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.
Contents
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.