The smart way to develop an app like Uber

“Getting late? Take an Uber” – my co-worker suggested me the other day when I was working late.

“Why Uber? I can take the bus by the station” – I replied.

“At 1 Am I feel a cab would be better” – he said with a concerned look. 

That’s the kind of effect Uber has had on people. A simple idea of connecting riders with drivers via an app, Uber took the market by storm. Uber challenged the traditional taxi operating ecosystem and gave rise to the new generation convenience service seekers. 

The growing popularity of Uber among the tech crowd has had them asking questions like – how to develop an app like Uber?

The first thing you need to understand during Uber-like app development is that you have to build two different apps – one for the rider and one for the driver, which will be connected to your admin portal.

Essential features for passenger app

– Push notification

Riders receive alerts with crucial information comprising driver location, trip fare and other information related to their ride.

– Social media login

Passengers can log in to the app directly via their social media accounts. 

– Schedule rides

Riders can book a ride for a later time and during the time of the ride, the notification concerned will be sent to the nearest driver. 

– Promo codes

Passengers can use special promo codes to avail discounts or other benefits as offered by the service providers.

– Live ride tracking

Users can track the driver from their smartphone. This feature allows them to guide drivers to the pick-up spot if the need arises.

– Fare estimation

Post entering the destination details, the app showcases the estimated amount the user has to pay for the service.

– Payment Modes

Users can pay for their services via numerous payment gateways and popular payment options including credit/debit card, digital payment wallets etc.

Essential features for Driver app

– Surge pricing

Drivers can find out the locations offering surge pricing through the app and plan their trips accordingly.

– Earnings tab

Drivers can keep track of their daily earnings and use them for future reference as per their discretion.

– Transaction history

The feature allows drivers to keep account of all the rides made by them including details such as ride location, trip fares, and other important information.

– In-call feature

The driver can connect with the passenger directly via the in-call feature. Hence, removing the need to share or reveal personal phone numbers.

– Ride request alerts

Drivers will receive alerts with ride details including user location, destination, and other crucial information.

– SOS button

In case of any unforeseen emergency, drivers can use the feature to send an instant message to their family/friends. 

– Navigation

Drivers use this feature to locate the passenger and similarly discover the fastest route to reach the destination on-time.

Essential features for admin panel

The robust admin panel helps you store, review and manage all the in-app activity seamlessly. It offers some of the following robust features:

– Sub-admins

Admin can appoint numerous sub-admins to help them manage end-to-end operations as per the companies’ discretion.

– Earnings report

Admin can view detail reports comprising drivers’ earnings and the related commissions to be received by the admin.

– Payment details

Admin can view the payment modes used for rides including card, cash, digital wallets or other modes. 

– Trip reports

Trip information including duration, trip counts, drivers, users, and others will be made available to the admin as per their requirements. 

– Driver verification

Admin can check drivers’ credibility once the requested documents have been uploaded.

What to keep in mind while developing an app like Uber?

Here are some of the technology stacks that are a must-have for your online taxi app:

– Routing and Geo-location services

Drivers use the GPS services to identify the passengers’ current position and similarly riders can track the drivers accordingly. The real-time navigation system ensures drivers can view and pick the best route for the journey. 

Based on the route and the distance, the fare for the service will be calculated accordingly. GPS technology and routing are some of the key factors for the application’s popularity among users. All they have to do is just press a button and witness the vehicle approaching their location. A lot of work goes behind the scene to ensure the smooth functioning of the feature.

– Payment integration

The foremost selling point for the leading service providers was the advanced in-apps payment features that will eliminate the dependence on small bills or the worry of getting overcharged for the ride. 

Users will get a pre-ride estimation in the app that helps them decide whether to avail the service or not. Based on the traffic situation, vehicle availability etc the dynamic pricing takes charge. The service provider takes the following factors for estimating the trip fare – cost per mile/km, base fare, cost per minute, safe ride fare and other details as per their discretion.

– UX/UI and Design

Searching for an amazing looking app? The taxi app should be intuitive, simple and convey all the information and users steps smoothly. Some of the key principles for a good UX/UI design:

● Simplicity

● Familiarity

● Precision

● Digestibility

– Registration/Login page

The users are required to create a dedicated profile with the online-taxi app before booking their first ride. You can integrate social media login to boost the number of users and help them spread the word to their online social circle with ease. But ensure your app requests access to only the essential user data and make sure the app will never post anything on their social media page on users’ behalf.

The driver app requires more complex registration including a photo, copy of driver license, vehicle license plate number and other information as per company policy. 

You can additionally integrate a rating system for both drivers and riders to ensure user satisfaction all way long. Riders can check the drivers’ ratings and reviews before proceeding with the ride and similarly drivers can check passengers rating before accepting the ride request.

– Notifications and messaging

Drivers and riders may have the need to exchange some crucial information including the estimated time of arrival, instruction on the pickup location, updates on delay or others, The app should comprise an in-built text messaging system to help the users communicate with each other. 

The app is required to send push notifications informing passengers regarding the ride details and drivers on new ride requests. You can also integrate SMS notifications along with push notification but remember this may add-up additional costs by the SMS service provider. 

How to build a ride-hailing mobile taxi app like Uber?

The final application price usually is defined by the following factors:

– Platforms you wish your app to support including iOS, Android and Web

– The number of users you wish to cater to

– The functionality of your app, or in simple words, what exactly should it do and how?

– A full-featured app or a basic app

Developing an Uber-like app from scratch can be a timely and expensive process. You can save both time and money with clone application development solutions. You can hire a stellar Uber-like app development company like AppDupe to help bring your project to life. 

Ride-hailing taxi app developed from their white-labeled Uber clone script ensures you receive all the bells and whistles of the leading service providers. They ensure end-to-end transparency coupled with an accurate estimation of your project cost.

Why choose AppDupe’s Uber clone?

They are committed to providing the state-of-the-art strategy that will help take your business from ideation level and make it one of the most sought after apps on leading app stores. 

– 100% customizable solutions

– Powerful features

– Adept developers

– Round the clock support and maintenance

– Easy to deploy and highly scalable apps

About Author:
Jennifer Atkinson is a blogger and a growth hacker who loves to find new business ideas and helps startup entrepreneurs with business consultation. She has a specialty in writing about startup ideas, feasible business recommendations, etc. She enjoys sharing her ideas and experiences with readers and believes that she can make a better place for startup entrepreneurs.