Telegram integration

A Telegram support bot in one paste

Create a bot with @BotFather, paste the token, done — the fastest channel to go live. Your agent answers customer DMs from the same knowledge base as every other channel.

Setup: genuinely one field

  1. 1
    Message @BotFather in Telegram
    Send /newbot, give your bot a name and username, and copy the token BotFather returns.
  2. 2
    Paste the token
    Dashboard → Integrations → Telegram: paste the token and pick the agent. Chat Cactus validates it against Telegram and registers the webhook automatically — with a secret, and without replaying old messages.
  3. 3
    Share your bot
    Put the @username on your site, receipts, or bio. Anyone who messages it gets a grounded answer within seconds.

A support scenario

A customer opens your bot from a link on your site and asks about a delayed order. The agent answers from your shipping policy document — in Telegram's native register, light formatting and all. The customer asks two follow-ups; the agent keeps the thread's context. When they ask "can I talk to someone?", the AI mutes, your team is notified, and a teammate finishes the chat from the dashboard — the customer never leaves Telegram.

A pre-sales scenario

A prospect finds your bot and asks whether your product fits their use case. The agent answers from your docs, follow-up by follow-up. The whole exchange lands in your dashboard with the visitor's Telegram name attached, so your team can pick up warm conversations — and if the prospect asks for a person, the thread escalates and a teammate answers right in the same chat.

Good to know

  • Direct messages only — the bot deliberately stays out of groups and channels.
  • Text in, text out: non-text messages are ignored rather than answered badly.
  • Webhook secured with a per-integration secret; token encrypted at rest; disconnect deregisters the webhook at Telegram.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does setup involve?

One field. Create a bot with @BotFather inside Telegram, copy the token it gives you, and paste it into the dashboard. Chat Cactus validates the token and registers the webhook with Telegram automatically — there is no URL to copy anywhere.

Does it work in Telegram groups or channels?

Not today — the bot answers direct messages only. That keeps it focused on one-to-one customer support rather than moderating group chats.

What kinds of messages does it understand?

Text messages. Stickers, photos, and voice notes are ignored rather than answered badly — the customer can always type the question.

Is the connection secure?

Yes. The webhook is registered with a random secret token that Telegram echoes on every delivery, and Chat Cactus rejects anything without it. The bot token itself is AES-256-GCM encrypted at rest, and disconnecting removes the webhook at Telegram.

Can a human take over a Telegram chat?

Yes — escalated conversations mute the AI and notify your team; a teammate’s dashboard reply is delivered to the customer as a normal Telegram message from your bot.

Live on Telegram before your coffee cools.

10 minutes from sign-up to your first answered customer message. Free forever plan, no card required to build.