On Thursday, Airtel announced that it is offering a free Perplexity Pro subscription worth ₹17,000 to all users in India, whether they use Airtel for mobile, broadband, or DTH services. The move instantly caught the attention of tech lovers and AI users across the country.

This offer allows users to enjoy premium features of Perplexity AI, a growing competitor to ChatGPT. The Pro version includes access to advanced tools like image generation, research support, and multiple AI models such as Gemini 2.5, GPT-4.1, Grok, Claude, and more.

Perplexity beats ChatGPT on App store

After the Airtel announcement, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas shared on X (formerly Twitter) that the app had hit the number 1 spot on the Apple App Store in India, overtaking ChatGPT, which is now second.

Why is everyone downloading Perplexity? 

Even though many Indians were already using the free version of ChatGPT or Perplexity, this new free access to Perplexity Pro made a big difference. The moment users heard about the offer, they rushed to claim the subscription, which required downloading the app. This led to a huge spike in downloads, and the app quickly became a chart-topper.

With so many useful features, users are unlikely to uninstall it, at least not until the free one-year subscription ends.

How to claim Perplexity Pro for free (If you’re an Airtel user)

If you're using Airtel and haven’t claimed the Pro plan yet, here's how to do it:

  1. Open the Airtel Thanks app on your phone.

  2. Go to the Rewards section.

  3. Tap the Claim button under the Perplexity Pro offer.

  4. Sign in using your Google ID.

  5. Download the Perplexity app from the Play Store or App Store.

  6. Log in, and your one-year Pro subscription will be activated.