- Arattai’s explosive growth shows India’s growing confidence in homegrown digital innovation
- The app’s Android TV version gives users flexibility that WhatsApp still lacks
- Arattai’s lightweight design makes it perfect for users with limited connectivity
Arattai Messenger has quickly become one of the most downloaded apps in the world, crossing the 5 million mark within days of launch.
Developed in India as part of Zoho’s new messaging platform, the insant messanger app’s sudden rise reflects both a surge of local pride and growing interest in alternatives to established communication platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Messenger.
Arattai has already outpaced popular apps like Telegram, Messenger, and Snapchat, each currently holding around 2 million downloads on the global chart for October 2025.
An ambitious homegrown challenger
However, while Aratti’s download numbers look impressive, questions remain about its long-term sustainability and its approach to privacy protection.
Arattai, which means “chat” in Tamil, is designed to offer an inclusive experience for users across all device types, particularly those with low-end smartphones and unstable internet connections.
According to Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu, the goal is to build a lightweight communication tool accessible even in areas where high-speed connectivity is still limited.
The app includes standard messaging functions such as text, calls, and file sharing, along with an Android TV version, a feature that WhatsApp has yet to introduce.
These capabilities have positioned Arattai as both a general communication tool and a potential enterprise messaging solution for smaller organizations seeking reliability without heavy data use.
Part of Arattai’s appeal lies in its efficiency. The app has been optimized for low-bandwidth environments, ensuring messages and calls work even under weak connectivity.
This design choice has made it popular in rural and semi-urban markets, where internet quality remains inconsistent.
By minimizing resource demand, Zoho has opened access to digital communication for users who might otherwise be excluded from platforms requiring faster speeds or higher-end devices.
This focus on accessibility gives Arattai an advantage in markets where data affordability and device capability still limit technology adoption.
Despite its progress, Arattai faces criticism for lacking full end-to-end encryption in text chats.
While the app offers encrypted voice and video calls, it does not yet provide complete encrypted messaging for standard conversations.
Instead, Zoho relies on localized data storage and promises that user data will not be shared externally.
Security experts argue this falls short of modern privacy expectations, as server-based encryption still allows potential access to message data by providers or external attackers.
For a platform aiming to rival WhatsApp, achieving full end-to-end security is not optional; it is essential for credibility in a privacy-conscious digital world.
Via Storyboard 18 and FE Tech Bytes
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