Arattai Sees Record User Growth: Zoho Reveals Plans for Encryption, Monetization, and AI Integration

Zoho’s homegrown messaging app, Arattai, has rapidly become one of the fastest-growing communication platforms in India. In an exclusive interaction, Zoho CEO Mani Vembu shared key insights about the app’s future roadmap and upcoming innovations.

Arattai by Zoho: Privacy, AI, and a Vision Beyond Messaging

Arattai, Zoho’s homegrown messaging app, is rapidly emerging as one of India’s most promising digital communication platforms. The company’s commitment to privacy, innovation, and user trust continues to set it apart from global competitors like WhatsApp and Telegram.

No Ads, No Tracking — Ever

In an era where most free messaging apps depend on advertising and user data for monetization, Zoho is charting its own course. CEO Mani Vembu has made it clear that Arattai will never feature ads — regardless of how large the user base becomes.

Zoho maintains the same ethical stance across all its products: no ads, no tracking, and no sharing of user data with third parties. This privacy-first philosophy is what the company believes will be its biggest differentiator in the long run.

According to Vembu, ad-based revenue models often create unhealthy dependencies on external funding and constant growth pressures, ultimately compromising user privacy. By contrast, Zoho is choosing independence and integrity.

Currently, Arattai is fully backed by Zoho’s internal resources, meaning there’s no pressure for early monetization. “We are still in the adoption phase,” Vembu said, emphasizing that the company’s focus is on scaling the user base rather than generating revenue. Most of Arattai’s technology stack has been developed within Zoho for its other products, making this expansion a natural and cost-efficient evolution.

Full End-to-End Encryption on the Way

Privacy remains a top priority for Zoho. While Arattai already supports encryption for voice and video calls, the company has confirmed that end-to-end encryption (E2E) for text messages is under active development.

Vembu revealed that while Arattai currently includes a Secret Chat feature offering E2E protection, it’s not yet the default mode. The company is now working to make full encryption standard across all chats, with an official rollout expected soon.

Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu also confirmed that the feature’s release timeline has been accelerated following Arattai’s rapid growth. Originally planned for November, the update will now arrive sooner than expected.

Once implemented, users will enjoy complete message privacy — ensuring all personal and professional conversations remain secure. However, Zoho clarified that it will continue to cooperate with lawful government requests, maintaining a responsible balance between user privacy and national compliance.

AI-Powered Features Coming Soon

Zoho is also gearing up to make Arattai smarter through AI-powered tools integrated via its in-house Zia AI — a large language model already in use across Zoho Mail, CRM, and other business applications.

Vembu explained that the goal is to bring contextual AI into Arattai — from flagging important messages to helping users compose and reply efficiently. Unlike global AI systems such as ChatGPT or Gemini, Zia AI operates entirely within Zoho’s private cloud infrastructure, ensuring complete data security.

He further emphasized that Zoho’s approach to AI will always be privacy-first, ensuring user data never leaves the company’s ecosystem. “We’ll bring in only what’s useful and relevant to enhance user experience,” he noted.

Arattai’s Bigger Vision: A Platform for the Future

Zoho’s long-term vision for Arattai goes far beyond simple messaging. The company is exploring a platform-based ecosystem, where third-party developers can build and integrate their own applications within Arattai — much like WeChat’s super app model in China.

Vembu hinted that this move could open doors for mini apps, utilities, and local services that users can access directly within Arattai, offering a seamless and unified digital experience.

Official Launch Coming Soon

Although Arattai has already gained massive popularity organically, it hasn’t yet had a formal launch. The app’s user base skyrocketed after IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw publicly praised it, drawing attention nationwide.

Zoho has now confirmed that the official launch of Arattai is scheduled for November 2025, marking the next big step in India’s digital communication revolution.

Summary

Ad-free and tracking-free forever
End-to-end encryption for all chats coming soon
AI integration via Zia AI to enhance user experience
Platform expansion to support third-party apps
Official launch in November 2025

With its strong stance on privacy, homegrown technology, and AI innovation, Arattai is shaping up to be India’s very own secure, intelligent, and ethical alternative to global messaging platforms.