The Telegram Gold Rush: Why Creators Are Abandoning Substack and Patreon for Channels

I remember sitting in a coffee shop back in 2022, watching a prominent newsletter writer vent on Twitter about his Substack subscriber growth finally plateauing. He was frustrated. He’d spent years building an email list, only to feel like he was shouting into a void where half his emails were landing in the 'Promotions' tab. Fast forward to today, and that same creator has deleted his newsletter dashboard entirely. He’s moved his entire operation into a private Telegram channel. He isn't alone.

There is a shift happening right under our noses. It feels less like a corporate pivot and more like a mass migration. Creators are tired of the gatekeepers. They are tired of the algorithms that punish them for not posting exactly when the platform wants them to. Telegram, once known for its security features and encrypted chats, has become the de facto clubhouse for the creator economy.

The Death of the Inbox

Let’s be honest about email for a second. We’ve spent two decades pretending it’s the most intimate form of digital communication. It isn’t. Email is a graveyard for half-read newsletters and forgotten promotional codes. When you send an email, you are competing against corporate marketing teams and an inbox that’s likely overflowing. It’s an uphill battle for attention.

Telegram feels different. It feels like a text message from a friend. When a notification pops up, it doesn't get buried under a layer of spam. It hits your lock screen. It requires immediate, active attention. For creators, that reach that 100% organic delivery rate is the holy grail. There is no filter, no 'Promotions' folder, and no opaque algorithm deciding whether your audience sees your work or not.

Why the Platforms are Losing Their Grip

Patreon and Substack have done wonders for monetization, sure. They gave us the tools to charge for content, which was a massive win for indie creators. But there’s a cost. You are renting your audience. You are beholden to their terms of service, their fee structures, and their UI changes. What happens when they decide to pivot? Or when they raise their take-rate?

Creators are realizing that a platform is just a platform. A community, however, is an asset. When you move to Telegram, you aren't just broadcasting; you’re engaging. The comment sections in Telegram channels feel like actual conversations. People use emojis. They share memes. They tag each other. It’s messy, it’s chaotic, and it’s remarkably human. Compare that to the clinical, static feel of a Substack post comment section, and you start to see why the energy has shifted.

The End of the Algorithmic Treadmill

Social media apps like Instagram and TikTok have made us all anxious. We wake up wondering if our post 'performed' well. We check stats. We adjust our titles. It’s exhausting. Telegram removes that pressure. Because it's not a discovery engine, you aren't fighting to go viral. You are speaking to the people who already chose you. It’s a lower-stress, higher-trust environment. For many, that’s worth more than the potential reach of a viral tweet.

Monetization Without the Middleman

The financial logic here is simple. If you are using a third-party service, they want their cut. If you go direct using Telegram’s built-in bot integrations or simple payment links you keep more. But it’s not just about the money. It’s about the agility. I’ve seen creators set up a private, pay-to-access channel in fifteen minutes. They create a custom bot, add a payment button, and they’re done. No waiting for platform approval. No policy reviews.

This speed is addictive. When you’re an entrepreneur, time is the only thing you can’t buy more of. If you can launch an idea, test it, and monetize it in the span of a lunch break, you have a massive advantage over someone waiting for their platform’s permission to launch a 'feature'.

Building for the Long Haul

Of course, this isn't for everyone. If your goal is massive scale and discoverability, you still need the public platforms. Telegram is a walled garden. It’s a place for your core tribe. But perhaps that’s the point. We are moving away from the 'everyone is an audience' mindset toward the 'I need 1,000 true fans' model. Telegram is perfectly built for that. It’s a tool for depth, not breadth.

Think about the intimacy of your phone. Your phone is a private space. You don't let just anyone into your text messages. By having a Telegram channel, a creator is essentially being invited into a user’s most private device. That’s a level of trust that you can’t buy with marketing spend. It has to be earned through consistent, authentic communication.

What Does This Mean for the Future?

I suspect we’re going to see a hybrid model. Creators will use TikTok or Instagram for the 'top of the funnel' the broad exposure and funnel their most dedicated fans into Telegram. It’s a smart strategy. You use the algorithmic giants to find people, and then you bring them home to a place where you own the relationship. That is the new blueprint. If you’re still relying solely on a newsletter provider or a crowdfunding platform, you might want to consider where your audience actually lives. Because they’re already on Telegram, and they’re waiting for you.