The Dataset
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Campaigns analyzed | 159,153 |
| Total ad spend | $1,125,293 |
| Impressions | 236,249,363 |
| Clicks | 3,221,305 |
| Advertisers | 309 |
| Countries | 61 |
| Accounts | 114 |
| Channels in database | 410,426 |
Split: TON 105,175 campaigns (66%), Euro 44,785 (28%), Stars 9,193 (6%).
Finding #1: Stars Cabinet Achieves 4.13% CTR — 8x Higher Than Google Display
| Cabinet | Avg CTR | vs Google Display | vs Facebook Feed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stars | 4.13% | 8x higher | 12x higher |
| TON | 2.19% | 4x higher | 6x higher |
| Euro | 0.72% | 1.6x higher | 2x higher |
Stars is Telegram's newest cabinet type with AI moderation and the least ad saturation. Users in Stars-targeted channels see fewer ads overall, creating higher attention per impression.
Takeaway: If you're optimizing for engagement, Stars cabinets deliver the highest CTR on any major advertising platform we've measured.
Finding #2: TON Delivers $0.19 CPC — Cheaper Than Any Major Ad Platform
| Cabinet | Avg CPM | Avg CPC | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| TON | $2.51 | $0.19 | Cheapest of any mainstream platform |
| Euro | €18.78 | $0.58 | Comparable to Facebook CPC |
| Stars | ~€4.11 | ~€1.41 | Higher CPC but 4.13% CTR compensates |
TON cabinets offer the lowest cost-per-click of any mainstream advertising platform. At $0.19 per click, you acquire traffic at roughly 1/10th the cost of Google Search Ads for most keywords.
The tradeoff: TON lacks geographic targeting. You target channels, not countries. For location-specific campaigns, Euro cabinets are necessary — at significantly higher CPMs.
Takeaway: For global campaigns without geographic requirements (crypto, SaaS, education), TON cabinets are the most cost-efficient entry point.
Finding #3: Stars Approval Rate Is 99.99%
| Cabinet | Approval Rate | Moderation | Review Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stars | 99.99% (1 of 9,193 declined) | AI (most lenient) | 1-2 hours |
| Euro | 94.5% | Manual (human) | 12-48 hours |
| TON | 94.0% | AI | 1-4 hours |
Overall decline rate across all cabinets: 5.5% — much lower than the 20-30% rejection rates commonly cited for Telegram Ads.
The 99.99% Stars approval rate is remarkable. Out of 9,193 campaigns submitted through Stars cabinets, exactly one was declined. For crypto, betting, fintech, and other niches that face strict moderation on Google and Facebook, Stars cabinets essentially eliminate the moderation barrier.
Takeaway: If moderation rejections are costing you time and money, switch to Stars. The approval rate is effectively 100%.
Finding #4: Hourly Optimization Doesn't Matter
We analyzed 24.5 million hourly data points across all campaigns:
| Hour (UTC) | Avg CTR | vs Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Best (14:00) | 0.8435% | +0.7% |
| Worst (22:00) | 0.8279% | -1.1% |
| Total variance | < 2% |
CTR varies by less than 2% across the 24-hour cycle. The difference between the "best" and "worst" hour is 0.0156 percentage points — statistically insignificant for campaign optimization.
Takeaway: Don't waste time on hourly scheduling. Focus on what actually moves the needle: cabinet type, channel selection, and ad text quality.
Finding #5: Cabinet Type Is the #1 Performance Driver
| Factor | Impact on CTR | Impact on CPC |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinet type | Up to 5.7x (Stars 4.13% vs Euro 0.72%) | Up to 3x |
| Channel selection | 2-3x between best and worst | 2-3x |
| Ad text quality | 1.5-2x between variants | 1.5-2x |
| Time of day | < 2% variance | < 1% |
The hierarchy is clear: Cabinet type > Channel selection > Ad text > Everything else.
Recommendations Based on This Data
For crypto, DeFi, Web3: Stars cabinets. 4.13% CTR and 99.99% approval is unmatched. Add TON for volume ($0.19 CPC).
For geographic campaigns: Euro cabinets. Higher CPMs (€18.78) but precise country-level reach across 50+ countries.
For budget testing: TON cabinets. No deposit, $2.51 CPM, $0.19 CPC. Test with $50 and get ~20,000 impressions.
For high-risk niches (betting, pharma): Stars exclusively. 99.99% approval eliminates moderation friction.
Methodology
Data collected from the ADSLY platform (adsly.pro) between 2025-2026. All metrics from actual campaign performance — not estimates, surveys, or third-party reports. Campaigns with fewer than 100 impressions excluded from CPM/CTR calculations. CPC excludes zero-click campaigns.
Advertisers across 61 countries. Largest concentrations: Hong Kong (11.3%), India (11.0%), Russia (8.4%), Netherlands (7.4%), Uzbekistan (5.2%).
This is the largest publicly disclosed Telegram Ads benchmark dataset. Competitors (growity.ai, RichAds, PropellerAds) do not disclose their dataset sizes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Telegram Ads CPM in 2026?
TON: $2.51. Euro: €18.78. Stars: ~€4.11. Based on 159,153 campaigns tracked through ADSLY.
What is the average Telegram Ads CTR?
Stars: 4.13% (8x Google Display). TON: 2.19%. Euro: 0.72%. Stars delivers the highest CTR of any major ad platform.
What is the Stars cabinet approval rate?
99.99% — 1 decline out of 9,193 campaigns. Effectively guaranteed approval.
How many campaigns were analyzed?
159,153 campaigns, $1.13M spend, 236M impressions, 3.2M clicks, 309 advertisers, 61 countries. Largest public Telegram Ads dataset.
Does time of day matter for Telegram Ads?
No. CTR variance < 2% across 24 hours. Focus on cabinet type and channel selection instead.
What is the cheapest Telegram Ads CPC?
TON: $0.19 average CPC. Cheaper than Reddit ($0.50+), Quora ($0.30+), and most display networks.
Which cabinet type is best?
Stars for CTR (4.13%) and approval (99.99%). TON for cost ($0.19 CPC). Euro for geo targeting. Cabinet choice is the #1 performance driver.
Is this the largest Telegram Ads study?
Yes. 159K campaigns, $1.13M tracked. No competitor discloses comparable dataset sizes.