Comparison
Korovs
TelegramTelegram feels private — but only in Secret Chats.
Telegram feels like an encrypted messenger. In reality, the default cloud chats are server-side encrypted, not end-to-end. Only Secret Chats are real E2E — and only in 1:1, only on mobile. With Koro, everything is always E2E, in groups too, on desktop too.
Short and honest
Three structural differences.
Default is NOT end-to-end
Default cloud chats run over MTProto; Telegram servers have access to plaintext.
Custom protocol instead of open standard
MTProto is proprietary and has been criticized repeatedly by crypto researchers. Koro uses Diffie-Hellman.
Great for communities, thin for teams
Bots and channels are strong, but workspaces, tasks and sync with project tools are missing.
Encryption
Who can read your messages?
The same conversation, two paths. Where does it run encrypted end to end — and where doesn’t it?
Via Telegram
You
Sender
Server
Partly readable
Markus
Recipient
Only some conversations are encrypted
Default cloud chats: MTProto with server-side decryption — Telegram servers can read content. Secret Chats: real E2E, but only 1:1, only on one device at a time, not in the web client. Group calls and channels are never E2E.
Via Koro
You
Sender
Server
Can’t read
Markus
Recipient
Servers are blind
Diffie-Hellman key exchange by default in EVERY chat — 1:1, group, channel, meeting. Synced across all devices, no master device required. Open source crypto kernel, audited by Cure53.
Feature by feature
What you get with Koro — and what’s missing in Telegram.
KoroTelegramHonestly speaking
When does Telegram win, when does Koro?
We’re not going to talk Telegram down where it doesn’t deserve it. Here’s the honest split.
If this is what you want
Stick with Telegram
- You’re building a community with 100k+ members and need Telegram’s massive group scaling.
- Bots, channels and public discovery are essential to your use case.
- You use it as a broadcast channel to followers, not for 1:1 private comms.
- Stickers and custom emoji are an important part of your communication culture.
If this is what you want
Switch to Koro
- Real end-to-end encryption in EVERY conversation is mandatory — not only in a hidden Secret Chat mode.
- Your team works on desktop and web too, not just mobile.
- You need team workflows: channels, tasks, roles, workspaces cleanly separated.
- GDPR-compliant data processing and EU servers are non-negotiable.
- You want your own branding and API embedding, not just bot integration.
From Telegram to Koro — real E2E, everywhere, always.
Join the waitlist. At launch you get 1 month of Koro Pro for free and a step-by-step onboarding guide for Telegram communities.