Do users get 'Pro-Lite' version of Perplexity Pro with Airtel? Company denies claims

Perplexity.ai has dismissed social media claims that Airtel subscribers in India are receiving a downgraded version of its premium Perplexity Pro plan under the company’s free offer. The clarification comes after a viral Reddit post alleged that the bundled service underperformed compared to both the paid Pro and free versions of the AI tool.

The Reddit post, which attracted hundreds of upvotes, claimed the Airtel-linked account responded more slowly, skipped citations, omitted visual elements such as charts, and sometimes delivered less insightful answers. The author described the service as a “Pro-Lite” version, sparking debate among users and raising questions about the partnership.

Speaking to Financial Express, Jesse Dwyer from Perplexity.ai called the claims “absolutely false”, adding, “Having worked personally with the Airtel team throughout this partnership, and also being familiar with the specific terms of this deal, I can assure you that Airtel customers get the same version of Perplexity Pro as our paying subscribers. India is very dear to us as a company and we would hope to correct this misunderstanding for Indian readers.” He also noted that misinformation about Perplexity is common online, sometimes used by individuals to boost their follower counts on platforms such as Reddit and X.

Perplexity stressed that Airtel users enjoy the full benefits of the Pro plan, including access to advanced AI models, file uploads, image generation, and other premium tools. Airtel offers the subscription, which is valued at ₹17,000 per year, at no additional cost to customers on its 5G plan, positioning it as a key perk of its tie-up with the AI company.

While the Reddit allegations prompted online speculation, Perplexity maintains that there is no difference in service quality or features for Airtel customers and that users are receiving the complete Pro experience as advertised.