What do you get by subscribing?

Telegram is one of the best instant messaging apps out there, offering a few features you won’t find on WhatsApp while also steering clear of the Facebook app’s privacy issues. The team behind the app hasn’t sought to monetize it yet, but that could change soon.

The Telegram Beta community (h/t: Android Police) has discovered a Telegram Premium subscription service in version 8.7.2 of the iOS app. It stands to reason that the Android version will receive this paid offering as well, so what do you actually get by splashing out?

Well, it seems like subscribing to Telegram Premium nets users extra stickers and exclusive reactions. Non-subscribers who choose these stickers and reactions will be prompted to sign up for the premium tier.

It’s an interesting way to monetize the platform and we hope there are a few more perks, but it still seems like a reasonable approach compared to Facebook’s ad and data-based approach to monetization. Telegram’s approach isn’t unprecedented either, as the likes of Discord and Twitch also offer a premium service with perks like expanded emoji/emotes and user customization.

We assume Telegram’s existing feature-set will remain free for users. So hopefully a premium plan doesn’t put features like group calls, large file uploads, and high quality video behind a paywall.