DEV Community: Castanderness

How to Add Telegram Stars Payments to Your Bot (2025)

Castanderness — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 06:41:44 +0000

Adding Telegram Stars Payments to Your Bot

Telegram Stars (XTR) let users pay for digital goods without a bank card.

Setup

from aiogram import Bot, Dispatcher
from aiogram.types import LabeledPrice

bot = Bot(token=TOKEN)
PRICE_STARS = 100  # ~$1.99

Send Invoice

@dp.message(Command('buy'))
async def send_invoice(message: Message):
    await bot.send_invoice(
        chat_id=message.chat.id,
        title='Premium Access',
        description='30 days of premium features',
        payload='premium_30d',
        provider_token='',
        currency='XTR',
        prices=[LabeledPrice(label='Premium', amount=PRICE_STARS)]
    )

Handle Payment

@dp.pre_checkout_query()
async def process_pre_checkout(query: PreCheckoutQuery):
    await query.answer(ok=True)

@dp.message(lambda m: m.successful_payment is not None)
async def payment_received(message: Message):
    payment = message.successful_payment
    if payment.invoice_payload == 'premium_30d':
        db.set_premium(message.from_user.id, days=30)
        await message.answer('Premium activated for 30 days!')

What Can You Sell With Stars?

Digital content (ebooks, courses)
Bot subscriptions
AI generations
In-game items

Need a monetized Telegram bot? I'm available: https://castanderness.github.io/telegram-bots-portfolio/portfolio/

From $79 | 3-5 days delivery

5 Telegram Bot Patterns Every Python Developer Should Know

Castanderness — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 11:43:12 +0000

5 Telegram Bot Patterns Every Python Developer Should Know

After building 50+ bots, these patterns solve 90% of problems.

1. FSM for Multi-Step Flows

from aiogram.fsm.state import State, StatesGroup

class OrderFlow(StatesGroup):
    product = State()
    quantity = State()
    address = State()

@dp.message(Command('order'))
async def start_order(message: Message, state: FSMContext):
    await state.set_state(OrderFlow.product)
    await message.answer('What product?')

@dp.message(OrderFlow.product)
async def get_product(message: Message, state: FSMContext):
    await state.update_data(product=message.text)
    await state.set_state(OrderFlow.quantity)
    await message.answer('How many?')

2. Throttle Decorator

from functools import wraps
import time

_last_call = {}

def throttle(rate_limit: int = 3):
    def decorator(func):
        @wraps(func)
        async def wrapper(message: Message, *args, **kwargs):
            uid = message.from_user.id
            now = time.time()
            if now - _last_call.get(uid, 0) < rate_limit:
                await message.answer('Please wait...')
                return
            _last_call[uid] = now
            return await func(message, *args, **kwargs)
        return wrapper
    return decorator

3. Paginated Results

def paginate(items: list, page: int, per_page: int = 5):
    start = page * per_page
    return items[start:start + per_page], len(items) // per_page

def build_page_kb(page: int, total: int) -> InlineKeyboardMarkup:
    btns = []
    if page > 0:
        btns.append(InlineKeyboardButton('Prev', callback_data=f'page:{page-1}'))
    if page < total:
        btns.append(InlineKeyboardButton('Next', callback_data=f'page:{page+1}'))
    return InlineKeyboardMarkup(inline_keyboard=[btns])

4. Admin Middleware

from aiogram import BaseMiddleware

class AdminMiddleware(BaseMiddleware):
    def __init__(self, admin_ids: list[int]):
        self.admin_ids = admin_ids

    async def __call__(self, handler, event, data):
        user = data['event_from_user']
        if user.id not in self.admin_ids:
            await event.answer('Admin only')
            return
        return await handler(event, data)

dp.message.middleware(AdminMiddleware([ADMIN_ID]))

5. Retry on Network Errors

async def safe_send(bot: Bot, chat_id: int, text: str, retries: int = 3):
    for attempt in range(retries):
        try:
            return await bot.send_message(chat_id, text)
        except TelegramRetryAfter as e:
            await asyncio.sleep(e.retry_after)
        except TelegramForbiddenError:
            db.mark_inactive(chat_id)
            return None
        except Exception:
            if attempt == retries - 1:
                raise
            await asyncio.sleep(2 ** attempt)

Need a production-ready bot with these patterns? Find me on Upwork.

From $49 | 2-3 days | Full source code included

How to Add Telegram Stars Payments to Your Bot (2025)

Castanderness — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 11:43:10 +0000

Adding Telegram Stars Payments to Your Bot

Telegram Stars (XTR) let users pay for digital goods without a bank card.

Setup

from aiogram import Bot, Dispatcher
from aiogram.types import LabeledPrice

bot = Bot(token=TOKEN)
PRICE_STARS = 100  # ~$1.99

Send Invoice

@dp.message(Command('buy'))
async def send_invoice(message: Message):
    await bot.send_invoice(
        chat_id=message.chat.id,
        title='Premium Access',
        description='30 days of premium features',
        payload='premium_30d',
        provider_token='',
        currency='XTR',
        prices=[LabeledPrice(label='Premium', amount=PRICE_STARS)]
    )

Handle Payment

@dp.pre_checkout_query()
async def process_pre_checkout(query: PreCheckoutQuery):
    await query.answer(ok=True)

@dp.message(lambda m: m.successful_payment is not None)
async def payment_received(message: Message):
    payment = message.successful_payment
    if payment.invoice_payload == 'premium_30d':
        db.set_premium(message.from_user.id, days=30)
        await message.answer('Premium activated for 30 days!')

What Can You Sell With Stars?

Digital content (ebooks, courses)
Bot subscriptions
AI generations
In-game items

Need a monetized Telegram bot? Contact me on Upwork.

From $79 | 3-5 days delivery

SQLite vs Redis for Telegram Bots: When to Use What

Castanderness — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 06:41:44 +0000

SQLite vs Redis for Telegram Bots

Choosing the wrong database can tank your bot's performance.

SQLite: The Default Choice

import sqlite3

conn = sqlite3.connect('bot.db')

def get_user(chat_id: int) -> dict | None:
    row = conn.execute(
        'SELECT * FROM users WHERE chat_id=?', (chat_id,)
    ).fetchone()
    return dict(row) if row else None

Use SQLite when: < 1000 users, persistent storage (orders, settings), single-server deployment.

Redis: For Speed and Expiry

import redis

r = redis.Redis(host='localhost', port=6379, decode_responses=True)

# Store FSM state with 1-hour expiry
def set_state(chat_id: int, state: str):
    r.setex(f'state:{chat_id}', 3600, state)

# Rate limiting - 5 requests per minute
def is_rate_limited(chat_id: int) -> bool:
    key = f'rate:{chat_id}'
    count = r.incr(key)
    if count == 1:
        r.expire(key, 60)
    return count > 5

Use Redis when: Rate limiting, FSM state, caching API responses.

Quick Decision Guide

Scenario	Choice
User profiles	SQLite
FSM states	Redis
Rate limiting	Redis
Transaction records	SQLite

Need a production bot with proper database design? I'm available: https://castanderness.github.io/telegram-bots-portfolio/portfolio/

From $59 | 3-5 days delivery

Auto-Posting Telegram Channel Bot with APScheduler and aiogram 3

Castanderness — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 06:38:37 +0000

Auto-Posting Telegram Channel Bot

Post on a schedule. Works for crypto updates, news digests, daily tips.

Setup

from aiogram import Bot
from apscheduler.schedulers.asyncio import AsyncIOScheduler
import asyncio

bot = Bot(token=TOKEN)
scheduler = AsyncIOScheduler(timezone="UTC")
CHANNEL = "@yourchannel"

Scheduled Posts

@scheduler.scheduled_job("cron", hour=9, minute=0)
async def morning_post():
    await bot.send_message(CHANNEL, get_daily_digest())

@scheduler.scheduled_job("interval", hours=6)
async def crypto_update():
    import requests
    prices = requests.get(
        "https://api.coingecko.com/api/v3/simple/price?ids=bitcoin,ethereum&vs_currencies=usd"
    ).json()
    btc = prices["bitcoin"]["usd"]
    eth = prices["ethereum"]["usd"]
    await bot.send_message(CHANNEL, f"BTC: ${btc:,.0f} | ETH: ${eth:,.0f}")

Run Forever

async def main():
    scheduler.start()
    await asyncio.Event().wait()

asyncio.run(main())

Full source: https://github.com/Castanderness/telegram-bots-portfolio

Custom bot: https://castanderness.github.io/telegram-bots-portfolio/portfolio/ | from $49

I Built 9 Production-Ready Telegram Bots in Python — Full Open Source

Castanderness — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:31:30 +0000

I Built 9 Production-Ready Telegram Bots in Python

TL;DR: I just open-sourced 9 different Telegram bots — AI assistant, booking bot, crypto alerts, job vacancy channel, price monitor, restaurant bot, tutor bot, survey bot, and auto-content channel. All free to use.

Why I Built These

After dozens of freelance Telegram bot projects, I noticed I was rebuilding the same patterns over and over. Instead of starting from scratch each time, I created a library of production-ready templates.

The Bots

1. AI Assistant Pro (Claude/ChatGPT)

Full subscription model — free tier (20 msg/day) + paid unlimited. Includes admin dashboard.

@dp.message(F.text)
async def handle_message(message: Message):
    if not db.is_premium(user_id) and db.get_msg_count_today(user_id) >= FREE_DAILY_LIMIT:
        await message.answer("Limit reached. Upgrade to Premium!")
        return
    response = client.messages.create(model="claude-haiku-4-5-20251001", ...)

2. Appointment Booking Bot

For barbershops, doctors, tutors. Clients pick slots directly in Telegram. No double-booking.

3. Crypto Price Alert Bot

Set a price target → get notified when BTC/ETH/SOL hits it. Uses free CoinGecko API.

4. Job Vacancy Channel

Auto-pulls from HH.ru API every 2 hours, posts new jobs to your Telegram channel.

5. Avito Price Monitor

Alerts when new listings appear or prices drop. No Avito account needed.

6. Restaurant Bot

Menu + table reservations + specials. Admin gets Telegram alert for each booking.

7. English Tutor Bot

Word of the day, quizzes, grammar tips. Zero AI API cost needed.

8. Survey Bot → Excel

Multi-step surveys with ratings, choices, text. Auto-exports to .xlsx.

9. Auto-Content Channel

Posts crypto prices + educational tips on schedule with APScheduler.

Tech Stack

Python 3.12 + aiogram 3.7 (FSM, inline keyboards)
SQLite for persistence (survives restarts, zero cost)
Anthropic Claude API — Haiku model (~$0.001/1000 messages)
CoinGecko API (free, no key needed)
HH.ru API (free, Russian job board)
openpyxl for Excel export

Key Patterns Used

Watchdog for 24/7 uptime

while True:
    if proc.poll() is not None:
        proc = subprocess.Popen(BOT_CMD, cwd=BOT_DIR)
        restarts += 1
    time.sleep(10)

FSM for multi-step flows

class BookingState(StatesGroup):
    choosing_service = State()
    choosing_date = State()
    choosing_time = State()
    entering_phone = State()

Get the Code

GitHub: https://github.com/Castanderness/telegram-bots-portfolio

All 9 bots with .env.example, requirements.txt, and setup docs.

Available for Custom Development

Need a custom bot for your business? I'm open for freelance projects.

Portfolio: https://castanderness.github.io/telegram-bots-portfolio/portfolio/

Starting from $49 | Delivery 2-5 days | 7-day support included

I Built 9 Production-Ready Telegram Bots in Python (Open Source)

Castanderness — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 14:37:47 +0000

I Built 9 Production-Ready Telegram Bots in Python

TL;DR: 9 open-source Telegram bot templates — AI assistant, booking, crypto alerts, job channel, price monitor, restaurant, tutor, survey, auto-content. All free on GitHub.

The Bots

1. AI Assistant Pro (with subscription model)

Full freemium — 20 free messages/day, unlimited for premium users. SQLite database, admin panel.

@dp.message(F.text)
async def handle_message(message: Message):
    if not db.is_premium(user_id) and db.get_msg_count_today(user_id) >= FREE_DAILY_LIMIT:
        await message.answer("Limit reached!", reply_markup=premium_keyboard())
        return
    response = client.messages.create(
        model="claude-haiku-4-5-20251001",
        max_tokens=1024,
        messages=conversations[user_id],
    )
    await message.answer(response.content[0].text)

2. Appointment Booking Bot

Barbershops, clinics, tutors. Interactive date/time picker, no double-booking, admin notifications.

3. Crypto Price Alert Bot

Set targets, get notified when BTC/ETH/SOL hits them. Free CoinGecko API, no key needed.

async def check_alerts():
    alerts = get_all_active_alerts()
    coins = list({a[2] for a in alerts})
    prices = get_prices(coins)
    for alert_id, user_id, coin, direction, target in alerts:
        price = prices.get(coin)
        hit = (direction == "above" and price >= target) or (direction == "below" and price <= target)
        if hit:
            await bot.send_message(user_id, f"Alert! {coin} hit ${price:,.2f}")

4-9. More bots

Job vacancy channel (HH.ru API), Avito price monitor, restaurant reservations, English tutor, survey→Excel, auto-content scheduler.

Tech Stack

Python 3.12 + aiogram 3.7
SQLite (survives restarts)
Anthropic Claude Haiku (~$0.001/1000 messages)
APScheduler for cron jobs

GitHub

All 9 bots open source: https://github.com/Castanderness/telegram-bots-portfolio

Portfolio: https://castanderness.github.io/telegram-bots-portfolio/portfolio/

Available for freelance — $49+ per bot, 2-5 day delivery.

I Built 9 Production-Ready Telegram Bots - Source Code Included

Castanderness — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 07:25:48 +0000

Overview

9 open-sourced production Telegram bots built for freelance clients.

Bots Included

AI Assistant Pro (Claude/ChatGPT + subscription tiers)
Booking Bot (date picker, anti-double-booking)
Crypto Price Alerts (CoinGecko free API)
Vacancy Channel Bot (auto-posts from HH.ru)
Restaurant Bot (menu + table reservations)
Survey Bot (saves answers to Excel)
English Tutor (vocabulary + quizzes)
Auto-Content Bot (scheduled posts)
Price Monitor (Avito scraper + alerts)

Get the Code

GitHub: https://github.com/Castanderness/telegram-bots-portfolio

Portfolio: https://castanderness.github.io/telegram-bots-portfolio/portfolio/

Available for custom Telegram bot development. DM on GitHub.