The Entrepreneurial bug has bitten quite a few people as Uber like apps have entered the market. With more and more people finding it easier to depend on apps for their requirements, apps have become the easiest way to establish one’s business entity.
What is UBER?
Uber is a San Francisco born start-up that has forever revolutionized not only the taxi industry but the service industry as a whole.
The reason for Uber’s success is simple – it opened up a smart, convenient and well thought out, communication system between the riders and drivers. It was also easily accessible. Anyone who had an iPhone or Android smartphone could download it and use it. The app not only facilitated an easy and smart way of booking a taxi, it also allowed users to track their taxi in real time.
The phenomenal success of Uber in such a short time has got entrepreneurs and companies thinking hard and fast. Everyone is thinking of ways on how they can become as popular and successful as Uber. However, they soon realized that it was not cost-effective to replicate Uber and started thinking along the lines of developing an app like Uber.
The Uber Technology
Let’s look at how Uber works before we delve deeper into the complexities involved in developing an Uber like apps.
Any individual who is in need of transportation will simply log onto the app and put his request on it. The request, along with details of the pickup and drop off point is sent to the nearest driver. The driver can either accept or reject the ride.
The drivers could be anyone with a car who wishes to offer the services of pick up and drop through an organized method of using an application.
If the first driver rejects the ride request, it is automatically pushed to the second nearest one and so on. If the ride gets accepted in the first instance, the driver will go to the pickup location to pick up the rider and drop them at their destination. Once the ride is over, both the driver and the rider have the option of rate and review each other.
Behind the scene technology
Launching such complex applications is not easy. It involves the development of the client as well as the server. Such applications require a central server which can:
- Perform complex computations like commissions subtraction, expected arrival time, calculation of cost etc
- Oversee multiple user interactions e.g. driver and passenger
- Have data storage functions
- Think logically like a business
If you really want your app to succeed you have to ensure that the technology used to develop the app is latest, whether it is for iOS or Android. The iOS-based app is developed using iOS SWIFT Technology supported extensively by Apple Company. Similarly, the Android app is developed using Native Java supported extensively by the Google Company.
The on-demand taxi service is dependent heavily on various frameworks and APIs for online payments, navigation, and communication. Google Map’s API’s are used for maps, geolocations, and paths, although the facility to integrate Waze maps is also available as an alternative to Google Maps. The Stripe Payment Gateway has been integrated into payments, Twilio for text messages, and push notifications are sent via Apple Push Notifications Service for IOS apps and Firebase Cloud Messaging for Android apps. Transactional emails will send via mailgun integration.
The client apps are actually a partnership of two apps – a driver/supplier app and a passenger/demand app. Both apps have their own set of features.
Common features of driver and passenger apps
The app offers to Sign up and sign in the facility. For drivers, there is the additional feature of verification and approval of profiles before the final registration process will complete.
- EDITING OF PROFILE DETAILS
Both drivers and passengers should be able to edit their personal details as and when required.
There has to be a function that allows a passenger to connect automatically to the nearest driver. The driver has to accept the ride in about 30 seconds after which it will automatically forward to the second nearest driver.
- NAVIGATIONThe GPS technology is the heart of any location-based app. It also enables the fares to calculate based on the distance being traveled, along with the estimated time of arrival.
- NOTIFICATIONS
Important notifications sent via email, text messages or push notifications.
Other Uber like Apps Features
- Calculation and Display of fareBoth the driver and the passenger know the estimated fare in advance. The server calculates actual fare, by studying parameters such as the distance between the pickup and drops off point, traffic, type of car, fuel cost etc.
- Payments
Uber technology designed to accommodate a cashless system of payment. As soon as the ride will complete, the payment will automatically deduct from the registered mode of payment. Online payment providers like Stripe can easily integrate into the mobile apps and they provide powerful APIs. In case you are thinking of getting an uber like app, then ensure that it also supports all the major credit cards like Mastercard, American Express, and Visa that optimized for mobile, web and in-app purchases.
To maintain an exceptionally high level of service, passengers and drivers should be provided with the facility to rate and review each other. Drivers with low ratings will find it difficult to get a fare, whilst passengers with low ratings will find it difficult to get a ride. Everyone can see Passenger feedback.
The ratings provided by both will give an indication of the strengths and weaknesses of your business and where there is room for improvement.
The facility to view details of their previous trips to driver/passenger name, date and time of travel, type of car etc should be available for both the driver and the passenger.
Both drivers and passengers should have the facility to cancel a ride. You may wish to install cancellation charges.
The Admin Panel
The web-based admin panel should act as the engine of the whole system. It manages the whole system including the drivers, passengers, back-end system, requests, transactions, views the movements of drivers and passengers, report generation etc. It also manages the finances.
What will it cost to develop your own Uber like apps?
To develop an Uber like app means developing two apps and a web-based admin panel. Therefore your cost will include:
- Design
- Android and iOS app development (A driver and passenger app for each platform)
- Web development
- Back-end development
- Project management
- Quality assurance
App developing takes time and includes around 5000 hours of back-breaking work. The hourly rate varies between $20 to $150, sometimes even more. This brings your total cost to be between $100,000 to $750,000. Therefore it is important that you do your groundwork too before choosing the company that will develop your app.
However, if you do some serious research, you will get companies who will develop your app for as little as $2000 and give you some freebies with your app too. If you are planning to buy from such companies then you must ensure that they are offering:
Installation, configuration, and launch of your uber like apps along with:
– A free lifetime license
– A white-labeled solution
– Customization of one language and currency of your choice
– Support for minor bugs
– 24/7 support anytime, any day.
Are you ready to launch your Uber now? Create Uber like apps that will be as good as Uber and revolutionize the on-demand industry.
