When it comes to finding the best taxi app, there’s a few different options to choose from. With more Uber alternatives popping up that technically aren’t “taxi apps”, it can be difficult to know which one may be best for your needs.

We took a look at which ride hailing app you can use for specific purposes – whether you’re looking for an iconic British taxi or just the cheapest option available.

Best taxi apps for London & the UK

Uber – The best ride sharing option in London

Although many won’t like the idea of Uber being the best choice in London and across UK cities, currently it is. It allows the most customization and has the most private cars on the road, meaning your wait times will be the shortest.

With Uber, you get an accurate fare estimate at the start of your journey, and you can pay easily via card without having to worry about cash.

It has some of the lowest fixed prices in comparison to similar apps, except the Uber platform is a bit easier to navigate. There’s a convenient prebook feature you can use too, though Uber is the best app to use in real time.

You can simply enter your pickup point into Uber, enter your destination address then enjoy your trip safely. As mentioned, Uber usually has a good variety of vehicles available – this includes wheelchair accessible rides and larger options too.

When you add in the additional benefits of using Uber Eats within one app, and the promotions you get within the platform, it just makes sense to use Uber for the most part.

Bolt – Best app that isn’t Uber

Bolt has been considered as Uber’s largest competitor for a while, and after initially struggling to get permissions to launch in London, it’s now one of the largest apps for UK travel.

Unlike Uber, Bolt has heavy protection for both drivers and passengers. Bolt also allows drivers to keep a little bit more of the cost of your journey, so you may find drivers that have both apps downloaded to their phone.

Bolt generally has high quality knowledgeable drivers and they generally offer a great service. The app is well designed and easy to use, and the app is growing to potentially be a rival to Uber in the near future.

So, if you don’t like the Uber platform and want to use a different app to hitch a private ride, you can consider looking at Bolt as another solid choice.

Gett – Best for London Black cabs

If you’re in London and looking to book traditional London cabs, Gett is the first app that you should download.

Professional drivers know they’d have to move to an online app to compete with the ever growing competition. And, black cabs have been the backbone of London City for generations, so it only makes sense that there’s an app to book them with.

Gett has all the app features that most advanced booking platforms have – various different payment methods, and extra assistance for those that need it too. You simply enter your pickup location

Plus, if you continue using the Gett app for a long time, you’ll increase your score, which means that your average driver rating will improve. Eventually, only the highest quality drivers will be coming to pick you up so you can ride in style.

FREE NOW app – Alternative for black cabs

If you meet a Black cab driver in London, you’ll learn that Uber is a bit of a touchy issue. Black Cab drivers have expert knowledge of London, and to qualify as one, you need to take a pretty difficult and costly test.

So when apps like Uber came along allowing anyone to drive with them, Black Cab driver weren’t happy. Although Uber succeeded, many ride hailing apps failed – this includes Hailo, the failed taxi app that raised over $100 million in funding.

Eventually, Hailo was absorbed into the FREE NOW app that is used today. This is another alternative you can use to book a black cab when you’re in London, but’s it’s also available across Reading, Oxford Manchester and the Midlands too.

If you’d like to book an electric black cab, then the FREE NOW app has London’s largest electric fleet of private hire vehicles. You can use them for both business and holiday travel, and it’s fairly easy to sign up with a business account within the app too.

Though not our first choice, it’s still a good option if you’re looking for fixed prices, a reliable service and the only ride hailing app that offers electric cars as the norm.

Is a taxi app necessary in London?

Though ride hailing apps are becoming more and more common, London is known for being a city that’s easy to navigate with public transport.

Most Londoners will try to use public transport, like hopping on the tube or using a bus, as opposed to using a taxi app. In some cases when you really have no choice, it can make sense to use one of the apps mentioned above.

For airport transfers, you can consider using Uber, Addison Lee or look at Minicabit, which allows for an easy airport transfer book service that you can book in advance.