Ads in Telegram Bots in 2026: From Bot Placements to Banner in Bot
Telegram sells two kinds of ads inside bots: sponsored messages above the chat (since 2025 in euro cabinets) and Banner in Bot with audience targeting (September 2026). Requirements, targeting, formats, prices and how to choose.
Contents
Bots are where Telegram users shop, play, download and pay. Telegram has turned them into ad inventory in two steps: sponsored messages shown inside popular bots, and — since September 2026 — Banner in Bot, an audience-targeted format. For bot owners the same system is a revenue source: 50% of the ad revenue goes to them.
Format 1: sponsored messages in bots#
What it looks like. A sponsored message shown above the chat with a bot, similar to an action bar (Telegram API).
How it is sold. At first the placement was available for TON and Stars; since May 2025 it can also be bought in euro and ruble cabinets. The terms OneSpot described at that point (tginfo, 15.05.2025):
- bots with more than 1,000 users a day;
- up to 9 bots or topics per campaign;
- CPM from €1;
- no geo targeting.
For Russian accounts, resellers quote a minimum CPM of €0.75 for targeting channels, bots and search since 28 August 2026 (eLama).
When to use it. You know the bots your audience uses — download bots, AI assistants, games, marketplaces — and want to be where they spend time.
Format 2: Banner in Bot (September 2026)#
On 15 September 2026 MTS AdTech told AdIndex about Banner in Bot: an ad inside Telegram bots shown to a selected audience rather than to everyone who opens a given bot (AdIndex).
- Targeting: socio-demographics, subscriptions to specific channels, MTS Big Data interest segments, or your own list of phone numbers.
- Creative: text, a logo and a custom emoji. No photos or video.
- Pricing: according to MTS, in line with audience-based placements.
- Availability: per MTS, in Telegram Ads cabinets, with MTS's own ad tools to follow.
Telegram itself has not published an announcement, and the details come from one company. Treat the terms as preliminary and confirm them with your reseller before planning a budget.
Which one to choose#
| Sponsored message in a bot | Banner in Bot | |
|---|---|---|
| Choose by | The bots you pick | The audience you pick |
| Targeting | Up to 9 bots or topics, no geo | Socio-demographics, subscriptions, operator data, your phone base |
| Creative | Standard sponsored message | Text, logo, custom emoji |
| Where to buy | All cabinets | Through Telegram Ads cabinets, per MTS |
| Good for | Contextual reach in known bots | Reaching a defined segment wherever they use bots |
For bot owners: how to earn from it#
Bots that show Telegram Ads receive 50% of the revenue from ads displayed in them, like channels do (Telegram API). Rewards accrue in Gram and Stars; Gram can be withdrawn 2 days after accrual and Stars after 21 days, with payouts processed by Fragment (ToS). Stars on the bot's balance can also be spent on promoting the bot itself at $0.02 of ad credit per Star (Telegram API).
Bots as a destination#
Bots are not only a surface but also the most common non-channel destination of Telegram ads. In the tgadsspy.com archive, 120,923 of 585,770 captured creatives — about one in five — send users to a bot (public API, 23 September 2026). If you advertise a bot, expect to compete with a lot of other bots for the same attention.
Common mistakes#
- Expecting geo targeting in bot placements. At launch there was none.
- Choosing bots with small audiences. Placements were limited to bots with 1,000+ daily users.
- Preparing image or video creatives for Banner in Bot. The format is text, logo and emoji only.
- Planning on unconfirmed terms. Banner in Bot details come from MTS, not from Telegram.
FAQ#
Do bot owners earn from these ads? Yes. Bots that display Telegram Ads share 50% of that revenue with their owners (Telegram API).
Is Banner in Bot available outside Russia? The only public source is MTS AdTech's statement to AdIndex, which describes availability in Telegram Ads cabinets. Check with your reseller.
Can I target a country in bot placements? Not at launch, per OneSpot. Banner in Bot uses audience targeting instead.
Sources: Telegram API: sponsored messages, revenue, Stars, Content Creator Rewards ToS, tginfo, AdIndex, eLama. Data: tgadsspy.com API.
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