YouTube in India 2025
In 2025, YouTube continued to dominate India’s digital landscape with an impressive 491 million active users, reaffirming its position as the most widely used social media platform in the country. This number reflects the platform’s deep penetration across urban and rural regions alike, driven by the popularity of video content, affordable mobile data, and the increasing shift toward digital consumption. With India’s massive internet user base, YouTube has managed to stay relevant across age groups and regions, serving both entertainment and educational needs. The platform is especially popular among creators and businesses, with YouTube Shorts and regional language content fueling its widespread adoption.
This figure also means that YouTube reached approximately 33.7% of India’s total population and an even larger share of its internet-connected citizens. Its versatility as a platform for streaming music, tutorials, news, and vlogs makes it indispensable to the everyday digital habits of Indian users. Moreover, YouTube’s integration with Google’s ecosystem and strong mobile optimization further enhances user accessibility and engagement. As of 2025, the platform’s reach, influence, and cultural impact in India remain unmatched in the social media space.
India YouTube Statistics 2025
YouTube Rankings & Performance in India – 2025
| Metric | Value | India Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Active Users (App) | Highest in India | 1st |
| Web Traffic Referrals (from third-party sites) | 7.33% | 1st |
| Website Visits (SimilarWeb) | 2.13 billion | 2nd |
| Website Visits (SEMrush) | 5.01 billion | 2nd |
| Most Searched Term on Google | “YouTube” | 6th |
| Total Consumer Spend (App) | Not specified | 5th |
| Average Monthly Sessions (Social Media Apps) | 251.9 | 4th |
In 2025, YouTube cemented its digital dominance in India, standing out in several key online metrics. It was the most actively used mobile app in the country based on monthly users, underscoring its central role in India’s video content consumption habits. The platform also held the 2nd position among all websites in India, both according to SimilarWeb (2.13 billion visits) and SEMrush (5.01 billion visits), highlighting its unmatched traffic volumes. Furthermore, the term “YouTube” ranked 6th among top Google search queries, reaffirming the brand’s entrenched visibility and importance in India’s digital ecosystem.
YouTube’s user engagement is equally remarkable. With an average of 251.9 monthly sessions per user, it ranked 4th among social media apps for user activity. Meanwhile, YouTube led in web traffic referrals, generating 7.33% of its visits from third-party sources, the highest in India. Its 5th position in consumer app spending reflects growing monetization opportunities through YouTube Premium and Super Thanks. Overall, YouTube’s multi-channel dominance — spanning web, mobile, and search — highlights its integral role in the everyday digital lives of Indian users in 2025.
YouTube Users in India in 2025
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total YouTube Users | 491 million |
| Share of Total Population | 33.7% |
| Share of Internet Users (all ages) | 60.9% |
In 2025, YouTube had an estimated 491 million users in India, according to Google’s internal planning tools. This user base represented 33.7% of the country’s total population, underlining YouTube’s deep reach into Indian society. While these figures are based on Google’s advertising data, they give a strong indication of YouTube’s scale and prominence in the country. It is important to note that these numbers reflect users eligible for targeted experiences on the platform, and may not fully represent all monthly active users.
When compared against India’s internet population, YouTube’s presence becomes even more impressive. The platform reached 60.9% of all internet users, regardless of age, showing just how central YouTube has become to India’s digital experience. Whether used for education, entertainment, news, or music, the numbers confirm that YouTube remains one of the most powerful and influential online platforms in India’s digital economy in 2025.
YouTube User Growth in India – 2025
| Time Period | User Growth | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2024 – Jan 2025 | +29.0 million | +6.3% |
| Oct 2024 – Jan 2025 (Quarter) | 0 | 0.0% |
Between January 2024 and January 2025, YouTube in India saw a notable increase of 29 million users, bringing its total user base to 491 million. This reflects a 6.3% year-on-year growth, as indicated by data from Google’s ad planning tools. The growth suggests a steady expansion of the platform’s reach, driven by rising internet penetration, affordable data, and widespread smartphone usage across the country. YouTube’s ability to provide regional content, short videos, and a vast library of entertainment and educational material continues to fuel this growth.
However, when analyzing the platform’s performance on a quarterly basis, the data shows that YouTube’s user base remained flat between October 2024 and January 2025, with no net new users added during that three-month period. This plateau could indicate a temporary saturation point or seasonal stagnation, especially after strong growth earlier in the year. While the platform still maintains a massive audience, these quarterly figures highlight the importance of evolving content strategies and product features to sustain user engagement and encourage new user acquisition in India’s dynamic digital landscape.
YouTube User Demographics by Gender – India 2025
| Gender | Share of Users | Number of Users |
|---|---|---|
| Female | 34.5% | 169.5 million |
| Male | 65.5% | 321.5 million |
In 2025, YouTube had an estimated 491 million users in India, and gender distribution data reveals a significant skew toward male users. Male users accounted for 65.5% of the platform’s user base, totaling around 321.5 million individuals. In contrast, female users made up 34.5%, which translates to approximately 169.5 million users. This imbalance suggests that YouTube’s content and engagement strategies may currently resonate more strongly with male audiences, or that access and usage habits still vary significantly by gender across different regions and demographics in India.
The disparity also highlights opportunities for YouTube to better engage female audiences in India by promoting inclusive, diverse content and addressing accessibility gaps. With nearly 170 million female users, the platform still commands substantial reach across both genders, but the imbalance indicates room for growth through targeted initiatives such as female-led content, localized educational series, or tools that promote safer engagement for women. Closing this gender gap could significantly boost the platform’s overall user base and improve digital inclusivity across India.
YouTube Users in India by Age Group – 2025
| Age Group | Share of Total Users | Number of Users |
|---|---|---|
| 18–24 years | 23.9% | 117.5 million |
| 25–34 years | 30.0% | 147.3 million |
| 35–49 years | 19.6% | 96.3 million |
| 45–54 years | 10.5% | 51.6 million |
| 55–64 years | 4.2% | 20.6 million |
| 65+ years | 2.4% | 11.8 million |
In 2025, the largest share of YouTube users in India fell within the 25–34 age group, accounting for 30.0% or 147.3 million users. This was followed by the 18–24 segment, which comprised 23.9%, totaling approximately 117.5 million users. Combined, these two younger adult cohorts made up over half (53.9%) of the total YouTube audience in India. This trend reflects YouTube’s strong appeal among digitally active millennials and Gen Z, who are often primary consumers of video content for education, entertainment, and social trends.
The 35–49 age group represented 19.6% of the total user base with 96.3 million users, while the 45–54 segment accounted for 10.5% (51.6 million users). Senior demographics showed lighter usage: 55–64-year-olds comprised 4.2% (20.6 million users), and those aged 65 and above represented just 2.4% (11.8 million users). These figures suggest that while YouTube’s reach among older audiences is growing, the platform’s dominance remains strongest among the younger population. This age-based distribution offers valuable insight for content creators and marketers aiming to tailor strategies for audience engagement across generational lines in India.
Top YouTube Searches in India – 2025
| Search Term | Search Interest Index |
|---|---|
| Song | 100 |
| Movie | 51 |
| Video | 42 |
| Songs | 26 |
| Gana | 21 |
| Cartoon | 18 |
| Cartoon Cartoon | 17 |
| DJ DJ | 15 |
| DJ | 15 |
| Serial | 13 |
In 2025, the most searched term on YouTube in India was clearly “Song”, receiving the maximum index score of 100, which indicates peak popularity relative to all other search queries. Music-related content overwhelmingly dominated the platform, with closely related terms like “Songs” (26), “DJ” (15), and “DJ DJ” (15) all ranking within the top 10. The appearance of “Gana” (21)—the Hindi word for song—further reflects India’s multilingual search behavior and highlights how music continues to be a cultural and entertainment staple on YouTube.
Visual content like “Movie” (51) and “Video” (42) also saw substantial search volumes, reinforcing YouTube’s role as an on-demand entertainment destination. Additionally, “Cartoon” (18) and the duplicate search “Cartoon Cartoon” (17) indicate high engagement from younger audiences or parents searching for children’s content. Lastly, “Serial” (13) confirms YouTube’s relevance for viewers interested in episodic and television-style programming. These trends highlight that users in India turn to YouTube primarily for music, movies, and entertainment, with varying preferences across demographics and languages.
Top 10 YouTube Channels by Subscribers in India – 2025
| Rank | Channel | Subscribers | Videos |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | T-Series | 296M | 23.68K |
| #2 | SET India | 184M | 155.76K |
| #3 | Zee Music Company | 118M | 14.31K |
| #4 | Goldmines | 105M | 10.75K |
| #5 | Sony SAB | 101M | 99.74K |
| #6 | ChuChu TV Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs | 96.5M | 878 |
| #7 | Zee TV | 91.1M | 211.57K |
| #8 | Colors TV | 80.4M | 256.63K |
| #9 | T-Series Bhakti Sagar | 76.6M | 30.21K |
| #10 | Tips Official | 76.2M | 7.98K |
In 2025, T-Series continued its reign as the most subscribed YouTube channel in India, boasting a staggering 296 million subscribers and publishing 23.68K videos. The channel’s dominance reflects India’s immense demand for music, particularly Bollywood and devotional tracks. SET India, the digital arm of Sony Entertainment Television, followed with 184 million subscribers and an impressive 155.76K videos, showing its stronghold in entertainment content, especially serials and reality shows. Zee Music Company, holding the third spot with 118 million subscribers and 14.31K videos, also illustrates the growing consumption of music-based content across digital audiences.
Goldmines took the fourth rank with 105 million subscribers, driven by South Indian dubbed movie content, with 10.75K uploads. Sony SAB, known for its comedy and family programming, maintained the fifth position with 101 million subscribers and 99.74K videos, showcasing how legacy television brands have successfully transitioned to digital. Notably, ChuChu TV had only 878 videos but still garnered 96.5 million subscribers, proving the high engagement and loyalty of kids’ content audiences. Meanwhile, traditional TV networks like Zee TV (91.1M subs, 211.57K videos) and Colors TV (80.4M subs, 256.63K videos) featured prominently thanks to their daily soaps and drama content. T-Series Bhakti Sagar secured 76.6 million subscribers with 30.21K videos, revealing the strong market for devotional content, and Tips Official rounded off the top ten with 76.2 million subscribers and 7.98K videos, continuing to leverage its classic and new music catalog effectively.
Top 10 YouTube Channels by Views in India – 2025
| Rank | Channel | Views | Videos |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | T-Series | 300.53B | 23.68K |
| #2 | SET India | 178.33B | 155.76K |
| #3 | Sony SAB | 130.45B | 99.74K |
| #4 | Zee TV | 104.85B | 211.57K |
| #5 | Colors TV | 80.31B | 256.63K |
| #6 | Zee Music Company | 78.54B | 14.31K |
| #7 | Anaya Kandhal | 67.63B | 2.64K |
| #8 | StarPlus | 62.99B | 118.78K |
| #9 | ChuChu TV Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs | 55.35B | 878 |
| #10 | YRF | 48.54B | 4.54K |
In 2025, T-Series firmly held its position as the most viewed YouTube channel in India, amassing an unprecedented 300.53 billion views across 23.68K videos. Its massive catalog of Bollywood music and devotional content makes it a central part of India’s digital entertainment culture. Close behind, SET India registered 178.33 billion views with over 155.76K videos, driven by the popularity of its prime-time shows, game shows, and dramas. Sony SAB, with 99.74K videos, crossed 130.45 billion views, fueled by its evergreen comedy and family-oriented programming. Zee TV and Colors TV followed with 104.85B and 80.31B views respectively, showcasing the continued demand for Indian serials and drama content.
Interestingly, newer and niche players also made a strong impact. Anaya Kandhal, with only 2.64K videos, drew in a stunning 67.63 billion views, indicating strong niche or viral appeal. StarPlus, with 118.78K uploads, secured 62.99B views, continuing its television success in the digital space. ChuChu TV, a kids’ content powerhouse, ranked 9th with just 878 videos yet recorded 55.35 billion views, proving high engagement among younger audiences. Music and film companies like Zee Music Company and YRF (Yash Raj Films) held strong spots, clocking 78.54B and 48.54B views respectively, showcasing sustained interest in cinematic and musical content.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
