Telegram Stars: what they are, where to buy them and what they're for

If you’ve seen a star icon on a paid post, in a bot or in a mini app on Telegram, that’s Telegram Stars. It’s the messenger’s in-app currency for paying for digital stuff right inside the app.

What Stars are for

• paying in bots and mini apps: games, services, subscriptions;
• unlocking paid posts or media in channels;
• supporting creators with paid reactions;
• sending gifts to friends, including collectible ones (there’s a separate article about those);
• subscribing to paid channels.

Where to buy them

• Right in Telegram: Settings → My Stars. You pay through the App Store or Google Play. Convenient, but usually pricier because the stores take a cut.
• Through the @PremiumBot bot.
• On Fragment, Telegram’s official marketplace, using Gram (formerly Toncoin). According to users, it’s noticeably cheaper, but you need a TON wallet.

Prices depend on your country and payment method, so it’s worth comparing before you buy.

Can you cash Stars out

Not the ones you bought. Purchased Stars can’t be sold, withdrawn or turned back into money.

Only earned Stars can be withdrawn — if you run a channel, bot or mini app and people paid you in Stars. Here’s how:

1. Collect at least 1,000 Stars, and each one has to be at least 21 days old.
2. Go to Settings → My Stars → Withdraw. Fragment opens.
3. Enter a TON wallet address. The payout arrives in Gram.

The withdrawal rate is lower than the purchase price. That’s normal: the difference goes to Telegram and the app stores.

Things to watch out for

• Third-party bots sell Stars “at a discount”. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Buying in Telegram itself or on Fragment is safer.
• Don’t click “free Stars” links and never share SMS codes. It’s one of the most common baits.
• The official Fragment is at fragment.com — check the address.

Want to understand what Gram is and why Stars are paid for with it? Here’s the article about Gram and TON.