TeleCrow vs PuzzleBot: Pricing, Limits and the Ads Question

TeleCrow vs PuzzleBot: Pricing, Limits and the Ads Question

PuzzleBot is a well-established Telegram bot and mini-app builder with a strong position in the Russian-speaking market. It also supports MAX, the Russian messenger, which matters a great deal to some users and not at all to others.

Two things separate it from TeleCrow, and both are worth understanding before you commit.

PuzzleBot's pricing

Verified from their tariffs page:

Discounts stack: 10% for enabling autopay, 15% for six months, 20% for twelve.

TeleCrow: Free, then $3.99, $6.99, $11.99 per month.

Even PuzzleBot's entry plan sits slightly above TeleCrow's top plan once converted. At the Professional tier the difference is roughly 3×.

Two caveats on that comparison. Ruble pricing means the USD figure moves with the exchange rate — if you earn in rubles, this is a feature, not a bug, and PuzzleBot removes currency risk that TeleCrow introduces. And PuzzleBot's plans cover a broader feature set than bot templates alone, including mini-app building.

The free tier, honestly

This is where the platforms differ most sharply, and it is the part worth reading carefully.

PuzzleBot's free tier:

• 1 bot, 2 resources
• Up to 150 subscribers per bot
• Up to 15 commands and conditions
• Advertising shown in your bot

The 150-subscriber ceiling is the binding constraint. A bot that succeeds even modestly hits it quickly, and at that point you are on a paid plan — which is, reasonably enough, the intent.

The advertising is the part that surprises people. On the free tier, PuzzleBot places its own promotional messaging inside the bot your customers interact with. For learning the tool that is a fair trade. For anything customer-facing and commercial, it is a problem: your buyers see someone else's advertising inside your storefront.

TeleCrow's free tier shows no TeleCrow branding or advertising to your users. Whatever else differs between the two platforms, your customers never encounter a third party's promotion inside your bot.

Where PuzzleBot is stronger

MAX support. If your audience uses MAX, PuzzleBot reaches them and TeleCrow does not. For parts of the Russian market this single fact decides it.

Mini-app building. PuzzleBot builds Telegram mini-apps, not only bots. Mini-apps are a meaningfully different surface with different capabilities.

Ruble billing. No currency conversion for Russian customers, and no exchange-rate exposure.

Maturity. An established platform with a long track record in its market.

Where TeleCrow is stronger

Price, at every tier.

A free tier with no ads in your bot. Your customers see your bot, not somebody else's advertising.

International orientation. USD pricing and Stars-first payments suit a global audience, where ruble billing is friction.

Faster start for the five covered use cases, with less configuration.

Choose PuzzleBot if

• Your audience is in Russia or the CIS
• You need MAX as well as Telegram
• You want to build mini-apps, not just bots
• You bill and earn in rubles
• Your requirements are complex enough to need its deeper configuration

Choose TeleCrow if

• Your audience is international
• You want the lowest predictable cost
• You need a customer-facing free tier with no third-party advertising
• Your use case fits a template and you want to launch today

The summary

PuzzleBot is the stronger choice for the Russian-speaking market, full stop. MAX support, ruble billing and mini-apps are advantages TeleCrow cannot match, and they are not small.

Outside that market the calculation inverts: PuzzleBot's entry plan costs more than TeleCrow's top plan, its free tier caps at 150 subscribers, and it advertises inside your bot until you pay.

Pick by market first, price second.

Pricing verified September 2026 from PuzzleBot's published tariffs. Ruble/USD conversions are approximate and move with the exchange rate. Verify current pricing before deciding.