Telegram Ads is paid per 1,000 impressions: the minimum bid is about €1 in a euro account, 0.1 TON in a TON account and 50 Stars in a Stars account. Starting through a reseller usually takes €250–500, plus the reseller’s fee and VAT. Below is what makes up the final cost and what numbers the market showed in 2026.
How the impression price is formed
Telegram Ads is an auction. You set a CPM bid, and the ad gets impressions if the bid is competitive for the chosen audience. The final cost depends on the topic, geography, the number of advertisers in the same channels and how often one user sees the ad.
Minimum bids by account type:
| Account | Minimum CPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Euro (via reseller) | about €1; €0.5 for Politics & Incidents | A custom emoji in the text raises the bid by 20% |
| TON | 0.1 TON | Channels and bots only, channel targeting |
| Stars | 50 Stars | Your own channel or bot only |
Minimum budget: how much you need to start
When Telegram Ads launched in December 2021, a direct account required a deposit of about €2 million. That’s why small and medium businesses use official partners — resellers. According to public data as of October 2026:
- eLama — starting budget €250, with post-payment for companies;
- Telescope, OneSpot and Magnetto.Pro — from €500;
- Clickise and Click.ru — from €250.
These resellers mainly serve the Russian-speaking market, and terms change often — check current figures with the reseller. How to compare them is explained in how to choose a Telegram Ads reseller.
What makes up the total amount
When paying through a reseller, your ad budget comes with:
- The reseller’s fee — usually 15–20% for most topics, 25% for education and up to 30% for crypto projects.
- VAT — in Russia, 22% charged on the fee.
- The conversion rate — many resellers use the central bank rate plus a markup of 3 rubles per euro or 3–5%.
Example: a €500 top-up with a 20% fee and VAT on the fee. The fee is €100, VAT on it is €22. You pay €622 at the reseller’s rate, and €500 goes to ads.
What impressions and clicks cost in practice
Real numbers depend heavily on the niche and the data source. Examples from public sources for 2026:
| Source and period | CPM | CPC | CTR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campaigns targeting Russia, Adsly data as of 3 October 2026 | €2.68 | €0.415 | 0.65% |
| Market, January 2026 (ppc.world, eLama) | €1.64 | €0.33 | — |
| Market, August 2026 (ppc.world, eLama) | €0.97 | €0.12 | — |
Sources differ because they measure different sets of accounts and topics. Use them as a benchmark, not as a forecast for your campaign.
How not to overpay
- Start with a bid slightly above the minimum and raise it in steps if impressions are low.
- Limit frequency per user: 1–2 a day for a test.
- Compare resellers not only by fee but also by conversion rate — a worse rate can cancel out a lower fee.
- If you promote your own channel or bot, check the Stars account: when you pay with Stars, Telegram credits 30% more than the Stars cost. See paying in euros, TON and Stars.
More ways to cut costs are in how to lower CPC in Telegram Ads.
Read also: Telegram Ads Auction and Bids: How CPM Works · Telegram Ads Metrics: CPM, CTR, CPS and ROI
FAQ
How much does Telegram Ads cost in 2026?
The minimum bid is about €1 per 1,000 impressions in a euro account. According to public sources, average CPM for a Russian audience in 2026 was €1–3, and a click cost €0.12–0.42.
What is the minimum budget to launch?
Through resellers, usually €250–500 for the first top-up. A Stars account lets you start with less, but only for your own channel or bot.
Do you pay for clicks or impressions?
Telegram Ads only charges for impressions (CPM). The cost per click is a derived figure that depends on your bid and how often people click.
Why do resellers charge different fees by topic?
For “difficult” topics such as education and crypto, resellers charge more for additional checks and moderation risk — usually 25% and 30% versus 15–20% for other niches.
Is VAT included in the fee?
Usually not: in Russia 22% VAT is added on top of the reseller’s fee. Check the calculation in your contract.
