Telegram Entity Lookup

Telegram Entity Lookup is the fastest way to resolve Telegram usernames into structured entity data -- users, channels, groups, bots, and more. Built for reliability at scale, this scraper handles single lookups, bulk batches, and statistical breakdowns without needing a Telegram API key or bot token.

What does Telegram Entity Lookup do?

This actor takes one or more Telegram usernames and returns detailed information about each entity. You get the entity type (user, channel, group, bot), title, description, member counts, verification status, and flags for scam or premium accounts -- all in clean JSON.

There are three modes. Lookup resolves a single username. Bulk Lookup processes a list of usernames at once and gives you aggregate counts (found, not found, errors). Stats does the same as bulk lookup but adds a type-level breakdown so you can see exactly how many users, channels, groups, and bots are in your list.

If you're doing OSINT research, building a Telegram analytics dashboard, or just need to verify whether a username is taken, this covers all of it.

What data do you get?

• username -- the Telegram handle that was queried
• entity_type -- user, channel, bot, group, supergroup, or unknown
• title -- display name of the entity
• description -- bio or about text
• photo_url -- profile photo URL
• member_count -- subscriber or member count (channels/groups)
• is_verified -- official verification status
• is_scam -- flagged as scam by Telegram
• is_premium -- Telegram Premium subscriber
• is_bot -- whether the entity is a bot
• is_private -- private group/channel flag
• lookup_time_ms -- how long the lookup took
• found -- whether the username exists

In bulk and stats modes, you also get total_queried, found_count, not_found_count, error_count, and a full entity type breakdown (users, channels, groups, bots, unknown).

Who is this for?

• OSINT researchers -- verify Telegram entities and collect metadata at scale
• Brand protection teams -- check if your brand name is being used on Telegram
• Marketing analysts -- audit channel sizes, bot presence, and group activity
• Developers -- integrate Telegram entity resolution into your own tools and pipelines
• Compliance teams -- screen usernames against watchlists or known scam accounts

How to use it

1. Open the actor in Apify Console and select a mode (lookup, bulk_lookup, or stats).
2. Enter a single username or a list of usernames (without the @ symbol).
3. Click "Start" and wait for the run to finish.
4. Download your results as JSON, CSV, or Excel from the Dataset tab.
5. Use the Apify API to schedule recurring runs or integrate with your workflow.

Input parameters

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
mode	string	lookup	lookup = single entity, bulk_lookup = multiple entities, stats = bulk + type statistics
username	string	--	Telegram username for lookup mode (without @)
usernames	array	--	List of Telegram usernames for bulk_lookup and stats modes

Sample output

{
  "username": "durov",
  "found": true,
  "entity": {
    "username": "durov",
    "entity_type": "user",
    "title": "Pavel Durov",
    "description": "Telegram CEO",
    "photo_url": "https://t.me/i/userpic/320/durov.jpg",
    "member_count": null,
    "is_verified": true,
    "is_scam": false,
    "is_premium": true,
    "is_bot": false,
    "is_private": false,
    "extra_info": {}
  },
  "error": null,
  "lookup_time_ms": 142.5
}

How much does it cost?

Each result costs $0.004. That means 1,000 lookups cost you $4, and 10,000 lookups cost $40.

Apify gives every new user $5 in free monthly credits, so you can run about 1,250 lookups without paying anything.

Common questions

Do I need a Telegram API key or bot token? No. This actor works without any Telegram credentials. Just provide usernames and go.

Can I check hundreds of usernames at once? Yes. Use bulk_lookup or stats mode and pass an array of usernames. There is no hard limit on batch size.

What happens if a username doesn't exist? The result will come back with found: false and no entity data. You still get the username in the response so you can track which ones failed.

Contact & Custom Solutions

Need a custom scraper, higher volume, or a specific integration? We're here to help.

If anything isn't working right or you need support, don't hesitate to reach out.

• Telegram: t.me/novashield_dev
• Email: novashield.dev@gmail.com