Arattai App: India’s Homegrown Messaging Star Is Finally Having Its Moment
Move over, WhatsApp — there’s a new player in town, and it’s proudly Made in India. Zoho’s Arattai, which literally means “casual chat” in Tamil, has suddenly exploded in popularity, clocking an unbelievable 100X traffic surge in just three days, according to Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu’s post on X (formerly Twitter).
The app has quietly been around since 2021, but it’s only now becoming a national conversation. From privacy-first design to no ads and an all-in-one communication suite, Arattai is winning over users who are tired of cluttered, AI-heavy messaging apps.
Pocket: Your Personal Cloud Inside a Chat App
One of Arattai’s most underrated features is “Pocket” — a personal cloud space within the app. Think of it as your private folder to save messages, photos, files, or notes that you can access from any device.
Unlike WhatsApp, where users often make a personal group just to save notes or files, Pocket keeps everything tidy and synced. It’s simple, intuitive, and genuinely useful for everyday multitaskers.
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No Forced AI, No Distractions
While Meta has been busy integrating its AI into WhatsApp — not always to everyone’s liking — Arattai is taking the opposite route. It offers a clean, distraction-free experience with no forced AI bots or pop-ups. For users craving simplicity, this alone is a breath of fresh air.
Built-in Meetings: Zoom Who?
Here’s where Arattai really surprises people. You can create, join, or schedule video meetings directly within the app. There’s no need for separate apps like Zoom or Google Meet — it’s all right there in your chat window. The Meetings tab sits right at the bottom dock, making it super accessible for quick team calls or catch-ups with friends.
Mentions Tab: Never Miss a Ping Again
Inspired by Slack, Arattai has a Mentions tab that lists every time someone tags you in a group chat. It’s a small addition, but a game-changer for those active in multiple communities. No more endless scrolling just to find out who asked you for a file two hours ago.
Ad-Free and Privacy-Focused
Arattai’s biggest selling point? It’s completely ad-free and stores all user data within India. Zoho has made it clear: no data monetisation, no backdoors.
Voice and video calls are end-to-end encrypted, though text messages aren’t fully encrypted yet — something Zoho says it’s working to improve. Still, the app’s privacy stance already puts it ahead of many global rivals.
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What Else Can Arattai Do?
Arattai comes packed with all the essentials:
- One-on-one and group chats
- Voice notes and media sharing
- Stories and channel broadcasting
- Cross-device sync (including Android TV support)
Essentially, it combines the familiarity of WhatsApp, the structure of Slack, and the privacy ethos of Signal — all wrapped in an Indian-made package.
Growing Pains: The Flip Side of Overnight Fame
With great growth comes great… server stress. The recent user surge has caused delayed OTPs, lag during sign-ups, and slower contact sync. Zoho admits the strain is real but assures users it’s scaling infrastructure fast to handle the load.
In Sridhar Vembu’s own words, the company is “working hard to expand servers” and aims to stabilise performance within days.
How to Download Arattai
Arattai is available for both Android and iOS devices.
Download on Google Play Store
Download on Apple App Store
Once installed, sign up using your mobile number, verify via OTP, and you’re good to go. You can even sync your contacts automatically and start chatting right away.
Final Thoughts
Arattai might just be India’s most promising entry into the global messaging race. It’s clean, privacy-first, and functional — everything today’s users want but rarely get.
If Zoho can keep up with demand and continue improving encryption, Arattai could well become the “Made-in-India WhatsApp alternative” we’ve been waiting for.
