Zoho Corporation’s indigenous messaging app Arattai is witnessing a surge in downloads and daily users, with many seeing it as India’s closest answer to WhatsApp. With its promise of a privacy-first approach and strong local backing, the Chennai-based company has positioned Arattai as a trustworthy alternative in a market where over 500 million people already rely heavily on Meta-owned WhatsApp.
We are proudly ‘Made in India, Made for the World’ and we mean it,” Vembu wrote. While to handle app traffic, he said, “We are adding infrastructure on an emergency basis for another potential 100x peak surge. That is how exponentials work,” he wrote on X, noting that the growth came months ahead of a planned November rollout of new features and marketing campaigns.
However, as the buzz around Arattai grows, privacy-conscious users have raised a crucial red flag. Despite its branding as a secure, privacy-driven app, Arattai currently does not offer end-to-end encryption (E2EE) by default for text chats—a safeguard that competitors like WhatsApp, Signal, and even parts of Telegram already provide across chats, calls, and video messages.
India’s homegrown messaging app Arattai has surged past prominent global rivals to claim the top spot in app store rankings. This is a milestone that highlights both its growing appeal and the pressure that comes with it.
Why the Sudden Surge?
Originally launched in 2021 by Zoho, Arattai (the Tamil word for “chat” or “chit‑chat”) was until recently, considered an experimental project. But in the current climate with rising concerns about data privacy, global surveillance, and “tech sovereignty”. Arattai’s positioning as a “spyware‑free, made‑in‑India” messenger has resonated with Indians.
The momentum gained traction when India’s Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, publicly urged citizens to favour local digital platforms, citing Arattai among the recommended apps. Simultaneously, high‑profile tech voices such as Vivek Wadhwa tried it out and praised its polish even calling it “India’s WhatsApp killer” in messaging feel.
Growing Pains: Infrastructure Under Strain
With its sudden rise, Arattai is facing challenges typical of overnight sensations. Zoho has acknowledged issues such as delayed OTPs, slower contact sync, and occasional lag during sign‑ups, all due to the surge in server load. The company says it is “working hard to expand servers” and hopes to mitigate these glitches within a few days.
