In an era when technology reshapes nearly every aspect of human life, the religious and spiritual market often remains an overlooked frontier. Yet, AppsForBharat, an Indian tech startup, has boldly stepped into this space by digitizing Hindu devotional practices through its flagship app, Sri Mandir. Launched in 2020, Sri Mandir tackles a massive and fragmented traditional market—the Hindu temple economy—that represents around $40 billion or 2.3% of India’s GDP. This arena has historically thrived in offline, informal setups, with millions of devotees physically visiting temples or conducting prayers at home with local priests. Sri Mandir disrupts this long-standing status quo by offering a comprehensive digital platform where devotees across India and the diaspora can seamlessly perform prayers, make offerings, and engage with temple services online.
The Growing Appetite for Digital Devotion
Sri Mandir’s meteoric rise is substantiated by more than 40 million downloads and a current monthly active user base of approximately 3.5 million. These numbers reflect India’s broader shift toward digital adoption, even within deeply traditional sectors. While the user base primarily consists of domestic devotees, the app’s international audience—especially within Indian diasporas in the U.S., U.K., UAE, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—is rapidly expanding at a 15% quarterly growth rate. Remarkably, the revenue per user (ARPU) outside India is nearly ten times higher than within the country, signaling a wealthy and underserved global market eager to connect with their spiritual roots virtually.
One particularly fascinating insight is how user engagement patterns differ by geography. In India, only about a quarter of users participate in both online prayers and offerings; abroad, the figure doubles to around 50%. This likely reflects the logistical constraints faced by overseas devotees who rely heavily on digital channels to maintain their religious connections, underscoring the essential value Sri Mandir adds to the diaspora community.
Economic Synergies: Boosting Temples and Communities
Contrary to the assumption that digitalizing religious services might alienate traditional temples, Sri Mandir claims to foster symbiotic growth. Temples partnering with the platform reportedly see revenue uplifts of 15% to 25%, evidencing that online reach complements rather than cannibalizes physical footfalls. This dual revenue stream involves a 20 to 25% commission from temple transactions and expanding offerings like temple-branded merchandise. These innovations not only diversify income streams but also open fresh employment avenues, particularly with the upcoming establishment of logistics and fulfillment hubs in key temple towns such as Varanasi, Ayodhya, Haridwar, and Ujjain. These hubs will manage prasad deliveries and ritual items, handling tens of thousands of orders monthly and creating local jobs, thereby knitting the digital economy into the fabric of regional communities.
Competition and Market Dynamics
While Sri Mandir remains the leader in Hindu devotional apps, it’s interesting, though not unexpected, to observe stiff competition within the broader religious tech market. Remarkably, the Bible app by LifeChurch.tv recently surpassed Sri Mandir in India’s religious app rankings due to a global user base exceeding 80 million. Yet, within its niche, Sri Mandir’s dominance is clear, with competitors accounting for less than 20% of its total installs.
India’s religious tech market itself is booming, outpacing global trends by substantial margins—with top platforms posting up to 60% growth in active users year over year—underscoring both the market’s scale and untapped potential. This growth is buoyed by increased internet penetration, mobile payment ecosystems, and growing e-commerce adoption in India’s tier-2 and tier-3 cities, which are fueling digital participation across demographics, including younger users under 35.
Innovation and Future Trajectory
AppsForBharat’s ambitions go beyond merely digitizing temple services; the startup plans to imbue the Sri Mandir app with AI-driven capabilities to improve user experience. Features enabling devotees to ask detailed questions about faith, prayers, and festivals—traditionally the domain of priests and elders—envision a hybrid of technology and tradition. However, the company prudently acknowledges the risk of AI hallucination and is deploying expert oversight to maintain accuracy, reflecting a thoughtful integration of cutting-edge tools with respect for religious authenticity.
Financially, the startup is on a robust upward trajectory with a $12 million annualized run rate as of early 2025 and targets profitability by 2027–28. The ambition to go public within the same timeframe indicates confidence in solidifying its business model and scaling operations. Expansion plans further include growing the temple network to 500 collaborators and ramping up staff from 300 to 400, suggesting that the firm is preparing to sustain both demand and operational complexity.
A Unique Paradigm for Religious Engagement and Digital Commerce
Sri Mandir’s journey is a compelling case study in how tech entrepreneurship can thoughtfully engage with culture and spirituality while generating substantial economic impact. By digitizing an intangible and deeply personal aspect of life—faith—the startup not only meets a modern need but also reinforces social and economic structures in unexpected ways. The company’s ability to sustain user retention (over 55% at six months) signals that it is not merely a novelty app, but a platform integral to many devotees’ spiritual lives.
Critically, while there is a risk that commercializing religious practices could commoditize devotion, Sri Mandir appears to handle this tension with sensitivity, balancing user expectations, temple interests, and technological innovation. The careful inclusion of local rituals, the physical fulfillment centers, and expert monitoring of AI responses highlight a nuanced approach rather than reckless disruption.
Ultimately, Sri Mandir’s growth reflects a broader cultural and economic shift—the acceptance that faith and technology can coexist and even flourish together when executed thoughtfully. Its scaling model, cross-border reach, and community impact affirm that digital platforms have the power to redefine traditional spheres and unlock novel opportunities for inclusion, engagement, and sustainability within India’s vast spiritual ecosystem.