Arattai Messenger: India's WhatsApp Rival? Everything You Need to Know (2025)
Out of nowhere, a "Made in India" messaging app called Arattai has exploded in popularity, topping the charts and challenging WhatsApp. But what is it, is it safe, and can it actually win? This is your definitive guide to Zoho's Arattai Messenger, its features, and the critical privacy questions you need answered.
By Amandeep Singh
Founder, Cancelmates. Tracking the rise and fall of digital platforms.
In the world of tech, giants are rarely challenged overnight. Yet, in late 2025, that's exactly what seemed to happen in India. A messaging app called Arattai burst onto the scene, skyrocketing to over 7.5 million downloads in a matter of days and temporarily dethroning WhatsApp as the #1 social app on Indian app stores.
Backed by the Indian tech powerhouse Zoho and championed by a wave of "Made in India" sentiment, Arattai has emerged as the most significant local challenger to WhatsApp's dominance. But is this just a flash in the pan fueled by nationalist pride, or does Arattai have the features, performance, and—most importantly—the privacy to become a true contender? This is the ultimate deep dive into everything you need to know.
Your Ultimate Guide to Arattai
- 1. What is Arattai and Who is Behind It?
- 2. Features at a Glance: Arattai vs. The Competition
- 3. The Big Question: Why the Sudden Hype?
- 4. The Elephant in the Room: Privacy & End-to-End Encryption
- 5. Can Arattai Actually Beat WhatsApp? The Hurdles Ahead
- 6. The Road Ahead: What's Next for Arattai?
- 7. Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Arattai and Who is Behind It?
Arattai (a Tamil word meaning "chat" or "banter") is a messaging app developed by Zoho Corporation, one of India's most respected and successful software companies. Though it was soft-launched in 2021, it remained relatively unknown until a massive surge in interest in October 2025.
Positioned as a homegrown alternative to global giants, Arattai’s core promise is to provide a simple, secure, and accessible communication tool tailored for the Indian user, with a key emphasis on storing user data within India.
2. Features at a Glance: Arattai vs. The Competition
Arattai arrives in a crowded market. Here’s a breakdown of its features—what’s ready, what’s coming, and what’s still missing.
| Feature | Status | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Chat & Groups | Available | 1-to-1, groups (up to 1,000 members), voice notes, media sharing. |
| Audio & Video Calls | Available | End-to-end encrypted. Video calls limited to 6 participants. |
| End-to-End Encryption (Text) | In Progress | Not default yet. A "Secret Chat" option exists. Full E2EE is being fast-tracked. |
| Multi-Device Support | Available | Link up to 5 devices, including desktop and even an Android TV app. |
| Data Storage Location | Available | All user data is stored in data centers located in India. |
| Payments Integration | In Progress | Integration with Zoho Pay is reportedly in development. |
3. The Big Question: Why the Sudden Hype?
An app doesn't go from 3,000 to 350,000 daily sign-ups by accident. The explosive growth of Arattai is a perfect storm of factors:
- The "Make in India" Push: The surge is strongly linked to a renewed push for self-reliance and the use of homegrown technology, a sentiment amplified by government ministers and business leaders on social media.
- A Credible Creator: Unlike many flash-in-the-pan apps, Arattai is backed by Zoho, a trusted and profitable Indian tech giant, which lends it significant credibility.
- Designed for India: The app is engineered to be lightweight and perform well on low-end smartphones and weak internet connections—a crucial advantage in rural and semi-urban markets.
4. The Elephant in the Room: Privacy & End-to-End Encryption
This is Arattai's single biggest challenge and the most pressing concern for potential users. While its rivals have made default end-to-end encryption (E2EE) a standard, Arattai launched without it for text chats.
What This Means for You:
Without default E2EE, your text messages could theoretically be accessed on Zoho's servers. While the company has a strong privacy policy and states it will never sell user data, security experts agree that true privacy is only guaranteed when not even the company can read your messages.
Zoho's Response:
Zoho has been transparent about this. CEO Mani Vembu and Founder Sridhar Vembu have confirmed they are accelerating the rollout of default E2EE for all chats. They explained that the app's architecture was initially based on their business tool (Zoho Cliq), which required cloud access for features like search and archiving. They are now turning off this legacy cloud storage to enable full, device-level encryption.
5. Can Arattai Actually Beat WhatsApp? The Hurdles Ahead
Gaining millions of downloads is one thing; changing the daily habits of 500 million people is another. Arattai faces two colossal challenges.
The Network Effect
This is the biggest hurdle. A messaging app is only as useful as the number of your contacts who are on it. WhatsApp is a "super app" in India, used by everyone from family members to businesses. Convincing an entire social circle to switch is incredibly difficult.
The Graveyard of Challengers
India has seen homegrown rivals rise before. Apps like Koo (for X/Twitter) and Moj (for TikTok) saw initial success fueled by similar nationalist sentiment but failed to sustain their momentum and build a lasting user base. Arattai must prove it can retain users after the initial hype fades.
6. The Road Ahead: What's Next for Arattai?
Zoho is racing to capitalize on the momentum. The immediate priorities are clear:
- Deploy Full E2EE: This is non-negotiable for long-term trust and credibility.
- Stabilize Infrastructure: The massive user surge caused predictable issues like OTP delays and syncing lags. Zoho is actively scaling its servers to handle the load.
- Roll Out New Features: Payments integration via Zoho Pay and better group management are on the roadmap to bring it closer to feature parity with competitors.
7. Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Arattai end to end encrypted?
A: Partially. All voice and video calls made via Arattai are end-to-end encrypted. However, text messages are not end-to-end encrypted by default, though Zoho is actively working on rolling out this feature for all chats. For now, data is encrypted in storage on servers located in India.
Q: Can Arattai replace WhatsApp?
A: While Arattai has seen a massive surge in downloads and is positioned as a homegrown alternative, replacing a dominant app like WhatsApp is very difficult. WhatsApp's advantage is its huge, existing user base (the network effect). Arattai's success will depend on its ability to retain users and achieve feature parity, especially on critical aspects like default end-to-end encryption.
Q: What is the cultural significance of 'arattai'?
A: The word 'Arattai' is from the Tamil language and translates to 'chat,' 'chit-chat,' or 'banter.' The name reflects the app's focus on providing a platform for casual, informal communication, much like its intended use.
Q: क्या अरत्तई एंड टू एंड एन्क्रिप्टेड है? (Is Arattai end-to-end encrypted in Hindi?)
A: पूरी तरह से नहीं। अरत्तई पर की गई सभी वॉयस और वीडियो कॉल्स एंड-टू-एंड एन्क्रिप्टेड हैं। हालांकि, टेक्स्ट मैसेज अभी डिफ़ॉल्ट रूप से एंड-टू-एंड एन्क्रिप्टेड नहीं हैं, लेकिन कंपनी इस सुविधा को जल्द ही लाने पर काम कर रही है।
Q: क्या अराताई व्हाट्सएप की जगह ले सकती है? (Can Arattai replace WhatsApp in Hindi?)
A: यह मुश्किल है। हालांकि अरत्तई एक भारतीय विकल्प के रूप में लोकप्रिय हो रहा है, व्हाट्सएप के पास बहुत बड़ा यूजर बेस है। अरत्तई की सफलता इस बात पर निर्भर करेगी कि वह अपने यूजर्स को बनाए रख पाता है या नहीं और व्हाट्सएप जैसे फीचर्स, खासकर प्राइवेसी फीचर्स, दे पाता है या नहीं।
Q: What is Arattai?
A: Arattai is an Indian-made instant messaging app developed by Zoho. It allows users to send texts, voice notes, make audio/video calls, share media, and more. It is designed to be simple, secure, and requires a mobile number to register.
Q: Can I trust Arattai with my data?
A: Arattai is developed by Zoho Corporation, a company with a long history in enterprise software and a strong commitment to user privacy. All user data is stored in data centers in India.
Q: Is the app accessible to everyone?
A: Yes, the Arattai app is available for everyone on the Google Play Store for Android and the Apple App Store for iOS.
Q: Is there a limit to the number of participants in a group?
A: Yes, a group in Arattai can have a maximum of 1000 active participants.
Q: What is the difference between an owner and an admin in a group?
A: An admin can manage group info, messages, and participants. The group owner has all the rights of an admin, cannot be removed by anyone, and is the only one who can remove or demote other admins. An ownership transfer feature is currently in development.
Q: How many admins can be in a group?
A: A group can have a maximum of 50 admins.
Q: I'm not receiving notifications on my Android device. How do I fix this?
A: First, check in the Arattai app: Go to Settings > Notifications and ensure they are turned on and DND is off. Next, check your device settings: Go to Settings > Arattai > Allow notifications. Additionally, some Android manufacturers block background services to save battery; you may need to enable 'auto-start' for Arattai and allow it to run in the background in your phone's battery optimization settings.
Q: Can I send an SMS/MMS in Arattai?
A: No, you cannot send traditional SMS or MMS messages in Arattai. It is an internet-based messaging app.
Q: Are international calls chargeable?
A: No, all calls on Arattai are made over the internet. As long as you have an active internet connection, there are no extra charges for international calls.
Q: How long is the OTP valid?
A: You can request a new OTP every 60 seconds, but a generated OTP is typically valid for 15 minutes.
Q: How can I close my Arattai account?
A: You can delete your account by going to Settings > Accounts > Delete Account. Please be aware that this is an irreversible process and will permanently delete all your data, including chat history.
Q: What usage information is collected by Arattai?
A: Arattai collects anonymous usage data such as events, crash info, and screen usage to improve the app. This is based on user preference and can be turned off in Settings > Security & Privacy > Analytics. No user mapping is involved in this data.
Q: Why does Arattai require specific app permissions?
A: Arattai requests permissions to provide core features:
- Contacts: To sync and find your friends on the app.
- Microphone: To make audio/video calls and send voice messages.
- Camera: To make video calls and share photos/videos.
- Location: To share your live location with contacts.
- Device Storage: To send and save photos, videos, and other files.
