Best Ride Share Apps for Travelers
Ride sharing has made it much easier for travelers to get a lift in practically every city. Instead of hailing a cab, we can use our phones to find a driver closest to us, agree on a price, confirm our driver by vehicle and face, pay the fare and tip… all we need to do is get in the car and say hello and goodbye.
The leader in ride sharing is Uber, which launched in 2009 and holds 65% of the ride share market throughout the world. (1) There are plenty of others in which to choose. Let’s take a look at the big players and which one may be best for you.
Uber
The Mack daddy of rideshares have millions of positive reviews and provides door-to-door service in more than 10,000 cities and 600 airports around the world. You can see price estimates for your trip, share rides to reduce rates, tip and review your driver from your app and much more.
- Android rating: 4.5, 7.8m reviews
- iOS rating: 4.7, 1.2m ratings
- Features:
- Door-to-door delivery
- Online pricing, tipping, receipts and reviews
- Matched with photos for safety
Lyft
Either you are an Uber person or a Lyft person so if you are new to ridesharing you’ll find Lyft to be similar to Uber. Where it differs is it also provides scooters and bikes that you can find, unlock and pay for on your app. You can get the quickest bus and train routes if you’re looking for other options to get you somewhere. As it advertises: “If it gets you there, it’s in the app.”
- Android rating: 3.8, 230k reviews
- iOS rating: 4.9, 8.9m ratings
- Features:
- 9 different travel options
- Lux offerings
- Rental cars
Waze Carpool
The navigation tool Waze wants to reduce traffic by connecting its users going to work in the same places through its Waze Carpool feature. The app helps you not only find a ride but share in the cost of gas and tools and will provide breakdowns to make it easy to split the costs. Plus, carpooling gives you access to HOV lanes to get to work faster.
- Android rating: 3.9m 27k reviews
- iOS rating: 4.3, 2.8K ratings
- Features:
- Ride scheduling
- Commuting cost sharing
- Filters to find others by workplace, gender and personalized groups
Turo
Instead of renting a car at your destination, Turo is a peer-to-peer ridesharing option that allows you to rent someone’s car — the Airbnb of transportation. You can view images of available cars, including classics, convertibles, sport, exotic, luxury, minivans, SUVs, trucks and vans in more than 5,500 cities across the U.S., Canada and the U.K in what is touted as “better than a rental car.”
- Android rating: 4.5, 37k reviews
- iOS rating: 4.8, 149k
- Features:
- Contactless check-in
- Clean and disinfected cars
- 24/7 customer support
- Liberty Mutual insurance options
Getaround
Similar to Turo, Getaround makes renting a car near you easier, but these can be for travel or simply by the hour. Signup for the program and search cars, trucks, convertibles and vans near you, unlock the vehicles using the app, and go in more than 300 cities around the United States and Europe. The only trick is the U.S. and European apps are separated and you will need both.
- Android rating: 3.8, 6.2k reviews
- iOS rating: 4.8, 22.7k ratings
- Features:
- Rent cars by the hour or day starting as low as $5/hour
- Unlock cars using the app
- Search cars on-demand near you
Gett
Business travelers in North America, Europe and 1,500 business capitals makes corporate traveler easier. The high-quality luxury rides range from on-demand and pre-booked options with the ability to choose the type of car and requirements you want. Drivers are vetted and undergo quality control and your receipts will detail every detail for invoices and expenses/
- Android rating: 4.3, 279k reviews
- iOS rating: 4.8, 4.7k ratings
- Features:
- Upscale ground travel for business
- Choose your ride or driver options
- Pre-booking or on-demand
Bolt
For international travelers, Bolt provides ride sharing across Europe, Africa, Mexico and parts of the Middle East. Pick your destination, request a ride, meet your driver and enjoy the ride, as it advertises. Or, you can use a Bolt Scooter found in cities. Use the app to locate a scooter on the street near you, unlock it with the app, and take yourself where you want to go. Bolt can be found at more than 100 airports in the world so you don’t need to wait for a shuttle to get where you are going.
- Android rating: 4.5, 416k reviews
- iOS rating: 4.9, 16.1K ratings
- Features:
- 30+ countries
- Can pay with cash
- 24/7 arrival times
Via
Providing ride shares in Amsterdam, Berlin, Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C., and a handful of other U.S. cities Via may not have as many locations but can be a great option for business travelers and tourists alike. You can book “via” your phone, get picked up on the nearest corner, and share a ride with others going your way for low-cost transportation.
- Android rating: 4.1, 4.5k reviews
- iOS rating: 4.2, 5.6k ratings
- Features:
- On-demand rides
- City locations to help with rush-hour commutes
- Airport service
BlaBla Car
Available in 22 European countries, BlaBla Car is meant for long-distance carpooling and launched in 2003 when the founder couldn’t find a train to his destination. The service has 90 million members today with an average 163-mile distance to provide you with a more comfortable way to travel across Europe — and cheaper than flying.
- Android rating: 3.1, 60 reviews
- iOS rating: Unrated
- Features:
- Ride with someone going your way
- Group bookings on BlaBlaBus
- You can pick up someone if you’re driving
Hitch
If you’re traveling from city to city, “Hitch” a ride using this rideshare app. With rides starting at $20 you won’t need a bus ticket and find a guaranteed ride with someone going your way. Departures are available every hour and can be scheduled an hour before or up to 60 days in advance. The app is currently only available in Texas and Oklahoma City.
- Android rating: 3.4, 116 reviews
- iOS rating: 4.3, 157 ratings
- Guaranteed rides every hour on the hour between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
- Connects Texas cities and Oklahoma City
- Advanced or 1-hour prior bookings
Summary
There are many options for ride sharing but as many that are thriving there are some that have gone bust. Be sure when looking for a ride that you seek those with great reviews so you feel safe and that you can trust the vehicle will be in good shape. If you ever feel uncomfortable, you can always use the old standby and call a cab.
