Arattai: A Complete Overview — what it is, how it works, its features, pros & cons, and recent developments !

What is Arattai

Arattai (meaning “casual chat” in Tamil) is an Indian messaging & VoIP (Voice over IP) app developed by Zoho Corporation. (Wikipedia)
It is a cross-platform, freeware app: you can use it on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, and TV versions. (Wikipedia)
It was soft-launched in January 2021, around the time when WhatsApp’s privacy policy changes sparked debates on data privacy. (Wikipedia)
Unlike many global apps, Arattai claims that all its data is stored in India, and it uses Zoho’s own infrastructure (not third-party cloud providers like AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud) built on open-source components (e.g. Linux, PostgreSQL) (Wikipedia)

Arattai offers a suite of messaging, calling, and content features. Some major ones are:

Feature	Description / Details
One-to-one & group chat	Text messages, voice notes, images, videos, documents, and other media sharing. (Zoho)
Voice & video calls	Users can make audio and video calls. (Zoho)
End-to-end encryption (for calls / partially for messages)	The app claims calls are end-to-end encrypted. For messages, there is mention of security, but it is not always clear whether all message traffic is end-to-end encrypted in the initial versions. (Zoho)
Multi-device support / sync	You can use Arattai across multiple devices (phones, desktops, tablets). The app supports syncing messages, contacts, and settings. It allows up to five devices simultaneously. (Zoho)
Stories, Channels & Content Sharing	Users can post ephemeral “stories,” broadcast content via channels, follow creators, etc. (Zoho)
Meeting / video conferencing mode	Arattai is adding or plans a “Meetings” module (somewhat akin to Google Meet) to host or join scheduled meetings. (Zoho)
Import chats from other platforms	Users are offered a way to import conversations from other messaging apps into Arattai. (Zoho)
Ad-free & no targeted advertising	Arattai claims to remain free to use, ad-free, and that it will not use personal data for targeted ads. (India Today)
Cross-platform downloads & availability	You can download Arattai for mobile (Android / iOS) and desktop / TV / PC / Linux versions via their official site. (Zoho)

In September 2025, Arattai saw a dramatic spike in adoption: daily sign-ups reportedly jumped from ~3,000/day to ~350,000/day in just three days (a ~100× increase). (Storyboard18)
This surge led Zoho to rapidly scale infrastructure to handle increased traffic. (Storyboard18)
The app also reached the #1 spot in the “Social Networking” category on the Apple App Store in India. (mint)
Government officials have publicly voiced support for the app; for example, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan described it as “free, easy-to-use, secure, safe, and made in India.” (India Today)

Data sovereignty & privacy: Because its infrastructure is fully within India and owned by Zoho, users may perceive greater control and security over their data (compared to apps with foreign cloud hosting). (Wikipedia)
No ads / no monetization via personal data: That is a stated commitment. (India Today)
Multi-device & platform support: Ability to use on phones, desktops, TVs helps reach a wide set of users. (Zoho)
Growing momentum & endorsements: The recent growth and backing from public figures help boost user confidence and visibility. (Storyboard18)
Feature parity with expectations: For many users, the core features (chat, calls, media sharing) are similar to what they expect from modern messengers. (Techlusive)

Partial or unclear encryption for messages: While calls are clearly end-to-end encrypted, reports suggest that full E2E encryption of all message content may not yet be in place (or is being rolled out). (India Today)
Network effect & user base dependency: WhatsApp has hundreds of millions of users; switching cost is high. For Arattai to succeed, many of a user’s contacts must migrate too. (India Today)
Scalability & infrastructure stress: The recent surge strained its systems; maintaining performance under heavy usage is a challenge. (Storyboard18)
Trust & maturity: Users are often cautious about newer apps, especially concerning reliability, security, and long-term viability.
Feature gaps: Some advanced features (e.g. full encryption, large group video calls, integration with other platforms) may lag established competitors.
Regulatory / compliance concerns: In India, messaging apps may face regulatory oversight (e.g. rules on traceability, lawful intercept). Arattai will need to navigate those.

Here are some key differences & similarities:

Ownership / origin: Arattai is Indian / “Made in India” under Zoho. WhatsApp is owned by Meta. (Techlusive)
Ad & monetization: WhatsApp increasingly leverages ads / business integrations; Arattai promises no targeting ads and no monetization via personal data. (India Today)
Data hosting / sovereignty: Arattai uses domestic infrastructure; WhatsApp uses global servers / possibly cross-border data flows. (Wikipedia)
Encryption & security: WhatsApp has established end-to-end encryption for messages and calls; Arattai claims E2E for calls, but the status of full message encryption is still evolving. (India Today)
Group call capacity: Reports say Arattai supports group calls with up to 50 people, while WhatsApp’s limit is smaller (8) in many cases. (The Statesman)
User base & ecosystem: WhatsApp has a massive user base, rich integrations with businesses, payments, status features, etc., which gives it an edge in stickiness.

Download the app from (Google Play Store / Apple App Store) or via Arattai’s official website for desktop / TV versions. (Zoho)
Register using your mobile number (OTP-based registration). (Zoho)
Allow permissions (contacts, media, microphone, camera) as needed.
Import chats (if coming from other apps, where supported) using Arattai’s import tools. (Zoho)
Start chatting, sharing media, making calls, creating or joining groups & channels.
If you use multiple devices (desktop, tablet), sync them via the multi-device support.