Telegram vs WhatsApp:Which is searched more?
In September 2026, WhatsApp had more branded searches than Telegram among messaging apps worldwide. WhatsApp had about 277 million branded searches, while Telegram had 31.1 million. WhatsApp made up 78.1% of all messaging app searches we track, and Telegram accounted for 8.8%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Is Telegram or WhatsApp more popular in search?
Compare the messaging apps people chat on. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of searches by month for WhatsApp, Telegram. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Telegram | Discord | Messenger | Signal | Viber | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 71.8% | 9.9% | 11.8% | 5.3% | 0.39% | 0.48% | 0.32% |
| Nov 2025 | 72.6% | 10% | 12% | 4.4% | 0.39% | 0.39% | 0.26% |
| Dec 2025 | 68.4% | 11.6% | 13.8% | 5% | 0.45% | 0.45% | 0.3% |
| Jan 2026 | 68.4% | 11.6% | 13.8% | 5% | 0.45% | 0.45% | 0.3% |
| Feb 2026 | 70.3% | 11.8% | 11.6% | 5.2% | 0.46% | 0.46% | 0.26% |
| Mar 2026 | 72.6% | 10% | 12% | 4.4% | 0.39% | 0.39% | 0.26% |
| Apr 2026 | 74.3% | 10.2% | 10% | 4.5% | 0.33% | 0.4% | 0.27% |
| May 2026 | 72.7% | 10% | 12% | 4.4% | 0.32% | 0.39% | 0.26% |
| Jun 2026 | 72.6% | 12.3% | 9.8% | 4.4% | 0.32% | 0.39% | 0.26% |
| Jul 2026 | 74.4% | 10.3% | 10% | 4.5% | 0.27% | 0.33% | 0.27% |
| Aug 2026 | 72.7% | 10% | 12% | 4.4% | 0.32% | 0.32% | 0.26% |
| Sep 2026 | 78.1% | 8.8% | 8.6% | 3.8% | 0.28% | 0.28% | 0.23% |
How has the Telegram and WhatsApp comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- WhatsApp was ahead of Telegram in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Telegram’s share of searches among messaging apps worldwide moved from 9.9% to 8.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 31.2M to 31.1M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, WhatsApp’s share of searches among messaging apps worldwide moved from 71.8% to 78.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 226M to 277M.
How did search popularity change for messaging apps worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, WhatsApp gained share of searches among messaging apps worldwide, from 72.7% to 78.1%.
In September 2026, Telegram lost share of searches among messaging apps worldwide, from 10% to 8.8%.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Telegram’s and WhatsApp’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among messaging apps
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