Arattai is an indigenous messaging app built by Indian SaaS firm Zoho. Launched in 2021 as a made-in-India alternative to WhatsApp, Arattai has come into limelight recently after a host of Ministers from the Government of India including Dharmendra Pradhan, Piyush Goyal and Ashwini Vaishnav among others expressed their support and intent to move to the platform for their communication needs.

What are the key features of the app? 

Arattai primarily allows users to send text/voice messages, make audio/video calls, share stories, connect through groups/channels and share images, documents and media files. Arattai can be used across multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets and desktops with messages, contacts and settings being synced. It also has a web app. 

What is Arattai’s user base and how does it compare to WhatsApp? 

According to estimates from Sensor Tower, a market intelligence firm, Arattai has amassed about 400,000 downloads in India in September month-to-date (MTD) as against less than 10,000 downloads in August. According to company, the platform has crossed 1 million users as opposed to WhatsApp which has over 500 million users in the country. 

Can Arattai displace WhatsApp from its pole position?

While the app has shown strong positive momentum it will need to significantly scale its infrastructure and customer support capabilities to compete with a global giant like WhatsApp. The network effects of WhatsApp, with everyone in the community being on it, is also its strength. 

What are likely to be the challenges?

Beyond the operational demands, the platform will need to win users’ trust and confidence. A key challenge among social media users has been concerns on data security and its policies on sharing user data with the government. Zoho has stated that data safety and privacy is a priority, and that the user will have full control over their end-to-end encrypted data.

While similar indigenous apps like Koo and Hike generated widespread initial interest, they were unable to sustain the momentum. The ability to create a compelling differentiation from existing platforms and gain/retain significant user traction will be key for Arattai to continue its growth trajectory. 

Published on October 1, 2025