The Indian messaging app Arattai, developed by Zoho Corporation, had taken the digital world by storm when it briefly surpassed WhatsApp to become the No.1 free communication app on the Google Play Store. However, the app’s glory days seem short-lived — it has now fallen to 7th position in the same category.
Once hailed as India’s answer to global chat platforms, Arattai’s rapid fall has raised questions about what went wrong with the app that promised to be the pride of “Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
From Top of the Charts to Falling Behind
Arattai — which means “chat” in Tamil — grabbed headlines in early October 2025 when users across India downloaded it in droves, helping it reach the top spot on both Play Store and Apple App Store.
But just weeks later, it slipped out of the top five, while WhatsApp regained its dominance, ranking third on Google Play and second on Apple’s App Store.
During its peak, Arattai saw daily sign-ups soar from 3,000 to over 3.5 lakh, even outperforming ChatGPT in download numbers for a short time. Yet, sustaining that momentum has proved difficult.
What Caused the Sudden Drop?
Industry experts point to the lack of end-to-end encryption for text messages as a major reason behind Arattai’s declining appeal.
While voice and video calls on the app are encrypted, text chats currently are not — a dealbreaker for privacy-conscious users.
According to Financial Times, many new users expected Arattai to offer the same level of data security as WhatsApp, and the absence of full encryption likely led to uninstallations.
Zoho has since promised to roll out message encryption soon, but the damage seems to have already begun.
An Indian Dream That Needs Reinvention
Launched in January 2021 by Chennai-based Zoho Corporation, Arattai was envisioned as a homegrown alternative to foreign messaging apps. Its features include voice notes, file sharing, video calls, and cloud backup — all packed in a clean, ad-free interface.
The app gained renewed attention during the recent India–US trade tensions, when calls for digital self-reliance surged. But experts believe that to truly compete with global giants like WhatsApp and Telegram, Arattai will need innovation, scalability, and stronger privacy assurance.
The Verdict
Arattai’s journey reflects both the potential and the challenges of India’s digital self-reliance movement. From being a breakout success to struggling to stay relevant, it’s a reminder that in the fast-moving tech world, user trust and security matter as much as patriotism.
