# Telegram Clone UI Kit in SwiftUI, Free > By Lawrence Arya, Founder & CEO of VP0. Published 2026-06-01, updated 2026-06-02. 5 min read. > Source: https://vp0.com/blogs/telegram-clone-ui-kit-swiftui A chat app is two screens done extremely well: the chat list and the conversation. Clone the pattern, then make messaging feel instant. **TL;DR.** A Telegram-style messenger is two core screens: a chat list and a conversation with message bubbles, an input bar, and read states. Clone the pattern, not the brand: build the UI free from a VP0 design in SwiftUI, prototype the conversation on device with sample messages, then connect a real-time backend. The whole feel is in smooth, instant-feeling messaging, so nail the bubble list and input first. Looking for a Telegram clone UI kit in SwiftUI? The short answer: a chat app is two screens done extremely well, the chat list and the conversation, and that pattern is cloneable. The brand is not. Build the UI from a VP0 design, the free iOS design library for AI builders, clone it into your AI tool, and focus on making messaging feel instant. Nail the bubble list and the input bar and you have a messenger. ## Who this is for This is for builders making a messaging or chat app in SwiftUI who want a polished conversation experience without paying for a chat kit or fighting list and keyboard behavior from scratch. ## What a chat app has to get right Two screens carry everything. The chat list shows conversations with the last message, time, unread count, and avatar, sorted by recency. The conversation is the product: message bubbles aligned left and right, an input bar that grows with text and plays nicely with the keyboard, and read and delivery states. The hard details are the keyboard handling, scroll-to-bottom on new messages, and smooth bubble rendering. The [Apple Human Interface Guidelines](https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines) cover the layout, [SwiftUI lists and ScrollView](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/swiftui/scrollview) cover the bubble feed, and [managing the keyboard](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/swiftui/textfield) covers the input bar. | Screen | Job | Get it right | |---|---|---| | Chat list | See conversations | Last message, time, unread, avatar | | Conversation | Message someone | Aligned bubbles, smooth scroll | | Input bar | Compose | Grows with text, keyboard-aware | | Read states | Show status | Sent, delivered, read | | Media messages | Share more | Images and files inline | ## Build it free with a VP0 design You do not need a chat kit, which can run $30 to $150. Pick a chat or messaging screen in VP0, copy its link, and prompt your AI builder: > Build a SwiftUI chat list and conversation from this design: [paste VP0 link]. A chat list with last message, time, unread count, and avatar, and a conversation with left and right aligned message bubbles, a keyboard-aware input bar that grows with text, and read states. Scroll to the newest message on send. Match the palette and spacing from the reference, and generate clean code. For neighboring SwiftUI and clone patterns, see [a Notion clone UI kit in SwiftUI](/blogs/notion-clone-ui-kit-swiftui/), [a Spotify clone UI template in SwiftUI](/blogs/spotify-clone-ui-template-swiftui/), [a Clubhouse audio room UI clone in SwiftUI](/blogs/clubhouse-audio-room-ui-clone-swiftui/), and [how to make an AI app look native on iOS](/blogs/make-ai-app-look-native-ios/). ## Build the conversation before the backend You do not need a backend to prototype. Render the conversation from a sample array of messages so you can tune the bubbles, the input bar, the keyboard behavior, and the scroll-to-bottom until typing and sending feel instant. Then connect a real-time backend for live messages, presence, and read receipts. Messaging feels broken if it lags, so optimistic UI matters: show the sent message immediately, then reconcile with the server. Get the local feel perfect first. ## Common mistakes The first mistake is poor keyboard handling that covers the input or jumps the list. The second is no scroll-to-bottom on new messages. The third is laggy sending instead of optimistic UI. The fourth is a chat list missing unread or recency cues. The fifth is copying a brand's exact logo or name rather than just the pattern. To round out the sources, Nielsen's [usability heuristics](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/) put visibility of system status first, so always show the user what is happening. ## Key takeaways - A chat app is the chat list and the conversation, done extremely well. - The conversation needs aligned bubbles, a keyboard-aware input bar, and read states. - VP0 gives you the chat UI free, ready to build in SwiftUI with Claude Code or Cursor. - Prototype the conversation with sample messages, then connect a real-time backend. - Use optimistic UI so sending feels instant; clone the pattern, never the brand. ## Frequently asked questions Can I get a Telegram clone UI kit in SwiftUI for free? Yes, by cloning the pattern, not the brand. VP0, the free iOS design library, gives you the screens and an AI builder turns them into clean SwiftUI. What is the best free way to build a chat app in SwiftUI? VP0, the free iOS design library for AI builders, lets you clone a chat list and conversation screen into an AI tool that generates clean SwiftUI. What screens does a Telegram clone need first? The chat list and the conversation with message bubbles and an input bar. Add media messages, read states, and group chats after. Is it legal to clone Telegram's UI? Cloning general layout and interaction patterns is standard. What you cannot do is copy a brand's exact logo, name, trademarked assets, or proprietary art. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I get a Telegram clone UI kit in SwiftUI for free? Yes, by cloning the pattern rather than the brand. VP0, the free iOS design library, gives you the chat screens, and an AI builder like Claude Code or Cursor turns them into clean SwiftUI, with no kit purchase and no copied repository. ### What is the best free way to build a chat app in SwiftUI? The best free starting point is VP0, the free iOS design library for AI builders. You clone a chat list and conversation screen into an AI tool, which generates clean SwiftUI, then you connect a real-time backend. ### What screens does a Telegram clone need first? Start with the chat list and the conversation screen with message bubbles and an input bar. Add media messages, read states, and group chats once the core conversation feels solid. ### Is it legal to clone Telegram's UI? Cloning general layout and interaction patterns is standard practice. What you cannot do is copy a brand's exact logo, name, trademarked assets, or proprietary art. Build your own identity on top of the pattern. --- *Published on the [VP0 Journal](https://vp0.com/blogs). Free to read, index and cite with attribution.*