Mobile App Development

Introduction

The emergence of technology has led to a rapid increase in the on-demand economy, particularly in the ride-sharing category.

According to Statista:

The Ride-hailing & Taxi sector is expected to generate revenue of around US$330.80bn by 2023.

It is anticipated that there will be a yearly growth rate of 3.46% in revenue, leading to an estimated market size of US$379.00bn by 2027.

By 2027, the Ride-hailing & Taxi category is predicted to have a user base of approximately 1.45 billion users.

In the Ride-hailing & Taxi segment, 55% of total revenue will be generated through online sales by 2027.

So, if you are willing to create a ride-sharing app like Lyft, you are moving in the right direction. However, developing such apps requires a significant budget, and proceeding without a precise cost estimation can result in additional expenses.

This blog will guide you on a journey where you can obtain an approximate cost to create a ride-sharing or carpooling application similar to Lyft, in order to assist you.

Why do you need a Ride-sharing app like Lyft?

When investing your time, money, and other resources, it’s advisable to choose a business that has the potential for long-term growth. The ride-sharing industry is an excellent example of such a business with numerous possibilities. It provides not only a high ROI (Return on Investment) but also additional benefits like a loyal customer base, strong brand visibility, and reduced need for supervision.

Even by examining some critical statistics, it’s apparent that the advantages of creating ride-sharing apps like Lyft are significant.

The percentage of Americans who prefer to use a ride-sharing app has increased to 36%, nearly doubling the figure from 2015.

Lyft generated $4.09 billion in revenue in 2022.

Incredible sales of 117 billion USD were generated by the ridesharing industry.

Lyft’s sales have increased by 62% year-over-year as of January 2022.

Around 26% of users of ridesharing apps take advantage of the services on a monthly basis.

It’s evident that creating a ride-booking app like Lyft is a beneficial strategy, both in the present and for the future.

Cost of Developing App Like Lyft

Features that your Ride-Sharing app should have

In order to build the best ride-sharing app, it’s crucial to provide a seamless user experience. The app should be easy to use for riders, drivers, and administrators alike, with no lag or errors. To achieve this, there are several essential features that your app must include. Let’s take a look at each of them in detail.

Features for Users

Feature Functionality
Ride booking/cancellation Ride booking and cancellation feature generally lets the users book or schedule or cancel a ride from their location.
Registration Users can register using their phone number, Gmail, or social media accounts.
Real-time tracking The long-distance ride-sharing app enables users to see the exact location of their driver and track their progress towards the pick-up location and destination in real-time..
Multiple pick-up & drop-off locations Multiple pick-up and drop-off locations in a ride-sharing app allow users to request a ride with multiple stops.
Fare splitting This feature allows multiple passengers to share the cost of a ride. With this feature, passengers can split the fare evenly or assign different amounts to each person, depending on their preference.
Multiple payment gateways To improve the user experience, the app should provide several payment options.
Review & ratings This allows users to provide feedback and rate their ride-sharing experience within the app.
Trip history Trip history is a feature in a ride-sharing app that allows users to view their past ride details, including the date, time, pick-up and drop-off locations, driver name, and fare.
In-app chat or call option In-app chat or call option is a feature in a ride-sharing app that allows passengers and drivers to communicate with each other directly through the app.
SOS button An SOS button is a safety feature in a ride-sharing app that allows users to quickly call for help in case of an emergency during a ride.
Push notifications Push notifications are a feature in a ride-sharing app that allow users to receive real-time updates and alerts directly on their mobile device.

Features for Driver

Feature Functionality
Profile management Profile management is a feature in a ride-sharing app that allows users to manage and update their personal information, such as their name, photo, contact details, and payment information.
Accept or reject a trip Drivers should have the freedom to accept or decline a trip based on their convenience.
Trip information In the case of ride-sharing, the app should furnish comprehensive trip details regarding one or more passengers.
Navigation The driver should receive the necessary details to locate the passenger through the most direct route possible.
Riders review and rating Your app should not confine its features to passengers only but also incorporate an option for drivers to rate or review passengers based on their conduct, as there are numerous instances of passengers exhibiting inappropriate behavior.
Summary report To enhance their services, drivers should have access to data regarding their working hours or earnings.
Multimode Payment Reception An integrated payment system should be in place to facilitate the collection of payments through various modes.
In-app chat/call option The driver should be capable of communicating with both the passenger and the customer support team through calls or chats.

Features for Admin

Feature Functionality
Scheduled requests The admin should be able to access a comprehensive list of scheduled requests, including details such as pick-up location, destination, payment method, etc.
User reviews The app should enable the admin to review and respond to feedback to improve the user experience. Moreover, the admin must have the authority to block drivers and users if their conduct is deemed inappropriate.
Accept and reject requests The admin should have the capability to add or remove partners and drivers.
Payment management The app should permit the admin to access complete earning details and oversee payment management.
Tracking The admin should have the ability to track drivers, along with their comprehensive details.
Marketing management An option should be available for the admin to regulate ads, coupons, discounts, push notifications, etc.

Free Consultation for Ride Sharing App Development

Reasons that Affect the Ride-sharing app development cost

The overall expense of building a ride-sharing app like Uber or Lyft is influenced by various factors. These factors range from customization to the location of the app development agency. Let us examine some of the factors that have the most significant impact on the cost.

Features

It is undeniable that features have a significant impact on the total cost of developing a ride-hailing app. Opting for basic features will result in a lower cost while incorporating advanced features like speed limit alerts, real-time ID checks, the latest heat maps, other AI-based features, or custom features will increase the cost.

Tech Stack

The role of technology is pivotal in determining the total cost of developing a ride-sharing app. Utilizing more advanced technology will increase the development cost. However, it is vital to incorporate the latest technology to stay competitive in the expanding market.

UI/UX

Developing a ride-sharing app that fails to satisfy users is futile. The UI and UX are vital in providing a distinctive user experience that encourages frequent app usage. The icons, customization, push notifications, and other similar factors make a difference in distinguishing your app from others. The more visually appealing and user-friendly the design, the greater the number of working hours, and hence, the higher the development cost.

Development Company and Location

The cost of developing a ride-share app is dependent on the expertise of the company and its location. Developing an app in an Asian country such as India would cost less than developing it in the US.

Type and App Platform

The decision to develop a native or hybrid app and to choose between Android and iOS will impact the total cost of ride-hailing app development.

The complexity of Android, which must be used on multiple devices, makes it more expensive compared to iOS. Likewise, native apps are generally more expensive than hybrid apps.

Cost to Build a Lyft Clone App

When it comes to the final cost of mobile app development, it’s important to understand that there’s no fixed price. It all depends on the factors discussed earlier. If you want to include advanced features or high-end UX/UI design, the cost will be higher.

To provide a general estimation, the cost of developing an app similar to Uber or Lyft is anticipated to range from $30,000 to $120,000, with an hourly rate of $25/hour. A breakdown of hours and costs is presented in the table for better comprehension.

Total Cost to Develop an On-demand Ride-sharing app

Feature  Approx. Time (Hours) Price(USD)
Sign-up and user profile 80 $2000
Scheduling of rides 120 $3000
Estimation of ride cost 60 $1500
Push notifications 120 $3000
Booking ride for users 100 $2500
Payment integration 120 $3000
Geolocation features 200 $5000
Framework and library integration for backend 80 $2000
Framework and libraries integration for Android/ iOS 80 $2000
UI/UX design for Android & iOS 160 $4000
Cost for User app & Driver app for Native iOS or Native Android 650 $16,250
Cost for User App & Driver app for Both ( Native iOS & Android) 1100 $27,500
Cost for Admin panel for (iOS/Android/Cross-platform) 850 $21,250

Hire Developer for Ride Sharing App

Why Choose Bytes Technolab for your Ride-share Application Development?

Bytes Technolab is a mobile app development company that has won awards and has a proven track record of success. Our services have been utilized by clients around the world who have provided positive feedback.

So, if you want to build a ride-sharing mobile app, Bytes Technolab is a perfect choice as we are the best mobile app development company offering app ideation, planning, operations, and management. Also, we develop apps with scalable architecture, immersive designs, and seamless engaging user experiences.

Hire us today or build your own dedicated mobile app development team that are experts in iOS app development, Android app development, Hybrid app development, and Cross-platform app development.

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