WhatsApp vs Telegram for business: where each wins in Malaysia and Singapore, and why most businesses answer on WhatsApp and announce on Telegram

Telegram has grown fast in Singapore and has a loyal base in Malaysia, especially for deal channels and communities. WhatsApp remains where customers message a business first. Choosing between them is mostly a false choice: they do different jobs. Here is what each does well, with the numbers.

By Ritchie, ReplyKit · Published 5 September 2026 · 6 min read

Quick answer

In Singapore, published 2026 figures put WhatsApp at roughly 82 percent of the population and Telegram at roughly 49 percent, with WhatsApp preferred for contacting businesses and Telegram popular for following deals and communities. Malaysia's gap is wider in WhatsApp's favour. Use WhatsApp for one-to-one customer service, enquiries and bookings, where an AI agent can answer. Use Telegram for broadcast channels, deal alerts and communities, where subscribers opt in and expect volume. Do not try to run customer service in a Telegram group or promotions in WhatsApp chats.

Side by side Where WhatsApp wins Where Telegram wins The split that works FAQ

Side by side

	WhatsApp	Telegram
Reach in Singapore (2026)	About 82 percent of population	About 49 percent
Reach in Malaysia	Dominant, per DataReportal	Smaller, growing
Customer's first move	Message the business	Follow a channel
One-to-one service	Native, expected	Possible, less common
Broadcast channels	Status and Channels; strict rules on unsolicited messages	Channels are the core feature; subscribers opt in
Groups and communities	Groups and Communities, capped and private	Large public groups and supergroups
Bots	Business-specific automation allowed; general assistants barred from the API since January 2026	Open bot API, widely used
Business tooling	Business App, official API, Meta Business Agent	Bot API, business features
Spam dynamics	Reports restrict numbers	Channels are opt-in; spam is a leave, not a report
AI agent (ReplyKit)	Yes	No

Figures from published Singapore statistics and DataReportal Malaysia; both change year to year.

Where WhatsApp wins

The enquiry. A customer who wants to ask a business something opens WhatsApp. That habit is the whole market; see why SMEs run on WhatsApp.
Bookings and orders in a one-to-one thread with a record.
Trust: a saved business number with a profile, and the option of Meta's verified badge.
AI customer service that answers in seconds; that is what ReplyKit does.

Where Telegram wins

Broadcast channels. Unlimited subscribers who opted in and expect frequent posts: deals, drops, restocks.
Communities. Large groups with topics, useful for clubs, cohorts and fan bases.
Bots for structured tasks with an open API and no per-message fees.
Promo-hunting audiences in Singapore especially, where a share of consumers use Telegram to find offers.

The split that works

Put your WhatsApp number everywhere customers might want to ask a question, and let an agent answer it.
Run a Telegram channel for announcements and deals, with a WhatsApp link in every post for anyone who wants to buy or book.
Never run customer service in a Telegram group; move personal matters to a one-to-one chat.
Never promote in WhatsApp chats to people who did not ask; use Status or the Telegram channel. The rules are in announcing promotions safely.

Where the connection matters: ReplyKit runs on Meta's official WhatsApp Business Platform, so there is no linked-device pairing and no restriction risk from automation. Meta's per-message fees apply only to reminder and follow-up templates sent outside the 24-hour window; replies to customers who message you carry no Meta fee inside it. The trade-offs are explained in why ReplyKit runs on the official platform.

Frequently asked questions

Is WhatsApp or Telegram better for business in Singapore?

WhatsApp for customer service and enquiries, with far higher reach; Telegram for deal channels and communities. Most businesses use both for different jobs.

Is Telegram popular in Malaysia?

It has a growing base, but WhatsApp remains dominant for contacting businesses.

Can I do customer service on Telegram?

You can, but customers mostly do not expect to. Use WhatsApp for one-to-one service.

Can I broadcast on WhatsApp like a Telegram channel?

Only via Status, WhatsApp Channels, or opted-in lists sparingly. Unsolicited WhatsApp messages get numbers restricted.

Does ReplyKit work on Telegram?

No. ReplyKit answers on WhatsApp and your website.

Announce on Telegram, answer on WhatsApp

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Written by Ritchie, ReplyKitPart of the small team in Malaysia that builds and runs ReplyKit. Writes about WhatsApp automation, AI customer service and small business lead response.

How we know this. ReplyKit is WhatsApp-only, so we have an interest here; the reach figures are from published Singapore statistics and the Telegram use cases are the ones our customers run alongside. Product figures in this article (limits, prices, per-reply costs) are taken from ReplyKit as it runs today and are re-checked when we update the page. Where we cite outside research, the source is linked below. We sell ReplyKit, so read our product claims with that in mind; we say where a different tool or no tool is the better choice. About ReplyKit.

Sources and further reading

MarketingAgency.sg, Social media statistics Singapore 2026 · WhatsApp about 82 percent and Telegram about 49 percent of the population
DataReportal, Digital 2025: Malaysia · WhatsApp is the most used messaging platform in Malaysia
WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy · opt-in, opt-out and prohibited-use rules every business must follow

ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or WhatsApp. Reach figures are as published by the linked sources and change; check current statistics for your market.