When you are in need for a ride, what’s the first app you think of?
For most people it’s going to be Uber.
The app has seen unparalleled success, now thought of as the king of car-hailing apps.
But when Uber started to rise, many other competitors rushed into the market and tried to make a name for themselves. Just because Uber is the biggest app doesn’t mean it’s the best app for you.
Some people hate the idea of ride sharing so UberPOOL is out, some people have received poor service or think the prices are too high. The conclusion is that they never want to use Uber again.
If you’d like to know what other car services are out there to help you, look below for 10 best apps like Uber.
1. Lyft
Lyft is a pretty well known app and the biggest competition for Uber with their drivers covering 65 cities in the US.
Lyft recognizes its place in the market and has tried to ensure that it’s app makes ride-hailing easy. All Lyft’s drivers go through rigorous background checks before they’re hired so you can be sure you’re in a safe place, when you catch a ride from Lyft.
The app allows users to track their driving route and their driver’s details.
Zebra magazine found that Lyft customers waited on average only 6 seconds longer than Uber customers for their ride. The Lyft app offers three different transport options, Lyft, Lyft Plus and Lyft Line, so you can ride alone or with up to six people with Lyft Plus. Here’s more info about all three services that run through the Lyft app and some of the best features of Lyft vs. Uber.
In terms of interface they’re both pretty similar and for US customers Lyft operates in 65 cities as well as their surrounding areas and is available on Android and iOS, whereas Uber covers the same devices plus Windows Phone.
2. Easy Taxi
Easy Taxi is a great example of how an app can gain global success by catering to the needs of its users with a smooth booking service. The only thing the user has to do is tap to adjust the menu options, let alone see the estimated drive time and more importantly an accurate destination fare calculator.
With Easy Taxi now operating in over 30 countries (420 cities worldwide) they’d make a great case for being one of the best apps, catering to 17 million users. Easy Taxi is surely another app that takes passenger safety personally and seriously, as the employees take much time to train the company’s drivers.
3. Gett
Gett, formerly known as Get Taxi is one of the fastest rising transport apps in the US. With Uber putting their prices up Gett is cashing in by lowering theirs. In NYC they dropped their prices by a staggering 25% and now offer many promotional deals to their customers worldwide via their app, having branched out to international cities like London and Moscow.
A great feature is that you can use the app’s cashless payment option and pay via an online method instantly. Also, there is a sleek booking feature to book your ride up to 2 weeks in advance ready to use. Offering such affordable rates and maximizing offers for the time being makes us sure to believe that people are opting to use the Gett app, which is available on iOS and Android. As long as Gett can continue to maintain and update its app and keep it in line with the company’s promotional strategies, they’re really going to give Uber a run for their money.
4. Curb
The app Curb rebranded itself after previously being known by the name Taxi Magic. Curb has extended it’s services and reach beyond on-demand taxis and now offers more premium rides in some of the markets were Taxi Magic was already operating.
It’s proving a smart move as the app is now offering pre-scheduled rides mainly to airport locations. People love the fact that you don’t have to physically pay the driver. However, there is always that option if you still want to pay your Curb driver in cash.
You can also hire a car via the app if you wish. In terms of interface, the app is clean cut but it’s probably not as fast as some of the other best apps. Some users do say they can’t see their payment/booking confirmation for a few minutes, but otherwise there seems to be no issues and most importantly your ride still reaches on time!
5. Summon
Summon previously InstaCab is a hybrid style transport app offering both cab-hailing and ridesharing or as they like to call it “personal” rides. The latter of which has a no-surge price promise attached to it.
Currently operating out of the Bay area with plans to expand, Summon might not be the biggest app but it utilizes some nice personal touches to its service. Schedule your ride with the Summon Schedule Ahead Program and you’ve got the 30-minute free-cancellation option attached to that too.
All can be done from the app which has it’s own built in customer support by messaging. There is also the customer service number, so they made sure you’re never gonna be left waiting with Summon’s service. Summon is big on flat rates too, particularly to Airports with a car to the SFO costing a very reasonable $30. Get it on Android and iOS.
6. Flywheel
Flywheel is an app that allows you to hail professional, fully licensed taxi drivers and offers standard rates rather than individual car fares like Uber does when demand increases. Because of this, its prices have remained the same, allowing them to build up a solid customer base.
Fare and tracking analytics are run through Taxi iOS, the first government certified software meter that has nothing to do with the old-school taximeters, which not only promises a better user experience for customers but also helps drivers and cab fleets stay connected and do better business.
Flywheel has all the usual app features for passengers from instant cab-hail to tracking and another one that lets you add your preferred payment method to the app. The app is definitely doing something right because it’s rapidly growing in popularity.
The app launched in San Francisco where now over 80% of all taxi drivers use a breakthrough software.
7. Bla Bla Car
Bla Bla Car was born from it’s creators car sharing idea and has grown into a pan-european community that connects people to rides or allows them to drive. The Bla Bla car name actually refers to how chatty you wish to be in the car. When you create your profile you just select the level of chat you want during your journey.
With over 21 million Android and iPhone downloads and over 35 millions users the culture that Bla Bla Car has created with its ride sharing app is influencing users lives in more ways than just their trips. It helps people make friendships, save money and work towards a greener planet.
With members setting very low fees for long-distance journeys it is actually fast becoming a decent alternative to train and bus travel. On the other hand, the app is pretty basic, nothing fancy, looks a bit like a hotel-booking schedule, with features like ‘enter your starting point and your destination’, ‘pick a date’ and then ‘choose from the available drivers’. That simple.
8. Hailo
Hailo moved on from its origins in London and branched out to other European and Asian destinations. The lower fares on the app are for taxi fares and the business version of Hailo offers an express booking option, corporate cards and different ride options. Both version of the app are available through Android and iOS and both have one of the cleanest interfaces out of all best apps like Uber.
9. Drivr
A premium car service app available to users on the US west coast. Tired of waiting, poor service and uncomfortable cars the creators of Drivr tried to build the best on-demand app. Get the chauffeur driven life on the daily if you like fairly reasonable rates for the quality of the service.
If you love cars of fancy, going to work in a BMW or turning up to a party in a Jag, now you can without having to own one! Much like it’s mission the app is sleek and quick to use.
10. Kabbee
You don’t always need to go upmarket to get a good cab-hailing experience on an app and Kabbee is proof of that. Pairing passengers with professional London cab drivers to cover all their city and airport journeys.
The app has one of the most advanced booking features allowing you to book from 5 to 3 months in advance. As Kabbee has over 10,000 drivers licensed and insured drivers you can always count on them, as the cab just around the corner. It is downloadable to all devices from iOS to Blackberry.
After discovering the above 10 best apps, you should now utilize these cab-hailing and ride sharing options to get you from A to B, and check which one of these bests suits you as there are many differences in matters of cost and availability.