Quick Summary

Telegram

Full-featured Telegram bot with commands and reactions

  • Native bot API support
  • Forum/topics support
  • Inline keyboards
View Full Guide

Discord

Discord bot with slash commands and threads

  • Slash commands
  • Button interactions
  • Autocomplete
View Full Guide

Capability Comparison

Capability Telegram Discord
Direct Messages ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
Group Chats ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
Media Messages ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
Voice Messages ✓ Yes — No
Reactions ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
Thread Support — No ✓ Yes
Native Commands ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
Text Limit 4096 chars 2000 chars
Protocol grammy discord.js via @buape/carbon

Access Control Policies

Telegram

DM Policies

  • allowlist
  • pairing
  • open

Group Policies

  • allowlist
  • open

Discord

DM Policies

  • allowlist
  • pairing
  • open

Group Policies

  • allowlist
  • open

Best Use Cases

Choose Telegram for:

  • AI assistant bot
  • Group automation
  • Customer support bot
  • Team productivity

Choose Discord for:

  • Community AI assistant
  • Gaming server bot
  • Developer team helper
  • Support communities

Use with AI Providers

Both channels work with all OpenClaw AI providers:

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for AI assistants, Telegram or Discord?
Both work well with OpenClaw. Telegram is better for ai assistant bot, while Discord excels at community ai assistant. Consider your audience and feature requirements.
Can I use both Telegram and Discord with OpenClaw?
Yes! OpenClaw supports multiple channels simultaneously. You can connect the same AI assistant to both Telegram and Discord, allowing users to interact through their preferred platform.
Which has better group chat support?
Both support group chats. Telegram uses allowlist, open policies, while Discord uses allowlist, open.