BYJU’S became one of India’s best-known education technology companies by changing how students accessed tuition and exam preparation. Instead of relying only on textbooks or physical coaching centres, students could watch animated lessons, attend live classes, practise questions and receive guidance through an app.
The company followed a freemium and subscription-based business model. Some educational content was made available free to attract students, while complete courses, live classes, mentoring and study packages required payment. BYJU’S also expanded into offline coaching, competitive examination preparation, coding and international education through acquisitions.
However, BYJU’S is now facing serious financial and legal difficulties. Its parent company, Think and Learn Private Limited, is undergoing insolvency proceedings. Therefore, this article explains both the company’s original revenue model and the challenges that affected its ability to operate sustainably.
BYJU’S Company Quick Overview
| Particular | Details |
| Brand name | BYJU’S |
| Parent company | Think and Learn Private Limited |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founders | Byju Raveendran and Divya Gokulnath |
| Headquarters | Bengaluru, Karnataka |
| Industry | Education technology |
| Main customers | School students and competitive-exam aspirants |
| Core business model | Freemium, subscription and paid-course model |
| Main services | Recorded lessons, live classes, mentoring and exam preparation |
| Major learning categories | K–12, JEE, NEET, UPSC, CAT and other examinations |
| Current position | Parent company undergoing insolvency proceedings |
BYJU’S was founded in 2011, while its main learning app was introduced in 2015. Its programs covered school education, early learning and examinations such as JEE, NEET, UPSC and CAT. The company’s current website continues to display online classes, recorded lessons, tests, doubt solving and mentoring services.
What Is the BYJU’S Business Model?
BYJU’S primarily follows a business-to-consumer, or B2C, model. It sells educational courses directly to students and parents.
Students are attracted through free videos, trial classes, educational articles and limited app access. Sales representatives or counsellors then explain the paid programs to parents. Depending on the course, customers may receive recorded videos, scheduled classes, tests, printed books, tablets and access to mentors.
The model depends on converting free users into paying customers. It also depends on renewals, longer course packages and the sale of additional programs as students move to higher classes or prepare for competitive examinations.
How Does BYJU’S Make Money?
1. Paid App Subscriptions
Paid subscriptions formed the foundation of BYJU’S business model. Students could download the app and access some content for free, but complete learning programs required payment.
Subscriptions commonly provided access to animated video lessons, chapter-wise exercises, quizzes, revision materials and performance reports. Plans could cover a particular class, subject, examination or academic period.
The official BYJU’S FAQ states that the app is free to download and that some content is available without charge. Customers must purchase a program to unlock complete learning services.
2. Live Online Classes
BYJU’S also earned money by selling scheduled online tuition programs. These programs were more expensive than basic recorded-content subscriptions because they included live teaching and direct interaction.
Students could attend classes on weekdays or weekends. Depending on the program, they also received instant doubt resolution, assignments, regular tests, additional classes and progress reports.
The company promoted a two-teacher approach in some programs. One teacher explained the academic concepts, while another provided personal attention and helped resolve doubts.
3. Competitive Examination Courses
Exam preparation was another important source of revenue. BYJU’S sold courses for examinations such as JEE, NEET, UPSC, CAT, banking examinations and government recruitment tests.
These programs could include recorded lectures, live classes, daily practice papers, test series, mock examinations, performance analysis and personal mentoring. Competitive-exam packages could command higher fees because they generally lasted several months or years.
For example, BYJU’S JEE programs included concept classes, daily practice sheets, doubt-solving sessions, adaptive tests and all-India test series.
4. Tablets and Learning Packages
Some BYJU’S programs were sold with tablets preloaded with video lessons and other educational content. These tablets helped students access lessons even when continuous internet connectivity was unavailable.
Customers were not merely paying for the device. The package price generally covered the tablet, course access, educational software, videos, tests, study materials and support services.
BYJU’S also offered certain exam-preparation programs both with and without a tablet. This allowed the company to create different pricing levels based on a student’s requirements.
5. Printed Study Materials
Many premium courses included printed books, worksheets, practice modules and examination materials. The cost of these materials was usually included in the complete course fee rather than charged as a separate bookstore purchase.
Physical materials made the product more useful for students who wanted to combine app-based learning with written practice. They also allowed BYJU’S to present its programs as complete educational packages rather than simple video subscriptions.
6. Offline Tuition and Coaching
BYJU’S expanded beyond digital learning by opening physical tuition centres. Students could attend face-to-face classes at these centres while also using online videos and app-based exercises.
This hybrid approach created another source of revenue through centre-based course fees. However, offline centres also introduced considerable expenses, including rent, teaching staff, electricity, equipment and local administration.
The company’s tuition-centre materials described a blended system in which physical classroom instruction was supported by online video lessons and app access.
7. Revenue from Acquired Education Companies
BYJU’S acquired several educational businesses as it attempted to expand into new subjects, age groups and international markets. These included Aakash Educational Services, WhiteHat Jr, Great Learning, Epic, Osmo, Tynker, GeoGebra and Gradeup, which was renamed BYJU’S Exam Prep.
These businesses offered services such as test preparation, coding, professional education, educational games and international learning programs. Their course fees and subscriptions contributed to the group’s consolidated revenue when they operated as part of the BYJU’S group.
Major Costs in the BYJU’S Business Model
Running an education technology company at such a large scale required substantial spending. Major costs included teacher and employee salaries, video production, app development, cloud infrastructure, printed materials, tablets, sales commissions and customer support.
The company also spent heavily on advertising, sponsorships and celebrity endorsements. Acquiring other companies required billions of dollars in funding and created additional repayment and integration responsibilities.
Offline centres increased costs further because every location needed classrooms, staff, equipment and maintenance. When course sales slowed, these fixed expenses became difficult to manage.
Why the Business Model Initially Grew Rapidly
BYJU’S benefited from growing smartphone usage, affordable internet access and demand for additional academic support. Animated videos made difficult topics easier to understand, while app-based learning allowed students to study from home.
The model expanded especially quickly during the COVID-19 pandemic, when schools and coaching centres were closed. Parents became more willing to purchase online educational programs, and digital learning became part of everyday education.
The ability to sell one digital course to many students also appeared attractive. Once a video was produced, it could be provided to thousands of subscribers without recording the same lesson again.
What Went Wrong with the BYJU’S Model?
The central idea of selling digital education was workable, but rapid expansion created major problems. BYJU’S spent heavily on advertising, acquisitions, hiring, sponsorships and offline centres.
Its long course packages also depended heavily on aggressive selling and continued customer acquisition. When pandemic restrictions ended, many students returned to schools and physical coaching centres. Demand for expensive online-only programs weakened.
Debt disputes, delayed financial reporting, governance concerns and conflicts with investors increased the pressure. In July 2026, the Bengaluru bench of the National Company Law Tribunal temporarily paused the insolvency bidding process until August 31, 2026. The order did not end the insolvency proceedings against Think and Learn.
Conclusion
BYJU’S makes money mainly by selling paid educational subscriptions, live classes, exam-preparation courses, tuition programs and learning packages containing tablets or printed materials. Its growth showed the commercial potential of digital education, but it also demonstrated the risks of excessive spending, debt-funded acquisitions and rapid expansion. A successful education business must balance technology, teaching quality and sales growth with reasonable costs and reliable customer service.
FAQs
Q1. Is BYJU’S a recognised school or university?
No. BYJU’S is an education and tutoring platform. It provides supplementary learning and examination preparation but does not replace a recognised school board, college or university.
Q2. Does BYJU’S mainly earn money through advertisements?
No. Advertising is not the central source of revenue for BYJU’S. Its main income has traditionally come from paid courses, app subscriptions, live classes, tuition programs and examination-preparation packages.
Q3. Are BYJU’S course prices the same for every student?
Not necessarily. Prices can differ according to the student’s class, subjects, examination, course duration, live-class access, mentoring support and whether a tablet or printed material is included.
Q4. Can a BYJU’S subscription be cancelled?
The official FAQ states that subscriptions may be cancelled through the Parent Zone or the relevant app store account. However, refund eligibility and financial obligations may depend on the particular plan, agreement and payment method.
Q5. Is paying through an EMI cheaper than paying the full fee?
An EMI reduces the amount paid at one time, but it does not always reduce the total course cost. Interest, processing fees or financing charges may apply. Parents should examine the complete payment schedule before accepting an EMI plan.
