Lightning-native
Built for sats and BOLT11 invoices — not a fiat wrapper.
Bitcoin Lightning wallet inside Telegram
Send, receive, tip, and monetize chats with sats — without leaving Telegram.
Opens @zap_gram_bot · free · wallet on first open · no card
ZapGram is a Bitcoin Lightning wallet inside Telegram for tipping sats, paying BOLT11 invoices, and selling paid access to private chats — with optional Nostr Wallet Connect for self-custody.
- Zero-fee internal transfers
- Group & channel tips
- Paid chats
- Optional NWC
- Optional support
- Open source MIT
Prefer to audit first? View source on GitHub
Why ZapGram
Most tip bots stop at send and receive. ZapGram is the full Lightning loop inside Telegram.
Zero fee inside Telegram
Transfers between ZapGram wallets are free and as fast as a message.
Tips that fit the chat
/tip in groups and under channel posts — amount, reply,
or @user.
Chats that earn
One-time or monthly access in sats. Members pay; access unlocks.
Your keys, optional
Built-in wallet, or connect any NWC wallet (Alby, Coinos, …).
Optional support
Voluntary % on payments and
/donate — keep open Lightning tools alive with sats.
Feature ideas
Suggest what to build with Use I want a feature in the main menu — optionally attach sats as a priority tip.
Open source
MIT. Inspect the code. Self-host if you want your own instance.
Lightning wallet in Telegram
Every user gets a Lightning wallet the moment they open the bot. Balance in sats. Notifications when you get paid.
Send and receive sats
Create an invoice (amount + optional memo), share the QR or BOLT11 string, and get paid from any Lightning wallet.
Pay any lnbc… invoice — review amount, memo, fee reserve,
and expiry before you confirm. Or send sats straight to a Telegram
@username.
Free transfers between users
When both sides use ZapGram, value moves like a DM: instant, no network fee.
External Lightning payments still pay normal network fees.
Tip sats in groups and channels
Add the bot to a chat. Tip without breaking the conversation.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
/tip |
21 sats to the group owner (or channel creator on a post) |
/tip 100 |
Custom amount to the owner |
Reply + /tip |
Tip the message author |
Reply + /tip 1000 |
Tip the author with a custom amount |
/tip @user |
Tip a user (default 21 sats) |
/tip 50 @user |
Tip a user with a custom amount |
Make the bot an admin (delete messages is enough) so owner tips work cleanly and technical messages stay out of the way.
Support the project (optional)
ZapGram is free to use. You can optionally support the bot author with sats — never required, always under your control.
Voluntary % on payments
New accounts default to 5% on top of tips only. Invoice payments are excluded unless you switch the scope to all payments. Change the percent, scope, or turn it off from the donation screen in the main menu.
Your main tip or invoice pay settles first. The support tip is best-effort and never blocks the payment. Success is silent; failure only notifies you in private chat.
/donate hub
- One-shot: 21 · 100 · 1 000 · 10 000 · 100 000 sats or custom
- Monthly auto-donate in the bot (every 30 days)
- Your totals + community totals (all-time and last 30 days)
-
Outside the bot:
zapgram@getalby.com
Separate from the small platform fee on paid-chat Lightning subscriptions.
Monetize private chats with sats
Turn a private group or channel into a sat-gated community — Lightning and optional on-chain Bitcoin. No Stripe, no bank account.
For owners
-
Add
@zap_gram_botwith invite and ban rights. - Open Chats in the main menu → enable paid access.
- Set price in sats: one-time permanent access or monthly subscription. Optional join message in RU + EN.
- Optional: enable on-chain pay and paste your account zpub / xpub — members can pay on-chain; funds go to your wallet.
Lightning joins: owners are paid automatically (minus a small platform fee on the hosted bot). On-chain joins: sats go straight to your key — no Lightning fee split. Duplicate Lightning payments are refunded safely.
For members
- Request to join.
- Get a Lightning invoice (and one-tap pay if your ZapGram or NWC balance covers it), or Pay on-chain when the owner enabled it.
- Pay either way → access is granted.
Monthly renewals auto-debit via Lightning from the ZapGram wallet. Manage status in
My subscriptions in the main menu. For expiry reminders, open the bot with
/start.
Open in Telegram
Price a chat in sats · Lightning or on-chain on join
Optional self-custody with NWC
Prefer keys you control? Connect any Lightning wallet that supports Nostr Wallet Connect — the same protocol Nostriches already use for zaps.
- Link a
nostr+walletconnect://…URL - See both balances (ZapGram + NWC) on the wallet screen
- Choose which wallet pays tips in groups
- Pay some invoices and subscriptions from NWC when balance allows
- Disconnect anytime
Your external wallet stays under your control. ZapGram only acts within the permissions you grant.
Who ZapGram is for
Bitcoiners & Lightning users
Sats in the app you already live in — tips, invoices, transfers.
Nostriches
Tip culture + optional NWC, without leaving Telegram communities.
Community owners
Sat-priced groups and channels without fiat billing.
Creators & channels
Tips under posts and in groups that actually settle.
Supporters
Optional sats via /donate or a small % — keep open
Lightning tools alive.
Not for: card-only checkout, enterprise KYC invoicing, or multi-asset trading. If you need fiat rails, this isn’t it.
Partner
Used by 21ideas
In the 21ideas community ZapGram is used for tips in chat and paid access to the community.
21ideas
A community with Bitcoin learning materials. Members tip with sats in chat, and paid membership is gated with the bot.
- Website: 21ideas.org
- Telegram channel: @bitcoin21ideas
- Guide: ZapGram guide from 21ideas
- How they use ZapGram: group tips · paid chat access
How it works
-
Open
@zap_gram_bot →
/start— wallet created. -
Fund
Receive → create an invoice → pay from any Lightning wallet (or connect NWC).
-
Tip or send
/tipin a group, or Send to a user / invoice in DM. -
Monetize
Owners: open Chats in the main menu → price in sats → members pay on join.
Open in Telegram
Tap Start · wallet created · fund when ready
What it costs
- Bot & wallet: free to open and use.
- ZapGram → ZapGram transfers: free.
- External Lightning: network fees as usual.
- Paid-chat owner payouts (hosted): small platform fee (default 5%).
-
Optional support: voluntary % on tips / invoice pays and
/donate— not a mandatory fee; configure or disable in settings.
No surprise bank fees. No fiat conversion layer.
Frequently asked questions
What is ZapGram?
ZapGram is a Bitcoin Lightning wallet inside Telegram. It lets you send and receive sats, tip in groups and channels, pay BOLT11 invoices, and sell paid access to private chats — without leaving the messenger.
Is it a wallet or just a tip bot?
Both. You get a full Lightning wallet on first open, plus
/tip in groups, invoices with QR, username transfers, and
sat-gated chats (Lightning and optional on-chain) with subscriptions.
Is ZapGram free? What are the fees?
Free to start. Internal transfers between ZapGram wallets are free. External Lightning
payments pay network fees. On the hosted bot, paid-chat owner payouts take a small
platform fee (default 5%). Optional support for the bot author (voluntary % on
tips/invoice pays, or /donate) is separate and can be
turned off in settings.
Can I support the ZapGram project with sats?
Yes. New accounts include a voluntary 5% on top of tips only;
invoice payments are excluded by default. Change or turn it off in
the donation screen in the main menu. Use /donate for
one-shot or monthly support, personal and community totals, or send to
zapgram@getalby.com. This never blocks your main
payment.
Are my sats custodial?
The built-in wallet is custodial convenience. Prefer self-custody? Connect an NWC wallet (e.g. Alby, Coinos), tip and pay from that balance, disconnect anytime. Source is MIT open source.
Is ZapGram safe to use? How do I know it is legitimate?
ZapGram is open source under the MIT license on GitHub — you can read the code or self-host. Opening the bot needs no card and no bank account. The built-in wallet is custodial convenience; connect NWC for self-custody. It is not a bank and not financial advice.
What happens when I open the bot?
You open @zap_gram_bot in Telegram, tap Start, and a Lightning wallet is created. No separate app install. Fund later with a receive invoice from any Lightning wallet, or connect NWC when you want self-custody.
What is NWC and why support it?
Nostr Wallet Connect lets apps request payments from a wallet you control. ZapGram can show both balances and use your NWC wallet for tips and some payments — familiar if you already zap on Nostr.
How do tips work in groups?
Add the bot. /tip sends 21 sats to the owner;
/tip 100 sets an amount; reply +
/tip tips the author;
/tip @user or
/tip 50 @user targets a person.
Can I sell access to a private group or channel with Bitcoin?
Yes. In Chats in the main menu, enable paid access, set a sat price (one-time or monthly), grant invite + ban rights. Members pay Lightning and/or on-chain if you enable on-chain pay with a zpub/xpub. Access is granted after payment.
How is ZapGram different from LightningTipBot or other tip bots?
ZapGram combines wallet, tips, BOLT11 invoices, paid chats with subscriptions,
optional NWC, and optional project support (/donate) in
one bot. Many peers focus mainly on tipping or simple send/receive. Compare features —
the Telegram Lightning category is still small.
Do I need a separate app or Lightning node?
No. Open @zap_gram_bot, fund with a receive invoice from any Lightning wallet, or attach NWC. No node required for normal use.
Is ZapGram open source? Can I self-host?
Yes — MIT on GitHub. Self-host if you want your own instance; most people just open the hosted bot. Open source is for trust and auditability.
What languages does the bot support?
Russian and English UI. Other Telegram languages fall back to English. This site:
English (canonical) and Russian (/ru).
Is this the same as Telegram Wallet (@wallet)?
No. @wallet is a multi-asset product. ZapGram is Lightning-native: sats, BOLT11, tips, and sat-gated chats.
Where is ZapGram used in the real world?
One live partner is 21ideas — a community with Bitcoin learning materials. In the 21ideas community ZapGram is used for tips in chat and paid access. Channel: @bitcoin21ideas. ZapGram guide from 21ideas.
Open ZapGram in Telegram
Wallet on first open. Tip in groups. Invoice anyone. Gate chats with sats. Optional NWC if you want keys on your side.
Free · no card · source on GitHub
Welcome to the world of free payments.