Rideshare companies provide on-demand transportation services by connecting passengers with drivers who use their own personal vehicles. Unlike traditional taxis, rideshare services are typically accessed through a mobile app that allows users to request, track and pay for a ride. The term “rideshare” can also include services that facilitate carpooling for longer trips, where drivers are already heading to a destination and offer a ride to others going the same way.
Rideshare companies have transformed urban mobility by offering a convenient alternative to public transit and car ownership.
Below, we list notable rideshare companies that are leading the industry.
Rideshare Companies to Know
- Uber
- Lyft
- DiDi
- Ola
- Grab
- BlaBlaCar
- Gett
- Cabify
- Wingz
Top Rideshare Companies
Uber is the largest ridesharing company in the world. It also offers a variety of mobility solutions including Uber Eats for food delivery, Uber Connect for same-day deliveries and Uber Business. Uber has committed to becoming a fully electric, zero-emission platform by 2040, with 100 percent of rides taking place in zero-emission vehicles, on public transit or with micro-mobility.
- Notable benefits: Variety of delivery services; its Uber One membership program offers food and grocery discounts; covers over 10,000 cities across 70 countries.
Lyft is a rideshare company that offers users access to a wide range of car types for rides. Lyft also offers bike and scooter rentals and rental car services, as well as Lyft Business for companies. Lyft Pink is the company’s transportation membership for all of its rideshare, car, bike and scooter services. For $9.99 a month, riders get priority pick-up, minimum five percent discounts, relaxed cancellations and other benefits.
- Notable benefits: Connects users to different forms of transport; Lyft Pink provides benefits like priority pickup; driver bonuses during peak times and in busy areas.
DiDi provides ridesharing services in China, starting with its standard Didi Hitch service. Didi Select provides a more private experience and comes with higher-end vehicle options. However, riders can choose the DiDi Express Carpool option to share a ride for a reduced rate. For riders who want a premium option, DiDi Luxe promises rides in higher-end vehicles driven by the company’s own chauffeurs.
- Notable benefits: Cost-efficient and higher-end rideshare options; drivers undergo background checks for safety; offers services in 15 countries.
Grab is a ridesharing app with a strong presence in Singapore and Southeast Asia. With the app, customers can book quick taxi rides, private car rides for up to six passengers, larger carpools and premium rides for business executives. The company also offers services catered to food and grocery orders. And those seeking to deliver packages can ship items between one pound and 110 pounds through GrabExpress.
- Notable benefits: Offers various services from rideshare to delivery; users can choose between different rideshare options; users can track rides and their ride history.
Wingz lets riders book private, scheduled and fixed-price rides. Wingz focuses on airport rides and provides scheduled, personalized rides for those in senior facilities. In addition, drivers must undergo health and safety training and are equipped with health and sanitation gear by the company. Compliance with these health precautions and CDC guidelines is a must for Wingz drivers. Wingz operates in 11 metro areas and at 19 airports in the United States.
- Notable benefits: Users can book rides months in advance; flat rates and no surge pricing; drivers are required to follow health and CDC guidelines.
Cabify is a rideshare service in Spain and Iberoamerica. Users can select from a variety of ride options, including classic rides, high-end cars, cars friendly to those with limited mobility and cars with child seats. Cabify also tracks each trip, lets users send their location to a trusted contact and provides a safety button in case of emergencies, giving users extra peace of mind while on the go.
- Notable benefits: Users can choose from many vehicle options; safety button connects users to emergency services; company is carbon neutral.
Curb is a taxi-hailing app that enables riders to hail, pre-schedule and pay for their cabs. Curb riders can also pay for a cab they hailed on the street through the app’s “Pair and Pay” feature. Passengers will be driven by licensed and insured professional taxi drivers. Curb also provides fleet management services — offering payment solutions, digital meters and dispatch management for taxi companies — as well as Taxi TV for in-car entertainment and marketing.
- Notable benefits: No surge pricing; drivers are required to have a TLC license; option to request rides in advance; users can pay in-app for cabs they hailed on the street.
Ola is an India-based ridesharing company that connects passengers with drivers through its mobile app, offering a variety of transportation services, including car, auto-rickshaw, bike and taxi rides. It also allows varied travel distances, whether that’s within or outside the city of the ride order. Ola services are available in over 250 cities across India, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
- Notable benefits: Passenger safety measures like real-time ride tracking and ability to share journey details; ability to book car, bike, auto-rickshaw and other types of vehicle rides; can help manage employee travel for corporate users.
Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company that offers a self-driving ride-hailing service using “Waymo Driver,” which aims to provide safe and accessible transportation without human drivers. It bills itself as the world’s first autonomous ride-hailing service and operates 24/7. Waymo’s services are available in cities across the United States, including Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin and Atlanta.
- Notable benefits: 24/7 service; autonomous driving offered; private transportation option.
Gett is a corporate ground transportation management platform. It aggregates more than 2,000 existing transportation providers — including corporate fleets, ride-hailing companies, taxis and limos — into one platform. Gett offers 24/7 support and real-time tracking. Gett in central London gives the option to select electric cars for every ride, and with a “ride greener” option, riders can donate to environmental charity projects. The company’s ultimate sustainability goal is to achieve zero emissions by 2027.
- Notable benefits: Offers electric car rides; ‘ride greener’ option lets riders donate to environmental charities; drivers are fully licensed.
ARRO is a taxi app that provides a fare estimate, route preview and an ETA for the nearest available driver in New York, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Houston, Miami and London. At the end of a trip, the fare is paid automatically in the app. Passengers can also pay for cab rides using the ARRO app even if they hailed the taxi the old-fashioned way, which lets them enter a check-in code from the taxi’s screen and automatically pay in the ARRO app. ARRO’s parent company, Creative Mobile Technologies (CMT), has also partnered with Uber, allowing Uber users in New York City to hail and pay for yellow taxis that use the ARRO platform directly through the Uber app.
- Notable benefits: No surge pricing; wheelchair-accessible vehicle option; drivers are locally licensed and trained for safety.
Scoop provides a carpooling platform that helps businesses reduce single-occupancy commutes by matching employees based on routes and schedules. The app also connects neighbors with similar commutes, expanding carpool options beyond the workplace. With features like smart matching and backup rides, Scoop improves commute reliability and supports cost savings and sustainability.
- Notable benefits: Occasional promotions are offered; Lyft rides are reimbursed as backup options; plans cater to employees at the same companies and healthcare systems.
zTrip is a rideshare app offering pre-scheduling for rides and no surge pricing, plus 24/7 support. Customers can also personalize their experience by leaving notes in the app before pickup, selecting their favorite driver as their preferred driver and paying for their ride with cash or another payment option. zTrip operates in cities across the United States from Las Vegas to Baltimore.
- Notable benefits: No surge pricing; users can save favorite drivers; users can select the type of vehicle they prefer; users can input driver instructions when booking a ride.
Hitch is a city-to-city rideshare service that connects riders and drivers for long-distance travel, offering both station-to-station and private door-to-door ride options. Rides can be scheduled up to 60 days in advance and are guaranteed, with all drivers undergoing background checks. To ensure passenger comfort and safety, drivers must use four-door vehicles that are a 2015 model or newer, and the service prohibits subcompact cars, compact sedans and trucks.
- Notable benefits: Station-to-station and door-to-door drop-offs; supports inter-city travel; drivers are screened for safety; users can schedule trips up to 60 days in advance.
Flywheel is a taxi-hailing platform where riders can hail, track and pay for trips in one app. Vetted, professional drivers pick up passengers. Flywheel Business offers service for fleet partners, as well as logistics management for corporate partners. Flywheel Government provides regulators with access to data and advanced analytics about taxis, and Flywheel Foods provides restaurants with food delivery services. Flywheel operates in San Francisco, Fort Lauderdale, Washington, D.C., and Houston.
- Notable benefits: Riders can hail taxis in the app and in the street; drivers are vetted for safety; flat fee for food deliveries.
Tesla’s Robotaxi is an autonomous ride-hailing service that lets users book a driverless ride in a Tesla vehicle through the Robotaxi mobile app. During the ride, Robotaxi passengers can adjust the ride experience in the app like vehicle climate settings, seat positioning and music streaming. The Robotaxi service is currently invite-only and operates in specific areas of Austin, Texas, though is set to expand to other U.S. cities in the future.
- Notable benefits: Autonomous driving offered; customizable riding experiences for passengers.
BlaBlaCar offers a carpooling service in the United Kingdom and a bus service connecting travelers to over 300 European cities, including popular destinations like Amsterdam and Paris. Users can book a ride via a mobile app or the company’s website, with the option to schedule a trip months in advance. In addition, BlaBlaCar checks profiles and online reviews to ensure its drivers and bus partners deliver a smooth experience.
- Notable benefits: Users can travel to more than 300 European cities via bus; users can schedule trips in advance; drivers and bus partners are screened.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular ridesharing company?
Uber is the largest ridesharing company in the world by market capitalization.
Are there alternatives to Uber and Lyft?
Yes, alternatives to Uber and Lyft include ridesharing companies like Curb, DiDi, Flywheel, Grab and Wingz.
