Facebook buying WhatsApp is everywhere. And the 4 hour blackout that happened on the very next day. These are the two reasons why users have actively started moving away from WhatsApp. Not everyone though. WhatsApp still has 450 million active users and it’s adding a million new users every day! Of all the users switching from WhatsApp, most of them are moving to Telegram. And for good reason. Why is Telegram suddenly so popular? Is it actually better than WhatsApp? Should you switch? We discuss all of that below.
The Similarities
WhatsApp and Telegram share the same groundwork. Both apps use your phone number as identification, both let you chat with groups, share videos and pictures, both apps have basically the same UI, even down to the conversation view. With that behind us, let’s talk about the differences. Starting with..
How Is Telegram Better
Telegram Is Secure
Seriously secure. The makers of Telegram are so confident about it that they are offering $200,000 bounty to anyone who can break into MTProto, the backbone of Telegram communications. WhatsApp on the other hand is prone to hacks and attacks. And their security measures are just no match for Telegram.
Telegram Is Fast
I’ve been using WhatsApp for more than 3 years now but lately it has been getting slow. A notification will be delayed by a couple of minutes, that funny video shared in the hilarious group will time out – little things like that. Granted, I got into Telegram not much long ago but so far it has never let me down, speed wise.
Telegram Let’s You Talk In Secret
This is not the whisper in my ears kind of a thing. Telegram allows you to send end to end encrypted messages with self destruct options. Just go to Contacts -> New Secret Chat, select your contact and start talking.
Telegram Will Never Show You Ads
Telegram is a not for profit organization and right now it runs on founder’s money. And if it ever does run out of money, Telegram will ask for donations instead of charging for the app or showing you ads. WhatsApp has a similar no ads policy right now but we never know what Facebook might do.
Your Data Is YOUR Data
Again, Telegram is heavily encrypted and secure. And as of right now, no one is indexing your data and using it to sell you better ads. Which is what Facebook might do with WhatsApp if it wants to make any of the 19 Billion dollar investment back.
Desktop Apps!
Yes, this feature deserves an exclamation mark. Unlike WhatsApp which has a closed system, Telegram has an open API. Which means that there are lot of interesting chat clients for Telegram. It also means that you can finally use an IM client that’s just as fast on the desktop as it is on your phone.
Some Of Your Friends Are On It
If you mingle with the early adaptors or the security concious, you will find some of your friends on Telegram.
But Not All
Compared to Telegram, WhatsApp is huge. Every single one of your friend uses it. They might be in the process of switching. Be it because of the frequent outages, the poor security or they just can’t stand WhatsApp selling out to Facebook. If your friends are looking for a new and better destination to troll each other, surely, Telegram is the best alternative available right now.
WhatsApp Vs Telegram
One place WhatsApp does have an upper hand is voice. WhatsApp allows you to send voice messages which Telegram does not. And WhatsApp founders have stated that they will be adding voice calling functionality to the app in coming months. Ultimately, a messaging app is only as strong as the number of friends who are on it. And right now, Telegram does not hold a candle to WhatsApp. It’s not even close. If you are an iOS user, check out our WhatsApp vs iMessage comparison here.
Your App?
Which messaging app do you use and why? Let us know in the comments below The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
