Arattai by Zoho — India’s Rising Messaging App & Why It Matters

हिन्दी में पढ़ने के लिए क्लिक करें

📲 What is Arattai?

Arattai is an Indian instant messaging & calling app developed by Zoho Corporation. (Wikipedia)
The name “Arattai” comes from Tamil, meaning “chat” or “banter / casual talk.” (The Times of India)
Zoho first rolled it out (soft launch) around January 2021. (The Times of India)
It is cross-platform: available on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, and even Android TV. (Zoho)
Zoho positions it as a “simple, secure, Indian-made” alternative to global messaging apps. (Zoho)

🚀 Why is Arattai suddenly trending?

Arattai has seen a sharp surge in user interest and media buzz in late 2025. Here are the key reasons and metrics:

100× increase in traffic / user signups: In just a few days, daily signups reportedly jumped from ~3,000 per day to ~350,000 per day. (Entrepreneur)
It climbed to #1 in the Social Networking category on India’s App Store charts. (www.ndtv.com)
Government / public endorsements:
• Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan urged citizens to try “Made in India” apps like Arattai. (India Today)
• Ministers and Indian tech policy voices are pushing for domestic alternatives to big global platforms (e.g. messaging, productivity) amid India–US tensions. (Reuters)
Positioning & narrative: It fits into the “swadeshi / digital sovereignty” narrative — local alternative to foreign apps. (The Indian Express)
Media comparisons / curiosity: Many are now asking: Can this displace WhatsApp? Is it safe? What features does it offer / lack? etc. (See below).

🔍 What features does Arattai currently offer?

Here is what users and articles report Arattai can (and cannot) do today:

✅ Key Features & Strengths

Feature	Details / Notes
Text & voice messaging	Send text messages, voice notes, etc. (Zoho)
Audio & video calls	Supports voice and video calling, with end-to-end encryption for these media types. (mint)
Group chats & channels	Supports group conversations, and also “Channels” for broadcasting messages to many people. (The Indian Express)
Large group capacity	Arattai allows group chats of up to 1,000 participants (higher than default WhatsApp groups). (The Indian Express)
Multi-device support	You can use Arattai across multiple devices (smartphone, desktop, etc.). (Zoho)
Android TV version	A standout point: Arattai has a dedicated Android TV app, something few competing messengers offer. (mint)
Lightweight / works on low-end phones & poor networks	Designed to run well on low-memory devices and under slower networks (2G/3G) (Moneycontrol)
No ads & no third-party data monetization	Zoho claims Arattai does not show advertisements or monetize user data via third parties. (Entrepreneur)

⚠️ Limitations & Currently Missing / Incomplete Features

Text message encryption not yet default: While voice & video calls are E2EE (end-to-end encrypted), standard text chats currently are not fully end-to-end encrypted by default. (mint)
There is a “secret chat / personal chat” option available now (for encrypted messaging), but it is not yet the default for all conversations. (The Times of India)
Missing some advanced features: Some features common in mature platforms (e.g. fully seamless cross-platform sync, very large file transfer, rich bots / plug-ins) are either limited or still being developed. Analysts note the app is still evolving. (The Indian Express)
Scalability / infrastructure stress: Because of the sudden surge, Zoho is reportedly upgrading infrastructure to cope with demand. (The Economic Times)
User experience / polish gaps: Some early users report occasional sync delays, missing features, or usability gaps (this is expected for a rapidly scaling app). (Entrepreneur)
Name / language perception issues: Some users have remarked on the Tamil name (“Arattai”) — whether it’s too regionally specific / unfamiliar in Hindi / other languages. (India Today)

🔐 Privacy, Security & Data Handling

Because security is one of the core points being debated about Arattai, here’s what’s known currently:

Voice / Video calls are end-to-end encrypted (E2EE). (mint)
Text messages: not yet fully E2EE by default. They are encrypted “in transit,” but not in full end-to-end manner for all chats yet. (mint)
Secret / personal chat feature: a mode for secure, encrypted texts is already available or being tested; Zoho says full E2EE for all chats is “in the works.” (The Times of India)
Data stored in India / local servers: Zoho claims that user data is stored on Indian infrastructure, aligning with digital sovereignty goals. (mint)
No third-party sharing / ad targeting: Zoho states it does not share user data with advertisers or monetize via third-party tracking. (Zoho)

⚔️ Arattai vs WhatsApp (and other rivals) — What sets them apart?

Here’s a comparative breakdown and what users often ask:

Aspect	Arattai	WhatsApp / Others
Encryption	Full E2EE currently only on calls & video; text E2EE in progress / optional secret chats	E2EE by default on all chats, calls, media (for WhatsApp)
Group size	Up to 1,000 participants	WhatsApp group limit is lower (e.g. up to 512 or 1024 depending on version) (The Indian Express)
Android TV support	Yes, has a dedicated app	WhatsApp does not currently have a full Android TV version. (Moneycontrol)
Device support / multi-device	Supports multiple devices and sync across platforms	WhatsApp also supports multi-device but with some constraints
Performance on low-end / weak networks	Designed to be lightweight and work well in low-bandwidth / rural contexts (Moneycontrol)	WhatsApp is robust but may lag on very low-end or older phones
Monetization / Ads	No ads, no third-party tracking	WhatsApp currently does not show ads inside chats but is part of Meta’s ecosystem, raising data privacy concerns
Ecosystem & maturity	Still evolving; fewer integrations / features currently	Well matured, large ecosystem, high user base, wide adoption
Local / national appeal	Appeals to those preferring Indian-developed / sovereign tech	Global reach, entrenched user base

So the tradeoff is: Arattai is new, evolving, but promising in terms of local control and some unique features; WhatsApp is more battle-tested, but has more baggage regarding parent company, data practices, and dependence.

🗣 What people are asking / searching about Arattai

“Is Arattai safe / secure?”
Many are searching whether Arattai provides end-to-end encryption and how safe their messages are.
✅ Answer: For calls & video, yes. For text chats, full E2EE is being rolled out / optional currently.
“Can Arattai replace WhatsApp?” / “WhatsApp killer?”
People are curious whether this local app can dethrone or meaningfully challenge WhatsApp, given its large user base.
“Arattai features vs WhatsApp”
Users want side-by-side comparisons: groups, device support, encryption, file size limits, etc.
“Arattai download / availability”
Where to download (Play Store, App Store, desktop) and how to set it up.
✅ It is available on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android TV. (Zoho)
“Why is Arattai trending / 100x growth”
People want to know the reason behind its virality — government push, digital sovereignty sentiment, etc.
“Arattai payment / UPI / Zoho Pay integration”
A hot topic: whether Arattai will support UPI / payments, akin to WhatsApp Pay.
➤ Zoho has announced upcoming integration with its digital payments (Zoho Pay) inside Arattai. (Navbharat Times)
“When will text encryption / E2EE come to chats?”
Many are awaiting the rollout of default E2EE for all message types.
Zoho’s CEO recently said they’re working to make it default soon. (The Times of India)
“Arattai infrastructure / scalability / stability”
Users wonder whether the app can sustain mass scale without crashes or delays, especially after the surge.
“Arattai disadvantages / what’s missing”
Users ask candidly: what it can’t do yet; what trade-offs are present.
“Arattai and privacy / data storage”
Many want reassurance about where data is stored, whether it is shared, whether third parties can access it.
“Arattai in India policy / government support”
Given the push for indigenous tech, people search about government encouragement, policy support, and regulatory backing.
“Arattai name / meaning / language concerns”
Some search what “Arattai” means, why a Tamil name for a pan-India app, or if language is a barrier.

🗞 Latest News & Announcements (as of October 2025)

Here are the most recent developments:

End-to-end encryption for texts coming soon: Zoho CEO Mani Vembu announced that while voice & video E2EE is already there, they are working to make it default for message chats too. (The Times of India)
Payment integration (Zoho Pay / UPI): Zoho plans to add payments inside Arattai (like GPay / Paytm) via its payment arm. (Navbharat Times)
Zoho launching “Vani” to compete with Google Workspace / Microsoft 365: After messaging, Zoho is expanding its ambitions to workplace / productivity tools. (The Times of India)
Scaling infrastructure: Zoho is beefing up backend capacity to handle the surge in usage. (The Economic Times)
Commentary on digital sovereignty & government push: Indian ministers are encouraging domestic alternatives to U.S. tech platforms; Arattai is named as a poster child for that. (Reuters)
Zoho founder’s remarks / messaging ecosystem vision: Sridhar Vembu has said Arattai won’t just be “another chat app” — the vision is to build an ecosystem where messaging, payments, services interoperate. (India Today)
Statements about monopoly / competition: Vembu has stressed that Arattai will not aim to become a monopolistic platform in the mold of big players. (Navbharat Times)

✅ Pros, 🚫 Cons & What to Watch

Pros

Genuinely Indian-made / operated, aligning with digital sovereignty sentiment
Lightweight performance, better for lower-end devices and poor networks
Unique features like Android TV support
Large group capacity and channel broadcasting built-in
No ads, no third-party data monetization (so far)
Strong momentum, public / government backing
Integrations with Zoho ecosystem (possibly)
Rapid development & responsiveness due to smaller scale

Cons / Risks / What we don’t yet know

Text chat encryption is not fully implemented yet (for all chats)
Still relatively new — features, stability, polish may lag
Many users may hesitate to migrate from WhatsApp (network effects)
Infrastructure stress could cause outages or performance hiccups
Trust needs to be built, especially around data / security
If monetization strategy emerges, how it will balance revenue vs privacy is unknown
Cross-platform parity, feature gaps (e.g. bots, business APIs) may persist
The Tamil name “Arattai” may present perception challenges in non-Tamil regions

What to Watch Next

Launch of default text E2EE — this is a major inflection point for trust.
Payment / UPI / wallet integration inside Arattai — if done well, this could be a huge differentiator.
Adoption and retention — whether users stay after the initial hype.
Ecosystem growth — third-party APIs, business use, bots, integration with other Zoho tools.
Stability & scaling under stress — how reliably it works as user base grows.
Regulatory / policy positioning — whether India’s tech / data policy supports or constrains it further.
Monetization method — subscription, premium features, business accounts, etc.