If you’ve ever come across social media ads promising to reveal when you’ll get married, whether you’ll land your dream job, or if you’re destined to be with the one you love, and found yourself clicking on a “free consultation” offered over a simple WhatsApp chat, you’re not alone. These seemingly innocuous prompts have drawn in millions, tapping into deeply personal questions with the allure of instant answers and low-friction access.
In January 2025, Vanya Mishra co-founded Astrosure. ai, a digital astrology platform powered by an AI-based spiritual assistant named Agastyaa. Within five months, the platform had scaled to over 300,000 monthly active users, with approximately 20% opting for paid services. It’s not just predictions people want anymore,” Mishra told financialexpress.com. “It’s clarity, reflection, and emotional validation, in real time, on their terms, and often in the language of their soul. We’re seeing people come to us when they’re stuck emotionally or mentally. The AI just makes it easier to access something that traditionally needed a lot of friction, like booking an appointment or waiting days for a reply.”
Astrosure is among a wave of tech-enabled platforms capitalising on India’s growing demand for personalised, on-demand spiritual services. According to MarkNtel Advisors, India’s astrology app market is currently valued at $163 million and is projected to expand to $1.79 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 49.19%. In contrast, the global astrology market is expected to grow at a CAGR of just 5.7%. Astrology, long a cultural mainstay, now plays a pivotal role in the broader $58 billion Indian faith economy, which is expected to reach nearly $152 billion by 2034. The convenience of consulting an astrologer over the phone leads to the rise of what is now known as FaithTech.
Digital-first spirituality
Spiritual apps have become an increasingly common presence on smartphones, especially among urban professionals and younger users. Platforms like Astrotalk, Astroyogi, Anytime Astro, and Astrosure are recording millions of sessions per month across voice, chat, and AI-led formats. “Digital accessibility, combined with emotional need, is what’s driving this surge,” Meena Kapoor, founder of Astroyogi, commented. “Users today want immediate answers and prefer platforms that can offer guidance in their own language. Over 85% of our users are Gen Z and millennials. They’re anxious, yes, but also curious. Astrology is their way of finding control in chaos. They’re not shy about seeking help, especially when the experience is private and just a click away.”
Astroyogi has seen a 60% annual increase in consultations, amounting to 10 million paying users. Relationship and marriage-related queries contribute over 40% of all sessions, followed by career and finance. Gen Z and millennials form 85% of its user base, with relationship and marriage-related queries accounting for more than 40% of all consultations. At Anytime Astro, which currently serves over 200,000 paying users every month, co-founder Abhinav Gupta confirms that regional language support has significantly boosted engagement. “Live chat and voice calls remain the top engagement drivers. But what works is linguistic comfort. We see strong traction in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, and Telugu,” he explained.
“Users feel emotionally safe when they’re able to express and receive guidance in their preferred language. That sense of familiarity builds trust. Love, relationships, marriage and divorce consistently drive higher conversions and longer sessions,” he added..
While earlier astrology platforms focused primarily on one-off consultations, newer players are building sustained, long-term engagement through subscription models, AI integrations, and bundled services. At Astrosure, the emphasis is on making astrology part of users’ daily routines, offering personalised guidance, mantras, and rituals delivered via WhatsApp or the app’s native platform. “Earlier, astrology was episodic; people came during weddings or major career events,” Mishra explained. “Now it’s habitual. We’ve seen people checking in weekly or daily. Some even treat it like journaling. It’s no longer a one-time thing, it’s part of their spiritual hygiene.”
Meanwhile, product commerce has emerged as a significant revenue stream. At Astroyogi, spiritual remedies and curated puja kits are now among the fastest-growing categories, particularly when paired with live consultations. “Spirituality today is action-oriented,” Kapoor cited. “Users don’t want predictions, they look for solutions they can implement.”
Astrotalk, the largest player in the Indian astrotech space, exemplifies this transformation. The company posted Rs 659 crore in revenue in FY24, doubling its topline from the previous year. Profits surged nearly tenfold to Rs 94–100 crore, according to Tracxn. With a dominant market share of 80%, the platform is targeting an IPO and aims to reach an annualised revenue run rate of Rs 1,000 crore by 2026. Its consultations are priced between Rs 5 and Rs 200 per minute, and non-resident Indians (NRIs) are increasingly paying between $40 and $360 per session for access to astrologers. The company has raised $30.3 million in funding to date, including a $20 million Series A round in 2024.
A global cultural export in the making
India’s astrology-tech players are also finding resonance with global audiences. Diaspora users in the US, UK, and the Middle East now contribute up to 25% of revenue for leading platforms. These users are not only more willing to pay, but also value the opportunity to connect with their cultural roots from afar. The next phase of innovation is already taking shape, ranging from virtual reality-based astrology experiences to wearable-compatible daily spiritual coaching. Several platforms are also exploring astrology-based HR tools, investment timing advice, and AI-led matchmaking services.
Beyond the Indian diaspora, platforms are increasingly tapping into the massive Western astrology market, valued at $14.7 billion in 2024 and projected to grow to $20.68 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 4.98% in North America alone. With over 50% of U.S. adults under 30 engaging with astrological content and millennials and Gen Z driving 83% of astrology-related social media engagement, Indian platforms offering AI-driven, personalised services are finding fertile ground among global audiences hungry for meaning, structure, and spiritual self-care in the digital age. “India has an opportunity to export something that is deeply cultural but globally relevant,” Mishra noted. “We’re not just selling astrology. We’re selling emotional clarity, spiritual wellness, and a sense of structure in an uncertain world.”
The ethical blind spot in a booming business
“Despite being a commercial industry cloaked in culture, astrology escapes legal scrutiny under the garb of religion,” said Siddharth Chandrashekhar, advocate and counsel at the Bombay High Court. “Once astrologers advertise, solicit fees, and promise outcomes, they cross into commercial speech and service delivery areas that are subject to regulation.”
Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, astrologers offering services for consideration could be deemed service providers. But holding them legally accountable is challenging, especially when damage or causality is hard to prove, given the abstract nature of predictions. Even if someone feels misled, say by a promise of a job or marriage within a fixed timeline, it’s difficult to demonstrate intent to deceive in court. “The real tragedy isn’t that people believe in astrology,” Chandrashekhar added. “It’s that the industry thrives in a legal vacuum camouflaged by cultural acceptance.”
He noted that while guidelines from the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) prohibit unsubstantiated supernatural claims, they remain self-regulatory and lack legal teeth. Moreover, laws like the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, which prohibits ads claiming to influence luck, fertility, or success, are rarely enforced. “There’s a complete lack of licensing, disclaimers, or disclosure norms. Despite its commercial nature, there’s no clarity on taxation, grievance redressal, or advertising control,” Chandrashekhar said.
Sonam Chandwani, managing partner at KS Legal & Associates, echoed similar concerns. “The astrology market’s lack of regulation is a legal quagmire that leaves consumers exposed to exploitation,” she said.
She also cautioned that calls for strict regulation risk overreach. “Astrology occupies a unique space, blending spiritual guidance with commercial service. Heavy-handed laws could stifle legitimate practitioners while failing to address the root issue of consumer discernment.” Instead, Chandwani recommends a more nuanced path forward: “Mandating transparent disclaimers about astrology’s speculative nature and strengthening fraud statutes could curb exploitation without overregulating personal belief systems.” In response to this, “At Astroyogi, we take the responsibility of providing reliable and ethical astrology services very seriously. We have a zero-tolerance policy for any practice or advice that does not meet our internal quality criteria. This approach helps us maintain a trusted environment where users can confidently seek guidance from astrologers who are not only experienced but also ethical and accountable,” a spokesperson reiterated.
Until a proper framework is in place, there is no right answer to questions in a business which piggybacks on fear and blind faith, making it a clear ground to feed manipulation based on non-scientific methods.