Telegram bot token
Run Flake under your own bot. Paid tier.
A custom Telegram bot replaces the shared Flake bot with your own named, branded one. Same features, your identity in the member list. About five minutes with BotFather.
What a custom bot adds
The token grants Flake direct API access under your bot’s username. Members see your branding, your avatar, and rate limits that aren’t shared with anyone else.
- Custom Bot Identity
- Your bot appears with your custom name and profile picture
- Full Control
- Complete control over bot settings and configurations
- Enhanced Security
- Your own dedicated bot token for maximum security
- Rate Limits
- Dedicated rate limits not shared with other users
- Branding
- Customize bot username and appearance to match your brand
- Direct API Access
- Direct connection to Telegram API with your credentials
Free vs paid
The free tier is the right call for personal servers and friend groups. The paid tier is the right call when your brand is the product members are showing up for.
| feature | Free tier shared flake bot | Paid tier your custom bot |
|---|---|---|
| Bot Token | Shared Flake bot | Your custom bot |
| Bot Name | FlakeBot | Your custom name |
| Profile Picture | Flake logo | Your custom image |
| Rate Limits | Shared with other users | Dedicated limits |
| Setup Required | None - ready to use | BotFather setup needed |
| Control Level | Basic functionality | Full bot control |
Six steps with BotFather
Each step is a single command in your BotFather chat. The command on the right is the literal string to send.
- 01
Start Chat with BotFather
Begin by opening a conversation with the official BotFather
send/start- 01Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
- 02Start a chat by clicking on the BotFather profile
- 03Send /start to begin the bot creation process
- 02
Create New Bot
Initialize the creation of your new Telegram bot
send/newbot- 01Send the /newbot command to BotFather
- 02BotFather will respond and ask for your bot's display name
- 03This name can contain spaces and special characters
- 03
Choose Display Name
Set the human-readable name for your bot
- 01Enter a display name for your bot (e.g., "My Community Bot")
- 02This name will appear in contact lists and at the top of conversations
- 03You can change this later if needed
- 04
Set Username
Choose a unique username ending in "bot"
- 01Choose a username for your bot (must end with "bot")
- 02Examples: mycommunitybot, helpdesk_bot, announcements_bot
- 03Username must be unique across all Telegram bots
- 04Keep it short and memorable for easy mention
- 05
Get Your Token
BotFather will provide your unique bot token
- 01BotFather will send you a message containing your bot token
- 02The token looks like: 123456789:ABCDefGhIJKLmnOPQRsTUVwxyZ
- 03Copy this token immediately - you'll need it for Flake setup
- 04Never share this token publicly or with unauthorized users
- 06
Configure Bot Settings
Set up additional bot properties through BotFather
- 01Use /setdescription to add a description for your bot
- 02Use /setuserpic to upload a profile picture
- 03Use /setcommands to configure available bot commands
- 04These settings improve user experience and bot discoverability
ready to set it up
Paste the BotFather token into Flake.
The custom-bot field for Telegram is under Integrations on your server. Flake will verify the token and start receiving updates immediately.
Token security
The token is the bot. Anyone with it can speak and act as your bot. Treat it the way you’d treat an admin password.
rules
- 01Keep Token Private: Never share your bot token publicly or commit it to version control
- 02Use Environment Variables: Store tokens in secure environment variables, not in code
- 03Regular Token Rotation: Consider regenerating tokens periodically for enhanced security
- 04Monitor Bot Activity: Regularly check bot logs for any suspicious activity
- 05Revoke if Compromised: Immediately revoke and regenerate tokens if you suspect a breach
Common issues
still stuck
Talk to the people who wrote the code.
Support is run by the same team that ships the product. Both rooms below are watched during working hours, and answers do not go through a tier-one queue.