Telegram launched a closed test of its Serverless platform in July 2026, allowing developers to host bot code and databases directly on Telegram servers. On October 6, the platform added support for hosting Mini Apps, enabling web applications to run within the messenger without requiring external hosting or domains.
The platform provides built-in SQLite support and handles OS maintenance, allowing developers to deploy code via the 'npx tgcloud push' command. However, server-side code is restricted to JavaScript and the Telegram SDK, with no access to standard npm packages or the Node.js file system.
Performance tests comparing Serverless to two VPS instances (1 vCPU, 2 GB RAM) showed mixed results. While VPS outperformed Serverless in database operations, Serverless proved faster in JSON processing tasks. Serverless also encountered read limits when querying 100,000 records, whereas VPS handled the load.
The author concludes that while Serverless offers a zero-cost entry point for prototypes, VPS remains preferable for production projects. VPS provides greater flexibility in language and database selection, better performance for large datasets, and full control over system configuration and backups.
Developers can request access to the Serverless environment through @BotFather. The setup process involves using the tgcloud CLI for authentication, code deployment, and database migrations. Public pricing for the service has not yet been disclosed by Telegram.
