What to use instead of Telegram: getting to know Solovo

A Telegram alternative is better chosen for particular conversations than by the longest feature list. Telegram can stay for the channels, bots and communities you are used to, while another messenger is tested on talking to the people close to you. For a first trial, one private or family chat, a few messages and a short call are enough.

We made Solovo for direct communication with family, friends, colleagues and small teams. You can write, exchange photos and files, record voice and round video messages, make calls and keep shared to-do lists.

The essentials:

• You do not have to move every conversation at once: start with one person or a small group.
• Telegram and other apps can stay for the tasks they already handle well.
• Solovo has private and group chats, audio and video calls, files, reactions and shared tasks.
• The main site is solovo.app, the web version is app.solovo.ru/.

Why people look for an alternative

The reasons differ. Some want a backup way to reach the people close to them, others a separate family chat without a stream of channels and work notifications. Others again want to try a new app in advance so they are not searching for one in a hurry when the usual service is temporarily unavailable.

That does not mean Telegram has stopped being suitable for conversation. Contacts, channels, bots, work groups and large communities have already taken shape there. So it is calmer not to stage a full migration but to split the roles between apps and see which conversation works better where.

Every service has its own role

Telegram combines private messaging with channels, bots and large groups. Signal focuses on private messages and calls. MAX brings together chats, calls, channels, bots and mini-apps, while Element runs on the open Matrix network and offers a choice between a hosted service and your own deployment.

We focused on more intimate communication: private and group conversations, calls, files and shared tasks with the people who matter to you. We are not suggesting you abandon the other apps. It is easier to choose one living scenario, walk it end to end and decide whether the format suits you.

Talking to the people close to you

A private chat

Start with someone you write to almost every day. In a private chat you can send text, voice messages, round videos, photos, music and documents. Messages can be answered with a quote or a reaction, your own text can be edited, and the information you need forwarded to another chat.

A conversation like that quickly shows whether the app fits your ordinary rhythm. Write in the morning, send a photo in the afternoon, arrange a call in the evening. Within a day you will see how notifications arrive and how easily you can switch between messages and a call.

A family group

One shared chat keeps plans, photos, voice messages and household questions together. Create a group, send your family an invite link, and revoke it once everyone has joined. If you need to add someone later, issue a new link.

Shared task lists help with arrangements. Add purchases, trip preparation or household chores and tick things off. That way a request does not get lost between photos and a long thread.

A group of friends

A group chat is a convenient place to choose where to meet, agree on a time and collect photos afterwards. For short answers there are reactions and stickers. If the discussion drags on, you can move to a group audio or video call.

During a group call you get screen sharing, camera switching, a raised hand and a speaker indicator. These suit both a friendly conversation and a short joint discussion. Before an important conversation, still make a trial call: connection quality depends on each person's device and network.

What you can do in a chat

Write and reply

Solovo has private and group chats. You can answer a specific message with a quote, add reactions, edit your own text and forward messages. Unfinished text is kept as a draft, so you can come back to it later.

Static and animated stickers help you answer without a long phrase. The settings include a dark theme, and the interface is available in several languages. If you allow access to your phone book, people you know who already use the app will appear in the list; contacts can be given names that suit you.

Make calls

When typing takes longer than speaking, start an audio call. A video conversation needs camera permission, and any call needs the microphone. The connection goes over the internet, so before an important call test it on the device and network you will actually use.

A call can also start in a group. Screen sharing helps when you need to show a document, a photo, a route or a few steps in an app. In a friendly conversation you can raise a hand, and the speaker indicator helps follow along.

Share files

You can send a photo, video, music or document into a chat. That suits tickets, receipts, routes, family pictures and files you need to pass to someone quickly. The recipient will not have to hunt for the attachment in a separate email thread.

An unusual format or a large file is better tested on one recipient first. You will immediately see whether the attachment uploads, whether it opens on the right device and whether this method suits your task. We do not advise moving an important process before such a trial.

Stay in touch without a call

A voice message is easy to record on the move or when you want to convey tone. A round video suits a short greeting, a view from a window or an answer that does not need a full video call. The recipient opens it when they can.

This format helps when your schedules do not match. You keep the conversation going without having to be available at the same minute. For an urgent question it is better to write a separate short message so the point is not lost inside a long recording.

No ads, no clutter

Right now Solovo works with no ads and no paid subscription. We focused the app on chats, calls, contacts, files and shared tasks. Writing to someone close does not require figuring out additional services.

That does not make other formats of communication unnecessary. Channels, public communities, bots and mini-apps solve their own problems, and you can keep using a familiar service for them. Here it is convenient to keep the conversations where the people and a small circle of participants are what matter.

What we do not promise

We do not call Solovo a full copy of Telegram and do not promise automatic transfer of your entire history, channels, bots and settings from another app. If the old archive matters to you, leave it where it is and start a new conversation in Solovo.

Some features may arrive on iPhone, Android and the web version at different times. Check the action you need on your own device. For corporate use, ask separately about data retention, event logs, employee management and integrations: an ordinary chat is not enough to confirm your company's requirements.

Messages and calls are protected by encryption. We do not use that phrase as a substitute for technical documentation. If your organisation has formal requirements for protocols and data access, a responsible specialist should verify them before moving work processes.

How to sign up

On a phone

Start at the main site solovo.app and choose the version for iPhone or Android. After installing, open the app, enter your phone number and the confirmation code from the SMS. Never tell anyone that code and never enter it on third-party pages.

Once signed in, grant only the access you actually need:

• Contacts — to see the people you know who have already joined.
• Microphone — for audio calls and voice messages.
• Camera — for video calls and round videos.
• Photos — for sending images and clips.

If the code is delayed, first check the number, your mobile connection and whether you can receive SMS. Repeat the request only inside the app itself. A phone is more convenient for the first setup: on it you can immediately check contacts, notifications and a call.

In a browser

The web version opens at app.solovo.ru/. Sign in on a trusted computer and follow the on-screen prompts. Do not leave an open session on a shared device.

The feature set in the browser and the mobile app may differ. If the action you need is missing from the web version, check the same chat in the current app on your phone. That is more honest than expecting the screens to match exactly.

Testing on one chat

Do not change the whole family's habits before a first trial. Choose a conversation with no critical data and walk a simple route:

• Invite one person close to you or create a small group.
• Send text, a photo, a voice message and a small document.
• Answer a message with a quote, add a reaction and edit your own text.
• Make a short audio call, then turn on video.
• Check notifications on Wi-Fi and on mobile internet.
• The next day, decide whether it is comfortable to keep this conversation here.

A test like that requires no big migration. If everything works the way you need, add one more family or friends chat. Your previous conversations stay where they are whatever the outcome.

Settings after signing in

Set up notifications first. Keep sound for important conversations and make less urgent groups quieter. Then review access to contacts, the microphone, the camera and photos, and turn off what you do not use.

On iPhone the app can be locked with a passcode, Face ID or Touch ID. Turn it on if other people may use the phone. Once the family has joined the shared chat, revoke the old invite link if you are not expecting anyone else.

For a small team

In Solovo you can put together a chat for a few colleagues, exchange messages and files, make a short audio or video call and share your screen. That format suits arranging a meeting, showing a document or reaching a small field team quickly.

For ongoing corporate work, checking the features is not enough. Before moving discussions, compare your company's rules on conversation retention, account management, archiving, event logs and internal integrations. We do not claim such capabilities without a separate technical review.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to leave Telegram?

No. Keep channels, bots and established communities in Telegram, and start one private or family chat in Solovo. After a few days you will know whether you want to add other conversations. A full migration is not needed for that check.

Can I use Solovo on a computer?

Yes, the web version is available at app.solovo.ru/. Sign in only on a trusted device and test the actions you need in your own chat. The mobile and web versions are updated separately, so their capabilities may differ.

How do I invite people into a group?

Create a group chat and send everyone an invite link. Once they have all joined, the link can be revoked. If you need to add someone later, issue a different link.

What can I send into a chat?

Conversations support text, photos, videos, music, documents, voice messages and round video messages. With an unusual format or a large file, do a trial send first. That shows whether the attachment opens on the recipient's device.

Can we have a group call?

Yes. In a group chat you can start an audio or video call, share your screen, raise a hand and see who is speaking. Before an important meeting, check everyone's microphone, camera and connection quality.

How are messages and calls protected?

Messages and calls are protected by encryption. For personal communication this short explanation is enough to understand the basic principle, but it does not replace a technical description. A company should request documentation and compare it with its own security rules before moving work data.

Start with one conversation

Install Solovo, invite someone you talk to often and spend an ordinary day in one chat. Send a message and a file, record a voice message, make a call. A trial like that gives a clear answer without leaving Telegram and without moving your entire history.

Main site: solovo.app

Web version: app.solovo.ru

Sources

• Main Solovo site — solovo.app
• Solovo in the App Store — apps.apple.com/ru/app/%D1%81%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BE/id6761128325
• Solovo on Google Play — play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.solovo.messenger
• Telegram help — telegram.org/faq?setln=ru
• Signal features — signal.org
• MAX help — max.ru/help/about/chto-takoe-max
• Element user guide — element.io/en/user-guide