Nadeemi vs Telegram: group encryption, phone numbers, channels and ads compared
Part of: Family privacy online: photos, children and quieter networksWritten by the Nadeemi team, so read it with that in mind. Every fact about Telegram links to its source, and we list where Telegram is stronger.
Telegram is brilliant at scale: giant groups, unlimited channels, bots and instant sync on every device. It is also widely misunderstood. Many people assume all Telegram chats are end-to-end encrypted. Telegram's own FAQ says otherwise. Nadeemi is a small social network in public beta that encrypts private chats and groups on your device. Here is the honest comparison.
Short version: pick Telegram for huge public channels, big groups and bots. Pick Nadeemi for private family and friend groups encrypted on your device, with no phone number, no ads and no AI features, and accept that Nadeemi is young and its encryption is labelled "coming" until an independent audit.
Nadeemi vs Telegram at a glance
All facts checked on 6 November 2026.
| Nadeemi (public beta) | Telegram | |
|---|---|---|
| 1:1 chats | Encrypted on your device with MLS; labelled "end-to-end encryption coming" until an audit | Cloud chats use server-client encryption; only opt-in Secret Chats are end-to-end |
| Group chats | Encrypted on your device with MLS (same label) | Server-client encryption (cloud chats), not end-to-end |
| Phone number | No: email and password | Required ("accounts can only be connected to a mobile number") |
| Group size | Up to 50 people | Up to 200,000 members |
| Channels | Public groups and pages, no broadcast channels yet | Unlimited subscribers |
| Ads | None | Sponsored messages in public broadcast channels |
| Disappearing messages | Per chat: 24 h, 7 days, 90 days (groups: admins set it) | Self-destruct timer in Secret Chats and for media in private chats |
| AI features | None | Not checked here |
Sources: Telegram FAQ, Telegram Ad Platform, what Nadeemi can and can't see.
Are Telegram group chats end-to-end encrypted?
No. Telegram's FAQ says: "Server-client encryption is used in Cloud Chats (private and group chats)", and Secret Chats, which add "client-client encryption", are one-to-one only (telegram.org/faq). So Telegram's servers can technically read normal chats and every group. In September 2024 Telegram also said it would share user data such as IP addresses and phone numbers in response to valid legal requests (Security Affairs, 24 Sept 2024). More in Are Telegram group chats encrypted?
Nadeemi encrypts group chats on each member's device with MLS, a modern IETF standard built for groups. Our server stores and forwards ciphertext. Until independent experts audit the code, we still label it "end-to-end encryption coming".
Do I need a phone number?
Telegram, yes: "Telegram accounts can only be connected to a mobile number"; you can hide it behind a username, but it is still your account (Telegram FAQ). Nadeemi, no: an email, a password and your date of birth (adults 18+).
Ads, channels and size
Telegram shows sponsored messages in public broadcast channels and says it does not use the contents of private chats or contact lists to target them (Telegram Ad Platform). Nadeemi shows no ads anywhere.
Telegram groups can have up to 200,000 members and channels can have unlimited subscribers (Telegram FAQ). Nadeemi group chats hold up to 50 people, because every member's device does real group encryption work; public groups and pages with a feed cover the bigger community use.
Where Telegram is stronger
- Scale: giant groups and unlimited channels, bots and mini-apps.
- Speed and sync across every device, with a long track record.
- Huge existing audience.
Where Nadeemi is different
- Private groups encrypted on your device by design, not as an opt-in mode that excludes groups.
- No phone number, no ads, no AI features.
- Group admins, invite links you can revoke or set to expire, disappearing messages for 24 hours, 7 days or 90 days.
- Arabic and English with a full right-to-left interface, and a public page that says what our server can and can't see.
FAQ
Is Nadeemi more secure than Telegram? For private groups, Nadeemi's design is stronger on paper: groups are encrypted on the device, while Telegram groups use server-client encryption. Nadeemi's code has not been independently audited yet, so we label it "coming".
Can Nadeemi replace Telegram channels? Not yet. Nadeemi has public groups and pages with a feed, but no broadcast channels with unlimited subscribers.
Does Nadeemi need a phone number? No. An email and a password.
Does Nadeemi show ads? No ads, ever. Members can pay into a voluntary US$5 a month honesty box.
Can Telegram read my messages? Normal chats and groups use server-client encryption, so Telegram's servers can technically access them. Secret Chats are end-to-end encrypted.
Sources (checked 6 November 2026)
- Telegram FAQ (cloud vs Secret Chats, phone numbers, 200,000-member groups, unlimited channels, self-destruct timer): https://telegram.org/faq
- Telegram Ad Platform (sponsored messages in public broadcast channels): https://ads.telegram.org/
- Security Affairs, Telegram will provide user data in response to legal requests (24 Sept 2024): https://securityaffairs.com/168803/laws-and-regulations/telegram-will-provide-user-data-to-law-enforcement.html
- Nadeemi, what we can and can't see: https://nadeemi.com/what-we-can-see/
Names of other apps are trademarks of their owners, used only for comparison. Nadeemi is not affiliated with any of them.
Drafted with AI help and checked by a person on the date above.