Arattai app, WhatsApp alternative, safe or not

“Arattai” is a messaging and calling app developed by Zoho Corporation. The name “Arattai” comes from Tamil, meaning “casual chat” or “conversation.”  It was launched (soft-launched) in 2021 as a homegrown alternative to international messaging apps.

In recent times (2025), Arattai has gained a lot of attention because of a rapid surge in downloads and usage, partly boosted by endorsements from government officials and a push for “Swadeshi” (local) digital tools. It has climbed to top positions in app store rankings in India.

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Arattai supports typical messaging app functionalities:

• One-to-one and group chatting

• Sending voice notes, images, documents

• Voice and video calls

• Stories, broadcasting channels, etc.

• Multi-device support (you can use it on multiple devices simultaneously)

• Ability to import chats from WhatsApp (for individual or group chats)

• Android TV app support — a feature that WhatsApp does not yet offer.

Because of its Indian roots and privacy claims, many people are comparing it with WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, etc.

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Key Features & What Makes Arattai Stand Out

Here are a few features and aspects that help define Arattai’s position in the messaging app space:

1. Made in India / Local Identity
   Arattai is positioned as an indigenous alternative to global messaging apps, which appeals in the context of digital sovereignty, privacy concerns, and nationalistic sentiment. Zoho+3The Indian Express+3The Financial Express+3

2. Privacy & Data Claims
   Zoho describes Arattai as “spyware-free,” with a commitment that user data is private and not shared with third parties. The official site also says that calls are end-to-end encrypted. Zoho

3. Multi-Device Support
   You can use Arattai on multiple devices (phone, tablet, desktop) with synchronization.

4. Chat Import
   It supports importing chats from WhatsApp (one by one) so users do not lose their past conversations.

5. Android TV App
   An interesting differentiator is that Arattai has a dedicated Android TV client, which allows users to access messaging/communication on TV screens — something that WhatsApp currently does not provide.

6. Scaling & Infrastructure Challenges
   Because of a huge surge in downloads (100× traffic jump in short span) in 2025, Zoho has faced infrastructure strain — delays in OTP delivery, syncing issues, server load problems.

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Is Arattai Safe / Secure?

This is the crux of the matter, and the answer is: “Yes, to some extent — but with caveats.” It cannot yet be considered fully secure in all respects. Let me break this down:

What works in favor of safety

• Encrypted Calls: Voice and video calls are end-to-end encrypted. That means, in theory, only the communicating parties can access the content of the call, not outsiders or servers.

• In-transit Encryption: Messages (text) are encrypted in transit (i.e. while being sent) so they are not trivially intercepted during data transit.

• No Data Monetization Claims: Zoho claims that Arattai will not share data with third parties or monetize user data via ads.

• Local Data Storage / India Focus: Emphasis on storing data in India and abiding by local regulations can give users more assurance relative to foreign jurisdictions.

What is not yet safe / what is missing

• No Full Chat End-to-End Encryption (yet): The biggest gap is that regular text messages and group chats are not end-to-end encrypted by default (or at least not at par with WhatsApp / Signal). Some users have flagged this as a significant concern.

• “Secret Chat” Mode: There are indications that a “secret chat” mode may provide stronger encryption for messages. But unless the default is secure, many users may not use it by default.

• Rapid Growth Strain Risks: Infrastructure overload, delays in OTPs, sync lags — any of these can introduce vulnerabilities or weaknesses.

• Trust & Maturity: WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, etc., have years of cryptographic scrutiny by security researchers. Arattai is relatively new and will need time for external audits, bug bounties, community vetting.

• Permissions & Data Collected: Like most communication apps, Arattai will request various permissions (contacts, storage, media, etc.). How well they handle and limit access is important. (Its Play Store listing mentions collection of location, personal info, etc.) Google Play

• Feature Gaps / Partial Implementation: Some features or security promises may still be in development or only partially rolled out. For example, full encryption of text chat may come later.

Verdict: Is Arattai Safe?

In summary, Arattai is reasonably safe for many everyday uses (social chats, media sharing, calls) — but it is not yet at the level of a fully secure messaging app if your privacy/security requirements are very high (for example, for highly sensitive business or activism communication).

It is safer than using messaging through unencrypted SMS or apps with known privacy issues, but it is not risk-proof. Over time, if they implement full chat encryption by default, open their security architecture for public audit, and mature the platform, its safety will improve.