From Buzz to Blur: Arattai’s App Store Slide After Meteoric Rise

Arattai, developed by Zoho Corporation, saw a meteoric rise in downloads following endorsements from government officials and a surge in patriotic sentiment. According to Financial Express, India Today, and Moneycontrol, the app briefly overtook WhatsApp in India’s app store rankings, boasting features like end-to-end encryption and ad-free messaging. However, its momentum has slowed, with Perplexity AI now claiming the top spot on Google Play. Experts cite lack of sustained engagement and technical limitations as key reasons for the dip.

Key highlights

• Arattai peaked in September 2025, briefly surpassing WhatsApp in app store rankings  
• The app offered privacy-focused features like encrypted calls and no ads, appealing to Indian users  
• Perplexity AI, backed by Bharti Airtel, has now overtaken Arattai on Google Play’s top free apps chart  
• Arattai faced criticism over its Tamil name, sparking a cultural debate that shifted focus from its features  
• Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu defended the app’s identity, promoting linguistic pride across Indian scripts  
• Analysts suggest Arattai needs stronger feature updates and user retention strategies to stay competitive

Despite its initial success, Arattai’s future hinges on innovation and sustained user engagement in a crowded messaging market.

Sources: Financial Express, India Today, Moneycontrol.