Many leading global AI companies are proactively focusing on India these days to increase their presence in a rapidly growing tech market. The American tech companies are teaming up with Indian mobile networks to offer free access to their premium AI service, while others are rolling out offers independently.
In July, Perplexity partnered with Bharti Airtel to provide a free 12‑month Perplexity Pro plan to over 3.5 crore customers of the telecom company. Earlier this week, OpenAI revealed plans to make its ChatGPT Go subscription available at no cost for a year. Further, Reliance and Google have stepped in, promising Jio users 18 months of free access to Google AI Pro.
However, with many AI players now offering free subscriptions, it could be confusing to choose the most suitable plan. Let's take a look at ChatGPT Go, Perplexity Pro and Google AI Pro free AI subscriptions.
ChatGPT Go vs Perplexity Pro vs Google AI Pro
Jio's tie-up with Google appears to deliver one of India's best free AI plans so far. It offers 18 months of complimentary Gemini Pro access, 2 TB of cloud storage, and advanced image and video generation features valued at around Rs 35,100.
In comparison, Perplexity allows every Airtel customer a free one-year Perplexity Pro plan, estimated to be worth about Rs 17,000.
OpenAI's ChatGPT Go, previously the entry-level paid subscription, will be available for free for a year to Indian users starting Nov. 4, 2025.
Under the Google AI Pro subscription, which costs Rs 1,950 each month, users can gain access to the enhanced Gemini 2.5 Pro model. This plan also provides exclusive features like Deep Research, unavailable to free users. However, one notable addition is Veo 3.1 Fast: a tool that transforms written prompts into videos with built-in sound, offering an entirely new approach to producing visual content from simple text descriptions.
Airtel is giving its users complimentary access to Perplexity Pro, an advanced AI-powered search and response platform, for an entire year. The offer extends to all Airtel customers, whether on prepaid, postpaid, broadband, or DTH plans.
Perplexity subscribers can benefit from a range of capabilities, including access to both in-house and third-party AI models, over 300 premium searches daily, real-time source references, and the ability to upload files and images.
For most users, ChatGPT Go is likely to be the easiest option to begin with. OpenAI is set to make this plan free in India for a year from Nov. 4, although its usual price is Rs 399 per month. This subscription provides access to ChatGPT's most budget-friendly premium tier. Whether you need writing support, coding guidance, help with everyday tasks, or simply a chatbot to chat with, ChatGPT Go offers a well-rounded starting experience.
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