Perplexity's free Airtel offer won millions of users in India, then revenue rose 60%

TechCrunch reported on August 18 that Perplexity's free AI offer with Airtel brought millions of new users in India, and that user base keeps paying off even after the promotion ended for new signups.

The key numbers: after the Airtel free offer closed to new users, Perplexity's revenue in India rose about 60%, while app downloads declined over the same period.

That combination is telling. Downloads falling means the acquisition spike is over, yet revenue still grew, a sign that users attracted by the free offer stuck around and started paying for Perplexity's subscription services.

For a company whose business model leans on subscriptions, India has become one of the fastest-growing emerging markets, and the Airtel partnership put AI search in front of a massive mobile-first audience.

The free entry point did not evaporate when the promotion ended; it converted into recurring paid revenue, which is the real return on that marketing spend.

What to watch next: whether Perplexity replicates the carrier-partnership playbook in other markets, and whether retention from the free wave can sustain India's long-term growth.