Arattai vs WhatsApp: 5 Standout Features of India's Homegrown Messaging Alternative

WhatsApp has dominated the messaging landscape for years, boasting over half a billion active users in India alone. However, a new challenger has emerged - Arattai, a homegrown messaging application developed by Zoho Corp that positions itself as a compelling alternative to the global messaging giant.

Created specifically as a Made-in-India solution, Arattai introduces several innovative features that differentiate it significantly from WhatsApp and other messaging platforms in the market.

Here are 5 distinctive features that give Arattai its competitive edge:

The Pocket feature solves a common user problem - where to store important information. While WhatsApp users often create personal groups just to save messages, Arattai eliminates this workaround with dedicated personal cloud storage. Users can conveniently save important messages, share media from external applications, add personal notes, and access everything seamlessly across multiple devices.

Unlike WhatsApp, which recently integrated Meta AI without providing users an option to disable it, Arattai has chosen not to force artificial intelligence features upon its users. This decision maintains a clean, distraction-free interface that focuses on core messaging functionality without unwanted AI interruptions.

Arattai integrates video conferencing capabilities directly within the app through its Meetings feature. While WhatsApp is frequently used for informal work discussions, users typically switch to dedicated platforms like Zoom or Google Meet for formal meetings. Arattai eliminates this need by allowing users to create instant meetings, join ongoing sessions, or schedule future conferences directly from the app's interface via an easily accessible option in the bottom dock.

The dedicated Mentions tab in Arattai resembles Slack's functionality, addressing a significant pain point in group communications. When mentioned in conversations, these references are collected in one organized location, making it simple to track and respond to important messages without missing them in notification floods.

Arattai promises a completely ad-free experience, emphasizing user privacy by confirming that personal data won't be exploited for commercial purposes. This stands in contrast to WhatsApp's parent company Meta, which utilizes user data for targeted advertising. Additionally, Arattai stores all user information in Indian data centers, enhancing data sovereignty. While voice and video communications on Arattai feature end-to-end encryption, it's worth noting that text messages don't yet offer the complete encryption protection that WhatsApp provides.