Telegram Mini Apps
Brands spend huge amounts of money trying to get people to download their apps. With Telegram mini apps, that step disappears. Users just tap and go — placing orders, trading crypto, booking services, and more — all inside the app they use over 40 minutes a day. In this article, we’ll break down what Telegram mini apps are, how they work, and why they’re quickly becoming a game-changer for businesses.
- What Are Telegram Mini Apps?
- Key Features of Telegram Mini Apps
- Top Use Cases & Examples
- Why Telegram Mini Apps Matter
- How to Develop a Telegram Mini App
- Challenges & Considerations
- Future of Telegram Mini Apps
- Wrapping Up
What Are Telegram Mini Apps?
Telegram mini apps are lightweight web applications that run directly inside the Telegram interface. Unlike bots, which rely on command-based interactions and text responses, mini apps offer full graphical interfaces and can even replace websites. Users launch them instantly with a single tap inside any chat, group, channel, or bot.
Mini apps turn Telegram into a place where people can easily make purchases, play games, manage finances, book services, and more. Considering that over 500 million people interact with TMAs regularly (which is currently half of Telegram's total user base), they’re quickly becoming central to the way people use the app.
Technically, mini apps are built using standard web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This lowers the barrier to entry, so front-end developers can build and update apps faster and with less effort while delivering rich functionality. Telegram also provides useful guidelines to help teams meet performance expectations and avoid integration issues.
Key Features of Telegram Mini Apps
Mini apps come packed with features that make them fast, flexible, and convenient for both programmers and users. Here’s a look at what sets them apart:
- WebView integration. TMAs open right inside Telegram using WebView — a built-in browser that lets users access full web pages without leaving the app. It reduces load times and keeps visitors engaged without breaking the flow of conversation.
- Telegram login widget. Users sign in with a single tap using Telegram’s built-in authentication. It removes the need for passwords, speeds up onboarding, and keeps the process secure and hassle-free.
- Payment gateway support. Mini apps support multiple payment methods such as Google Pay, Apple Pay, credit cards, and even crypto. As a result, developers can monetize their applications without dealing with external platforms or complex integrations.
- Cross-platform compatibility. TMAs work seamlessly across iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and Linux. Users switch between their phone, tablet, or desktop and don’t lose any features, data, or progress.
- In-app notifications & seamless UX. With real-time alerts inside the chat, the user experience feels natural and uninterrupted — no need to jump between different screens or tools.
- Integration with TON blockchain & Web3 features. Mini apps can easily integrate Web3 features like crypto wallets, token payments, and NFTs.
These built-in features make Telegram mini apps feel like full web apps, only faster and easier to access.
Top Use Cases & Examples
Gaming
Telegram has become a hotspot for viral Web3 games like Notcoin, Hamster Kombat, and Catizen. They offer instant access, Web3 rewards, and social features that keep millions of users active and engaged daily.
Catizen
The popularity of these games is clear from the numbers. Catizen, for instance, has attracted 26 million players and generated $16 million in in-app purchases
Finance & DeFi
TMAs are making decentralized finance more accessible than ever. Users can open wallets, stake tokens, trade on decentralized exchanges, and track their portfolios without leaving the platform.
TON Wallet
One standout example is the TON Wallet, a Telegram’s built-in self-custodial crypto wallet that allows users to store crypto and make blockchain payments. In 2024, TON Wallet was activated by over 100 million users globally, and recently it began expanding into the U.S. market.
E-commerce
Instead of sending users to a separate website, brands can create full storefronts within Telegram — complete with product listings, shopping carts, and built-in checkout. For small online shops especially, it’s a low-cost way to start selling online without creating a full website. And since users already trust and use Telegram daily, they’re more likely to complete purchases without dropping off.
Durger King
To demonstrate how the technology works for businesses, the Telegram team created a demo project called @DurgerKingBot. This web app simulates a basic food delivery service and includes a minimal set of core features that showcase the functionality of TMAs.
Productivity & Tools
Telegram mini apps are also great for getting things done. From simple to-do lists to full task managers and note apps, users can stay organized right inside the platform without jumping between different apps.
tCalendar
Take Telegram Calendar, for instance — it lets users schedule calls, meetings, or events directly in group chats. It’s perfect for work stuff like interviews or consultations, but also handy for casual plans such as weekend get-togethers with friends or family.
Social & Dating
TMAs also help people build relationships. To illustrate, TON Dating is a Telegram-based mini app where people can connect through a membership-based community. Since all profiles are carefully reviewed and verified, users feel safe and confident when using the app. What is more, active members can get rewarded in TON cryptocurrency.
TON Dating
Wellness & Health
Mini apps are making wellness more manageable. Let’s have a look at Wellzy AI.
Wellzy AI
This TMA acts as a personal nutrition assistant. Users simply snap a photo of their meal or describe what they ate using a voice message, and the AI analyzes it and provides a calorie count and basic nutritional insights. To keep people motivated, Wellzy AI also includes a built-in gamification system.
Why Telegram Mini Apps Matter
What’s driving the growing interest in TMAs among businesses?
Massive Reach
Telegram is used by over 1 billion people each month, and nearly 450 million of them are active every day. And what’s better, the user base keeps growing by about 2.5 million new users each day. With such a large audience, even small mini apps can find scale.
Telegram users by country (in millions)
Instant Access with Zero Install Hassles
One-tap access removes barriers for users and makes it easier for them to start using the app right away. Telegram supports six different ways to launch mini apps: using a keyboard button, an inline button, the bot menu, inline mode, a direct link, or the attachment menu.
Ways to launch mini apps. Source: telegram.org
Growing Web3 and Crypto Integration
With integration through the TON blockchain, Telegram mini apps bring Web3 functionality — like crypto wallets and token-based rewards — directly into the messaging experience. It gives users a straightforward way to explore crypto without extra steps.
Built-in Monetization Models
There are several ways to earn from TMAs, including ads, in-app purchases, token-based rewards, subscriptions, donations, and affiliate partnerships. For a deeper look at these strategies and tips on how to avoid common mistakes, check out our guide on how to monetize Telegram mini apps.
How to Develop a Telegram Mini App
Here’s a step-by-step overview to help you go from concept to launch:
1. Idea and Planning
Begin with a clear, well-defined concept. Identify the specific problem your product will solve and who it’s for. Think about how your app will add value within Telegram’s ecosystem, where quick actions and minimal distractions matter. Before diving in, take time to explore official documentation and guidelines, and analyze successful apps to gain insight into best practices and common mistakes.
2. UI/UX Design
Focus on simple, mobile-friendly layouts that load quickly and are easy to navigate. Since mini apps run inside Telegram’s limited space, every element should feel lightweight and intuitive. Aim for clarity and speed over complexity to support seamless functionality.
3. Create a Telegram Bot
Every mini app needs a bot to act as its entry point. Here’s how to set it up:
- Search for @BotFather, the official tool for creating and managing bots.
- Start a chat and send the command /newbot.
- Follow the steps to choose a name and username for your bot.
BotFather
Once you're done, BotFather will give you an access token — you’ll use it to link your mini app with the bot.
4. Build Your TMA
To create a TMA, you’ll need to build a standard web application. You can do this using:
- HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
If you’re building a more advanced mini app, consider working with tools like React, SCSS, or TypeScript.
Your app must be hosted on a server with a valid SSL certificate and accessible via HTTPS. This URL will serve as the source for Telegram’s WebView to render the mini app within the chat interface.
5. Connect Your App With Telegram via BotFather
Open the chat with @BotFather again and use the command /newapp. Select your bot, provide the app's HTTPS URL, a title, description, photo (640x360 pixels), and demo GIF (optional). After setup, your mini app will be available at a direct link like https://t.me/{mybot}/{myapp}.
7. Testing, QA, and Launch
Test your TMA on different devices to make sure it works well across platforms. Check for UI glitches, loading speed, and smooth navigation. For a reliable testing process, follow Telegram’s official documentation.
At Magnetto, we build custom Telegram mini apps with features like in-app payments, automation, and personalized user experience — all tailored to your unique business needs. Contact us and let’s turn your idea into something your users will love.
Challenges & Considerations
Building and scaling TMAs comes with a few important challenges:
UX Design Within Telegram Constraints
Since mini apps run inside Telegram’s WebView, you’ll need to design for limited space and account for UI behaviors across mobile and desktop. For smoother integration with the platform's interface, it’s best to use clean layouts and lightweight elements so everything loads quickly and feels natural to use. Referring to Telegram’s design guidelines will help maintain consistency with the platform.
Regulatory Compliance
If your TMA handles payments, tokens, or user data, you’ll need to consider local laws and compliance requirements — especially for crypto-related features. This includes KYC (Know Your Customer), data privacy, and financial regulations. To stay compliant and avoid potential trouble, follow all applicable legal guidelines in your region.
Server-Side Setup and Scalability
Even though the front end runs inside Telegram, your backend still does the heavy lifting — managing user sessions, handling API requests, processing payments, and serving real-time data. It's important to make sure your server is secure, can handle traffic spikes, and maintain fast performance.
Future of Telegram Mini Apps
TMAs are growing fast, and the updates coming next will make them even more useful:
- Upcoming features. Looking ahead, we can expect features like AR tools, better audio and video handling, and deeper integration with the Telegram interface.
- TON blockchain growth. If current growth continues, TON could reach over 2.6 million daily active users by 2026 and surpass 10 million by 2027. For context, the network had fewer than 40,000 daily users in 2023.
- Smarter analytics integration. More advanced analytics will give a clearer view of how people use their apps. With better tracking, it’ll be easier to spot what’s working, fix what isn’t, and adjust monetization in real time based on actual user behavior.
- Improved security and user verification. Future updates will likely focus on stronger user protection — better fraud detection, clearer verification steps, and more secure transactions.
To sum up, what’s coming next will make things smoother for users and more flexible for developers.
Wrapping Up
Telegram mini apps have quickly become a key part of the platform. With strong functionality built in, high user engagement, and native support for payments and crypto, it’s a cost-effective way to deliver services, drive conversions, and build customer loyalty.
