Let’s play a little game.
Regina Georgie and Katie Heron
Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader
Austin Powers and Dr Evil
You may ask, what do these all have in common? In all honesty, if you spent more than three seconds dwindling on an answer, the door is that way.
Moving on! I invite those familiar with these well-known movie battles to witness an even more disastrous, truly spine crawling and nasty fight of the century.
That is: The battle of ride shares.
What is it that sends these drivers into hour long displays of anger and scrutiny that we as passengers never asked to be told about? Competition. So, instead of spending time with a creepy driver, repulsive smell, or deceitful route that costs a whole lot more, we have come up with the Top 4 ride shares directly competing with Uber in Australia that may or may not be offering you the service you expect.
Image thanks to The Weekend Edition
DiDi, which launched in 2018 onto Melbourne’s streets is a ridesharing app and is now considered one of the largest taxi services operating in Asia, Australia and South America. The website is clean, informative, and hosts the slogan “Start driving towards better earnings”. So yes, for people like me living out of home and trying to save my pennies for that extra magnum ice-cream before bed, it screams pick me!
Where: DiDi is a low fare rideshare available in, Melbourne, Geelong, Newcastle and Brisbane.
Cost: Move aside Uber, DiDi offers a similar pricing structure but with cheaper rates. Looking at the nitty gritty details, Didi’s minimum fair is 52 cents less than uber, it's time fair is 5 cents less than uber and its base fair is 2 cents less than uber. For the first 7 kilometres they charge a $1.08 distance fee which drops down to $0.98 cents while Ubers remains at $1.10. Avoid the $10 uber fee and sleep well at night knowing DiDi’s cancellation payment sits at $6.
Perks: Share the app to anyone and everyone and reap the benefits of a generous $20 referral fee.
Safety: The mobile app offers a 24/7 emergency hotline.
Verdict: DiDi conquers.
Image thanks to ET Auto
Ola, is a ride sharing app that arrived in early 2018 and has been growing throughout the Australian market ever since. The website claims it’s more affordable, puts safety first, and is fairer for all. Let’s take a little look at if this app is a true competitor or can be put in its place by the prospering Uber.
Where: Available in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Canberra and Adelaide.
Cost: Ola, like Uber is highly competitive, however it offers identical rates. The base rate of $2.50, minimum fair of $9, and $1.45 charge per kilometre is mirrored.
Perks: Ola offers launch fare discounts when it opens up in a new city as well as first-time rider deals. Just like Uber, Ola also rewards its users with credit for referrals and targeted promo codes on occasion to expand in Australia.
Safety: Ola has included many safety features built into the app, for example inviting family and friends to follow the journey of the passenger to ensure their travel route is monitored.
Verdict: Uber has won the war over Ola who cannot provide as many locations or ranges of vehicles.
Image thanks to GoCatch
Considered the two leading players in cab technology in Australia, GoCatch battles with Uber for the title using their slightly different operating model. Considered a more deluxe service which offers airport transfers, hotel transfers, executive and luxury transfers – as listed on the website, GoCatch targets both affordable everyday rides, and premium leather seated quality services.
Where: NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Adelaide and Perth
Cost: GoCatch, unlike those previously mentioned runs its services using registered taxi drivers and metered fares. Unlike Ubers surcharge pricing, where rates increase at peak hours, GoCatch operates using official metered taxis that remain the same at all times. This in mind, both Uber and GoCatch have their pros and cons, with Uber proving to be more affordable overall, using their own vehicles and GoCatch ruling over Uber in the peak hours.
Perks: GoCatch offers no surge fees, and free ride credit for first time riders. They also have a simple and convenient loyalty programme, GoCatch Rewards where you can earn and redeem GoCoins for future rides.
Safety: Of all the services, GoCatch takes the cake in safety measures. All GoCatch drivers are cross checked for driver accreditation, relevant regulations, and full insurance in case of an accident. Any drivers that miss a fare consistently, are known to be rude, or overcharge will be penalised or banned immediately
Verdict: For a premium service that provides high standards of safety and removes the undesirable surcharge, GoCatch is on the ball, however the strong app payment process and the overall cheaper pricing of Uber means that the two end in a friendly draw.
Image thanks to TechCentral
Fairly new rideshare service Taxify, based in Estonia, offers affordable lifts throughout the world that comes into direct competition with Uber. Initially, the company boasted substantial discounts to create word of mouth and woo over Uber clients but this has slowly decreased over time. In saying this, the company is considered a viable option for rideshare passengers. We’re here to take a closer look.
Where: Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
Cost: The cost of Taxify is very similar to Uber with a $9 minimum fare on all rides, $1.45 charge per kilometre and $2.50 base fare. In terms of cancellation fees, Taxify soars above Uber, slashing their prices in half, however Ubers booking fee removes the $0.10/km booking fee that Taxify includes.
Perks: Both Uber and Taxify offer first-time users free ride credit, along with unique deals and discounts at irregular times. Uber, however offers a $12 sign up bonus off unlike Taxify.
Safety: Although Taxify includes a list of safety tips in their support section of the website which advertises the commitment they provide to the safety and security of their passengers, they have been scrutinised multiple times over their “vetting standards” that are considered below average.
Verdict: Taxify may have come to the battle with early victory, however after a few years, Uber has eventually taken back its spot above Taxify.
There we have it, the full run down on Australia’s ride share market and never-ending battle. Uber may or may not still be one of the most popular rides share app, however DiDi takes the top position on the throne with its unbeatable pricing.
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