Telegram Mini Apps: A platform for mini apps operating within the Telegram messenger

Let's start with the basics. Telegram Mini Apps is a platform for mini apps operating within the Telegram messenger, which had 950 million monthly active users as of July 2024.

Alexey Toropov (left), Vadim Sterlin (right)

Let’s start with the basics. Telegram Mini Apps is a platform for mini apps operating within the Telegram messenger, which had 950 million monthly active users as of July 2024.

Advantages

Key strengths of the platform include:

Another frequently mentioned benefit is the lack of commission fees. While app stores charge up to 30%, Telegram takes 0%. However, there’s a catch here, which we’ll discuss in the monetization section.

Capabilities

Today, developers can provide a fully native experience for players in Telegram Mini Apps. Last November, the platform introduced the following updates:

As a result, even games like Doom can now run on the platform.

Monetization

Within Telegram, users can pay third-party developers using:

For games, the latter two options are most relevant.

Stars

Stars are Telegram’s official in-app currency. Users buy them with real money via mobile payment systems or bots. Withdrawals are only possible through TON.

And here’s the catch with the “zero commission” point.

The exchange rate of Stars is a separate complex topic. On the one hand, they are withdrawn at the rate of $0.013 per Star. On the other hand, the price for them depends on the selected currency and the volume of purchase (the more you buy, the cheaper they are).

As a result, the IAP for 100 Stars in the game can cost the user $2.4, but the developer will be able to withdraw the same amount only as $1.3.

However, Stars remain a convenient payment tool within Telegram, enabling:

In December 2024, Telegram also introduced Affiliate Programs, allowing users and channels to earn Stars by referring paying users to mini apps (for a percentage of referred users’ payments).

TON

The TON cryptocurrency can also be used for microtransactions, but this is rarely utilized.

Case studies

Last year’s viral hits — Notcoin, Hamster Kombat, and X Empire — attracted hundreds of millions of users combined.

It is worth noting that all successful cases in the niche so far are crypto-linked. Their lifecycle typically follows this pattern:

Below are examples of such flash-in-the-pan games.

Notcoin: the success story that started the clicker craze

Notcoin became a phenomenon and inspired countless clones.

Key facts:

Mechanics:

Notcoin was the first to show that games on the Telegram Mini Apps platform can reach a large audience. The success of the game prompted other developers to create their own clickers.

Hamster Kombat: almost 300 Million users in record time

Hamster Kombat is likely the most famous Telegram game. Its popularity and hype has spread far beyond the Web3 community.

Key facts:

Mechanics:

Thanks to well-executed influencer marketing and good word of mouth, which would not have been possible without the focus on network marketing (the game also gave currency for acquired friends), Hamster Kombat became a global phenomenon in a matter of months.

X Empire: Hamster Kombat clone that achieved impressive reach

Managed by popular Russian YouTuber Alexander Sokolovsky, X Empire took on the rising social media presence of Elon Musk and the whole clicker trend.

Key facts:

Mechanics:

X Empire showed that it is possible to achieve impressive reach and attract millions of users even by releasing a clone of another product to the