Short answer: no, Jains are not atheists in the Western sense, but Jainism is non-theistic.

Key points:

• Jainism does not posit a creator God who runs or made the universe. The universe is believed to be self-operating and eternal.
• Jains focus on the soul (jiva), karma, and the path to liberation (moksha) through right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct.
• Devas or heavenly beings are accepted as real, but they are not creators or rulers of the universe. They are also bound by karma and can progress or regress.
• Jains honor and seek guidance from enlightened beings called Tirthankaras (Arihants) and other perfected souls, but these beings are not gods who control the cosmos. They are admired for their spiritual attainment.

Differences between traditions:

• Digambara and Śvetāmbara differ in ritual emphasis and some doctrinal details, but both share the non-theistic core: no creator god, emphasis on personal spiritual effort, and reverence for the enlightened, not worship of a creator deity.

If you’d like more cultured explanations from Jain sources, I can point you to specific Jain texts or explanations from Jain scholars.