Post to Telegram via API: connect once, post with one call (2026)

How Telegram posting works

Telegram's Bot API lets a bot send messages, photos and videos to a chat or channel. You create a bot with @BotFather (which gives you a bot token), add the bot to your channel as an admin, and find the chat id. PostWire then calls sendMessage / sendVideo for you.

No OAuth, no audit. Set it up once and post programmatically right away.

Smart Distribute: a clean, link-friendly channel message

PostWire's Smart Distribute turns a single prompt (plus optional media) into the best native post for every network — never the same text everywhere, which every algorithm penalizes. For Telegram it writes a clean, scannable channel message that keeps links inline (Telegram doesn't penalize outbound links), while it simultaneously reframes the same idea for TikTok, YouTube, X, LinkedIn and the rest. AI generation is included free on every plan (you pay for brands, not per post) and is one MCP tool (generate_posts) or one REST call (POST /api/generate).

1. Connect your Telegram account

Message @BotFather → /newbot to get a token. Add the bot to your channel as admin. The chat id for a public channel can be @yourchannel; for private chats use the numeric id. PostWire stores the token encrypted. You can also connect from the dashboard without writing code.

curl -X POST https://postwire.io/api/connect \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $POSTWIRE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"platform":"telegram","credentials":{"bot_token":"123456:ABC-DEF...","chat_id":"-1001234567890"}}'

2. Post with one REST call

Once connected, publishing is a single request. Add more networks by putting more strings in platforms — same payload, one call.

curl -X POST https://postwire.io/api/post \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $POSTWIRE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"platforms":["telegram"],"text":"Hello from PostWire 👋"}'

Response: {"results":[{"ok":true,"platform":"telegram", ...}]}

3. Or let an AI agent post it (MCP)

PostWire ships a first-class MCP server — not docs-only. Add it to any MCP client (Claude, Cursor, your own agent):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "postwire": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "postwire-mcp"],
      "env": { "POSTWIRE_API_KEY": "pw_live_xxx" }
    }
  }
}

Then the agent just calls the tool — no HTTP plumbing:

{
  "name": "post_to_social",
  "arguments": { "platforms": ["telegram"], "text": "Shipped today 🚀" }
}

Telegram via API: build it yourself vs PostWire

Pricing: flat per brand

Running 50 brands on Ayrshare costs roughly $779 — and its MCP is docs-only, so an agent can't actually post. See PostWire vs Ayrshare.

FAQ

Can I post to a Telegram channel via API?

Yes. Create a bot with @BotFather, add it to your channel as an admin, and PostWire uses the Telegram Bot API (sendMessage / sendVideo) to publish. You provide the bot token and chat id once.

How do I get a Telegram bot token and chat id?

Message @BotFather and run /newbot to get the token. Add the bot to your channel as admin. Use @yourchannel as the chat id for public channels, or the numeric id for private chats.

Is Telegram live on PostWire right now?

Yes. Telegram is live today with no app review, alongside Bluesky, Mastodon, and Discord.

How does an AI agent post to Telegram?

PostWire ships an MCP server (postwire-mcp). The agent calls post_to_social with platforms set to telegram and the text (and an optional video_url). PostWire sends it via the Bot API and returns the message result.

How much does it cost to post to Telegram?

Free plan: 1 brand, 30 posts/month. Paid plans are flat per brand: Starter $9, Pro $29, Agency $99 for 50 brands, Scale $299.