How Bots Send Paid Media in Telegram: Digital Products, Star Invoices & Automated Sales
Monetize digital content with zero payment gateway friction. Discover how Telegram bots can dispatch encrypted Paid Media (photos, videos, and tutorials) that users unlock using Telegram Stars—providing buyers with permanent lifetime access via Settings while automating developer revenue pipelines.
How sendPaidMedia Operates in Bot API 7.8+
A technical overview of the endpoint parameters and payload structure for bot-driven paid media.
// Method: sendPaidMedia (Bot API August 2024 Update)
{
"chat_id": 987654321,
"star_count": 150,
"media": [
{
"type": "photo",
"media": "https://cdn.example.com/art/design_preview_highres.jpg"
},
{
"type": "video",
"media": "attach://masterclass_lesson1.mp4",
"supports_streaming": true
}
],
"caption": "Unlock Masterclass Lesson 1 + Raw Project Files",
"payload": "order_invoice_course_101"
}
// MTProto Response
message#5b497040 flags:#
media:messageMediaPaidMedia#a8852491
stars_amount:150
extended_media:Vector<MessageExtendedMedia> = Message;
When a bot dispatches sendPaidMedia, Telegram wraps the assets in a messageMediaPaidMedia container. Before payment, clients only receive a low-resolution blurred placeholder (messageExtendedMediaPreview). Upon payment confirmation via Telegram Stars, the server updates the client state in real time to messageExtendedMedia, revealing the uncompressed photos and high-bitrate video stream.
Simulate a user purchasing locked educational video tutorials or digital art bundles from a bot using Telegram Stars.
How to Purchase & Access Bot Paid Media
A frictionless experience for buyers and subscribers.
Bot Paid Media FAQ
Answers regarding developer limits, refunds, and storage permanence.
