Send Telegram messages from a counter

Get a Telegram message the moment a counter hits a milestone. Counter posts to any chat through your own bot, with templated text that includes the counter value and title. No code required.

Guide for the Counter app on Android. Works with any Telegram bot.

What you need

• The free Counter app for Android.
• A Telegram account.
• A couple of minutes to create a bot.

Step 1: Create a Telegram bot

1. Open Telegram and start a chat with @BotFather.
2. Send /newbot and follow the prompts to pick a name and username.
3. BotFather replies with a bot token. Copy it, you will paste it into Counter.

Step 2: Find your chat ID

1. Send any message to your new bot so it can see you.
2. Open a helper bot such as @userinfobot or @RawDataBot to read your numeric chat ID.
3. Copy the chat ID.

Step 3: Add a Telegram action in Counter

1. Open the counter, go to Events & Actions, and add a rule.
2. Pick the event that should send the message: a counter event (Reached Value, Counter Updated) or a time-based event (every day, weekly, every N minutes).
3. Choose the Telegram Message action.
4. Paste your bot token and chat ID.
5. Write the message text, using template variables for dynamic content.

Example message:

{{title}} reached {{value}}.

Counter replaces {{title}} and {{value}} with live data when it sends. A timestamp variable is available too.

Step 4: Test it

Change the counter until the event fires. The message should arrive in your Telegram chat within a second or two. If nothing arrives, double-check the bot token and chat ID, and make sure you have sent at least one message to the bot first.

Things you can build

• Notify a group chat when a shared "tasks done" counter hits the daily target.
• Send yourself a nudge when a "water intake" counter is still low in the afternoon.
• Post a milestone message when a savings counter crosses a round number.

For all Telegram options, see the FAQ.