3 reasons to choose a ready-made solution for mini-apps in Telegram instead of developing from scratch

Mini-apps in Telegram are popular due to a new generation of customers, Telegram’s own promotion of TMAs, and the ease of installation.

New customers. A new generation of buyers has emerged — Zoomers. They aren’t browsing websites, but instead are active in messengers and consume information in TikTok format. TMA is the next iteration of digital marketing, following Manzana and Mindbox, which helps increase their loyalty.

Telegram’s promotion. The messenger is actively promoting its app store, which launched on August 1, 2024, and supports brands« marketing efforts. That’s why TMAs are currently much more effective than apps in the App Store or Google Play, where you have to compete with hundreds of large companies. For example, launching a game in an app store will likely be a waste of money, while competition in Telegram is still relatively low.

Ease of installation. To add an app to your phone, you need to go to the store, find it, open it, click the «Buy» or «Download» button, and possibly enter a password. Only after that can you use it.

Meanwhile, to install a TMA, the user simply clicks a link in Telegram. This increases the conversion rate for registering apps that a person wouldn't bother searching for and downloading from the App Store. You don't need to spend money on advertising to convince users to install a mini-app.

Finch is currently working on several NDA projects:

• A taplink for a foreign TV show that will retain the audience using gamification, even after the program ends.
• An ecommerce platform for premium brands with referral mechanics, gamification, and mining for buying and selling goods. The project uses 3D models of jewelry, accessories, watches, clothing, and shoes, which increase conversion to purchase. Users can exchange items and build collections.
• A taplink for clients of a major streaming service, which will help attract an audience from competitor apps through referral mechanics and gamification.

All these projects share the format of everyday consumer goods. The basic set of the most popular app features includes leaderboards, seasonal promotions, prize pools for player competition, point mining, and performing actions beneficial to the brand.

Development using a ready-made solution outperforms creating a mini-app for Telegram from scratch due to cost, speed, and security levels.

Lower cost. The price of development depends on the app's features and the number of its users.

App features. The more features, the more expensive the project. For example, developing a TMA with basic functions costs from 500,000 to 1.5 million rubles, while creating an app with all the features will require 2–4 million rubles.

Number of clients. The larger the user base, the higher the cost, as additional testing is required. For example, for large clients with more than 100,000 users, we conduct a cold launch to test mechanics on a smaller group first. This phase lasts a week, after which we do a full launch. For smaller projects that want to grow organically, the app can be launched immediately to the entire audience.

Faster development. On average, creating a mini-app for Telegram with standard functionality takes from one to four weeks. For example, we designed an app for a major brand within a month, considering all approvals. Complex projects that require a 3D interface will take more time. Smaller launches with minimal features for an audience of up to 100,000 people can be completed in one to two weeks.

Higher security. A ready-made solution comes with built-in protection mechanisms against fraud, bots, and hacking. Data storage with a ready-made solution is more secure than cloud and low-code solutions due to the option of on-premise deployment. In this case, data is not stored in the cloud but on the client’s side, as the software is installed within the client’s internal infrastructure.

We handle the entire client service process, so the founder doesn't need to prepare anything in advance — just the desire to order a Telegram Mini App.

Determine why the client needs a TMA. We consult the founder and help them understand what would be most effective for their business. We design a business model and explain which mechanics are used in cases from similar industries. From the first meeting, we show design options so the founder can visualize how their brand will look in the interface.

We discuss the cost. We talk about how much a mini-app with the necessary business features will cost for the client.

We create the project. We develop both core and additional features. We also assist with audience engagement and partnerships, as cross-app activities and traffic exchange are popular in Telegram mini-apps.