How to make a Telegram bot without coding (step by step)

Short answer: create the bot in @BotFather with the /newbot command, copy its token, paste the token in Mavibot (Channels, then Telegram, then Connect a bot) and build the first scenario from blocks and buttons. The bot works as soon as you finish, with no publishing step. The free plan includes one Telegram bot, and that bot can run many scenarios.

A Telegram bot is an account that a program runs instead of a person. Customers write to it, press buttons and get answers at any hour, so it can answer questions, support clients and take over routine conversations without a person at the keyboard. This guide builds a simple assistant for a medical clinic with Mavibot's Telegram bot builder: a greeting, a menu of three buttons and an answer behind each button. The clinic, address, prices and phone number are made up for the demo.

What you need

You need a Telegram account and a Mavibot account. If you don't have a Mavibot account yet, sign up. On the project creation screen there is a field for a promo code at the bottom. Enter MAVI10 there to get 10 days of the top plan free. The free plan is enough for everything in this guide.

Step 1. Create the bot in BotFather

BotFather is the official Telegram bot that creates other bots. Open @BotFather and check that the account has a blue checkmark, because fake bots with similar names exist.

  1. Send the command /newbot.

  2. Choose a name. Your customers will see it in the chat.

  3. Choose a username. It must end with the word "bot", for example sunriseclinic_bot.

  4. BotFather replies with a token, a long line of digits and letters. Tap it to copy.

The bot page in BotFather with the Copy button next to the token

The token is the password of your bot. BotFather itself warns to store it safely, because anyone who has it can control the bot. Don't post it publicly. The full list of BotFather commands is in Telegram's documentation for bots.

Step 2. Connect the bot to Mavibot

Open Channels in the left menu of Mavibot and click Telegram. A window called Connect Telegram opens. Paste the token into the Token field and click Connect a bot.

The Connect Telegram window in Mavibot with the token field and the three steps for getting a token

The right side of this window repeats the three BotFather steps, so you can create the bot without leaving it.

Step 3. Build the first scenario

A scenario in Mavibot is a chain of blocks connected by arrows. For the clinic bot we need five blocks.

  1. A Start block. Its trigger is the word or command that launches the scenario. The command /start works, so a new customer who presses Start gets the greeting. In our demo we used a custom trigger, start_med, to keep this test apart from other funnels. In the block, write the greeting:

Hello! This is the assistant of Sunrise Clinic. I can tell you about our services, prices and opening hours. For medical questions, please contact a doctor. Choose an option below.

  1. A Chat block that follows after a short pause. You set the delay on the arrow between the blocks, here 5 seconds. The block says "Great, we can help you. Choose the buttons below" and holds three buttons: "Services and prices", "Address and opening hours" and "Contact the administrator". Add buttons with the Buttons tool in the block settings.

  2. Three more Chat blocks, one for each button. Draw an arrow from each button to its block. The first one answers like this:

Our services

Therapist consultation, 30 minutes: $40
Pediatrician consultation, 30 minutes: $45
Blood test package: from $25
Ultrasound: from $50

Anything else? Choose an option below.

The other two blocks give the address with opening hours, and the phone number of the administrator. The bot answers only organizational questions and sends medical questions to a doctor.

The scenario in the Mavibot builder: a Start block, a Chat block with three buttons and three answer blocks

A button can lead to a text answer, another block, a booking page or a payment link.

Step 4. Test your bot

Open your bot in Telegram, press Start and click each button. You should see the greeting, the menu and the right answer behind every button. There is no save or publish step, so the bot is live as soon as the scenario is built.

The finished clinic bot in Telegram with the greeting, the menu and the services answer

Send the link to your bot to a colleague and ask them to try it. People often press buttons in an order you didn't expect, and that shows what to fix.

What to add next

One Telegram bot can hold many scenarios, and you decide which ones. A clinic bot can grow in steps:

For other uses of the same bot, such as sales and support, see Telegram bot for business. If you are still choosing a platform, here is a comparison of no-code Telegram bot builders.

How much it costs

Creating a bot in BotFather is free. In Mavibot:

  • Free plan, $0: one Telegram bot and 50 bot messages a day.
  • Business, $39 a month: up to 10,000 bot messages a day.
  • Mavibot AI, $59 a month: everything in Business, plus Mavi, an AI employee for sales.

New accounts get a trial of the top plan: 3 days, or 10 days with the promo code MAVI10. The prices come from the pricing page and may change.

Make your Telegram bot

Start free, enter the promo code MAVI10 on the project creation screen for 10 days of the top plan, create a bot in BotFather and connect it to Mavibot.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make a Telegram bot for free?

Yes. Creating a bot in BotFather costs nothing, and the Mavibot free plan lets you connect one Telegram bot and build scenarios for it. New accounts also get 3 days of the top plan, or 10 days with the promo code MAVI10.

Do I need to know how to code?

No. You create the bot in BotFather with a chat command, paste its token into Mavibot and build the scenario from blocks and buttons in the visual builder.

How many Telegram bots can I connect on the free plan?

One. But one bot is not limited to one scenario. In the same bot you can run booking, a referral program, a subscription club and other scenarios.

Do I need to publish the bot after building it?

No. There is no save or publish step, and the bot works as soon as the scenario is built.

What is a Telegram bot token?

A token is a line of digits and letters that BotFather sends when you create a bot. It lets Mavibot send and receive messages for your bot. Keep it private, because anyone who has it can control the bot.

Can one bot do several things at once?

Yes. A bot is not tied to one scenario. You can connect different scenarios to different buttons or triggers, for example booking, broadcasts and a subscription club in one bot.

What is BotFather?

BotFather is the official Telegram bot for creating and managing bots. You use it to create a bot with the /newbot command, get its token and change its settings.

Can a Telegram bot answer customer questions automatically?

Yes. You write the answers in the scenario, and the bot sends them when a customer presses a button or sends a trigger word. In our clinic example it answers questions about services, prices, address and opening hours, and sends medical questions to a doctor.