What Are the Best Verticals to Run in India in 2026?

India has become a key destination for marketers due to its vast number of online users. The country has over a billion users and generates the highest volume of app installs worldwide. However, it is also a market where an inappropriate message can quickly exhaust the budget without yielding any results.

The past year has brought significant changes to online advertising regulations. Certain verticals that once dominated traffic in India have become illegal, while others have become heavily regulated and have gained greater credibility among professionals.

Our guide presents the best verticals for India, those you should avoid, and tips and tricks for turning traffic volume into real conversions. For a broader overview, you can consult our guide on the best affiliate marketing verticals to watch in 2026.

Why Is Indian Traffic Worth Testing?

Before choosing a vertical, it helps to understand the scale you are working with:

• Internet users: India had 1.03 billion internet users at the end of 2025, with online penetration at 70%.
• Connections keep growing: According to TRAI, internet subscriptions reached 1,092.79 million at the end of March 2026, a 6.24% increase in a single quarter. Average wireless data usage stood at 26.70 GB per month.
• App installs: Sensor Tower counted 25.5 billion app downloads in India in 2025, more than double the 12.6 billion recorded in the US.
• Digital payments: UPI processed a record 24.51 billion transactions worth ₹29.82 lakh crore in August 2026, up 22% year over year.

Users in India engage with apps frequently but are very conscious of their spending. Sensor Tower data indicates that revenue generated per app download in India is approximately $0.03, compared to $0.20 in East Asia and Latin America. For this very reason, simple and quick conversion flows, such as free installation, account creation, filling out a data-capture form, or a low-value purchase, tend to be successful in India.

Why Does E-commerce Work So Well in India?

E-commerce is the most reliable vertical in India and it becomes the strongest one during the festive season.

The 2026 festive season in India begins later than usual. Navratri starts in mid-October and Diwali falls on November 8, with the main festivities taking place between November 6 and 10. For advertisers, this period translates into a significant rise in conversions.

E-commerce sales during the festive season are projected to reach ₹1.50–1.55 lakh crore, with quick commerce potentially accounting for approximately 16% of the total.
For media buyers, this period is equally important, as it offers an opportunity to test and scale campaigns in India, particularly those designed to boost consumer interest in online shopping and services.

What to run: marketplace sale events, coupon and cashback offers, electronics, fashion and ethnic wear, home decor and quick commerce app installs.

Best formats: classic push and in-page push for flash sales and countdown offers, native ads for gift guides and deal roundups and popunders for coupon and cashback landers.

Timing tip: start testing in late September or early October. You want conversion data and a clean placement list before Navratri, so you can scale confidently into Dhanteras and Diwali week instead of guessing at peak prices. Our seasonal advertising playbooks and e-commerce advertising strategies for 2026 cover the full planning process.

Are Mobile Apps and Utilities a Good Fit for India?

Yes. India is the world’s largest app market by downloads, which makes CPI and free-trial offers a natural fit.

The monetization side is improving too. Annual in-app purchase revenue in India went from $520 million in 2021 to more than $1 billion in 2025, and Sensor Tower projects $1.25 billion for 2026. In Q2 2026, Indian users spent a record $345 million on apps, up 35% year over year, driven by generative AI, streaming and productivity apps.

What to run: utility apps (cleaners, file managers, battery savers, antivirus), generative AI assistants, streaming and short-drama apps, food delivery and quick commerce installs. VPN offers also see demand, although major providers pulled their physical servers out of India after the 2022 CERT-In data retention directive, so check how your offer handles Indian users before launch. For a real optimization example in this vertical, see our VPN campaign case study.

Best formats: popunders for direct-to-store installs, in-page push for app promotions on mobile web and Telegram Mini App ads (available on request) for tech-savvy, app-native audiences.

Can You Run Fintech Offers in India?

Financial offers can perform well in the Indian market, particularly thanks to UPI (Unified Payments Interface), the highly popular instant payment system. Instant mobile payments have already become a daily habit for Indians.

However, digital lending is strictly regulated, and companies are required to declare the digital lending apps they work with.
For advertisers, this can be an advantage. Offers from authorized and verified lenders inspire greater trust, especially in a market where users are increasingly attentive to the legitimacy of financial services.

What to run: credit card and savings account lead generation, payment and UPI app installs, insurance quotes and personal loans from lenders connected to RBI-regulated entities.

What to avoid: unlisted instant-loan apps, “guaranteed approval” claims and landers that hide fees or interest rates.

Best formats: native ads for explainer-style content (how to compare credit cards, how to choose a loan) and classic push for lead generation offers.

Is It Safe to Run Crypto and Trading Offers in India?

Crypto is legal but heavily regulated and subject to a 30% tax, in addition to other levies. Nevertheless, interest in crypto remains, though users are more cautious and well-informed compared to markets with more relaxed regulations.

For advertisers, this means that crypto offers must be promoted clearly and transparently, without exaggerated promises or misleading messages.

What to run: signups for exchanges registered with the Financial Intelligence Unit India (FIU-IND), educational apps and stock or mutual fund investment platforms.

What to avoid: “guaranteed returns” messaging and anything that looks like a pay-to-win scheme. Under the 2025 online gaming law, labels like “prediction”, “colour trading” or “investment game” do not make a paid money game legal. Always include the risk disclaimers required by ASCI’s guidelines for virtual digital asset ads.

Best formats: native ads for educational angles and in-page push for signup offers.

What About Entertainment, Streaming and Free-to-Play Games?

Video streaming platforms, entertainment apps, and short-form video apps are the most downloaded categories in India. Mobile gaming also has a very large audience, with 8.45 billion game installs during the 2024–2025 period, and users are aged between 18 and 34.

Free-to-play social games and esports remain fully legal under the new gaming framework. The line is clear: no deposits, no stakes and no cash prizes.

What to run: streaming subscriptions with free trials, short-drama apps, casual and midcore game installs and esports platforms.

Best formats: popunders for app store installs, in-page push for trial offers and Telegram Mini App ads for gaming-native users.

Does Dating Convert on Indian Traffic?

Dating performs well in Indian traffic, especially regarding app installs and free sign-ups, and India is a recommended region for dating offers; however, the key is to keep everything mainstream.
Indian law is strict regarding obscene online content, so creators and app operators should remain vigilant and focus on connection, chat and matchmaking features.

What to run: mainstream dating app installs, free registration offers and social discovery apps.

Best formats: classic push and in-page push, with creatives localized in Hindi and major regional languages.

Which Verticals Should You Avoid in India in 2026?

1. Real-money gaming, betting and casino.

Starting May 1, 2026, India has banned real-money online games, regardless of whether the game’s outcome depends on luck or player skill. This includes rummy, poker, fantasy sports, online casinos, and real-money sports betting.

Furthermore, promoting these types of games is strictly prohibited. In short, if an offer requires the user to pay money for the chance to win money, India should not be the target GEO.

2. Miracle-cure nutra. Anything that promises to cure a disease or boost sexual performance falls under the DMR Act and is regularly reported to regulators.

3. Unregistered loan apps. Lending offers not connected to an RBI-regulated entity are both a legal risk and a trust problem with users.

Which Mondiad Formats Fit Each Vertical?

Not sure which format suits your offer? Our comparison of push ads vs pop ads breaks down how each one performs.

Why Run Your India Campaigns With Mondiad?

Mondiad is a self-serve ad network that gives you access to Indian traffic across classic push, in-page push, native, banners, popunders, Telegram Mini App ads and parked domains. You can launch, test and optimize campaigns on your own, fund your account with PayPal and scale the formats that work for your vertical.

Ready to test India before the festive rush? Launch your first campaign today.

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