1. In-app purchases with Telegram Stars
The default for digital goods: boosts, skins, lives, premium features, unlocks. Stars purchases convert well because the user already has a balance or can top up in two taps. Design a first purchase under 100 Stars and a ladder of bundles. Required by Telegram for digital goods on mobile; see the Stars guide.
Fits: games, utilities, content apps. Watch: Telegram’s share and app-store cuts; model net revenue.
2. Subscriptions
Recurring Stars payments (or cards for off-platform services). Works for communities, tools, premium content and ad-free tiers. The bot is the retention engine: renewal reminders, “what you missed” summaries and win-back messages all happen in the chat.
Fits: communities, SaaS-like tools, media. Watch: entitlement checks, grace periods, cancellation UX.
3. Advertising
Rewarded video (watch an ad for a reward), interstitials and native placements through Telegram’s ad platform for Mini Apps and partner networks. Revenue depends on audience geography and volume; tier-1 audiences (US, UK, Canada, Australia, Western Europe) pay several times more than emerging markets.
Fits: free-to-play games, utilities with high DAU. Watch: ad fatigue, Telegram’s content rules, frequency caps.
4. Sponsored tasks and partnerships
Partner projects pay to appear as tasks (“join channel X”, “try app Y”) rewarded with in-app currency. For apps with large active audiences this became one of the biggest revenue lines in 2024–2025. Requires verification of task completion and protection against bots.
Fits: games and quest platforms with 50,000+ DAU. Watch: reputation; too many low-quality tasks hurt retention.
5. Token and NFT economies
Points convert into a Jetton on TON, items become NFTs, and revenue comes from primary sales, marketplace fees and treasury allocations. Growth is fast when the airdrop expectation is credible; sustainability depends on sinks and real utility after distribution.
Fits: web3 games, communities with a token plan. Watch: legal structure, listing costs, post-airdrop retention. See TON development.
6. Commerce margin
Storefronts, delivery and bookings earn on the product or service itself; the Mini App is a channel with higher conversion and lower acquisition cost. Payments via cards or TON for physical goods, Stars for digital add-ons.
Fits: brands, restaurants, marketplaces, service businesses. Watch: logistics and payment provider fees. See e-commerce solutions.
7. B2B licensing and internal tools
Selling the Mini App itself to other businesses (white-label storefronts, booking systems, community platforms) or using it internally to replace expensive software. Revenue is contractual rather than per-user.
Fits: agencies, SaaS vendors, enterprises. Watch: multi-tenant architecture from the start.
Choosing the mix
| Product | Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Casual or tap-to-earn game | Stars + ads | Sponsored tasks, token |
| Community | Subscriptions | Stars for events, sponsorships |
| Storefront | Margin | Stars for digital extras |
| Utility / tool | Subscription or one-time Stars | Ads for free tier |
| Web3 product | Token economy, marketplace fees | Stars for convenience items |
Metrics to track from day one
Conversion to first purchase, ARPDAU or ARPU, subscription churn, ad impressions per DAU and eCPM, task completion rate, referral K-factor, and net revenue after platform shares. We wire these into analytics on every project we build, and payments integration covers the rails.
* All prices and ranges on this page are indicative. The final cost is calculated for each project individually and depends on the complexity of the task, the number of developers and specialists required, and the delivery timeline you set. Use the ranges to understand the typical bracket, not as a fixed offer; the fixed price is confirmed in writing after scoping. Read our pricing terms.