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If you are looking to start a rideshare company, at some point, you've probably thought to yourself, "I need to create a rideshare app like Uber." It's a logical conclusion to come to. But unless you have expert-level computer engineering skills and a team of developers willing to help you out, at some point, you'll need to shell out some cash.
Building an app like Uber or Lyft is not cheap or easy. The cost and effort required to create an app with similar functions to Uber is significant. Developing a ride-hailing app involves a lot of time, money, and resources. Beyond the fundamental development skills needed to create a top-tier rideshare app, you'll need to possess a deep understanding of the transportation industry and design skills to make your interface enjoyable to look at and intuitive to navigate for both drivers and passengers.
The cost of building a similar app to Uber can vary greatly depending on the complexity of the app, the platform it is being built for (iOS, Android, or both), the location of the development team, and how many jobs you'll be able to accomplish yourself.
On average, building an Uber-esque app can range from $50,000 to $250,000 or more. This cost increases as you add additional features, such as real-time tracking, in-app payments, and driver ratings.
Of course, to build an Uber-esque app, you're not only going to be investing money. You'll be investing time. An app with similar functions to Uber takes a significant amount of time to get right. It can take anywhere from several months to over a year to develop an Uber and Lyft app competitor, depending on the app's complexity and the development team's size.
And the costs don't stop when you release the app to the public. You need to factor in maintaining your app, fixing the inevitable bugs, keeping security tight, and adding new features to keep pace with your competition. Apps are a long-term commitment that require continuous effort to maintain. To get an idea of just how much work goes into maintaining an app, head to the App Store, find Uber, then click on version history. Version history will give you a brief timeline of all the updates that have been made to an app over the last six months.
While building a custom app can provide many benefits, it is not always the best option for everyone. For small and medium-sized transportation companies, creating a custom app can be cost-prohibitive and time-consuming. Fortunately, there are other options available such as using a system like EverTransit.
EverTransit is a fleet management system that provides many of the benefits of a custom app without the hassle of building it yourself.
EverTransit comes standard with a user-friendly interface and customizable features, like real-time tracking, in-app payments, and driver ratings. It also provides a way to streamline operations, collect valuable data, improve efficiency, and increase revenue.
EverTransit even gives you the option to add your business's brand colors and logo to your app. So as far as all of your passengers are concerned, you did build your own app.
And with EverTransit, you don't have to worry about keeping your app up to date behind the scenes. The EverTransit team handles security and functionality updates, so your app is always in working order, and you can stay focused on running your ridesharing business.
To sum it all up, building an app like Uber typically costs between $50,000 and $250,000 and requires a significant time commitment. And after version one of your app is finished, you’ll need to devote resources to maintaining and updating it. If you are a small or medium-sized transportation business, white labeling with EverTransit can provide you with many of the same benefits of a custom app without the hassle of building it yourself. Evertransit even has a Pay As You Go plan that costs you $0 to get started.
Interested in learning how EverTransit can help support your team?
