What Plus Messenger Actually Is
Plus Messenger is an unofficial Telegram client built on Telegram’s API, developed by rafalense. It’s aimed at people who already use Telegram but want deeper customization than the official app offers: separated tabs for chats, groups, channels and bots, multi-account support for up to 10 accounts, custom categories for organizing chats, and a long list of interface tweaks. It’s essentially Telegram with a heavier settings menu, and it’s meant for power users who find the stock app too limited.
Where It Genuinely Improves On Telegram
The core appeal is real. Features like the increased pinned chat limit of 100, the 20-item favorite sticker limit, forwarding messages without quoting, editing captions before sending, and saving documents with their original names are things stock Telegram users have asked for. Long-time reviewers confirm this was ‘flawless’ when they first installed it, and many say they’ve used it for years specifically because of this customization depth, including sorting methods, night mode switching, and hiding your mobile number from the navigation drawer.
The Bugs That Keep Showing Up
Multiple reviewers describe the app getting noticeably worse over time rather than better. Complaints include glitching when sending messages, a keyboard that won’t close when trying to send pictures, and notifications for messages that aren’t actually there when you open the app, sometimes bad enough that users say they end up redownloading standard Telegram instead. Others report gifs and videos throwing an ERROR_CODE_PARSING_CONTAINER_UNSUPPORTED message that makes previously-saved media unplayable, and one user described a duplicated authentication error that logged all their accounts out simultaneously with no way to reconnect except logging out entirely.
The Ad and Fingerprint Complaints
A notable complaint concerns advertising: one reviewer says ads are now inserted directly into channels disguised as regular posts, distinguishable only by a small ‘Ad’ icon, and that removing them requires paying $5.99. Another paying user who bought the no-ads option says they instead got a persistent popup confirming ads were removed, appearing even when the app wasn’t open. Separately, fingerprint unlock reportedly broke after a recent update, forcing PIN entry every time despite the fingerprint sensor working fine in other apps, and one user noted increasing load times alongside a color-inversion display glitch that persisted regardless of theme settings.
Who Should Actually Download This
If you’re a heavy Telegram user who wants multi-account switching, tab customization, and organizational tools like categories, Plus Messenger still offers more granular control than the official app, and that’s clearly why it has held a large installed base. But go in with tempered expectations: recent reviews consistently mention stability regressions, media playback errors, authentication glitches, and an ad implementation that’s frustrated even paying users. It’s worth trying if customization is your priority, but keep the official Telegram app as a backup in case sync or login issues crop up.
