How Much Does it Cost to Build an App like Uber?

Are you planning to come into the taxi business in 2024? Have you decided to build your taxi app like Uber? If yes, you are at the correct place. We will discuss everything about the Cost to Build an App like Uber and the Process of developing an app like Uber.

Job-based people and students are the ones who made this business model so famous. They usually do not want to own a car or can’t afford one. That is the reason why this model of the ride-hailing app became so great in such a short period. 

If you are planning to Develop an Uber like App, you must give it a deep thought. It will be a huge decision for you. You know that you need to invest a lot of money in this project. Moreover, money is not the only case. There are lots of other factors which you need to keep in mind while working on this project. 

You need to hire the best team of developers to create an app like Uber from scratch. You have to do perfect market research. You need to invest such a big amount. Last but not least, you have to give your body and soul to it. All of this is required to work on such an important project!

In this article, we will discuss all these things and many more. Stay with us till the end so that you can learn, how to make an app like Uber? 

What is an Uber App?

Uber is a software as a service (SaaS) app. These types of apps are the hottest selling apps of today and they will be the biggest industry in coming times. You can book a car from the uber app whenever you want and the uber partners provide you with a pick-up and drop at your destination. 

These partners are none other than the regular taxi and cab drivers out there. The only thing which has changed in a hailing taxi is, now you don’t need to search for a taxi or cab outside your home. You can directly book a taxi or cab sitting at one place or in the comfort of your home.

You can directly pay to the driver or you can also pay through the uber app. This app has made journeys very easy and comfortable at the same time. The things written above are just a maiden explanation of what this app is. We still need to understand, what we have to do, if we want to build an app like uber.

Why is Uber the Biggest Platform in Ride-Hailing Apps?

We don’t think there is any person left who has not booked a taxi with uber. It is one of the biggest ride-hailing apps in India and many other large countries. A very interesting thing to know about uber is that it doesn’t own any vehicle of its own. It just acts as a mediator between the passenger and the driver.

You just need to provide your destinations and to get a ride. It is as simple as that. You will get a comfortable and safe ride. Everyone these days use ride-hailing apps on regular basis for going to their destinations.

If we talk about statistics, Uber operates in 70 countries, with over 9.4 billion trips carried out in 2023. In the same year, the mobility services company generated over 37 billion U.S. dollars in net revenue. Uber’s gross booking volume has increased year-on-year until the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

If we talk about ride-hailing apps, there are many other apps also which are providing the same service like uber. But still uber captures 60 to 70%of the market and other are in this 20 to 30%. 

So now the question arises that, what makes uber the biggest ride-hailing app in the world? and how can you create an app like uber from scratch? The answer is to these questions is their service providing capacity to both, passengers and drivers. You also need to do the almost the same to build an app like uber.

How Does an App like Uber Works?

All the apps like uber work on a very simple principle i.e., book, ride, drop, repeat. Let us explain every step clearly-

a) Book–

This is the first step from the customer’s end. The person who needs to travel will enter a destination of pick up and drop. If taxis or cabs are available the ride is directly booked through the app. These apps save the hectic part of finding a Taxi App like Uber.

You get the name of the driver, his phone number, and a map of his real-time position. You can check where he has arrived or can directly call him.

b) Ride-

Once the vehicle arrives at your pickup destination, the driver will ask you for an OTP. This OTP is to start the map on the driver’s device so that he can know where you have to go.

c) Drop–

The driver will drop you at your entered destination. After the ride is completed, you have to pay for the ride. You can directly pay through cash or you can also pay the driver through the app. Once the paying procedure is completed, the driver usually asks you to rate the ride. It is to make the profile of the driver good.

d) Repeat-

After your ride is completed the driver gets another ride and the cycle is repeated.

Also Read: How Does an On-Demand Taxi Booking App Works

All the steps which are written above are usually the same for all the ride-hailing apps. You also need to follow the same procedure for your app.

Let us now share with you, what you need to have as a skill or as a team.

From here we are going to discuss the real things like cost, coding, requirements etc. The first thing that comes to one’s mind, when one start to think about developing an app is coding and development.

The things which are written above are for you to understand what are you going to need to develop an app. Now the choice is yours, whether you want to Hire Developers for all this or you are going to build a team who can do that, or you learn all these skills to develop an app like uber.

We have discussed all the points of what a person needs to create an app like Uber. After learning these skills one can easily Build an app like Uber from scratch.

What is Required to Develop an App like Uber?

First of all, you need to know what you have to learn or whom you can hire, if you want to create an app like uber. From here you will get a step-by-step clear differentiation of your journey of building an app like Uber.

1) Researching

To develop anything, you first need to have clear and perfect research of the topic on which you are working. Like in this article you are learning about how to Build a taxi Booking app like uber. So first of all, you need to know everything about it.

Research about the app from scratch so that you can build one, from scratch. The reason why research is the most important step in the creation of anything is that when you spend a considerable time studying that thing, you will know the important aspects of that work. 

Moreover, when you are doing your research, in that process you get a lot of ideas about your specific idea. It also helps you in brainstorming. Once you do a great market research it will definitely help you to create an app like uber.  

2) Think out of the box

After you are done researching, you need to think about what you can do differently from everyone to build an app like uber. You don’t want to copy anyone else. So, for that, you need to think out of the box. Take a pen and paper and note down everything that is coming to your mind at the first place. 

What will be the colour scheme, user interface, the central idea of the app etc. When you will write these ideas on paper you won’t miss anything that came to your mind before and it will be easy for you to mix and match everything thing. You or your team can sit together and can brainstorm about it without it you won’t be able to develop an app like uber. 

3) Create new features

Now here we are assuming that you want to create an app like uber, but all the written steps are the same for all the apps just the approach is different. 

So, once you have done the market research you need to decide the features of your app. Like in the case of an app like uber, you need to create some unique features so that you can stand different in the category. In the very same way, you also need to have some of the features for your app so that you can also make your app unique.

Why is it Important to Create a Replica of your App?

Creating a replica of your app is an essential step for businesses to expand their reach and cater to a wider audience. In today’s world, where users are switching between multiple devices and platforms, having a mobile app that works seamlessly across all platforms is crucial. By creating a replica of your app for different platforms, you ensure that your users get the same experience, regardless of the device they use. Moreover, it also helps in improving your app’s visibility and discoverability as it caters to a larger audience, ultimately leading to higher user engagement and retention. Additionally, it also helps in reducing development time and costs as you can reuse the same codebase for different platforms, making it an efficient and cost-effective solution.

What are the Main Features of App like Uber?

Here, we are going to talk about the features which are the most important ones when it comes to apps like Uber. The feature which we have written below are the Features of Taxi Booking App like Uber that will make your app easy to access and easy to use. 

1) Driver’s Report:

Empower drivers with detailed reports on their performance, earnings, ratings, and other relevant metrics to help them optimize their service.

2) Free Cancellation:

Allow users to cancel their bookings without any charges within a specified time frame to enhance flexibility and user satisfaction.

3) Geolocation:

Utilize GPS technology to accurately pinpoint user locations for seamless matching of drivers and passengers, ensuring efficient pickup and drop-off.

4) Taxi Booking:

Enable users to easily book a ride with just a few taps, specifying their pickup and drop-off locations along with any special requests.

5) Booking Confirmation:

Provide instant confirmation to users upon successful booking, along with details such as estimated arrival time and driver information.

6) Push Notifications:

Keep users informed throughout the booking process with timely updates on driver status, trip progress, and other relevant notifications.

7) Fare Calculator:

Offer transparent fare estimation based on factors like distance, time, and demand, providing users with upfront pricing before confirming their ride.

8) GPS Navigation Feature:

Equip drivers with built-in navigation tools to efficiently navigate to the passenger’s location and the designated drop-off point, optimizing route efficiency.

Uber app has been created by the designers while keeping major entities in mind- passengers and drivers. While you are also working on the same thought process, the basic management should be the same in your case also. 

How Much Does it Cost to Develop an App like Uber?

You cannot do anything these days without investing your money and time in it. In the above explanation, you must have got an idea of how much time will it take to develop such an app. Here we are going to discuss, how much will it cost to Build an app like Uber?

The full process of designing, development and costs ranges from 10,000$ to 60,000$.

Usually, the hourly cost to Build an app like Uber and uber like app development cost is 25$ to 55$ hourly and it takes 500 to 1500 hours to develop taxi app from scratch.

The maintenance cost of taxi app is usually 15 to 20% of the total app development cost. After developing the app, it also requires maintenance. Some people provide a free 6 months maintenance and some apply charges. 

The more features you want to add to the app, the more it will cost you. It also depends on other aspects-

See Also: How Much Does It Cost To Launch An Uber Like Taxi App In USA?

What are the Factors Which Affect the Cost of the App Development?

1) It depends on the level of the developers you want to include in your team. Apps like uber require a lot of technical knowledge and skills. If you want to include high-end developers to help you out, the amount will go high.

2) The platforms which you will use also plays an important role in increasing your investment. There are lots of new platforms that are helping people to develop their apps at comparatively low prices. But if you do not want to trust the new platforms in this market then you have to go with the master platforms, which will again cost you high.

3) As we have discussed above that if you want to make your app the best in the market you have to include a number of features. For which you have to pay comparatively high than others.

4) The more amount of time required to make an app like Uber means the more it will cost. So, time also plays a very important role in cost management.

5) Other factors which affect the costs of the app are- the UX/UI design of the passenger app. The above-mentioned costs include everything for developing a great app like uber.  

This is a very huge range when it comes to developing an app like Uber. If you hire people to develop your taxi app then it will cost quite high and if you are doing it almost by yourself then it will cut the labour cost. In this case, you will have to work too much but in the first case, there will be a strategy and complete sprint to develop an taxi app from scratch.

How is Uber Generating Revenues?

As we have seen above in this passage the Geolocation, Routing and Directions- I believe this is one of the most important features of ride-hailing apps. I believe this feature must be included in your app. There is no point in creating a ride-hailing app without geolocation is of no use. It helps the drivers as well as the passengers to locate the route before riding to avoid problems. It also helps the drivers to check whether the road is too hectic etc. 

1) Ride Fees:

Uber charges passengers for the rides they take. The fee is calculated based on factors such as distance, time, demand, and service level (e.g., UberX, Uber Black). Uber takes a percentage of the total fare as its commission, while the rest goes to the driver.

2) Surge Pricing:

During periods of high demand, Uber implements surge pricing, also known as dynamic pricing or multiplier pricing. This means fares increase significantly, sometimes several times the normal rate. Uber generates extra revenue during these peak times.

3) Booking Fees:

In addition to the ride fee, Uber may charge passengers a booking fee for each trip. This fee contributes to Uber’s revenue stream and helps cover operational costs.

4) Uber Eats:

Uber Eats is Uber’s food delivery service. It charges customers delivery fees for food orders placed through the platform. Restaurants partnering with Uber Eats may also pay commissions to Uber on each order fulfilled through the platform.

5) Uber Freight:

Uber Freight connects trucking companies with shippers, streamlining the freight transportation process. Uber charges fees for facilitating these transactions, generating revenue from the freight industry.

6) Subscription Services:

Uber offers subscription services like Uber Pass and Uber Rewards in some markets. These services may provide benefits such as discounted rides, free deliveries, and other perks for a monthly or yearly subscription fee.

7) Advertising:

Uber may generate revenue through advertising on its platform. This could include promotions, sponsored content, or partnerships with businesses looking to reach Uber’s extensive user base.

8) Partnerships and Collaborations:

Uber may enter into partnerships and collaborations with other companies to offer integrated services or joint promotions. These partnerships can result in additional revenue streams for Uber.

At uber has been generating huge revenues every single year. Now this question may arise in your mind, how is uber doing it? So, let’s learn something about it too. It will also clear your leftover doubts of yours in this field of development of an app like uber.

Uber generates revenue in a lot of ways-

1) They generate money from the passengers.

2) They generate money to be the drivers.

3) They also get a huge part of their revenue from in-app advertisements.  

4) Apart from this, this company is not only in ride-hailing. It also has other zones of work.

Frequently asked questions-

How much time do we need to develop such an app?

Ans- Normally the uber like taxi app development of such apps takes 13 to 18 weeks to develop an MVP Version of taxi app. After that, we just need to keep a maintenance check on apps like uber and even other apps. So, the basic need to keep the app ready to use is 20 weeks maximum.

This time limit can vary from company to company, even person to person and also their experience.

How much does it cost to develop such apps as Uber?

Ans- As we have explained above in our article, the uber like app development and maintenance of these apps require at least $10,000 to a maximum of $70,000. It also depends on the people and their experience in developing applications.

What Skill do you Need to have to Develop an App like Uber?

• Core Java language.
• XML’s knowledge.
• Android SDK.
• Android Studio.
• APIs
• Databases Management.
• Material Design.

What are the Hardware Requirements for Developing an App?

• 64- bit environment for Android 2.3.X and higher versions.
• 250GB+ free space to check the code and 150GB+ for building it.
• 16 GB RAM.

What are the Frontend Requirements to Develop an App?

• Frontend languages- HTML, CSS, Java Script

• Frontend frameworks- React JS, AngularJS, jQuery

What are the Backend Development Requirements to Develop an App?

• Backend languages- NodeJS, JavaScript, C++, Swift, Java

How many apps and panels do you need in such apps?

Ans- In all, you need 2 panels to operate ride-hailing apps- the admin panel, and dispatcher panel.

You need 2 apps for this type of application- passenger app and driver app.

Apps like uber are a combination of 2 apps as mentioned above.

You cannot make this application work without the combination of passengers and the driver’s different user interface.

Conclusion-

As we have mentioned above in our whole article, this is one of the biggest companies of this time. In future, this company of ride-hailing apps is going to be greater. If you think you have the capability then you should Build an App like Uber.

All the things like what you need to learn, what are the main features, the road map and most importantly the cost to Build an app like uber- all these questions have been discussed above in the elaborated form. 

Let’s sum up the thoughts here as well. The hourly cost to Build an app like uber is $25 to $55. It also depends on the country where you want to create an app like Uber. The maintenance of the app is a key aspect you need to remember.

As we mentioned that the cost to Build an app like uber depends on various factors, it is not necessary to go with high priced services. Check before paying to anyone, and sign the best deal to create your App like Uber!

iCoderz is a On Demand Taxi Booking App Development Company which can help you to build your app like uber. We have been working in this field from a long time and have an experienced team to help you to create an app like uber from scratch!

To know our price rates, hourly cost and many more you can email us or you can also message us directly.

If you are also looking for your On Demand App Development Company, contact our business and sales team at +919309090932 or [email protected].

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