Head-to-head · Secure Messaging Apps
Wire vs Telegram
Wire leads on 0 checks, Telegram on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreWire · 8.9/10
- Free planboth
- Most featuresTelegram · 4 of 4
Wire scores higher on our rubric for secure messaging apps: 8.9 against 8.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #8.
Wire is the better fit for secure enterprise collaboration. Telegram is the better fit for large communities and bot-enabled messaging.
- Wire fits best
Secure enterprise collaboration
- Telegram fits best
Large communities and bot-enabled messaging
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Side by side
| Feature | Wire 8.9/10 Visit ↗ | Telegram 8.4/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 8.9 | 8.4 |
| Ranking | #4 in Secure Messaging Apps | #8 in Secure Messaging Apps |
| Best for | Secure enterprise collaboration | Large communities and bot-enabled messaging |
| Pricing model | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid |
| Starting price | €7.45/user/mo | — |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile | Cloud, Desktop, Mobile |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Support | Email, Docs | Tickets, Docs, Community |
| Compliance | ISO 27001, GDPR, SSO/SAML | GDPR, 2FA |
| Integrations | 3 integrations | 2 integrations |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Solo, Small business |
| Features Wire 0/4 · Telegram 4/4 | ||
| Encrypted backups | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Desktop apps | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Multi-device support | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Disappearing messages | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Specs | ||
| Account requirement | Not checked yet | Phone |
| Maximum group size | Not checked yet | 200000 members |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | Wire is an end-to-end encrypted collaboration platform for organizations, governments, and public-sector teams. It brings messaging, private and public channels, audio and video calls, conferences, screen sharing, file sharing, guest… Read the review → |
Telegram is a cloud-based messaging app for individuals, communities, businesses and small teams. Its free plan combines private messaging, groups and channels, cloud synchronization, and access through mobile, desktop and web apps. The… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Wire — where it wins
- End-to-end encrypted messaging, calls, and file sharing
- Channels, guest access, conferencing, and screen sharing
- Enterprise support for SSO, SCIM, federation, and multi-tenancy
Where it doesn't
- Linux support is experimental or community-supported
- Listed integrations focus on Poll, Reminder, and GitHub
- The free plan is limited to collaboration essentials and eight devices
Telegram — where it wins
- Groups support up to 200,000 members
- Cloud chats sync across mobile, desktop and web
- Bots, channels, calls and file sharing cover broad use cases
Where it doesn't
- End-to-end encryption is limited to Secret Chats
- Secret Chats are device-specific and not stored in the cloud
- A phone is required to create an account
- Wire8.9/10 · Free plan
A broad secure workspace for enterprise messaging, calls, files, and administration.
Visit WireFull verdict → - Telegram8.4/10 · Free plan
A broad messaging app for large communities, multi-device chats and bot-enabled workflows.
Visit TelegramFull verdict →
More comparisons
All secure messaging apps comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update