Perplexity is now number 1 app on App Store; overtakes ChatGPT and Google Gemini

Soon after Airtel announced its Perplexity Pro offer for all its customers, including mobile, DTH and broadband, the Perplexity app download has surged across all platforms. So much so that the app onthe  Apple Store has managed to become the number 1 app in the Top free apps list, overtaking ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Aravind Srinivas posted X to make the announcement.

What’s driving the rise

The app’s spike in popularity stems from Airtel’s new bundling of Perplexity Pro — typically priced at around $20 — as a free add-on to eligible users through the Airtel Thanks app. The offer is valid until January 17, 2026. Not only that, Airtel is offering the Perplexity Pro for 1 year, which sums up to Rs 17,000.

Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas confirmed the milestone in a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying the app had reached the top position in India’s App Store. He added that India is now one of Perplexity’s top three markets globally.

By leveraging Airtel’s massive user base of over 360 million subscribers, Perplexity has gained instant visibility and distribution in one of the world’s largest internet markets. The company’s AI-powered “answer engine,” which cites sources instead of providing generic chatbot replies, is being positioned as a direct alternative to Google Search and ChatGPT.