
Aug 18, 2026
✦TechCrunch
Perplexity's free AI offer left it with millions more users in India
Perplexity gained millions of users in India after offering free premium subscriptions to Airtel customers starting in July 2025. The app saw 5.9 million downloads that month, a 625% increase. While the giveaway helped the company grow, downloads fell sharply after the offer ended for new users in January.