India’s messaging landscape is seeing a fresh challenger: Arattai, a homegrown messaging app by Zoho, is gaining momentum amid growing interest in digital sovereignty. But how does it stack up against established giant WhatsApp? Here’s a breakdown.
Feature Comparison
- Core Messaging & Media Sharing: Both apps offer one-to-one chat, groups, voice notes, media sharing, and stories/channels.
- Voice & Video Calls: Arattai supports high-quality voice and video calls, optimized for low bandwidth, with end-to-end encryption for calls. WhatsApp encrypts calls and texts.
- Encryption & Privacy: Arattai applies end-to-end encryption to voice and video calls, but not yet for text messages — a gap for privacy-focused users. WhatsApp offers end-to-end encryption for all messages and media by default.
- Data Sovereignty and Monetization: Arattai stores user data in India, uses Zoho’s infrastructure, and follows a no-ads, no-data-selling model. WhatsApp, although encrypted, is part of the Meta ecosystem and faces scrutiny on its data policies and metadata use.
User Reach & Momentum
WhatsApp is entrenched — billions of users globally, with deep penetration across India’s digital fabric. Arattai, meanwhile, has surged in downloads, briefly topping India’s app store charts amid a wave of local support and visibility.
Choosing Between Them
For users prioritizing privacy, local control, and civilian support for domestic tech, Arattai presents a compelling alternative — especially if full text encryption arrives soon. For those who value robust encryption, network effects, and mature features, WhatsApp remains a go-to.
The future will depend on whether Arattai can bridge its remaining encryption gaps, scale its user base, and sustain trust in India’s messaging ecosystem.
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