Today we all know the importance of taxi booking and ridesharing apps. Whether you want to attend a business meeting or wedding or urgently rush to someone, ridesharing allows you to book a taxi in minutes. Even for those who don’t have any conveyance or are new to the city, the ridesharing app has your back and allows you to move in any corner of the city.
One taxi booking or ridesharing app giant is right before us, and we have witnessed its success in the last few years. Yes, you guessed it right, and it’s Uber. Currently, Uber has a global user base of over 90 million users.
In the past few years, the ridesharing market has witnessed an explosion that has been quite significant. One of the most vivid examples of a taxi-hailing service that became a multi-billion dollar business in a quick period is Uber.
Seeing the real-time success and regularly thriving market, almost every transportation company is wondering the answer to one question: How to develop an app like Uber in 2023?
Well, we have the answer. In this article, we have gathered the complete guide to developing an app like Uber in 2023.
How Uber Works?
There are several ways through which Uber ensures that its customers/riders can easily take advantage of these services. Uber offers a simple way for customers/riders to book a ride, and the way it works is as follows:
Request: Using the app, the rider can request a car for pickup from a particular/current location when they are ready. Upon receiving the request, the local drivers in the area are notified of the request.
Matching: Upon receiving the request, the matching driver can accept or cancel it. A rejected request will be forwarded to the next available driver if it is rejected.
Ride: After a driver accepts a ride request, the rider receives a booking confirmation. Real-time tracking of the driver’s location lets the rider know when to expect the driver to arrive.
Payment: Riders are informed of payment details before booking. Uber supports several cashless payment methods.
Rating: User ratings and feedback feature help build trust and reliability.
Steps involved in developing an Uber-like app
Break down the development process of an app similar to Uber into a few steps. Here’s how it looks:
Research & Auditing
As a first step, you need to make a list of the requirements you need to fulfill to create an app similar to Uber. If you are already running an existing taxi booking service, all you will have to do is build a new app that mirrors your current operation so that you can use the same platform.
As a result, if you decide to start from scratch, you will need to be able to plan out your entire project following your vision. Regardless of the scenario, business owners should explore and identify the enhancements they could offer compared to existing taxi apps in both scenarios.
Select the type of app you want
There are a few things you should consider before you start developing an application – the type of application – native or hybrid, and the platform for which it will be created – iOS or Android. These questions are significant in determining an app’s exact course since they choose the entire outcome.
Technical aspects of the app
To answer these questions and decide on the requirements, the next step is to write down a set of technical specifications of the app, its architecture, and the technology stack that will be used to implement the application.
Developing a mobile app for taxi booking
As far as development goes, pursuing it either from scratch or by relying on pre-made solutions is possible. Both types of projects involve a series of operations that are further subdivided into smaller parts, which are then further divided into smaller and smaller tasks. Upon completion of these tasks, they are prioritized according to their importance. As part of the process, further unit tests are conducted to identify and resolve any logical errors.
Deploying The App
An app is developed, then deployed to various devices in a real-world environment to test its functionality and performance. To launch the app on the market promptly, any concerns are promptly resolved.
Support & Maintenance
During the refinement phase, the app is enhanced and fine-tuned according to the feedback and changing needs of the customer.
There you have it. These are the key steps of how a taxi booking app is developed. As a tool to put things in perspective, it’s worth looking at how Uber disrupted the taxi industry on an entirely new level by revolutionizing on-demand ride-booking services and how airport taxis operate.
Features for Uber Like App Development
There are three main interfaces/apps in Uber – Driver, Rider, and Admin, which can manage and monitor the app’s activity.
Let’s examine each application’s basic features in detail.
Rider/Passenger
Registration: Users can log in with their email addresses and social media accounts. Additionally, they can select a payment method from various options.
Taxi Booking: A taxi can be booked online. The rider enters their address, selects the type of car they wish to use, and adjusts the pickup location.
Fare Calculator: It is possible to calculate a fare automatically by entering the number of kilometers, type of vehicle, and other factors influencing the journey to a particular destination.
Ride Tracking: The rider is updated with traffic information, travel routes, and an estimated arrival time based on the driver’s real-time location.
Payment: A rider can pay with cashless or in-app features. Many options are available to them, including credit cards, debit cards, net banking, and PayPal.
Messaging & Calling – Informing the rider of their ride’s status through messages and phone calls.
Some other features for riders and passengers include
- Ride Cancellation
- Book for others
- Travel history
- Schedule for Later
Features of Driver Interface
Driver Profile & Status – As a driver, you can view all the information about them, such as whether they are verified or not or have a license and auto insurance. As a part of this feature, the driver’s availability status is also displayed.
Trip Alert – The driver will receive a notification when an incoming ride request is received, along with information about the rider’s destination, pickup location, travel route, and any details necessary for the rider.
Push Notifications – A notification will be sent to all members when the ride begins, any changes in the route, and heavy traffic in the area ahead. A notification will also be sent upon the completion of the ride.
Navigation & Route Optimization – To navigate the traffic in the area, the driver uses this feature,
Essential Features of Admin Interface
The administrator panel must be present to ensure that the system is integrated properly and runs smoothly. This is a list of the basic features and functionalities that an Admin panel would include:
- CRM (Customer and Driver Details Management)
- Management of bookings
- Self-owned vehicle detail management
- Management of locations and fares
- Management of the call system
- Keeping in touch
- Reviews and ratings
- Discounts and promotions
- Management of payroll
- Management of content
- Support and assistance for customers
What Does It Cost To Build An Uber-like App?
App development costs are influenced by various factors, such as the number of features that an app has, the location of the app development company, their hourly rate, and more, making it difficult to provide a general cost estimate. It is important to note that several key factors determine the pricing of taxi apps development, and they are as follows:
- Android/iOS native applications
- Use of technology
- Functionality & features
- Development team rates and abilities
- Integrations
- Designing
- Maintenance Plan
Undoubtedly, your choice of features, the complexity of your application, as well as the platform specifics will affect your development costs. Also, this will affect the timeline estimate that has been made.
It could cost more than $250,000 in North America to develop an app like Uber, while it could cost $150,000 or even more in North Europe or the United Kingdom to develop the same app.
In Asia, the most feature-rich app cost could range from $65,000 to $1,00,000.
Conclusion
That is all you need to develop a thriving taxi app like Uber. In the next few years, we are sure you will be one of the most renowned and unicorn transportation companies. To ensure our developers continue advancing in the industry, SynergyWorks continuously encourages them to explore and inherit industry-rich trends.
Our development team has developed, deployed, and maintained taxi-based apps, including Uber. You can rely on us to draft an app plan for implementing it. Let us know what you want, and we will develop the best app for your transportation company. Contact our peers and explain what you want; we will do the rest.
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