ChatGPT Sees Rapid Growth in India Amid Challenges in Monetization

OpenAI’s ChatGPT is experiencing remarkable growth in India, becoming one of the company’s fastest-growing markets. However, revenue generation remains a challenge. According to data from SensorTower, Indian users have spent approximately $8 million on ChatGPT through in-app purchases since 2023 — significantly less than the $330 million spent by U.S. users. One contributing factor is the lack of region-specific pricing, as the $20 per month subscription is considered high for many Indian users.

Despite this monetization hurdle, OpenAI sees strong potential in India due to its massive internet user base of over 950 million. The company is reportedly seeking a partnership with Reliance Jio, a leading mobile carrier in India, to further expand ChatGPT’s reach. Meanwhile, the platform continues to grow organically. Appfigures data shows that over 20% of all ChatGPT Android app downloads in 2025 so far have come from India.

The surge in downloads was also driven by the platform’s new image generation feature, which gained traction for its ability to produce Studio Ghibli-style visuals. While revenue per user may still be low, India is expected to be a key growth driver in OpenAI’s goal of becoming a multi-billion-user platform.