WhatsApp and Telegram are the two main messaging platforms today, which always leads to a comparison between the two to see which is the best. And that's what we're going to do in this article, we are going to take a deep dive into the Android apps of WhatsApp and Telegram to tell you about the main differences between the two in mid-2021.
Before delving into the main differences we have found, we must remember that both services also have some similarities, such as the availability of dark mode, which can now be activated on both Telegram and WhatsApp. Also, we recommend that you download the latest versions of both apps to get the latest news and thus be able to check the main differences between WhatsApp and Telegram.
WhatsApp vs Telegram: the main differences
Although it appears that WhatsApp and Telegram are similar platforms that offer the same features to their users for chatting, the reality is far from that. After analyzing the Android apps of both services, we found some key differences that tip the balance towards one or the other option. Let's see them.
WhatsApp and Telegram are messaging networks, but what fundamental differences are there between the two?
Chat functionality
WhatsApp has always been characterized by going behind Telegram in terms of functionality. As if that weren't enough, everyone knows that often yes "Inspires" the rival platform to integrate some of its new tools, such as its new animated stickers.
Despite this inspiration, WhatsApp still lacks useful chat features that we find in Telegram, such as the ability to continue listening to an audio even if you return to the chats tab and you enter a different conversation. While in Telegram you can browse and communicate through other chats while listening to the voice note, in WhatsApp you are obliged to stay in the conversation if you want to listen to it in full.
Editing messages is a feature we are still waiting for on WhatsApp
When using the chat, we find another main difference if you intend to send files. While il Weight Limit of Telegram is 1,5 GB - a considerable amount - in WhatsApp you can only send files that do not exceed 100 MB. Although the platform acquired by Facebook has recently improved on this detail, it is still far from rivaling Telegram.
We cannot forget another of the most important differences: the modification of messages, present in Telegram since 2016. While Pavel Durov's platform allows you to edit messages to correct errors, in WhatsApp it is not possible to edit the message sent and, even worse, it seems that it is not a function in which the managers operate.
WhatsApp states
Even if it's not to everyone's taste, WhatsApp Status is an interesting tool to share multimedia content with all those contacts you have added. Facebook has decided to add this adaptation of Instagram Stories to WhatsApp and there are already many users who use it to post photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours.
Don't try to find a similar section in Telegram, because there is neither nor is it foreseen. In this way, the States continue to make the difference between WhatsApp and Telegram in the middle of 2021.
While WhatsApp added its states a few years ago, Telegram is missing them.
Privacy and security
Security and privacy have always been one of the most relevant aspects for Telegram, which had the end-to-end encryption long before WhatsApp. Its own CEO, Pavel Durov, has warned numerous times about the danger of using WhatsApp.
Although the Facebook platform has greatly improved in this regard, it is still a step behind Telegram. For example, the Russian service offers the ability to communicate via secret chats in which i messages can self-destruct after being read by the recipient.
These are the steps you need to follow to create a secret chat on Telegram.
While a normal conversation is stored in the cloud, these secret chats can only be read by you and the other contact. Also, the messages they cannot be forwarded, screenshots cannot be taken and the chat is only accessible from the device on which it was created. Undoubtedly, options like this distinguish Telegram from WhatsApp in terms of security and privacy.
Another aspect related to privacy that tip the scales towards Telegram is the possibility of add contacts without having to provide your personal phone number. While in WhatsApp it is necessary for the other user to know your phone, in Telegram you can do it through the username.
Customization
Being able to change the interface appearance of the apps you use is always a plus. WhatsApp and Telegram also differ in this detail, as you will have already seen if you use both platforms. On the one hand, in WhatsApp you can only change the background of conversations via Settings> Chat> Wallpaper.
The possibilities are wider in Telegram, where you can create and install themes in total freedom in the choice of colors for the different elements of the interface. Of course you can also choose between the different themes offered by the platform and change the chat background.
This is the process of creating your themes in Telegram.
Cloud storage
In addition to serving as a messaging platform, Telegram is also a great cloud storage service. Even if you delete files shared in a conversation, hai always the ability to re-download and reopen them. The thing is very different in WhatsApp, which does not allow you to re-download a file if you have already downloaded and deleted it.
Having the sending limit of 1,5GB, Telegram is a great platform for storing files in the cloud knowing that you will always be able to access them, no matter which device you log in from. Plus, being stored in the cloud, it's possible view files without taking up memory on your phone. Again, this point is for Telegram.
Bots and channels
We couldn't ignore another of the key differences between WhatsApp and Telegram in 2021: bots and channels, which give access to additional content on the celestial platform. For example, you can count on the help of bots to remind you of certain activities, to recommend wallpapers or to offer you the best GIFs. Channels, on the other hand, are communication tools that serve to disseminate information to all subscribers.
These Telegram features, where you can easily add bots or create your own channels, make it a step up ahead of WhatsApp, where we do not find anything similar to bots and channels. If you want to disseminate information to multiple contacts at the same time on the green bubble platform, it is better to broadcast.
Andro4all also has its own Telegram channel to offer you all the information.
Calls and video calls
We end up with audio and video calls, the last notable difference between the two apps. Although Telegram is already testing video calling in its beta version, the reality is that both calls were available on WhatsApp much earlier, even expanded the person limit to 8 for video calls.
While we wait for Telegram to add video calls for all users, WhatsApp wins this individual battle.
Final conclusion: WhatsApp vs Telegram
The previous comparison made it clear that Telegram is a step forward in terms of functionality. To name a few advantages, in the Russian-born platform it is possible to edit messages, send files up to 1,5 GB, customize the interface and access the extra contents of bots and channels.
On the other hand, we have WhatsApp, which for years has allowed us to make free video calls and share temporary content across its countries. Furthermore, in favor of WhatsApp is its user base, made up of 2.000 million people as of 2021. While in Telegram it is difficult to find all your family and friends, with WhatsApp you know that you can almost always communicate with whoever you want. As always, the final decision on whether to use one or the other is up to you. Like me, you can use both platforms without any problems and take advantage of both.
