Arattai, which gained attention in October this year, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Swadeshi tech' push for locally developed products under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, now ranks outside the leading charts in the Social Networking category

Zoho's homegrown messaging app Arattai, developed under the leadership of CEO Sridhar Vembu, has dropped out of the top 100 apps on Google Play, signaling a sharp reversal in its user momentum just weeks after a brief surge in popularity.

The app, which gained attention in October this year, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Swadeshi tech' push for locally developed products under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, now ranks outside the leading charts in the Social Networking category. This decline contrasts with the continued dominance of rivals like WhatsApp and Telegram, which remain firmly entrenched in the top positions.

At the time of writing, Arattai sits on the 105th spot in the Social Networking category on Google Play Store and on the 123rd spot on Apple App Store.

Initial surge driven by national push and privacy concerns

Arattai, meaning 'chitchat' in Tamil, was first released as a test pilot in late 2020 and officially launched in early 2021. Its debut coincided with controversies surrounding Meta's WhatsApp over privacy policy changes, positioning Arattai as a secure, indigenous alternative.

The app quickly attracted over 250,000 users, fueled by Zoho's extensive employee network and public interest in domestic tech solutions. It briefly climbed into the top ranks of the Social Networking category on App Stores, capitalising on features like end-to-end encrypted voice and video calls, with all user data stored in India.

The September boost came amid Modi's advocacy for self-reliance in technology, leading to a temporary spike in downloads and visibility.

Challenges in retaining users on the platform

Despite the early promise, Arattai has struggled to sustain growth against established competitors with over a decade of network effects. Convincing users to switch platforms, and bring their social circles along, has proven a significant barrier.

A notable gap in its offerings has been the absence of end-to-end encryption for text messaging, a feature reportedly in development for the past month but not yet implemented. While Arattai emphasises lightweight design and security, these shortcomings have likely contributed to user attrition.

Future Plans: Integration with Zoho Ecosystem

Zoho is now prioritising enhancements to Arattai, including deeper integration with its business suite. Upcoming features involve linking the app to Zoho Pay, a new payment service supporting UPI transactions directly within chat windows.

Vembu has shared updates on these ambitions via social media, but neither he nor Zoho has issued a public statement on the app's recent rankings drop.

As of today,Arattai continues to receive frequent updates, but its trajectory underscores the difficulties faced by late entrants in India's crowded messaging market.