Railway
One-click deploy
Skip local setup entirely. Provision the full stack, including Postgres, Redis, and volumes, on Railway in a few minutes.
- No local Docker required
- Managed Postgres, Redis, and volumes
- Add or remove connectors anytime
Telegram MCP server with per-chat permissions
Let Claude, ChatGPT, and Cursor read and reply to Telegram, only in the chats you choose. Every other conversation stays invisible to the AI.
100% Free· Open source · Self-host or hosted
Example of the Claude chat app using the Automata Telegram MCP server. The user asks Claude to catch up on the Launch team Telegram group and confirm Thursday's call. Claude lists the chats in scope, reads 36 messages from Launch team, is refused when it tries to read the Family chat because it is outside the token's scope, then sends a confirmation to Launch team and summarizes the conversation.
The basics
What is a Telegram MCP server?
A Telegram MCP server connects your Telegram account to AI assistants through the Model Context Protocol. It gives tools like Claude and ChatGPT a small set of actions, such as listing chats, reading and searching messages, and sending replies, so they can work with your conversations instead of you copying and pasting them.
Automata is a free, open-source Telegram MCP that adds the missing piece: a permission check before every tool call, so the AI only sees the chats you approve.
Why scope matters
Most Telegram MCPs hand over your whole account.
Popular open-source servers give the AI every chat, group, and channel, and the ability to message anyone. Automata enforces access chat by chat.
| Capability | Typical Telegram MCP | Automata |
|---|---|---|
| What the AI can read | Every chat, group, and channel on the account | Only the chats you allow on the token |
| Sending messages | Any contact, group, or bot | Only chats with write access, recipient verified first |
| Per-chat permission levels | None | Read, write, or no access for each chat |
| Revoking access | Terminate the session or stop the server | Revoke one token; other clients keep working |
| Remote clients (Claude.ai, ChatGPT) | Usually local stdio only | Streamable HTTP endpoint with bearer tokens |
Token scope
Telegram chats
send-telegram-message · search-telegram-messages
- Read + write
Design team
Telegram group
- Read
Investor updates
Telegram channel
- Blocked
Family
Telegram group
PostgreSQL tables
query · execute
- Read
public.orders
PostgreSQL table
- Read + write
public.inventory
PostgreSQL table
- Blocked
private.payroll
PostgreSQL table
Out-of-scope call refused
private.payroll · permission_denied
Run it your way
Free, open source, and yours to inspect.
The control layer protecting your messages and data should not be a black box. Read the code, verify the checks, and deploy Automata wherever your security model requires.
Self-hosted
Free, forever
Run the Nuxt control plane and Postgres on your machine, VPS, or homelab. Add the WhatsApp or Telegram services only when you need those connectors.
- MIT licensed source
- Unlimited scoped connections
- Credentials stay on your infrastructure
Hosted
Free tier available
Use the same connector and permission model without operating the services yourself. Tell us which messengers and databases you need.
- Managed setup and updates
- The same granular scopes
- Direct access to the Automata team
Reference
Telegram MCP tools
Five tools, each limited to the chats on the token. Disabled tools are never registered, so the AI cannot even try them.
get-telegram-statusreadChecks that the linked Telegram account is connected before anything else runs.
list-telegram-chatsreadLists only the private chats, groups, and channels the token is allowed to see.
read-telegram-messagesreadPages through message history for one allowed chat, newest first.
search-telegram-messagesreadFull-text search across the allowed chats, never the whole account.
send-telegram-messagewriteSends a text message to a chat with write access after verifying the recipient.
Full parameters are in the MCP tools reference.
Setup
Connect Telegram to Claude in three steps
- 1
Link Telegram with a QR code
Deploy Automata with the Telegram bridge, add your own API credentials from my.telegram.org, then scan the QR code from Telegram → Settings → Devices → Link Desktop Device.
- 2
Choose the chats the AI can use
Create a connector token and set each chat to read, write, or no access. Only the tools you enable are registered.
- 3
Add the MCP URL to your client
Paste the endpoint into Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or any MCP client. Start with get-telegram-status to confirm it works.
Claude Code
claude mcp add --transport http automata-telegram \
https://your-automata.example.com/mcp/<connector-token>In Claude.ai or Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector and paste the same URL. Clients that prefer headers can use /mcp with Authorization: Bearer. See all clients.
Telegram restricts using chat data for AI unless everyone in a chat has consented, so read the Telegram connection guide before you share a chat.
Use cases
What you can ask once Telegram is connected
- “Summarize what the Launch team discussed in Telegram this week.”
- “Find the link Sam shared in the Dev chat on Tuesday.”
- “Draft a reply in the Community group confirming the new meetup date.”
- “List every open question in the Beta testers chat since Monday.”
FAQ
Telegram MCP questions
What is a Telegram MCP server?
A Telegram MCP server exposes your Telegram chats to AI assistants through the Model Context Protocol, so tools like Claude or ChatGPT can list chats, read and search messages, and send replies on your behalf.
Is the Automata Telegram MCP free?
Yes. Automata is MIT licensed and free to self-host, including a one-click Railway template. A hosted version is open for signup at mcp.getautomata.app.
Does it use the Telegram Bot API?
No. Automata links a personal Telegram account as an additional device by QR code, so the AI can work with your own chats rather than only the chats a bot has been added to. You create your own API credentials at my.telegram.org.
Is it allowed under the Telegram terms?
Telegram restricts using platform data for artificial intelligence except where everyone in a chat has consented, and unofficial clients are monitored more closely, so violations can restrict or ban an account. Review the current Telegram terms, get consent from the people in the chats you share, and consider a test account first.
Can the AI read Telegram groups and channels?
Yes. Private chats, bots, groups, supergroups, forum topics, and channels are synced, and each one can be allowed or blocked individually on the token. Broadcast channels are skipped unless you turn them on. Secret chats are device-only and never visible.
How far back does the history go?
New messages sync in real time, and a deliberately paced backfill fetches older history up to limits you set per chat and by number of days.
Which AI clients work with it?
Any client that supports remote MCP servers over HTTP, including Claude (web, desktop, and Claude Code), ChatGPT connectors, Cursor, and custom agents.
Should I self-host or use the hosted version?
Self-host if you want your messages and session on infrastructure you control. Choose hosted if you want the same per-chat permissions without operating the Telegram bridge and Postgres yourself.
Give your AI Telegram, not your whole Telegram.
Deploy the free Telegram MCP server in minutes. The same token model also covers WhatsApp and PostgreSQL.