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Telegram chief Durov shared big news about the platform and also took a dig at the biggest messaging app, WhatsApp, calling it a cheap imitation.
Telegram has offered many features that WhatsApp eventually brought for its users
Telegram is one the popular messaging apps in the market, and the company’s chief recently claimed the platform now has over 1 billion monthly active users. These numbers make it the second most popular app in the world, but still quite far behind WhatsApp, which is the undisputed leader in this space.
But Pavel Durov, founder, Telegram feels the Meta-owned platform is nothing but a cheap, watered-down version of his messaging app.
Ahead of us stands only WhatsApp — a cheap, watered-down imitation of Telegram. For years, they’ve tried to copy us while burning billions on lobbying and PR to slow us down. They failed. Telegram grew, became profitable, and — unlike our competitor — retained its independence🗽— Pavel Durov (@durov) March 19, 2025
Durov Doesn’t Like WhatsApp
Durov has always been critical of WhatsApp and over the years, shared his opinion of how the messaging app has been copying features of his platform, that too with the help of billions from the Mark Zuckerberg-run tech entity. It seems Telegram feels that most of its features are copied by WhatsApp and most people would tend to agree with that view going by the factual events over the years.
Different Path
More importantly, Durov has frequently faced summons and arrest warrants from law enforcement agencies as he looks to preserve his promise of letting freedom of speech flow through the platform. That’s where he points out the obvious billions pumped into lobbying by WhatsApp while his own platform grew, became profitable and still retained its independence.
Giving further insights into Telegram, Durov mentioned users open the app 21 times daily, and spend around 41 minutes every day.
However, Telegram is no saint in the sea of many secure messaging apps, as scammers and hackers are able to infiltrate groups to push malicious content that is dangerous for the users. In fact, security experts have pointed out the lack of moderation on the app that has been misused to target innocent people on the app.
- Location :
Delhi, India, India
