Prunegram vs TgEraser: Which Telegram Cleaner Fits You?
Updated July 2026
TgEraser and Prunegram both get recommended when your Telegram needs a cleanup — but they solve different problems in very different ways. TgEraser is a free Python script that deletes your own messages from chats. Prunegram is a Telegram Mini App that cleans your chat list— dead groups, bots, muted channels — in bulk. Here's the honest breakdown.
Side by Side
| Prunegram | TgEraser | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Telegram Mini App (runs inside Telegram) | Open-source Python command-line script |
| Setup | Open @prunegrambot — about 2 minutes | Install Python, clone the repo, create your own Telegram API ID/hash, run from a terminal |
| Main job | Scan your whole account; bulk-leave groups, delete chats, dead bots, scam channels | Delete your own messages from chats and groups (message eraser) |
| Scan / preview first | Yes — free unlimited scan with categories before anything is touched | No visual scan; you target chats via command-line prompts |
| Interface | Visual dashboard in Telegram on any device | Terminal only |
| Message deletion | No — Prunegram never reads or deletes individual messages | Yes — that is its core feature |
| Bulk leave groups | Yes, with smart categories (inactive, muted, dead bots) | Not its focus |
| Credentials | Telegram login; encrypted session, revocable, deleted on logout | Your own api_id/api_hash in a local config file — you manage the security |
| Price | Free to scan; $9.38 72h pass or $29 lifetime (launch, first 500 — $99 after) | Free (open source) — costs your setup time |
| Maintenance | Maintained product with support via @prunegrambot | Community repo; you update dependencies yourself |
The Setup Difference, Honestly
TgEraser's setup is the real cost of "free." You need Python installed, the package from GitHub or PyPI, and your own Telegram API credentials from my.telegram.org — a page that intimidates plenty of non-developers. Expect 20–30 minutes the first time, more if pip or Python versions fight back. Once running, it does exactly what the README promises.
Prunegram's setup is opening a link: tap @prunegrambot in Telegram, press Start, and the scan begins. About two minutes, nothing installed, works the same on a phone as on a desktop.
When TgEraser Is the Right Choice
- You specifically want to erase your own message history from groups — that's TgEraser's core feature and Prunegram deliberately doesn't touch messages.
- You're comfortable with Python, a terminal, and creating your own Telegram API credentials.
- You want free and open source, and you're happy to audit and run the code yourself.
When Prunegram Is the Right Choice
- Your problem is chat-list clutter: hundreds of dead groups, forgotten bots, muted channels eating storage and attention.
- You want to see before you delete — a free scan categorizes everything first, and you choose what goes.
- You don't want to install anything: it runs inside Telegram on your phone, tablet, or desktop.
- You want a maintained product with support, not a repo to babysit.
Pricing is public: scanning is free and unlimited; bulk cleanup needs a $9.38 72-hour pass or $29 lifetime access (launch price for the first 500 users, $99 after). Payments go through Telegram Stars or TON.
A Note on Safety
Both tools use Telegram's official API, and both create a session you can revoke from Telegram → Settings → Devices. The difference is who holds the keys: with TgEraser you create and store your own API credentials locally; with Prunegram the session is stored encrypted server-side and deleted immediately when you log out. Neither approach reads your message content for scanning — and you should distrust any cleanup tool that asks for more than it needs.
See What's Cluttering Your Telegram
The scan is free and shows every inactive group, dead bot, and muted chat in your account — before you decide anything.
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