If you use an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you've probably wondered at some point which one is best for your daily needs: continue with iMessage Or switch to Telegram. And the dilemma isn't just about the stickers or how convenient it is to reply from notifications, but above all about which option is more secure and private, especially since Apple has activated the famous Advanced Data Protection for iCloud.
Furthermore, many users find themselves in the same situation: Not everyone wants to (or can) use SignalAlthough objectively it's the most robust option in terms of privacy, when your friends, partner, or family are already using both iMessage and Telegram, the real question is which one protects you better, how they manage your data, what limitations they have, and how each app fits into your mobile and computer usage.
Basic differences between iMessage and Telegram in the Apple ecosystem
The first thing to clarify is that iMessage is not a separate application, but a service which lives within Apple's Messages app, while Telegram is a standalone messaging app that you download from the App Store and that also exists for many other systems outside of Apple.
When you send a message from the Messages app, Apple decides whether to use iMessage or SMS/MMS Depending on the recipient and your connection. Blue bubbles indicate that the message is traveling as an iMessage over the internet (Wi-Fi or mobile data), while green bubbles mean it was sent as a traditional SMS or MMS over your carrier's network.
On Telegram the approach is different: Everything always goes through the internet to Telegram serverswithout using your carrier for conventional SMS. There are no colors to separate message types because they are all sent through the same channel: their own cloud infrastructure.
In practice, iMessage blends the best of traditional SMS with modern chat features, while Telegram functions directly as a cloud messaging platform Designed from the ground up to synchronize across devices and support huge groups, channels, bots, and much more.
Compatible devices, ecosystem, and cross-use
One of the most important factors in choosing is where and with whom you are going to talk, because The compatibility of each platform significantly impacts the experienceHere, Apple and Telegram are playing in different leagues.
iMessage is limited to devices in your home: It only officially works on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple WatchThere is no Android or Windows app that allows you to use iMessage like any other client, and Apple has always been very reluctant to open its service to other platforms.
Yes, The integration within the Apple ecosystem is very deep.. You Apple Watch receives and sends messages Using iMessage through your iPhone, Siri on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or HomePod can dictate and read messages by accessing your Messages account. You can also interact with iMessage using voice commands from AirPods.
Telegram plays a different game: It's a truly cross-platform appIt has official versions for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Android, Windows, and a web client, all linked to the same phone number and, if you want, also to an alias. You can have the account logged in on multiple devices at the same time without any problems.
This philosophy means that if your environment involves a mix of iPhones and Androids, or if you often work on computers with different operating systems, Telegram has a very clear advantage.while iMessage shines when almost your entire circle moves exclusively with Apple devices.
Cost, activation, and day-to-day behavior
As for the cost, you'll normally use both apps without paying anything extra, but In iMessage there are important nuances regarding activation and SMS which should be clear to avoid surprises on the bill.
Using iMessage as such has no cost per message: Each iMessage you send costs you 0 eurosJust like a message sent via Telegram. However, the initial activation of iMessage with your phone number usually involves the system sending one or more silent international SMS messages, and some carriers charge for these messages (usually a few cents each).
Additionally, when there is no data connection or the recipient does not have iMessage active, Your iPhone may decide to send the message as a green SMS.This may incur a cost depending on your tariff, especially if you are roaming or outside your country.
Telegram, meanwhile, It only uses a standard SMS when registering to verify your numberFrom then on, everything is handled via the internet. There's no automatic SMS sending if you lose your connection; the message simply waits until you have data or Wi-Fi again to be sent.
On Mac, iMessage is integrated into the macOS Messages app and relies heavily on you having an iPhone or iPad linked to your Apple ID for the traditional SMS part to work. Telegram on desktop, however, is more independent: its desktop apps work practically on their own once you've logged in.
User experience: audio, stickers, quick reply, and desktop apps
Beyond security, the decision between iMessage and Telegram often comes down to everyday details, because Sending short texts is not the same as spending the day sending audios and stickers to your partner or your groups of friends.
In the area of ​​voice messages, many users agree that is superior It's similar to iMessage, especially in longer voice notes, where the sound is clearer and less compressed. If you're someone who sends podcasts as voice notes, this is a noticeable difference.
Telegram also excels in visual customization: Its dark mode is very well done and offers countless themes and backgroundsAnd the sticker system is practically inexhaustible. You have tons of free packs that are added directly to the app, without needing to install any additional applications.
iMessage also has stickers, including animated ones and the famous Memoji, but A good portion of the packs arrive via mini-apps which are installed within the Messages app itself. This means that, although the result can be very visually appealing, the process of managing stickers is somewhat more complicated than in Telegram.
Another important detail is the way to respond quickly: on iOS, iMessage's quick response from the notification is very well done.It lets you see part of the conversation and continue typing without leaving your current location. Telegram also has quick replies, but many users feel it lags behind in integration and fluidity.
On Mac, the situation is somewhat reversed: the macOS Messages app is perceived as Quite basic compared to Telegram Desktopwhich is usually updated more frequently, has more settings and is better suited to those who spend many hours chatting with a keyboard and mouse in various groups and channels.
Advanced iMessage features: beyond blue bubbles
Behind that simple appearance, iMessage hides more and more tricks, because Apple has been adding modern features with each version of iOS and macOS.And many people don't get to take full advantage of everything it offers.
To begin with, iMessage allows Send rich text with emojis, GIFs, photos, videos, and all kinds of attachmentssuch as PDF documents or files you have saved in the Files app or iCloud Drive. You can also send hand-drawn pictures created with Digital Touch, and if your iPhone has Face ID, send animated Animoji and Memoji.
iMessage voice notes can be configured to are automatically deleted after a whileThis reduces chat clutter and prevents unnecessary accumulation of old audio messages. Additionally, you get timed read receipts and can see when the other person is typing.
With the latest versions of iOS, Apple has introduced advanced text formatting (bold, italic, underline, strikethrough) in the messages, as well as special effects that animate a word or the entire screen to highlight important messages or simply to make the chat more fun.
Another very useful feature is message scheduling: You can prepare a message to be sent on a specific date and time., perfect for wishing someone a happy birthday at midnight without having to be awake or for sending reminders to someone at just the right moment.
In addition, iMessage now allows using any emoji or sticker as a reaction to a specific messageThis brings it closer to the flexibility offered by apps like Telegram in that regard. And Apple is already working on smart replies, typing aids, and features like Live Translation in Messages which will be added over time.
What Telegram offers: speed, huge groups, cloud storage, and secret chats
Telegram has carved out a niche for itself by being fast, flexible, and very complete, to the point that many use it as more than just a simple chat app, because Its cloud architecture and giant groups make it almost a social network.
Its infrastructure is based on data centers spread across different regions of the worldThis means you connect to the nearest server and sending messages is usually very fast even when you have limited coverage or your data connection isn't the best.
Since everything is cloud-based, Telegram can Sync your chat history and files across all your devices in real timeYou start chatting on your Mac, continue on your iPhone, and finish on your iPad without having to worry about manual backups.
Telegram allows you to create groups of hundreds or even thousands of peopleas well as channels where only administrators can post messages to a large audience. You can send files of almost any format and reasonable size, use hashtags to find old messages, and create bots that automate tasks within chats.
In the privacy section, Telegram includes the so-called secret chats with end-to-end encryptionThese chats can contain messages, photos, videos, and files that self-destruct after a certain time. They are not synced to the cloud; they only exist on the sender's and receiver's devices, increasing confidentiality at the expense of some convenience.
Privacy and security: iMessage vs Telegram in regular chats
When the question is "which is more secure, iMessage or Telegram, if we're talking about normal chats?", two aspects need to be considered: the type of encryption and who controls the keysThis is where the major differences between the two services begin.
iMessage encrypts all messages between Apple devices with end-to-end encryption enabled by defaultThis means that the message content is only decrypted on the sender's and receiver's devices, and neither Apple nor third parties should be able to read it in transit.
SMS and MMS messages, which also come through the Messages app, are a whole other world: They travel in plain text or with basic encryption over your carrier's networkwithout end-to-end protection. That's why Apple makes such a clear distinction between blue bubbles (encrypted iMessage) and green bubbles (SMS/MMS without that advanced protection).
In Telegram, end-to-end encryption is reserved for the secret one-on-one chatsNormal chats (the ones everyone uses daily in groups and private conversations) are encrypted between your app and Telegram's servers, and between the servers and the recipient, but the company manages the keys on the server side.
This means that, at least in theory, Telegram could access the content of regular chats If it wanted to or was legally required to do so, since the encryption is not end-to-end but client-server. Furthermore, the server code is not completely open source or audited by the security community.
If we compare only the default level of content protection, iMessage has a clear advantage over Telegram's standard chatsbecause all iMessages are always end-to-end encrypted without you having to activate anything, while in Telegram you only get that level in secret chats.
Advanced iCloud Data Protection, Backups, and Cloud
Until recently, even with end-to-end encryption in transit, iMessage messages stored in iCloud were a potential weaknessbecause Apple retained the keys that allowed them to be decrypted if legally required or in certain technical scenarios.
With the arrival of Advanced Data Protection for iCloud, that changes quite a bit: When you enable this feature, Apple extends end-to-end encryption to many more types of data.including your Messages history in iCloud. This way, not even Apple can see the contents of those backups.
By activating this protection, the responsibility shifts more to you, because If you lose all your keys and devices, recovering your data can be complicated.In return, you gain privacy, since the provider is no longer able to decrypt your messages even if they wanted to.
In Telegram, the cloud works differently: Messages from regular chats are stored on the company's servers. to sync your history across devices. They're encrypted, but Telegram controls the master keys for that cloud, allowing them to give you quick access from anywhere.
Secret chats, not being in the cloud, They only reside on the devices that participate in the conversationThis is more similar to the iMessage model with Advanced Data Protection. However, this means that if you switch phones, those chats won't automatically transfer.
Metadata, companies behind it, and trust
Privacy isn't all about message content; metadata (who's talking to whom, at what time, from what location or device) also matters, because They can profile your life almost as if they were reading your messages.Here it is important to understand the context of each company and how to avoid the identity theft on iOS.
WhatsApp, for example, uses the Signal protocol to encrypt content effectively, but It collects a significant amount of metadata And it operates under the umbrella of Meta (Facebook), a company that makes its living from advertising and data analytics. It's not surprising that many users are suspicious despite the robust message encryption.
In the case of Telegram, the company also manages and stores metadata about your activityThis includes information such as connection times, contacts you interact with, and other technical data. Because it is not a non-profit organization and its server infrastructure is not entirely open, many security experts view it with caution for highly sensitive uses.
Apple has built much of its marketing discourse on privacy, and although it also collects metadata, Their business model doesn't depend on squeezing your personal information for advertising.It has introduced features such as privacy labels in the App Store or blocking tracking between apps, which reinforces that image of a company that is more prudent with data.
In fact, if you look at the privacy labels that Apple displays in the App Store, you'll see that Facebook Messenger is one of the apps that collects the most informationWhatsApp also collects quite a bit of data, while iMessage and Telegram fall short with things like contact data, user identifiers, and access to the address book.
If you focus strictly on who offers the best combination of strong encryption, cloud copy control, and a relatively restrained data policy, iMessage (especially with Advanced Data Protection enabled) fares very well.provided you are willing to operate in an environment strongly linked to the Apple ecosystem.
Travel, eSIM, international messaging, and out-of-home behavior
If you travel often, how each service behaves with roaming, eSIMs, and potential hidden costs also matters, because It's not the same to use data in your own country as it is to be outside the EU with limited rates.
iMessage works the same no matter where you are: If you have a data or Wi-Fi connection, blue messages are sent at no extra cost. Beyond the plan you have subscribed to. The problem arises when data is lost or the recipient doesn't use iMessage and the system decides to use international SMS.
If you get a data eSIM (for example, a local plan or a service like Holafly), You can continue using iMessage normally Provided that the eSIM allows internet access, avoid sending green SMS messages outside your country. Again, it's important to monitor your carrier's coverage and options.
Telegram, because it always depends on a data connection, It makes no distinction between sending a message to someone in your own city or on the other side of the planet.As long as you have internet access, the behavior is the same and there is no risk of a message automatically becoming a paid SMS.
In both cases, the important thing is the quality of the connection: with a good data plan abroad, You can continue chatting via iMessage and Telegram without changing your habits.But iMessage will always have the tinge of green SMS messages when something goes wrong with the data connection.
Useful features: groups, editing, deletion, and real-time location
For everyday use with friends, a partner, or family, there are details that can tip the scales, such as group management, the ability to edit messages, and how location is shared when you want to let someone know you're arriving at their house.
iMessage allows you to create relatively large group chats (up to a few dozen people), pin conversations to the top of the list, and react to specific messages with different icons or stickers. You can also share your real-time location for a period of time, so the other person can follow you on the map.
However, some users comment that when When sharing your temporary location in iMessage, the notification isn't as obvious. For the recipient, who sometimes doesn't even realize they can see you approaching on the map. On Telegram, sending the location as a clear message within the chat makes it more visible and easier to identify.
Regarding bug fixes, since iOS 16 iMessage offers Edit messages for a few minutes after sending them and the option to undo sending within that same interval. You can also set up automatic message deletion after a certain period (for example, 30 days) to avoid accumulating endless conversations.
Telegram has had an advantage in this aspect for years, because It allows you to edit and delete messages with more flexibility.In both individual and group chats, with longer deadlines and fewer restrictions, it's much easier to correct a typo or delete a message you didn't mean to send.
However, in both apps it's important to remember that even if you delete a message or it self-destructs, The other person may have taken a screenshot. or have saved the content in another way. There is no perfect technical mechanism to prevent such manual behavior.
Interoperability, RCS, and where messaging might go
The European Union has been putting pressure on big tech companies for some time to messaging platforms become more interoperableIn other words, we shouldn't be locked into a single app just because the people around us use it.
In this context, some services have already taken steps, such as WhatsApp, which is working on a section called "Third-Party Apps" where, in theory, messages from other platforms could arrive. This is an initial indication that Meta is taking steps to comply with the new regulations.
Apple has been particularly resistant to opening up iMessage, but regulatory pressure has at least forced it to Adopt the RCS standard to improve messaging between iPhone and Androidreplacing the old SMS technology in many cases. Talks about a new data bridge between iOS and Android They are a reflection of that change.
Even though legislation is progressing, The most realistic thing is that you'll still need to choose a main app For your important conversations. Telegram plays hardball with its cross-platform openness and cloud service, while iMessage focuses on ecosystem control and strengthening encryption and privacy within the Apple "bubble".
If everyone in your close circle uses Apple devices and you have iCloud Advanced Data Protection enabled, iMessage offers a very high level of security and consistency by default.However, if you switch between iPhone and Android, often use a computer to chat, and highly value large groups, channels, and customization options, Telegram will give you versatility that's hard to match.Always bearing in mind that, for truly sensitive conversations, it's best to use their secret chats or alternatives focused 100% on privacy like Signal.
