What to Do When Telegram Shows an SMS Fee Prompt

When logging into Telegram on a phone, some users see an "SMS fee" prompt. Note that this restriction currently applies only to the official Telegram client on mobile devices — the desktop and web clients are not affected.

Why does the SMS fee prompt appear?

Telegram sends the login code by SMS. In some countries/regions, receiving the SMS may incur charges, so the official mobile client asks you to confirm whether you accept the fee before sending the code.

Recommended: log in on desktop or web first

Since the restriction only applies to the official mobile client, the most reliable approach is:

1. Open the Telegram Desktop client on a computer, or go to the web client web.telegram.org.
2. Select the country/region, enter the phone number, and receive the code normally to log in (the desktop client does not show the SMS fee prompt).
3. Keep that device online and do not log out after signing in.
4. Then return to the phone and verify via the already-logged-in device (or simply use the desktop client) to bypass the SMS fee prompt.

How to solve it on mobile

If you must log in on a phone, you have two options:

Option 1: Pay for a one-week membership

Accept the SMS fee and pay for one week of Telegram Premium to resolve the SMS restriction. After subscribing, the mobile client usually no longer limits login by SMS fee.

Option 2: Use a third-party client

Download a popular third-party Telegram client to bypass the official mobile client's restriction. Common third-party clients include:

• Nicegram — nicegram.app, available on App Store / Google Play
• Plus Messenger — plusmessenger.org
• Nekogram X — open-source client, downloadable from GitHub
• Telegram X — lightweight client from the official team
• Forkgram — forkgram.app

Always download from official channels and avoid packages from unknown sources.

Things to note

Whichever method you choose, set up two-step verification and bind an email as soon as possible after logging in. Download third-party clients only from official channels to protect your account.

Summary

The SMS fee restriction applies only to the official mobile client. Logging in on desktop or web and staying online is the simplest, most reliable option. On mobile you can either pay for a one-week membership or use a third-party client.