Spiritual Apps See Surge in Business Ahead of Diwali After Navratri Success

Highlights

• Spiritual and devotional expect more growth during Diwali.
• Apps like Vama.app, AppsForBharat, Astrotalk and DevDham among the most popular.
• AppsForBharat noted success with 850,000 darshans and 12,000 online pujas during Shravan
• Expansions planned for Diwali to boost user acquisition by 20%.

Spiritual and devotional apps are increasingly gaining popularily among Indian users. As per a recent Economic Times report, a sharp rise in user engagement was registered in such apps during Navratri and now a busy Diwali season is expected.

According to industry executives quoted in media, Apps like Vama.app, AppsForBharat, Astrotalk and DevDham saw significant growth in their services particularly in areas such as online pujas and virtual offerings.

Manu Jain, founder of Vama.app noted a substantial increase in both users and revenue during Navratri.

“Because of Navratri, we launched new products and services,” he told ET.  “As a result, we are seeing an uptick of 20-25% (month-on-month) in new users overall. Our revenue for the last week of September so far is showing a week-on-week growth of over 20%,” Jain added.

Vama.app offers services like virtual pujas, temple darshans and astrology consultations.

Jain added that the company expects even more significant growth as Diwali approaches. “There are more organic searches on the platform. However, I expect a significant increase to come closer to Diwali, as the real festive period is around that time. Therefore, we are planning everything for the last week of October,” he said.

Prashant Sachan, founder of AppsForBharat, shared similar success during Navratri, especially after the company expanded services for the festive period.

The platform saw around 850,000 darshans and 12,000 online pujas during the Shravan sacred period.

For Diwali, the company is further expanding its services to temples in Madurai and Tirunelveli, which is expected to boost user acquisition by 20%.

“This season, we are witnessing an upsurge in user participation, and we anticipate continued growth in engagement as our app is now available in five regional languages, with three more being added to deepen our reach across India,” Sachan explained. AppsForBharat also experienced strong overseas interest, with 35% of its Navratri revenue coming from international users.

The rising popularity of spiritual and devotional apps has attracted venture capital interest, with investments flowing into platforms offering services such as online astrology and digital pujas.

For instance, Noida-based Astrotalk, which recently raised $9.4 million in equity funding, is planning to expand beyond astrology into the devotional segment.

DevDham, another major player in the space, also saw significant growth during religious periods like Shravan and Pitru Paksha, when Hindus honour their ancestors.

“We saw an uptick of 30-35% in new transactions during the Shravan and Pitru Paksha period, with 60% from existing users and 40% from new users,” cofounder Pranav Kapoor said. The platform has introduced various offerings for Navratri, such as items for goddess worship, and expects strong demand for puja services during Dhanteras and Diwali.

Kapoor added, “We have also launched other products related to various rituals. We are observing significant interest from customers, including many repeat buyers and we expect this to scale.”

With the upcoming Diwali season, these apps are poised to see further growth as more users turn to digital platforms for their spiritual needs.

FAQs

Q1. How much growth did the Vama.app experience during Navratri?

Answer. Manu Jain the founder of Vama.app revealed, “We are seeing an uptick of 20-25% (month-on-month) in new users overall. Our revenue for the last week of September so far is showing a week-on-week growth of over 20%.”

Q2. What services did AppsForBharat expand?

Answer. AppsForBharat saw around 850,000 darshans and 12,000 online pujas during the Shravan sacred period. For Diwali, they are expanding services to temples in Madurai and Tirunelveli.

Q3. How did DevDham perform during the Shravan and Pitru Paksha period?

Answer. Cofounder Pranav Kapoor recently said, “We saw an uptick of 30-35% in new transactions during the Shravan and Pitru Paksha period, with 60% from existing users and 40% from new users.”

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