Taxi Booking Mobile App Development Cost & Features

Last Updated on September 20, 2022

These days the advancement in technology & reach of people to internet has led to use of mobile apps for various day to day tasks. Similarly, commuting has become significantly easier than before as people are able to use taxi booking apps which are now easily available all over the app stores. There are numerous taxi booking applications that can be seen on the app stores these days and there is always scope for newer and better apps.

What Is A Taxi Booking On-Demand Mobile App?

In recent days, the traditional ways of availing taxi services have taken a back seat and new ways of booking a ride for yourself have come in. The app stores are flooded with on-demand taxi booking apps that have features that lure one to book only via these applications. It is the hard work and perseverance of the mobile app development companies that have been leading to the growth of these applications. One can fully rely on them when it comes to booking a ride for themselves.

Now, how do these apps function? It is very simple. The users have to install one of these apps on their mobile devices. The choice of selection of the app can depend on various factors like the location it is available in, the reviews and ratings of the app and services and the kind of services offered by them.

After the app is installed, users can register themselves and save their home and office locations, so that it is easy for them to book a taxi in just a click. The app also allows them to make a choice of the car they want to commute in. Users can also compare the fares of the cars after the app calculates the distance and time of the commute. Lastly, one can book a cab and get the waiting time for it. And voila, your ride is waiting for you right outside your house. Isn’t it simple?

Benefits Of On-Demand Taxi Booking App

The taxi booking applications are a solution to several problems like reducing the waiting time on the road, looking out for cabs under the sun, and several other things. There are several benefits one can draw from these apps. Apart from the passengers, there are several advantages for the drivers as well. Take a look at these benefits:

For Drivers

• They do not have to roam around the city wasting their gas in search of riders. Meanwhile, they can just wait for a booking to arrive and then leave from the place they halted at.
• The payment is mostly made through online banking or mobile wallets, which eradicates the need of carrying large amounts of cash or change with the drivers.
• The drivers have the authority of providing the ratings and feedback for each passenger. Therefore, if there is a mischievous rider in their car, they can give him rating accordingly and spare the other drivers of the horror.
• Since these apps are GPS enabled, it is easy for the drivers to locate their riders rather than wandering to places, asking people for assistance.
• There are less chances of wasting time, as the driver will reach the exact location and move his car only when a booking is made.

For Passengers

• The exact details of the location of the cab and the time it will take to reach them are shared by the app with the passengers. Hence, this enables them to utilize that time in something else.
• One does not have to step out of the home, as the passengers can book their rides remotely.
• The payment method is quite convenient, as in the case of the passengers also, they do not have to take cash around with them. They can make online payment via their debit or credit cards, or just link their digital wallets with the app.
• There is more transparency with the help of the app, as the passengers can also review and rate the cab drivers.
• They do not have to wait out on the roads asking the cabs for a lift. This saves them a lot of time and energy.

Why Invest In A Taxi Booking Mobile App?

The taxi booking mobile apps have witnessed significant growth in recent years and it going to grow exponentially in the coming years as well. It is one industry that can never stop functioning as it offers various benefits to the passengers and the users of the application.

In 2017, the value of the taxi booking app market was somewhere around $ 36,000 million, which is expected to rise at a CAGR of 16.5 percent till 2025, taking the figures up to $ 126,521 million.

Let’s take the example of Uber, the business model has grown leaps and bounds in recent years and the app is used across the globe in several countries. Who needs a car when they can avail easy and cheap taxi services?

Uber has reached the heights of success in less than 10 years and already has a market value of USD 72 billion. This is their global market value.

Take a look at the graph depicting their growth year by year:

Take a look at some statistics of the company:

• In the last quarter of the year, Uber generated gross booking worth USD 12 billion.
• It has 75 million active riders in almost 80 countries.
• The number of rides completed by the company till date is over 5 billion.

Business Models for Taxi/Cab Booking Mobile App Business

We are now going to talk about the two broad business models of the on-demand taxi booking applications:

1. Dedicated Taxi Booking App

These are the apps that are made for an already existing taxi business or for a person who owns a fleet of cars. All that they have to do is get an application made just for them and launch it on the app store. The promotion of these apps will be required to build more user base and to get more taxi service requests. They enjoy the benefit of having their existing customers, and can grow by making new customers as their app users as well.

In this scenario, the users book their cars through these apps, and the taxi owners have to make sure to share the time, location, and price of the service with the users and make the taxi available for the passenger in the shortest time frame.

2. Aggregator Taxi Booking App

This one is similar to taxi booking apps like Uber and Ola. These apps act as a platform to the various taxi companies and personal taxis. The taxi owners have to get their cars registered under these apps to start putting them up for use. A person with a single car can also earn money by putting up his car as a taxi for the users. Under this app, the users have to install the app and book via the app itself. They have to enter their pick up spot and the destination. The app calculates the fare of their ride which they have to pay once the ride is complete.

Monetization Opportunities For Taxi Booking Mobile App

1. Commission

This source of income comes through the drivers. The app owners charge the drivers a certain amount of commission, which varies anywhere between 20 to 25 percent they made on each booking. Apart from this, the aggregator apps also charge a certain amount of service fee to the users/passengers for using the app and booking a taxi through it. This charge is hidden and added to the final amount itself. Thirdly, these apps also make money through the cancellation fees. Once a user cancels a ride, they have to pay certain amount of money as their cancellation fees.

2. Advertisement

The most common way of generating revenue is by allowing advertisements of other brands on your application. Third-party promotions are very essential to survive in the long game. You can collaborate with different brands and promote them effectively you the home page of your app. If you are not charging these third parties any money, then you can earn through other ways like cost-per-click or cost-per-mile.

Top Taxi Booking Mobile Apps Across The World

While there is a good scope for new travel and hospitality mobile apps, there are many that have been considerably doing very well and making good money. Let’s look at the taxi booking apps that have been performing really well.

1. Uber – Easy Affordable Trips

The app is available on both iOS and Android. The services from this app can be availed in almost 445 cities and 70 countries. It is integrated with online payment services, while it also accepts cash in some cities of India, the Philippines, and Kenya.

2. Lyft – Become A Driver or Get A Ride

The app is best suited for users in the United States as it is available in more than 200 cities in the U.S. Available for both Android and iOS, it allows the users to split the fares through the app itself.

3. Gett – Taxi Cab Booking App

This one also gives a tough fight to Uber and is available across platforms. The cab service believes in passengers and drivers treating each other nicely. One of the best features of this app is that the users can book their ride two weeks in advance and can negate the surge pricing. This one is available in over 100 cities of Europe and the U.S.

4. Grab

Want a safe drive? You must try the Grab taxi booking app as the app makers have worked maximum on maintaining transparency between the drivers and the passengers. It allows the users to pay through cash, credits or Grab credits. The app can be downloaded from play store as well as from app store on iOS.

5. Curb – The Taxi App

The app which is considered to be one of the best taxi booking apps in the U.S., can be downloaded on iOS and Android. It gives the options of pair and pay, ride now and ride later to the users. The drivers are carefully chosen to drive the taxis under this app as they have to match the eligibility criteria when it comes to driving, experience and license.

6. Juno

This one is also available across platforms and one of the most trusted and reliable taxi booking service It thrives to offer the best experience to the passengers. There are three services available under this cab service namely quick, SUV or stylish. Users can choose any one of the three depending upon their budget and style.

7. Hailo

This one is again one of the most supreme taxi booking apps available in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Spain. This app is easy to use and the passengers can book a taxi for themselves in a few clicks. So, what makes this app unique? Features like the history of the trips, choices of cars, online payment options and ride receipt make it one of the most liked apps.

8. Ola – Ride Hailing App

Again, available on both iOS and Android, this one has a plethora of features to make it stand out of the crowd. From GPS tracking, to booking options like Ola mini, sedan, SUV, this one has a lot to offer to its users and passengers. The prices can also be compared of the various types of cars available under this app.

9. Easy taxi

With coverage of more than 400 cities and 25 million users, this cab service gives optimum importance to the safety and security of their passengers. It can be installed from the app store as well as the play store.

10. GoCatch

Lastly, GoCatch is one of the most trusted and reliable taxi booking apps in Australia. It is mostly used in the country because of the low fares it offers to its users. The app is can be downloaded on iOS and Android devices.

General Features To Include In A Taxi Booking App

For Passengers Panel

• Social Login/Sign-up
• Create and manage profile
• On-demand taxi booking
• View estimated wait time for taxi arrival
• Real-time vehicle tracking
• Flexible billing and payment options
• Push Notifications, emails & SMS alerts
• Rate and provide feedback to drivers
• View rates and cab options
• Schedule advance bookings
• Auto-generated bill
• Pay via in-app currency
• View booking history

For Driver Panel

• Update availability for customers
• Accept/Deny customer booking requests
• Push notifications
• In-app call and chat with customers
• Live map navigation
• View reviews and ratings
• Automated fare calculation
• View trip routes
• Accept online/offline payments

For Admin Panel

• View/Manage drivers
• Manage cab availability and scheduling
• View trip routes
• Manage rate card and surge prices
• Manage discounts and offers
• Track cabs
• View/Manage reviews and feedback of drivers
• Generate daily reports for revenue and transactions
• Manage geolocation boundary

Advanced Features To Be Included In A Taxi booking App

One must always thrive to enter the competition as there is tough competition in this arena. However, including unique and advanced features can help you stay ahead of the competitors and increase your user base. Take a look at the advanced features you must definitely include in your app to make it climb the top of the ladder.

1. Driver/User Authorization

This feature enables the drivers to get authorization of driving the car under the application. They get permission of taking bookings and associating with the mobile application.

2. Auto Dispatch Software

This helps the drivers as they are able to manage all their bookings via this feature on one app. They do not have to go to and fro, but, keep a tab on all of them together in one place. It also helps them in getting proper instructions about the place they have received a booking form.

3. Driver Queue Algorithm

This one works best in assisting the taxi service owners to get to know the number of drivers and taxis available in one place, which can be sent out as options to a user who is trying to book a cab. This process is very quick, as within a span of 2-5 minutes the user has to be intimidated about the taxis in proximity.

4. Surge Pricing

In case there is a dearth of taxis on certain days because the high demand, the taxi owners can surge the price and earn more profits on that day.

5. Zone Pricing

Each zone in a city might have its own restrictions, laws, roads, and timings. Therefore, the pricing of these zones can vary. This feature helps the taxi owners make money accordingly.

6. Heat Map View

With the help of this feature, the app owners can know about the cars providing services to the users during the busiest time of the day. More cars and drivers can be allotted accordingly.

7. Phone Number Masking

If you do not want to share your contact details with a driver, or vice-versa, then you must know that the app provides you keep it confidential. With the help of an in-app call feature, one can keep his number from being revealed.

8. Loyalty Programs

How about giving an extra nudge to your drivers and passengers by offering them loyalty programs like offers, discounts, coupons, etc.? This feature always lures the users, making them use the app even more.

9. Real-Time Analytics

This feature allows the app owners in knowing the number of taxis that are in service and the zonal positions of the same. This helps them know how well their app is performing and how many people are using it at a point of time as they get to know about the user who is making bookings through it.

10. Multi-Lingual Support

The best feature that allows people from other countries as well to book taxis without the hassle of communicating with the people and asking someone to book them a taxi. This one is best for tourists.

11. Automate Driver Payment

With the integration of this feature, one can link his/her bank account or a digital wallet directly to the app and let all deductions happen automatically from their accounts directly. This saves them a lot of time and eliminates the need of carrying cash and wallets.

12. Multiple Payment Options

Taxi booking apps these days have adopted the advanced methods of making payments including payments through cards, online banking, mobile wallets, among others. This has made it very handy and useful.

13. Push Notifications

A user would always be notified with a push notification once he makes the booking and would be intimidated when his cab arrives at the location. These push notifications also come into use when the user has to be notified about any new offers or discounts being launched by the app.

14. Social Login/Sign-Up

It is important for each user to have his distinct account; therefore, all users have to register themselves before proceeding with the services. This helps them save their favorite locations and add payment methods. It is a good idea to integrate social media accounts with the sign-up procedure. This helps the users save a lot of time and they would not have to enter all their details time and again.

15. Fare Calculation

This allows the users to calculate the amount that they will have to spend on a single ride. One can get to know the amount they would have to spend on the ride before availing it.

16. Bill Splitting

Can you split the bill into two and make payments of your shares from your respective accounts? Well, yes! It is highly likely that two people be sharing a ride and the bill. This feature enables them to pay their share separately keeping things transparent.

17. Multiple Bookings

Gone are the days when only one booking could be made with one account. The new-gen apps have the feature that enables its users to make multiple bookings for themselves or their family and friends at the same time.

18. Book Cab For A Friend

Under this feature, you can book a taxi for a friend who is at a different location. All a user has to do is enter that friend’s pick up and drop details.

19. In-App Call

A user is in a haste and doesn’t have the time to make a regular call to the driver. The in-built call feature allows them to just tap on the icon to get connected to the driver.

20. Emergency Contact

The app allows the users to save emergency contact so that they can call them in case of any mishap.

21. Live Tracking POP Mode

The feature allows the user to share his booking status with a family member or friend that enables that person to track the live location of the taxi.

22. Smartwatch Access

Now that smartwatches are the new accessory everyone wants to carry around, it is even possible to book a cab with that. It is convenient to use these apps now from your smartwatches and make bookings and payments through the same.

Technology Stack For Taxi Booking App Development

For Payments	Stripe & Braintree (split fare option), PayPal’s Card.io
For hybrid cloud model	Terraform
For distributed storage & analytics for complex data	Hadoop
For both caching and queuing	Redis with Twemproxy & Celery workers
For crunching data streams	Storm and Spark
For Web standards for graphics & visualization	SVG, Canvas 2D, and WebGL.
For building data products	JavaScript and React
For web front-end applications	JavaScript
Libraries and frameworks	React+Flux, D3, and Mapbox
For data streaming	Kafka
For Virtual Machines	Packer, Vagrant, Boto, and Unison
For Safety Configuration	Puppet
For Inventory Management	Clusto
Programming Languages	Go, Java, C, C++, Python, and Node.js
Other	PostgreSQL, Riak, Cassandra, Hive, MapReduce, HDFS, Elasticsearch
For Rendering, State Handling, and Building	React.js, Standard flux, Gulp.js, Browserify
For iOS	Objective C and Swift
For Android	Java
For alerting for monitoring	Nagios
For webserver	Express.js
For App Provisioning	Docker, Mesos, Aurora
For Routing and Service Discovery	HAProxy, Ringpop, TChannel, and HyperBahn
For front-end web server	NGINX
For interface definition languages	Thrift and Protobuf
For Development and Deployment	Phabricator, OpenGrok, Jenkins
For build, manage & develop on virtual machines	Packer, Vagrant, Boto, and Unison
For managing system configuration	Puppet
For documentation	Sphinx
For searching and visualizations	Elasticsearch, Logstash, and Kibana

Mobile

Android

• Build System: Gradle
• Networking: OkHttp, Retrofit, and Gson
• Dependency Injection Framework: Dagger
• Image Loading: Picasso
• Automation Coding: Expresso
• Architecture: RxJava
• Logging: Timber

iOS

• Repository: Buck
• Placement and Sizing: Masonry and SnapKit
• Crash Detection: KSCrash
• Testing: OCMock
• Storage: LevelDB
• Backend: Schemaless and MySQL

The Architecture Of The Tech Stack Of A Taxi Cab Booking App

What Team Structure Is Required To Develop A Taxi Booking App?

It is of the utmost team to reach out to the app development companies and spend some time with them, to explain your requirements and the kind of personnel you would need to work on your app. An app can be best developed if you have the right kind of people and the right team working on it. Here is what makes the perfect team for a taxi booking app:

• iOS and Android developers to develop the front-end and the back-end of the app.
• Project manager to manage and assist the entire team in all stages of development. He takes note of all requirements of the clients and delivering the best.
• Back-end developers to prepare a fully integrated and robust back-end properties.
• UX/UI designers to design the look of the app and giving it a personal touch so that it becomes engaging for the users.
• QA experts who test the app and check if the quality of the app will satisfy the needs of the users or not.

How Much Does It Cost To Develop A Taxi Booking Mobile App?

A taxi booking mobile app is a robust application that should be able to function well on all devices and platforms. One has to be very careful about the budget assigned to the app right from the beginning as surpassing the limit might land you in losses and an incomplete application. Therefore, you must know the important factors that contribute to app development costs.

Complexity

The app complexity is the first thing to consider while deciding upon the budget. A more complex app will take more time; hence, the manpower will be needed for more time, therefore higher budget will be required as compared to a less complex app.

Platforms

An app that is being developed for iOS will have a different amount than the one for Android. And if you are looking forward to developing an app across platforms, then your app might cost more than the ones mentioned before.

Features

Are you planning to include a lot of features right from the beginning? If yes, then you should be prepared to spend a hefty amount for the same. However, it is always suggested to develop MVPs before getting into the game.

Region Of Development

Each country and each city might have different prices of app development considering the app development teams, availability or resources, etc. Take a look at the amount one would have to incur on these apps region wise:

• U.S.: USD 150 – USD 250 per hour
• Europe: USD 40 – USD 150 per hour
• India: USD 10 – USD 80 per hour

Conclusion

The best way to get a fully functional and an enhanced version of a taxi booking app is with the help of an app development company. The best practice would be to get experts for the project as you can easily rely upon them for all the work while you sit back and rest. Give a tough fight to the competitors by developing the best taxi booking app and stand out of the crowd.