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Telegram MCP servers: which one to use

Telegram has no official server. Use telegram-readonly to only read chats, chigwell for the most tools, or a bot server to post as a bot.

Servers
95
active
Hosted
21
nothing to install
Local
48
runs on your machine

Telegram does not publish an MCP server, so pick by whose account the assistant acts as. Most servers log in as you, with an API ID and a Telegram login, and can read and send in every chat you have. The readonly server and the draft-only chaindead server are the safer starts. The chaindead README warns that misuse of the Telegram API can get an account suspended.

Good for

  • People who want Claude to summarize unread chats and channels
  • Community managers who triage groups and draft replies
  • Developers who want an assistant to post and manage a Telegram bot
  • Anyone who wants chat search without any risk of sending

Which Telegram MCP server to use

Use telegram-readonly to search and read chats, since it is read-only by default. Pick chigwell when you need to send and manage chats, and telegram-bot-mcp when the assistant should act as a bot, not as you.

ServerActs asRunsSign-inCan send messagesToolsGitHub stars
chigwellYouLocalAPI IDYes80+1.9K
chaindeadYouLocalAPI IDDrafts only5350
ChatroostYouHostedLocalAPI ID or QRYes–64
fast-mcp-telegramYouHostedLocalQR codeYes850
telegram-readonlyYouLocalAPI IDNo–13
telegram-bot-mcpA botLocalBot tokenYes1663

All Telegram MCP servers

95 active · official first, then by GitHub stars

Show all 95

Questions

Is there an official Telegram MCP server?

No. All of these come from community developers, not from Telegram.

Which Telegram MCP server is read-only?

telegram-readonly. Its README says it searches and reads chats and downloads attachments without sending messages or changing chats, and read-only mode is on by default.

Can it send messages as me?

Yes, for most of them. chigwell, Chatroost and fast-mcp-telegram log in as your Telegram account and can send. chaindead only sends drafts, and telegram-readonly cannot send.

Do I need an API key?

Most local servers need an API ID and hash from my.telegram.org plus a login with your phone. fast-mcp-telegram and the Chatroost cloud version use a QR code instead.

Can I limit which chats it can see?

chigwell has an allowlist for chat access, and telegram-readonly uses an explicit read-only allowlist. Set one if you do not want the assistant to read every chat.

Is there a hosted Telegram MCP server?

Chatroost has a cloud version that connects Telegram to Claude.ai or ChatGPT with a QR code. fast-mcp-telegram has a public demo you can try. The rest run on your computer.

User account or bot: which should I use?

Use a user-account server to read your own chats and channels. Use a bot server such as telegram-bot-mcp to act as a bot, which only works in chats the bot has joined.

Can using one get my Telegram account banned?

It can. The chaindead README warns that misuse of the Telegram API may get an account suspended. Read Telegram's API terms first, and avoid mass messaging.

Which server has the most tools?

chigwell lists 80+ tools. telegram-bot-mcp covers 166 Bot API methods. fast-mcp-telegram has just 8 tools on purpose, to use less context.

How do I add Telegram to Claude Desktop?

Open the server's page from the table and follow its install box. Most need an API ID and a login step first.

Server facts from the official MCP registry, GitHub, npm, PyPI and the Docker catalog. Archived servers are not listed.