When Zoho launched Adattai in January 2021, it was meant to be little more than an internal chat tool. Four years later, the “Made-in-India” messenger has exploded with rising public response, with sign-ups skyrocketing from 3,000 to 350,000 within just three days, and monthly active users surpassing 1 million.
But behind the downloads and headlines, Arattai faces an uphill battle to prove it’s more than a fleeting patriotic experiment.
This article explores Arattai’s growth trajectory, user growth surge, features, and its ongoing rivalry with giants like WhatsApp.
Key Arattai Users & Statistics (2026)
- Arattai sign-ups skyrocketed from 3,000 to 350,000 within just three days.
- App downloads surged from under 10,000 to 400,000 in September 2025.
- Zoho added over 2 million new Arattai users in a single day.
- Monthly active users (MAUs) of Arattai surpassed 1 million during its peak growth.
- Arattai ranked #1 on app stores, surpassing WhatsApp and Telegram.
- Users can share files up to 2 GB and create groups with 1,000 members.
- Arattai remains completely ad-free, with no AI integration or data tracking.
What Is Arratai?
Arattai is a cross-platform messaging and VoIP application developed by Zoho Corporation, launched in January 2021.
Arattai (Tamil for casual chat) was initially developed as an internal communication tool for Zoho and its partners before gaining mainstream traction.
Arattai markets itself as a “Made-in-India” competitor to WhatsApp, promoting digital sovereignty with an emphasis on spyware-deterrent communication. The application is explicitly tailored for Indian users, with localization in regional languages, and is built for low-cost smartphones and slower network speeds.
All data is hosted in Indian data centers, in compliance with the country’s data localization laws.
Arattai Users Growth
Arattai’s daily sign-ups experienced a massive 100-fold increase, rising from 3,000 to 350,000 within just three days. Endorsements from Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and other government officials have triggered this boost, supporting indigenous digital platforms.
Source: IndiaToday
Downloads in September 2025 reached 400,000, while in August 2025 they were below 10,000. The app’s ranking exceeded others, becoming the #1 app on app stores, with established worldwide messaging company rivals, including WhatsApp and Telegram.
Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu reported adding over 2 million new users in a single day during the peak period.
The company has been scaling infrastructure on an emergency basis to handle a potential 100x surge in traffic. The current number of monthly active users exceeds 1 million, representing a significant penetration in India’s messaging market.
Arattai Vs WhatsApp: A Direct Comparison
Although Arattai has topped the charts on app stores, surpassing major players like WhatsApp and Telegram, it still lags in a few key metrics.
WhatsApp still maintains its dominance with 2.95 billion monthly active users worldwide, including 535.8 million in India. In contrast, Arattai has achieved 1 million+ monthly active users, representing approximately 0.18% of WhatsApp’s Indian user base. WhatsApp is available in over 180 countries, whereas Arattai focuses primarily on the Indian Market.
Source: WhatsApp
End-to-end encryption distinguishes the platforms, and WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption for messages and calls. Arattai uses end-to-end encryption only for voice and video calls, and not for text messages. This security gap has raised concerns among privacy-conscious users.
Arattai excels in low-bandwidth optimization, explicitly designed for users with slower internet connections and budget smartphones. Compared to WhatsApp, the app has low data consumption and lower system resource use. WhatsApp is more resource-intensive, but constant service is received on other devices and across all network conditions.
| Feature | Arattai | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Active Users (Global) | 2.95 billion | 1 million+ |
| Monthly Active Users (India) | 535.8 million | 1 million |
| Availability | Over 180 countries | Primarily India |
| End-to-End Encryption | Complete E2E encryption | Only for Voice & Video (text messages Unencrypted) |
| Low-Bandwidth Optimization | ❌ Not optimized specifically | ✅ Designed for slow internet and budget smartphones |
| Data Consumption | Higher | Lower |
| System Resource Use | Higher (resource-intensive) | Lower (lightweight for low-end devices) |
| Cross-Device Functionality | ✅ Supported (sync across devices) | ❌ Limited or unavailable |
| Network Reliability | Strong performance across various network conditions | Optimized for low-speed networks, but less robust overall |
Features of Arattai
Arattai offers WhatsApp-like features, along with these:
- Arattai introduces several distinctive features not available on WhatsApp.
- The meetings function enables Zoom-like video conferencing capabilities directly within the app.
- A dedicated mentions tab, similar to Slack, organizes all user mentions in one location.
Already using Slack? Check out our data-backed research on Slack statistics.
- Android TV support allows users to conduct conversations on larger displays, a capability WhatsApp currently lacks.
- Arattai maintains an ad-free experience with no forced AI integration, contrasting with WhatsApp’s Meta AI features.
- Arattai supports comprehensive messaging functionality, including text and voice messages, multimedia sharing, and group chats accommodating up to 1,000 participants.
- The platform enables file sharing of up to 2 GB, similar to that of WhatsApp.
- WhatsApp chat import functionality allows users to transfer existing conversations, both individual and group chats.
Three Things Arattai Must Prove
- Transparent encryption and audits – Publish a white paper or commission a third-party audit to confirm full end-to-end encryption for text messages.
- Retention data – Share basic 7-day and 30-day user-retention figures. Transparency here would signal confidence.
- Scalable reliability – Demonstrate consistent uptime above 99.9 percent after the viral load surge and release incident reports publicly.
If Zoho meets even the first two criteria within the next six months, Arattai could evolve from a symbolic app into a legitimate competitor.
Conclusion: Arattai Is A Growing Indian WhatsApp Alternative, Still Way Behind The Industry Leaders
Arattai’s sudden, government-fueled, explosive growth demonstrates an apparent demand for India-first messaging; however, limited encryption and emergency infrastructure scaling risk user trust and reliability.
If Zoho strengthens text encryption, stabilizes servers, and addresses privacy concerns, Arattai can mature into a credible, privacy-minded contender in India’s messaging landscape.
