Does a Telegram bot cost anything?

No. The Telegram Bot API is completely free; all you need is a Telegram account. On the Talkano side, the Telegram connection is available on all packages, including Demo.

Is there an approval or review process like Instagram or WhatsApp?

No. Telegram has no app review; the bot starts working the moment you paste the token.

Is there a 24-hour messaging window on Telegram?

No. The 24-hour rule of Meta channels does not apply on Telegram; as long as the user hasn’t blocked the bot, it can always reply.

Does the bot work in group chats?

The Talkano assistant replies only in one-to-one (private) chats. Group messages are ignored — customer support is a one-to-one conversation.

What information does the assistant use on Telegram?

The same knowledge base as Instagram, WhatsApp and the web widget: your products, Q&As, documents and photos. Conversations land in the same inbox; working hours and the confidence threshold apply as usual.

How do I remove the bot, and what if I revoke the token?

In the panel, Connections → Telegram → “Disconnect” removes the connection. If you revoked the token in BotFather (/revoke), just paste the new token on the same screen.

Channel guide

Connecting a Telegram bot to Talkano

Create a Telegram bot for your business, paste the token, and let your AI assistant reply to customers on Telegram. No approval process, no waiting — setup takes about 5 minutesand it's available on all packages, including Demo.

Why Telegram?

No app review — the connection works instantly (compare with the approval processes on Instagram/WhatsApp).
No 24-hour messaging window — the assistant can always reply.
The Bot API is free — no per-message cost.
Same knowledge base and inbox — one brain with Instagram, WhatsApp and the web widget.

What you need:

A Telegram account + a Talkano business. That's all — no phone verification, business documents or Meta account required.

Step-by-step setup

Open @BotFather on Telegram

Search for @BotFather in Telegram (the official bot with the blue check). Open the chat and send /newbot.

Give the bot a name and username

First type the display namecustomers will see (e.g. “Ada Apart Guesthouse”), then choose a username ending in _bot (e.g. adaapart_bot). If the username is taken, BotFather will tell you — try another.

Copy the API token

BotFather gives you a token in the form 123456789:AAF…. This token is your bot's key — never share it; paste it only into Talkano.

Paste it in Talkano → Connections → Telegram

In the panel, open Settings → Connections, click the Telegram tile, paste the token and hit “Connect bot”. Talkano validates the token, stores it encrypted and sets up the webhook automatically — nothing else to configure.

Test it

Send your bot a message from Telegram (e.g. “Hi, can I get a quote?”). The assistant replies from your knowledge base; the conversation also lands in your panel's inbox.

Put the bot in front of customers

Your bot has a permanent link: t.me/yourusername_bot. Put it where customers can start chatting in one tap:

As a “Message us on Telegram” button on your website
In your Instagram bio and Google Business profile
As a QR code on table cards, menus or business cards (generate a free QR from the t.me link)

How does the assistant behave on Telegram?

Exactly like on every other channel: it answers only from the information you provided, doesn't send replies below your confidence threshold (it hands them to you), respects your working hours, shares photos when useful, and writes collected names/phones into your Leads list. All conversations appear in your panel's inbox.

If you get stuck

“Invalid token format”: Paste the token exactly as BotFather gave it, with no spaces before or after (format: digits + colon + a string of characters).

“This bot is already connected to another business”: The same bot can't serve two businesses. Remove it from the other one or create a new bot.

The bot doesn't reply: Check that auto-reply is on (Settings → AI) and your usage quota isn't used up (Usage page). Outside working hours the assistant follows your off-hours mode.

Ready?

If you don't have a Talkano account yet, start with the free 14-day Demo; if you do, connect your bot from the Connections page in 5 minutes.

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