With the weather turning colder – and tube delays ever increasing – more and more Londoners are turning to rideshare apps to cut out that loathsome commute.
With a multitude of apps offering various prices, MailOnline tested out each one over a five-day period to find out which one has the best price.
We tested Uber, Gett, Kabbee, Wheely and Bolt to find out which one offers the best deals for the same rush-hour journey.
A journey from Shepherd’s Bush to Bank station in London was put into the app every day between 8am and 9am, mimicking a commute to work.
This journey was inputted again between 5pm and 6.30pm, a typically busy time as people head home at the end of the day.
On Uber, Gett and Bolt, ‘Shepherd’s Bush Stop D’ was used as a starting point for all journeys. ‘Shepherd’s Bush’ was the nearest option on Wheely and ‘Shepherd’s Bush (Central) Underground Station’ was the only option on Kabee.
As all apps, except for Kabbee, offer a price range for potential journeys we used the highest cost given
Uber
Perhaps the most well known of the rideshare apps reviewed, Uber is an app-based company with headquarters in San Francisco, USA.
It was founded in 2009 and since then is said to have garnered around 110 million users in 785 different places worldwide.
Users book a car through the app and a price range for the journey is shown. These prices are subject to increases, called ’surge’ charges, if booking at a busier time of day.
Perhaps the most well known of the rideshare apps reviewed, Uber is an app-based company based in San Francisco, USA (stock image)
In 2017, Uber’s license was surprisingly rejected by TfL. It was described as not a ‘fit and proper firm,’ citing issues with patient safety.
The move was backed by Mayor Sadiq Khan, but in June 2018, Uber was granted a 15-month licence by a judge after it appealed against a TfL decision not to renew its licence over safety concerns.
This was due to expire in September 2019, but TfL gave it a two-month licence, during which time the company must meet ‘conditions to ensure passenger safety’ and provide ‘additional material’ ahead of any future licensing application.
Gett:
Gett, which used to be known as GetTaxi, offers rides with fully licensed black cab drivers 5 major cities in the UK (stock image)
Gett, which used to be known as GetTaxi, offers rides with fully licensed black cab drivers in 25 major cities in the UK.
It gives the user the option to pay through the app or in cash to the driver.
In London, fares generated by the meters are set and reviewed by TfL.
In other cities, this is done by local councils.
Gett staff have been vocal about the dangers associated with unregulated taxi apps that open the door to unlicensed cabs and drivers, as well as the possibility that rip-off merchants could take advantage of passengers – because a mobile phone app, rather than an official meter, is used to clock up the costs of a journey.
Gett gives the user the option to pay through the app or in cash to the driver
Kabbee
Kabbee is an app pitched as being 65 per cent cheaper to a black cab
Kabbee is an app pitched as being 65 per cent cheaper to a black cab, drawing on the fleets of over 70 cab providers – around 10,000 London taxis in total.
All drivers for the service, which is only available in London, are fully licensed, and the firm says it only picks from minicab services with high ratings.
Those with low ratings get removed from the service, Kabbee claims.
Wheely
While this did turn out to be the most expensive option, Wheely markets itself as a luxury option for on-demand or pre-booked taxi services.
While this did turn out to be the most expensive option, Wheely markets itself as a luxury option for on-demand or pre-booked taxi services
The app also allows users to book multiple cars in one go and all fares – which remain consistent in the evening, back holidays and on weekends – are charged straight to the user’s account.
London is the only UK city where the app operates.
The website states that Wheely vehicles are ‘new luxury and executive cars without tacky ads or roof lights’.
Bolt
Estonian ride-hailing service Bolt launched in London earlier this year, two years after a short-lived attempt to expand in the capital.
The company, previously known as Taxify, promises cheaper prices for passengers and a bigger cut of earnings for drivers than its competitors.
Estonian ride-hailing service Bolt launched in London earlier this year, two years after a short-lived attempt to expand in the capital
Its previous London launch in 2017 came to an abrupt end after the city’s transport authority ordered the company to stop because it was not licensed to accept private vehicle hire bookings.
The company resumed service after rebranding earlier this year to remove confusion over whether it is a licensed taxi operator.
Tallinn-based Bolt operates in 100 cities in 30 countries in Europe, Africa and Australia.