Userbot or Bot: Which Account to Choose for Forwarding Messages
Userbot vs bot for Telegram auto forward: what each account type can see, where it can post, and what limitations you should know about before you choose.
CopyPost works with two kinds of accounts. They aren’t interchangeable — your choice determines which channels you’ll be able to read.
User account (userbot) #
A regular Telegram account connected to CopyPost via a QR code or an SMS code.
Pros:
- reads any channels and chats it’s subscribed to — no need to be an administrator;
- loads the list of its dialogs automatically;
- supports turbo receive — faster delivery of posts from channels.
What you risk: the account works like a regular device. Use a separate account for auto-posting, not your personal one, and don’t subscribe it to thousands of channels in one day.
Bot #
An account created via @BotFather, connected with a token.
Pros:
- no phone needed;
- it’s the official way to automate Telegram, and it’s easy to replace with a new token.
Limitations:
- reads only channels where it’s an administrator and groups it has been added to;
- can’t subscribe to someone else’s channel;
- turbo receive isn’t available.
How to choose #
| Task | Read with | Post with |
|---|---|---|
| Copy someone else’s public channel | user account | a bot that’s an administrator of your channel |
| Duplicate your channel to a backup | bot | bot |
| Collect news from 20 channels | user account with turbo receive | either |
| Forward from a private chat | user account that’s a member | either |
The “user account reads, bot posts” combo is the most popular: the account sees everything, while posts go out on behalf of a bot administrator that’s easy to replace.
Your own api_id and api_hash #
By default, accounts connect through the CopyPost app. If you have your own app on my.telegram.org, enter its api_id and api_hash when connecting — the account will then work on its behalf.
How many accounts you need #
Three accounts are free — enough for most setups. If you need more, there are packs of three accounts, with up to 30% off when you buy in bulk.
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