Guide
Which banks and lenders does AI recommend? We tested 116
By The Venoh AI team · Last updated November 1, 2026
For each of 116 banks and lenders (96 of them in India), we asked Perplexity, with live web search, the question a buyer types for that company's own category, such as "best small finance bank in India", in two or three versions. 62% were not named in any answer. 14% were named at or near the top.
| Result | Companies | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Not named in any answer | 72 | 62% |
| Named, behind others | 28 | 24% |
| Named at or near the top | 16 | 14% |
Who AI names most often for banking and lending questions
| Named in the answers | For how many tested companies' questions |
|---|---|
| HDFC Bank | 17 |
| ICICI Bank | 17 |
| SBI | 11 |
| Bajaj Finance | 8 |
| LIC Housing Finance | 7 |
| Kotak Investment Banking | 6 |
| Tata Capital | 6 |
| Muthoot Finance | 4 |
| Moneyview | 4 |
| Bajaj Housing Finance | 3 |
Large banks and the biggest NBFCs take the answers. Smaller lenders, small finance banks and digital lending platforms are rarely named, even for questions about their own niche.
Questions we asked
- "best small finance bank in India"
- "best home finance company in India"
- "best housing finance company in India"
- "best non-bank finance company in India"
- "best rural finance company in India"
- "best digital lending company in India"
- "best education loan provider in India"
- "best joint banking for couples in India"
- "best infrastructure finance company in India"
- "best loan distribution company in India"
What this means for banks and lenders
- Being good is not enough to be named. AI answers repeat the companies that review sites, directories and articles already name for the question. If those sources do not mention you, the answer will not either.
- Each niche is its own question. "best small finance bank in India" and the next niche over return different names. Answer your exact niche on your own pages, in your buyers' words.
- Check your own standing. Ask your buyers' questions on ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Claude, three times each, and count. Our guide shows how to check whether ChatGPT recommends you.
- Fix what the engines read first. Profiles on the directories AI cites, answer pages, fair comparison pages and mentions in the threads it quotes. See why AI recommends your competitors.
How we tested
Between 5 October and 1 November 2026 we asked Perplexity, through its API with live web search, two or three versions of the plain buyer question for each company's own category and market, and read which companies each answer named. A company counts as named if any answer named it. Industries were grouped from each company's category. Answers change from run to run, so treat every figure as a dated snapshot. We publish totals and the names AI gave; we do not list the tested companies that were left out. More in our 835-company study and methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which banks and lenders does AI recommend in India?
In our October 2026 test on Perplexity, the names given most often for banking and lending questions were HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI, Bajaj Finance, LIC Housing Finance.
How many banks and lenders does AI leave out?
Of 116 banks and lenders we tested, 72 (62%) were not named in any answer to the plain buyer question for their own category, and 44 (38%) were named.
How can a banking and lending company get recommended by ChatGPT and Perplexity?
Be present on the review sites, directories and articles AI cites for your category, answer your buyers' exact questions on your own pages in plain words, publish fair comparison pages, and keep your facts consistent. Then re-test the same questions.
Want this checked on your own pages?
The Venoh AI diagnostic reviews your real pages and labels every finding by how it was determined. Send us your website address and a line about what you sell.