The Telegram playbook · 2026
Build on Telegram.
The most complete playbook for builders, founders, and operators shipping on Mini Apps, Stars, and the Bot API. Step-by-step. With every link.
Six pillars
Outcomes first. Pick what you're trying to achieve — the right product surface follows.
Make money
Every monetization rail: paid posts, channel subs, Stars, ads, affiliate, products.
Grow business
Acquisition, conversion, retention. Ads, cross-promo, funnels, attribution.
Build products
Mini Apps, bots, integrations. Architecture, payments, distribution.
Run operations
Telegram Business, customer support, AI-assisted replies, internal automation.
Stars & TON
In-app currency, gifts, NFT collectibles, the wallet, payment rails.
Discover
What's worth your attention right now — the apps, games, and channels actually moving in 2026.
Reference
API specs, changelogs, glossary, side-by-side comparisons.
Latest dispatches
View all guides →- 001 Apr 26, 2026Field guide
Telegram channels worth following in 2026
A curated, opinionated starting point — by category and by language — for the Telegram channels worth opening regularly in Q2 2026.
12 min - 002 Apr 26, 2026Field guide
The Mini Apps that won (and the ones still winning) — Q2 2026
An opinionated tour of the Telegram Mini Apps actually worth your attention in 2026 — post-airdrop survivors, the new categories, and the boring-essentials nobody talks about.
14 min - 003 Apr 26, 2026Reference
The Telegram glossary — every term that matters in 2026
A reference glossary of every Telegram concept, API surface, and product feature you need to know — with one-sentence definitions and direct links to the official docs.
14 min - 004 Apr 26, 2026Field guide
Telegram games in 2026 — what's actually fun, what's just farming
An honest tour of games on Telegram in Q2 2026 — real games with real gameplay, the tap-to-earn aftermath, and the gambling-adjacent corner you should know about.
11 min - 005 Apr 24, 2026Benchmarks
Honest revenue benchmarks: what Telegram channels and bots actually earn in 2026
Real revenue numbers from real operators across 12 niches — from signal channels to AI bots — with audience size, ARPU, and the gotchas behind each figure.
11 min