DuckDuckGo subscribers stood out most for Perplexity payments
DuckDuckGo subscriber rate divided by the standalone-VPN subscriber rate, August 18, 2025–August 18, 2026; 1.0× means the groups had the same rate
Likelihood relative to standalone-VPN peers
Source: YipitData U.S. e-receipt panel. DuckDuckGo subscribers n=711; standalone-VPN peers n=12,379. Perplexity overlap counts were 78 and 712, respectively.
Chart data
| Series | Likelihood relative to standalone-VPN peers |
|---|---|
| Perplexity | ~1.90× |
| ChatGPT | 1.15× |
| Spotify | 1.10× |
| Claude | 1.03× |
| Streaming video | 1.03× |
What were the underlying subscription rates?
Perplexity appeared among 11.0% of DuckDuckGo subscribers and 5.8% of VPN peers. The gaps were smaller for ChatGPT (26.0% vs. 22.6%), Claude (19.5% vs. 19.0%), Spotify (21.4% vs. 19.5%), and streaming video (70.5% vs. 68.4%). The comparison shows a specific Perplexity difference, not higher payment across every measured category.
Did the difference begin only after DuckDuckGo added paid AI features?
No clear acquisition-era shift appeared. Perplexity reached 12.1% of 141 subscribers whose first DuckDuckGo receipt predated September 2025 and 10.7% of 570 later subscribers. Any paid AI reached 34.0% and 37.9%, respectively. These subgroup results are directional but show that the Perplexity overlap was present in both cohorts.
Assumptions & Methodologies
We analyzed YipitData’s U.S. e-receipt panel from August 18, 2025–August 18, 2026. DuckDuckGo subscribers were 711 active panelists with an Apple, Google, or Stripe receipt containing the exact token “duckduckgo.” The comparison contained 12,379 non-DuckDuckGo subscribers to NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, or Proton VPN. Relative likelihood equals each DuckDuckGo overlap rate divided by the matching VPN-peer rate. App-store receipts may omit product names, so absolute overlap is a floor. Results show concurrent payment, not subscription order, product use, substitution, or causality.