What to ask ad networks for Telegram bots
The rate per thousand impressions is the last thing to look at. First work out how the network is built: that decides what you hand over and what you get paid for.
- Do I have to give the token? Some networks connect a bot only with its BotFather token; others do without it.
- Who sends the ad? The network, or your bot, which receives a ready post and sends it to the user.
- What is paid? Every impression, clicks only, or a share of the network’s revenue.
- How is an impression confirmed? How the network knows the message reached a real person, and what happens when it doubts that.
- How are payouts made? Minimum amount, waiting period, fee, currency.
- What control do I keep? Placements, ad categories, frequency.
For the wider picture of ways to earn, see How to monetize a Telegram bot.
Monetize a Telegram bot without a token or with one: who sends the ad
A message in a bot chat is sent through the Bot API with that bot’s token. So there are two ways to connect.
With the token
You give the network the token. Your bot’s backend makes one API call saying who should see an ad, and the network sends it. The network gets the sending result from Telegram directly, which is why it can pay for every impression. GramAds works this way, and so does the token mode on HiViews.
Without the token
The token stays with you. The bot requests a ready post from the network and sends it itself. AdsGram’s block integration, Adexium, Sidekick and the no-token mode on HiViews are built like this. The network does not send the message, so ask how it confirms an impression — the answer usually decides whether you are paid per impression or per click only.
About the token on HiViews: it is stored encrypted, used only to send the ad and to check that the viewer is a real user, and can be revoked in @BotFather at any moment with Revoke current token. More in Is it safe to share a bot token.
Networks compared from the bot owner’s side
The table contains only what the networks state in their own public documentation. Where there is no direct answer, it says “see their docs”.
| Network | Token needed | Who sends the ad | What the owner is paid for | Also stated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GramAds | Yes, the BotFather token | The network; the bot’s backend makes one API call with the user’s chat id | Impressions | See their docs |
| AdsGram | No (block integration) | The bot: it requests an ad and sends it | Clicks | Bots pass moderation; the network is known for ads in Telegram Mini Apps |
| Adexium | No | The bot: it requests an ad and sends it | A revenue share | At most one sponsored message per user per bot per 24 hours; has a widget for Mini Apps |
| Sidekick | No | The bot: it inserts the ad into its own reply | See their docs | Native ads in the answers of AI chat bots; publishers are onboarded manually |
| SocialJet | See their docs | The network: the bot forwards its updates to it through an SDK | See their docs | Has a timed ad format with a skip button |
| Telegram Ads | See their docs | Ads are bought through Telegram’s own platform | See their docs | The official platform: sponsored messages in channels and bots |
| HiViews | Your choice: with or without | With a token — the network; without — the bot | With a token — every impression and clicks; without — confirmed impressions and clicks | Bot moderation; welcome and regular impressions; the owner picks formats and categories |
Based on the networks’ public documentation as of October 2026. Terms change — check each network’s own documentation before you connect.
AdsGram for bots
For bots AdsGram has a block integration without a token: the bot requests an ad and sends it itself, publishers are paid per click, and bots pass moderation. Rates and payout terms are in AdsGram’s documentation.
The two HiViews modes and what each pays
On HiViews a bot can be connected either way, and a bot that started without a token can add it later with no new review.
| Item | With a token | Without a token |
|---|---|---|
| How you prove the bot is yours | The BotFather token | A short code in the bot’s About text |
| Who sends the ad | HiViews | The bot: it requests a ready post and sends it |
| What the code needs | One API call | A POST https://hiviews.net/api/partner/ad request and sending the post; ready functions exist for Python (aiogram), Node.js (Telegraf) and PHP |
| What is paid from day one | Every impression and clicks | Each impression whose sending Telegram confirmed, and clicks |
| Paid impressions | At once: $4.80 per 1,000 welcome and $2.40 per 1,000 regular | At once, for confirmed impressions; the rate per impression is lower than with a token |
A click on a pay-per-click ad earns the owner $0.04.
A bot without a token gets every campaign of the network from the start — welcome and regular impressions, pay-per-impression and pay-per-click — plus external ads; there is no separate approval to wait for. Each impression whose sending Telegram confirmed is paid. The confirmation works through a hidden link in the post text, so the post must be sent as is and link previews must not be disabled. Every ad link goes through HiViews tracking, and a bot whose clicks do not match its impressions automatically loses paid impressions and goes back to pay-per-click only.
Later you can paste the token on the bot page: no new moderation, the same API key, no code changes. From then on impressions are paid at the full rate. Code for both modes is in the API docs.
Example math, not a forecast: 10,000 welcome impressions × $4.80 ÷ 1,000 = $48; 20,000 regular impressions × $2.40 ÷ 1,000 = $48. How to estimate your own volume is covered in How much a Telegram bot earns.
Payout terms and the control you keep
Here is how it works with us; for other networks, see their documentation.
- Waiting period. Earnings become withdrawable after 7 days — that is the anti-fraud check.
- Withdrawal. From $50 in USDT TRC20 (withdrawal fee: $3). Earnings can also be moved to the ad balance and spent on promoting your own bot.
- Formats and categories. You decide whether to sell welcome impressions, regular ones or both, and you can refuse ad categories and allow or forbid explicit posts.
- External ads. When no regular ad fits a viewer, a post from an external ad network is shown. It is paid per click only, the price varies a lot by country and audience, and the income is credited the next day. External ads and fixed-price clicks can both be switched off.
Balances and withdrawals are covered in the finance guide.
Where to connect your bot
- Many new users every day. Look at networks that pay per impression and place ads after /start: every new start is an impression.
- You do not want to share the token. AdsGram’s block integration, Adexium, Sidekick and the no-token mode on HiViews all work without it.
- An AI chat bot. There is a native format where the ad is appended to the bot’s answer — that is how Sidekick works.
How to switch networks without breaking the bot
-
Put the ad call in one function
The rest of the bot calls that function, not the network’s API directly. The network then changes in one place.
-
Do not show two ads in a row
If you are testing two networks, split them by placement or by share of users.
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Add a timeout and error handling
If the network does not answer, the bot should simply carry on.
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Close things out with the old network
Withdraw what is left under its rules. If you shared the token and no longer want it to work, revoke it in @BotFather and update it in your bot and in the services you keep.
How to connect a bot to HiViews and pass moderation is in the guide for bot owners.
FAQ
Do I have to give my bot token to an ad network?
No, it depends on the network. According to their documentation, GramAds connects a bot with its BotFather token, while AdsGram’s block integration, Adexium and Sidekick work without one. HiViews has both modes: you can start without a token and add it later with no new review.
How can I monetize a Telegram bot without a token?
The bot requests a ready post from the network and sends it itself. On HiViews you prove ownership with a code in the bot’s About text and get an API key. Impressions whose sending Telegram confirmed are paid, and so are clicks; the rate per impression is lower than with a token.
When can I withdraw earnings from HiViews?
Earnings become withdrawable 7 days after they are credited, which is the anti-fraud check. Withdrawals start at $50 in USDT TRC20, and the withdrawal fee is $3.