How to sell in Telegram with Stars: a practical guide for 2026
How Telegram Stars payments work, what you can sell for Stars, how a bot delivers the product automatically, and what to keep in mind about fees and payouts.
Telegram Stars is Telegram's built-in currency for digital goods and services. A buyer pays with Stars right inside the chat, without leaving the app or entering card details — which removes most of the friction that kills conversions.
What you can sell for Stars
Stars are meant for digital goods and services delivered inside Telegram or a mini app:
- access to private channels and chats;
- licence keys, subscriptions and software access;
- files, guides, templates, courses;
- in-bot features, credits and premium modes.
Physical goods are usually paid by other methods. Always check Telegram's current terms for your category before launching.
How a Stars sale works
- The buyer opens your bot and picks a product.
- The bot sends an invoice in Stars (currency
XTR). - Telegram shows the payment form; the buyer confirms.
- Telegram sends the bot a successful payment update.
- The bot delivers the product automatically: a key, a file, an invite link.
Step 5 is where most of the value is. If delivery is manual, you lose buyers at night and on weekends.
Fees and payouts
Buyers purchase Stars through Telegram or app stores, so the price they pay includes store fees. Sellers can convert earned Stars through Telegram's official withdrawal options, with a holding period before withdrawal. Rules and rates change — check the official Telegram documentation before you calculate your margin.
Setting prices
- Price in Stars, but think in dollars: estimate how much you actually receive per Star after fees.
- Offer 2–3 plans (e.g. week, month, lifetime) — the middle one usually sells best.
- Keep alternative payment methods (crypto, balance) for buyers who prefer them.
Common mistakes
- No automatic delivery — buyers wait, ask for refunds, leave.
- No stock or limits — the same key is sold twice.
- No order history — impossible to resolve a dispute.
Ready-made solution
Our shop bot accepts Stars and CryptoBot, keeps stock, reserves units during payment and delivers goods instantly. If you need something custom, describe your project and we'll estimate it for free.