Ankur Warikoo on why he gave 500,000 students free access to WebVeda subscription despite potential ₹100 crore loss

Entrepreneur and content creator Ankur Warikoo has sparked a debate on business ethics and customer loyalty after revealing why he chose to offer free annual subscriptions to hundreds of thousands of existing users when his learning platform, WebVeda, switched to a subscription-based model.

In a post on X, Warikoo shared that when WebVeda introduced an annual subscription plan priced at ₹1,999, several founders questioned what would happen to the 500,000 students who had already purchased individual courses on the platform.

According to Warikoo, the conventional business approach would have been to treat those customers as "legacy users" and require them to subscribe separately to access the new model.


However, he said he chose a different path.

'They Trusted Me Before the Model Changed'

Explaining his decision, Warikoo wrote that the students had placed their trust in him long before the platform transitioned to a subscription model.

"They trusted me long before the model changed. I am not going to ask them to pay again for what they helped me build," he said.

As a result, all 500,000 existing students were upgraded to the annual subscription plan at no additional cost. They were also allowed to retain lifetime access to the courses they had previously purchased.

Decision May Have Cost ₹100 Crore in Revenue

Warikoo acknowledged that the move came at a financial cost.

"It cost me short-term revenue. Potentially 100Cr of revenue. It cost me zero sleep though," he wrote.

He added that making decisions aligned with one's values often provides greater peace of mind than maximizing immediate profits.

"The thing that makes you sleep better at night is usually the right answer," he said.

Social Media Users React

The post generated widespread discussion, with many users praising the decision as an example of customer-first thinking.

One user commented that the real test lies in how those early customers talk about the brand to others.


"The harder question is what those 500k students tell their network. Legacy users become your loudest critics or best advocates depending on that one decision," the user wrote.

Another highlighted the long-term value of customer trust, saying, "Doing right by early adopters isn't a cost, it's an investment in brand equity that no marketing budget can buy."

However, not everyone was convinced. Some critics questioned the public nature of the announcement, with one user arguing that founders who frequently emphasize their ethics on social media may be seeking validation rather than simply acting on their principles.

Why the Post Resonated

Warikoo's comments have reignited a broader discussion about how startups should treat early adopters when changing business models. While many companies prioritize revenue optimization during such transitions, others argue that rewarding loyal customers can strengthen long-term trust, brand reputation, and customer advocacy.

The debate highlights a common dilemma faced by growing businesses: balancing immediate financial gains with the goodwill of the customers who supported the company in its early stages.