel Durov fled Russia then?

    He'd have kept VKontakte and never done Telegram then.

markx2 10 hours ago

Ask an investor? Matt Mullenweg is one.

  • dotcoma 5 hours ago

    How is Matt Mullenweg tied to Telegram ??

pabs4U 11 hours ago

I suppose just like any other open source company etc…. By fund raising or Donations.