There are three ways to create a Telegram bot in 2026. You can register it with @BotFather and write the code yourself, use a no-code builder that still starts at BotFather, or use an app that creates the bot for you inside Telegram, which Telegram introduced on March 31, 2026. The first gives you full control, the second removes the code, and the third removes the BotFather step as well.
Below is each route step by step, what it needs once the bot exists, and who it suits.
What a Telegram bot needs to run
Telegram describes bots as "small applications that run entirely within the Telegram app" (Telegram). That's what the person chatting with a bot sees. Behind the scenes, every bot is connected to its owner's server, and that server decides what the bot answers.
So whichever route you take, every bot needs three things:
- An account in Telegram, with a name and a username that ends in "bot".
- Logic: code, or a builder's flow, that decides what happens when someone writes to it.
- Somewhere to run that is online all the time.
Telegram's bot platform itself is free for users and developers (Telegram). What costs you something is the second and third item: your time, a server, or a builder's plan.
Route 1: Create a bot with BotFather, then code it
This is the official route, and the one most tutorials describe. @BotFather is Telegram's own bot for creating and managing bots.
How to create a Telegram bot step by step with BotFather
- Open Telegram on your phone or computer and search for
@BotFather. Check that the username is exactly that before you start. - Tap Start, then send
/newbot. - Send the bot's name. People see it in chats and in the bot's profile. You can change it later.
- Send the bot's username. It must be 5–32 characters long, use only Latin letters, numbers and underscores, and end in "bot", like
tetris_botorTetrisBot. You can't change it later, so choose carefully (Telegram). - BotFather sends you a token: a long string of numbers and letters. Copy it and keep it somewhere safe.
- Optional: in BotFather, add a description (people see it under "What can this bot do?" when they first open the bot), a short bio and a profile picture.
Note: The token is the key to your bot. Telegram warns that it "can be used by anyone to control your bot". Never post it in a chat, a screenshot or a public code repository. If it leaks, revoke it in BotFather and get a new one.
At this point your bot exists, but it does nothing. If someone writes to it, nothing answers.
What you still need after BotFather
- Code. A program that receives messages through Telegram's Bot API and replies to them. Telegram's own bot tutorial uses Java and says the steps are the same in any language. Python and JavaScript are common choices too.
- A server. In Telegram's words, "a machine that is always online and running." Your laptop is fine for testing, but the bot stops when the laptop sleeps.
- Upkeep. Someone has to restart the bot when it crashes, fix bugs and follow Telegram's changes. The Bot API had seven updates between February and August 2026 alone, from version 9.4 to 10.3 (changelog). New features only reach your bot if you add them to your code.
Who it suits: developers, students learning to code, and anyone who needs a bot that no builder offers. If you've never run a server, expect to learn that as well as the code.
Route 2: No-code bot builders (BotFather still comes first)
A no-code Telegram bot maker gives you a visual editor instead of code. You arrange blocks for messages, buttons and replies, and the builder runs the bot on its own servers, so you don't need hosting.
Most of them still start at BotFather. As of October 2026, SendPulse's Telegram builder asks you to create the bot with /newbot and add its token to your account (SendPulse), and Chat Thing's setup guide works the same way (Chat Thing). So you follow steps 1–5 above, then paste the token into the builder.
What to know before you pick one:
- They're mostly built for businesses: customer support, lead capture, sales funnels.
- You design the conversation. There's no code, but you still map every step, button and reply.
- Pricing usually grows with your audience, by subscribers, messages or credits. Some builders have free plans with limits.
Who it suits: a business that wants support or sales flows in Telegram and is happy to design them. For a side-by-side look at the tools, see the best Telegram bot builders, compared.
Route 3: An app creates the bot for you (new in 2026)
Telegram announced managed bots on its blog on March 31, 2026, saying people can now launch their own bot with "no coding required" (Telegram blog). For developers, the feature is part of Bot API 9.6, dated April 3, 2026 in the Bot API changelog. In the words of Telegram's developer docs, it "allows bots to create and manage other bots on behalf of their owners" (Telegram).
For you, this means an app can create a bot without you ever opening BotFather. Telegram shows you a window to finish creating the bot, with its name and @username already filled in. You can edit them, confirm, and the bot is created. There's nothing to copy and paste. The app that manages the bot then sets it up and runs it.
One thing to understand: the managing app holds the controls for that bot, including its profile, settings and replies. That's what lets it do the work for you, so choose an app you trust.
How PowerTeleBot creates a bot for you
PowerTeleBot is a Telegram mini app that makes bots for creators and channel owners. Here's how it works:
- Open PowerTeleBot in Telegram and add your channel link. Only the link: no admin rights are needed to sign up.
- Describe the bot in plain words. Power, the assistant inside the app, points you to a ready-made bot that fits. If your idea needs a custom build, it tells you so honestly; the Power team can build it, and you get a quote.
- Fill in a few fields. Power creates the bot in Telegram for you, names it and gives it a profile photo. No BotFather step, no coding.
- Try it privately. Only you see it. It's free for 3 days, and there's no payment until you go live.
- Pick a plan and go live. Power gives you a post ready to share to your channel.
- See how it does. Home shows how many people use your bots this month and the key number for each bot.
The ready-made bots are Invite Contest, Giveaway Wheel, Photo Presets, File Converter, Anonymous Inbox, Digital Store, Paid Channel, Group Guard and Wallet Cards.
This route doesn't fit if you want to own and edit the code, you need a customer-support chatbot, or your idea isn't one of the ready-made bots and you don't want a custom build. Going live also needs a plan, paid monthly in Telegram Stars.
The three routes compared
| Route | What you need | Cost | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| BotFather and your own code | Coding skills, a server, time for upkeep | Telegram is free; you pay for the server | Developers and learners who want full control |
| No-code builder | A BotFather token and a builder account; you design the flows | Some builders have free plans with limits; paid plans as you grow | Businesses that want support or sales chatbots |
| An app creates the bot (PowerTeleBot) | A Telegram account and your channel link | Free for 3 days to try privately; a monthly plan in Stars to go live | Channel owners who want a ready-made bot for their audience |
How to create a Telegram bot for free
Creating the bot itself is free: BotFather costs nothing, and Telegram's bot platform is free for developers. The costs come after that:
- If you code it, the code is free when you write it yourself, but the bot needs a server that's always on. A computer at home can work for a small test.
- If you use a builder, check what its free plan includes. As of October 2026, SendPulse and BotPenguin both advertise free plans. Read the limits before you build on one.
- With PowerTeleBot, you can set up a bot and test it privately, free for 3 days. Going live needs a plan.
How to create a Telegram bot and earn money
A bot doesn't earn money because it exists. It earns when it gives people something worth paying for, or gives a sponsor a reason to pay you. Telegram supports a few honest ways to do that:
- Sell digital goods in the bot. Bots can sell digital goods and services for Telegram Stars, and inside Telegram apps, digital goods must be paid for in Stars (Telegram). Presets, guides, templates and codes all fit. Stars you earn can later be converted into a reward under Telegram's terms.
- Charge for a private channel. Since August 2024, channels can have invite links that require a monthly payment in Stars (Telegram).
- Run sponsored giveaways. A brand pays for the prize and the mention; a contest bot runs the giveaway in your channel.
- Put your link under every result. A useful tool, like a file converter, can show your link or an ad each time someone uses it.
In PowerTeleBot, these match Digital Store, Paid Channel, Invite Contest or Giveaway Wheel, and File Converter or Anonymous Inbox (your own ad slot comes with the Starter plan and above). Power keeps 5% of the Stars your bots sell, except channel subscriptions, which go straight to your channel with no fee. Nobody can promise you an income: what you earn depends on your audience and what you offer.
For the bigger picture, see how to monetize a Telegram channel.
FAQ
How do I create a bot on Telegram from my phone?
Open Telegram on your iPhone or Android phone, search for @BotFather and send /newbot. It works the same on any device. Writing code and running a server is easier from a computer. PowerTeleBot is a mini app inside Telegram, so you can use it from your phone.
Can I create a Telegram bot without BotFather?
Yes, since Telegram introduced managed bots on March 31, 2026. An app that uses Telegram's managed bots can create the bot for you after you confirm its name and username. Otherwise, every bot starts at BotFather.
Is it free to create a Telegram bot?
Yes. BotFather and Telegram's bot platform are free. You may pay for a server, a builder's plan, or a service that runs the bot for you.
What is a Telegram bot token?
It's a long string that BotFather gives you when you create a bot. Anyone who has it can control your bot, so keep it private. You only deal with it on the code and builder routes.
Can a Telegram bot make money?
Yes, if it gives people something they want: digital goods sold for Stars, paid access, sponsored giveaways, or your ad under a useful tool. How much depends on your audience.
If you run a channel and want a bot for your audience without code or BotFather, open PowerTeleBot in Telegram and describe what you have in mind.
