Uber was created as an app for quick and easy ordering of a taxi service, changing the way people get from one point to another. Uber offers jobs to freelance drivers. The service is, on average, 30% cheaper than a regular taxi. The company now also specializes in logistics and on-demand food delivery, partnering with businesses and healthcare organizations. However, the business model is unusual because Uber does not own cars or directly employ drivers – it hires freelancers with their cars. So, essentially, Uber is a mediator between clients and drivers.
As stated previously, Uber works with contractors. So, besides the customer app, there is also a need for a driver app. Some features are the same as in the customer app. Drivers can see pickup/drop-off locations and customers’ phone numbers. They also have an embedded navigation system.
The way your app will earn money is a crucial question. The earlier you decide, the better the result will be after launch. Although your revenue streams may differ from those of Uber, you should take Uber’s into account. Uber combines several components of income:
What also matters is the service level. Uber offers options to meet all needs and group sizes: UberX, UberBlack, UberSUV, UberXL, and UberPOOL. The cost of a ride in a luxury car with extra space differs from a private ride in an ordinary sedan, but it is still lower than regular taxis.
Every app starts with an MVP. Scaling up, the application should grow, and new features should appear. The more advanced the feature is, the more expensive its implementation. The cost of development differs depending on the region. Hourly rates vary from $15 to $300, so it is important to find a balance between cost and expertise. You should understand that smaller rates do not guarantee affordable deadlines. As you can guess, a bigger team means more expenses. But a big team means fast development. A basic team should include some specialists:
The cross-platform solution is cheaper, but it will not make the product competitive. If your budget is small for multiplatform native development, choose one platform. For example, if the launch is going to be held after Apple WWDC, think of building an iOS app first. Uber followed this principle and launched for iOS first because iPhone popularity was high.
Feature |
Back end |
Android |
iOS |
|||
min |
max | min | max | min |
max |
|
Registration and account |
$700 |
$1250 | $1000 | $1350 | $1300 |
$2100 |
Order |
$4600 |
$8900 | $550 | $850 | $1750 |
$3000 |
Ride |
$1650 |
$2850 | $400 | $1000 | $600 |
$1150 |
Payment |
$1400 |
$2800 | $650 | $1300 | $500 |
$1000 |
Menu |
$700 |
$1350 | $1200 | $2200 | $800 |
$1600 |
Notifications |
$300 |
$600 | $250 | $400 | $100 |
$250 |
Support |
$200 |
$400 | $300 | $500 | $200 |
$400 |
Total |
$9550 |
$18200 | $4350 | $7600 | $5250 |
$9500 |
Feature |
Back end |
Android |
iOS |
|||
min |
max | min | max | min |
max |
|
Registration and profile |
$600 |
$1200 | $1250 | $1950 | $600 |
$800 |
Location |
$1100 |
$1900 | $150 | $300 | $300 |
$950 |
Orders |
$900 |
$1800 | $550 | $750 | $400 |
$800 |
Ride |
$2100 |
$3600 | $1800 | $2850 | $700 |
$1450 |
Notifications |
$300 |
$600 | $250 | $400 | $100 |
$250 |
Support |
$300 |
$600 | $450 | $800 | $400 |
$800 |
Total |
$5300 |
$9700 | $4450 | $7050 | $2500 |
$5050 |
Feature |
Back end |
Front end |
||
min |
max | min |
max |
|
Block/unblock users |
$400 |
$800 | $200 |
$400 |
View comments |
$200 |
$400 | $200 |
$400 |
Manage users |
$800 |
$1000 | $400 |
$800 |
Manage promo codes |
$400 |
$800 | $400 |
$800 |
Total |
$1800 |
$3000 | $1200 |
$2400 |
Task |
min |
max |
Project management |
$4225 |
$7725 |
Quality assurance |
$15525 |
$28350 |
Design |
$4750 |
$6250 |
Total |
$24500 |
$42325 |
Thus, the service like Uber will cost you around $60,000–$100,000. If you still have questions on how to develop an app like Uber, feel free to contact us for help. Although it is not simple to compete with Uber, we can help you create a unique solution, find a niche in which to succeed, and occupy new markets.