In recent years, on-demand food delivery apps, taxi booking apps, etc have grown much in popularity. All the services are now available at our fingertips. Nowadays, we don’t have to wait much. Just a few clicks and your cab is here.Â
Riders can now easily travel to many locations at reasonable rates thanks to feature-rich taxi booking mobile applications. According to a Statista report, ride-hailing revenue is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.30% to reach US$386,274m by 2026.
When it comes to on-demand taxi booking apps, Uber and Lyft dominate a large portion of the world's market. However, when it comes to the Middle East, Careem App stands out as the market leader.
In the middle east as well, Ride-hailing is a growing and promising industry in the Middle East. Based on statistical data, the taxi segment revenue in the Middle East and North Africa is predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.02% between 2021 and 2025, to reach USD 392,580 million.Â
If you are looking to make your place in the market and are willing to find out how much it costs to make an app like Careem, then this blog is for you. Keep scrolling.Â
The Basics about Careem Taxi App!Â
Careem App is a popular taxi service in the Middle Eastern countries. It was founded in July 2012 by Mudassir Sheikha and Magnus Olsson, and Uber acquired the Careem taxi services app in 2020.
The KSA-based taxi service "Careem" is accessible in numerous countries, including Riyadh, Lahore, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Kuwait, and so on.Â
With 1.5 million drivers and over 39 million registered users, Careem taxi app is the most popular ride-hailing app in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It provides a range of services, such as package delivery, on-demand food delivery, and ride-hailing.
Furthermore, the Careem app now supports contactless payments. Thus, you can use a digital wallet to send money from one person to another. In 2021, PDA awarded the Careem app the title of Most Innovative App.Â
What are the Crucial Features to be Included in a Taxi Booking App like Careem?Â
App for Passengers
This is the app screen that passengers interact with. It has everything you need, from opening the mobile app to selecting a destination, scheduling a ride, figuring out the mobile app development cost, getting in touch with drivers, paying for it, and then rating and reviewing the drivers.
- User Login & Sign Up: Users must first register for the app. In order to use it, users must first register with a phone number, email address, and other details. Once a username and password have been created, they can easily log in and use it to book cabs.
- Push Notification: These days, push notifications are an essential component of every mobile application. Push notifications serve the purpose of bringing the user to the app and helping them remember it even when it is not used on a regular basis.
- Cab Booking: The most crucial feature of a taxi app is (obviously) cab booking. It should include the smooth process of choosing the car, entering the pick-up and drop, and finalizing the payment option.Â
- Feedback: It is essential. Users can use this to tell other users about their experiences using your services, which is a great way to promote your brand. Additionally, you will learn about the areas that still need work.
- Payments: Make sure to give users a variety of payment gateway choices, such as net banking, debit/credit cards, net banking, etc.
- Calling: When a situation calls for it, the calling feature will enable riders to contact drivers directly from the app.
- In-app messaging: The in-app chat feature enhances the overall riding and driving experience for both passengers and drivers. This functionality allows them to enjoy real-time information sharing and to collaborate more effectively.
App for Drivers
The drivers and captains (Careem's term for drivers) are the focal points of this app element. While both passengers and drivers have some similarities, the driver section of the Uber app contains a few additional features.Â
Some of the popular drivers facing alternatives that you ought to incorporate in your ride-sharing app are:Â
- Registration: It is more complex than user sign-up due to the need for proper driver authentication, including basic vehicle details and documentation.Â
- Profile Editing: The drivers can use this to update their profile with details about their backgrounds, experience, vehicles, completed trips, documentation, and other relevant information.
- Navigation: To create an app similar to Careem taxi services, you will need to incorporate Google Maps or any other map service. It guides the drivers throughout to reach the location through the best possible route.
- Calling: The calling function from the driver's seat facilitates easy communication and improves collaboration between the passenger and the driver, much like the Passenger section of the mobile app.
- In-app messaging: Integrating the in-app messaging feature into your app will improve both the passenger and driver's overall experience in a seamless and hassle-free manner. This is comparable to the in-app messaging feature in the mobile app's Passenger component.
ALSO READ: How To Develop An On-Demand Laundry App
- Activity notification: This sends an activity alert to all nearby drivers about a booking ride request made by a passenger, allowing them to accept or decline the ride offer.
- Estimation: This feature provides the driver with an estimate of each ride's cost so they can determine whether or not it is worthwhile.
Admin Panel App
The web application that powers the admin portion of an on-demand taxi booking app is typically used to store, manage, and eventually review all of the app's activity. Here are some of the features it should have:
- Vehicle management: The administrator can oversee all operations in accordance with the information they have access to regarding the vehicles registered with the business.Â
- User Management: It addresses both drivers and passengers. The administrator has access to their profile and can assist users in resolving problems if they arise.Â
- Dashboard and Analytics: A thorough dashboard including information on important metrics like the number of users, drivers, rides, and total revenue made should be available through the admin panel.
- Billing and Invoice: The administrator is in charge of handling invoices, rent, and fares. He calculates fares for customers based on the duration of their rides.
- Discount and Promotion Management: The app service provider decides how many discounts to offer and what kind of promotion to use next.
- Geolocation and Mapping: The admin panel should enable the administrator to take control of the app's geolocation and mapping capabilities, such as adding or eliminating landmarks and geofences.
- Reporting and Insights: The admin panel should provide the administrator with an array of reports and insights, including ride reports, driver reports, and financial reports.
How Much Does it Cost to Develop an On-demand Taxi Booking App Like Careem?
After addressing app capabilities, pricing, and development times, it's time to talk about the total taxi booking app development cost for Careem.Â
The cost to make an app like Careem will be determined by the number of development hours invested in the process, which will be determined by different geographic regions, among other factors.
As everyone knows, developing a taxi booking app like Careem will be more expensive in Western nations. Therefore, the number of development hours for a project like Careem in a Western country would be between 100 and 200, while in an Eastern country like Dubai or India, it would take less time.
So, if you want to create a taxi booking app like Careem, the taxi booking app development cost from a top mobile app company would be between $25,000 and $40,000 for basic capabilities in an on-demand taxi app, and $100,000 to $150,000 for a feature-rich app.
Keep in mind, that these are just approximate numbers and the exact number will vary due to different factors sach as location of mobile app development company, the complexity of app, features required, technology and platform used, third-party integrations, etc.Â
To get an accurate estimate for mobile app development cost, you can reach out to our on-demand taxi app development company. Our team will analyze your requirements and offer an estimate accordingly.Â
End NoteÂ
Phew, that was long but this comprehensive guide includes end-to-end insights about developing a taxi app like Careem and its costs as well. We have even mentioned the must-have features that should be added to an on-demand taxi app.Â
If you are willing to develop a taxi app, then the demand for on-demand taxi app like Careem has been rising significantly. You can tap into this growing market by incorporating the right functionality and providing the best-in-class customer experience throughout.Â
To develop the best-in-class mobile app with the right features that too within your budget, Sufalam Technologies will be your best ally. We have a team of the best designers and developers - who will understand your specific requirements, customer preferences and offer the desired end results.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Hire App Developers to Create an App Like Careem?
If you want to create an app similar to Careem, you’ll need to research companies, go through reviews and ratings, get an idea about their past projects and expertise, and compare costs to hire the best one.Â
How to minimize the taxi booking app development cost?Â
To reduce app development taxi app development costs, it is suggested that you use agile development techniques, prioritize minimum viable product (MVP) characteristics, and meticulously consider whether to outsource or develop in-house.