Perplexity Sees Sharp Drop In Indian Downloads After Airtel Promotion Ends
· Technology · TechCrunch
Perplexity experienced a significant surge in Indian users after partnering with Airtel in July 2025 to offer a free 12-month Pro subscription to the telecom operator's 360 million customers. The promotion drove 5.9 million app downloads in its first month, a 625% increase compared to June 2025. Monthly active users peaked at 22 million in October before the offer window for new redemptions closed in January 2026. Following the end of the giveaway, Sensor Tower data indicates that Perplexity's monthly downloads in India fell to 3.3 million. The company is now testing whether these subsidized users will convert into paying customers as their free access expires.
Why it matters
The experiment highlights the challenge global AI firms face in converting India's massive user base into a sustainable revenue stream after relying on aggressive promotional subsidies.
Read the original report — TechCrunch
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