What bot starts are
When someone opens a Telegram bot and taps Start, the bot receives a /start command and records a new user. Bot-building tools and dashboards show that user count, and some bot listing sites and directories rank bots by it. Bot starts raise that number.
Who uses them
Developers launching a bot who want it to show some usage on directories. Businesses whose bot handles orders, support or bookings and want stats that don't read zero in a pitch deck. Creators who've built a quiz, file-sharing or utility bot and are listing it in bot catalogues.
What bot starts don't do
The accounts press Start and usually nothing more. They won't use your bot's features, buy anything or keep chatting. Your analytics will show new users who never return. If you track retention, filter these users out or treat that week's numbers separately.
Prices
On the default option, 100 bot starts cost ₹10, 500 cost ₹14.50 and 1,000 cost ₹29. Some options support a start parameter, the text after ?start= in a link, if your bot uses referral or campaign codes. See the table, updated 24 Oct 2026.
Prepare your bot
Make sure the bot is running and responds to /start without errors, because thousands of starts can expose problems. If your bot sends a welcome message, keep it light. If it charges for actions or calls paid APIs on start, consider rate limits so a batch of new users doesn't cost you money. Don't require phone verification on start, or users may be blocked.
Bot rules
Telegram's bot rules prohibit spamming users. Bot starts give you users who pressed Start, which technically lets your bot message them. Don't blast those accounts with promotions; it's pointless and can get the bot reported or limited.
Placing the order
Paste the bot link (t.me/yourbot) or a link with a start parameter if the option supports it. Choose a quantity between 10 and 10,00,000 and pay. Watch user counts in your bot dashboard.
Paying and tracking
Top up by UPI from ₹100. The order page shows progress. If the bot is offline or blocks new users and the order ends short, the undelivered starts are refunded to your wallet automatically.
Example: a student developer's quiz bot
A computer science student in Coimbatore builds a Telegram bot that sends daily GATE practice questions. Before listing it on bot directories, he orders 500 bot starts so the bot doesn't show zero users, filters those users out of his own retention stats, and promotes the bot in GATE preparation channels where real students start using it.
Filtering paid starts out of your analytics
If your bot logs the date and source of each new user, note the time window of your order and tag users who arrived in that window without a start parameter. Many bot frameworks let you record the start parameter, so a simple approach is to use a unique parameter for real campaigns (for example ?start=insta_oct) and leave paid starts without one, or with their own tag. Then you can measure real conversion and retention cleanly.
Real users from real places
Bots grow when they're useful and easy to find. Add the bot link to your channel's pinned post, your Instagram bio and your website. Give the bot a clear description and a /help command. Ask early users for feedback within the bot, and fix what they report. A bot that solves one problem well spreads by word of mouth in Telegram groups.