# sendPaidMedia

> Use this method to send paid media

**Category:** Telegram Bot API — Methods (A-Z)  
**URL:** https://docs.botlify.cloud/sendpaidmedia  
**Platform:** Botlify Cloud (https://botlify.cloud)  

---

Use this method to send paid media. On success, the sent Message is returned.

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| business_connection_id | String | Optional | Unique identifier of the business connection on behalf of which the message will be sent |
| chat_id | Integer or String | Yes | Unique identifier for the target chat or username of the target bot, supergroup or channel in the format @username. If the chat is a channel, all Telegram Star proceeds from this media will be credited to the chat's balance. Otherwise, they will be credited to the bot's balance. |
| message_thread_id | Integer | Optional | Unique identifier for the target message thread (topic) of a forum; for forum supergroups and private chats of bots with forum topic mode enabled only |
| direct_messages_topic_id | Integer | Optional | Identifier of the direct messages topic to which the message will be sent; required if the message is sent to a direct messages chat |
| star_count | Integer | Yes | The number of Telegram Stars that must be paid to buy access to the media; 1-25000 |
| media | Array of InputPaidMedia | Yes | A JSON-serialized Array describing the media to be sent; up to 10 items |
| payload | String | Optional | Bot-defined paid media payload, 0-128 bytes. This will not be displayed to the user, use it for your internal processes. |
| caption | String | Optional | Media caption, 0-1024 characters after entities parsing |
| parse_mode | String | Optional | Mode for parsing entities in the media caption. See formatting options for more details. |
| caption_entities | Array of MessageEntity | Optional | A JSON-serialized list of special entities that appear in the caption, which can be specified instead of parse_mode |
| show_caption_above_media | Boolean | Optional | Pass True if the caption must be shown above the message media |
| disable_notification | Boolean | Optional | Sends the message silently. Users will receive a notification with no sound. |
| protect_content | Boolean | Optional | Protects the contents of the sent message from forwarding and saving |
| allow_paid_broadcast | Boolean | Optional | Pass True to allow up to 1000 messages per second, ignoring broadcasting limits for a fee of 0.1 Telegram Stars per message. The relevant Stars will be withdrawn from the bot's balance. |
| suggested_post_parameters | SuggestedPostParameters | Optional | A JSON-serialized object containing the parameters of the suggested post to send; for direct messages chats only. If the message is sent as a reply to another suggested post, then that suggested post is automatically declined. |
| reply_parameters | ReplyParameters | Optional | Description of the message to reply to |
| reply_markup | InlineKeyboardMarkup or ReplyKeyboardMarkup or ReplyKeyboardRemove or ForceReply | Optional | Additional interface options. A JSON-serialized object for an inline keyboard, custom reply keyboard, instructions to remove a reply keyboard or to force a reply from the user. |

## Example

```php

```

> [!TIP]
> **Botlify Cloud Runtime**
> Credentials are auto-injected in .env — always load them with getenv(): BOT_TOKEN, ADMIN_CHAT_ID, BOT_USERNAME. Main database: database.db (SQLite, WAL mode). Runtime errors: error.log. Quick test: send to $ADMIN_CHAT_ID. Full details: Runtime Reference.