Software:Arattai
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| Developer(s) | Zoho Corporation | ||||
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| Initial release | January 2021 | ||||
| Stable release(s) | |||||
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| Website | www | ||||
Arattai Messenger (or simply Arattai) is an instant messaging application developed by Zoho Corporation. The name Arattai means "chat" or "conversation" in Tamil. The app was soft-launched in January 2021, soon after WhatsApp announced updates to its privacy policy.[1] The app saw a sharp surge in downloads in September 2025.[2][3][4]
Although voice and video calls in the app are end-to-end encrypted, its plain text messages are not so as of now, unlike some other messaging platforms.[5]
History
Arattai was initially tested internally among Zoho employees before being released publicly in early 2021.[6] The launch coincided with a surge in interest for privacy-focused and messaging services, triggered by concerns over WhatsApp’s updated terms of service.[7]
In September 2025, Arattai experienced a major surge in adoption, with daily sign-ups reportedly increasing 100-fold, from around 3,000 to more than 350,000 in three days.[8] The growth temporarily strained Zoho’s infrastructure, prompting rapid scaling of servers and capacity expansion.[9] During the same period, the app reached the top position in Apple’s App Store charts for the "Social Networking" category in India.[10] It fell out of the top ranking soon after the hype died down. [11]
Reception
At launch, Arattai was positioned as a potential domestic rival to WhatsApp in India, but analysts noted that it faced challenges in competing with established platforms on encryption, ecosystem and network effect.[7] Critics pointed to occasional sync delays,[12] and that the plain text messages in the app are not end-to-end encrypted unlike other platforms such as WhatsApp.[13] The app similarly attracted controversy on social media over the same. [14]
See also
References
- ↑ Chandrashekhar, Anandi (12 January 2021). "Zoho positions its Arattai app as WhatsApp rival amid user exodus". The Economic Times. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-bytes/zoho-positions-its-arattai-app-as-whatsapp-rival-amid-user-exodus/articleshow/80217003.cms.
- ↑ "We don't use AWS or Azure: Sridhar Vembu clears air on Arattai, Zoho's desi tech backbone". India Today Group. 30 September 2025. https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/corporate/story/we-dont-use-aws-or-azure-sridhar-vembu-clears-air-on-arattai-zohos-desi-tech-backbone-496250-2025-09-30.
- ↑ "Zoho's Arattai messaging app tops app stores as downloads surge 100x". Times Internet. 30 September 2025. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/zohos-arattai-messaging-app-tops-app-stores-as-downloads-surge-100x/articleshow/124213067.cms.
- ↑ "Zoho’s Arattai: How to install it and five features that stand out". 2025-10-05. https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/zohos-arattai-how-to-install-it-and-five-features-that-stand-out-10283975/.
- ↑ "Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu confirms ‘testing end-to-end encryption this week on Arattai,’: Here’s when it could release for you" (in en). 2025-10-14. https://www.financialexpress.com/life/technology-zoho-ceo-sridhar-vembu-confirms-testing-end-to-end-encryption-this-week-on-arattai-heres-when-it-could-release-for-you-4010038/.
- ↑ Hariharan, Sindhu (10 January 2021). "Homegrown tech firm Zoho develops messaging app Arattai". The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/homegrown-tech-firm-zoho-develops-messaging-app-arattai/articleshow/80200200.cms.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Dash, Sanchita (11 January 2021). "Zoho plans to woo WhatsApp defectors with its own messaging app Arattai". Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/with-whatsapp-popularity-hit-zoho-plans-to-launch-arattai-messaging-app/articleshow/80206802.cms.
- ↑ "Arattai app explodes 100x in 3 days as sign-ups soar from 3,000 to 350,000 daily". India Today. 29 September 2025. https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/arattai-app-explodes-100x-in-3-days-as-sign-ups-soar-from-3000-to-350000-daily-story-in-5-points-2795057-2025-09-29.
- ↑ "Zoho's Arattai app sees 100x user surge amid Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative". The Economic Times. 29 September 2025. https://m.economictimes.com/tech/technology/zohos-arattai-app-sees-100x-user-surge-amid-aatmanirbhar-bharat-initiative/articleshow/124206882.cms.
- ↑ "Zoho's messaging app Arattai tops Apple App Store rankings after ministers lend it a boost". The Economic Times. 29 September 2025. https://m.economictimes.com/tech/technology/zohos-messaging-app-arattai-tops-apple-app-store-rankings-after-ministers-lend-it-a-boost/articleshow/124194819.cms.
- ↑ Standard, Business (26 October 2025). "After a dream run, Zoho-run Arattai loses traction on app stores in India". https://www.business-standard.com/industry/news/arattai-download-rankings-slump-as-perplexity-dominates-india-app-charts-125102600531_1.html.
- ↑ "Made-in-India Arattai tops App Store charts, overtakes WhatsApp". The Federal. 29 September 2025. https://thefederal.com/business/made-in-india-arattai-tops-app-store-charts-in-india-overtakes-whatsapp-209120/.
- ↑ "Zoho’s Arattai: How to install it and five features that stand out". 2025-10-05. https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/zohos-arattai-how-to-install-it-and-five-features-that-stand-out-10283975/.
- ↑ Raj, Astitva (10 October 2025). ""Trust Me, Bro": Zoho Founder Responds To Arattai Privacy Concerns Going Viral On X". https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/trust-me-bro-zoho-founder-responds-to-arattai-privacy-concerns-going-viral-on-x-9429571.
External links
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