Berty vs Telegram Bot API Server
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Berty
Peer-to-peer messaging app that works offline
VS
Telegram Bot API Server
Self-hosted local Telegram Bot API server
| Feature | Berty | Telegram Bot API Server |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | Apache-2.0 | BSL-1.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 9,268 | ★ 4,395 |
| First released | 2018 | 2021 |
| Replaces | WhatsApp, Signal | — |
Why pick each one
Choose Berty if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Mature project with 9.3k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Choose Telegram Bot API Server if…
- Released under the BSL-1.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.4k GitHub stars)
- Written in C++
Frequently asked questions
Is Berty or Telegram Bot API Server better?
Neither is universally better. Berty has the larger community, while Telegram Bot API Server is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Berty and Telegram Bot API Server free and open-source?
Yes. Berty is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Telegram Bot API Server under BSL-1.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Berty and Telegram Bot API Server with Docker?
Berty: check the project docs for container support. Telegram Bot API Server: yes.