In a world where the pace of life is increasingly getting faster as a result of different factors, therefore mobility should be an issue treated as a crucial necessity. Transport companies that are engaged in passenger transportation are aware of this, as well as the fact that a mobile application for a taxi is the best way to ensure customer mobility and help businesses stay afloat. WOXAPP is a company that is ready to help you with mobile app development for taxi business.

Our team has created a similar project “7likes Taxi” for the taxi business in Switzerland. From this experience and after having worked with other geolocation services, we came up with a number of practical tips, so we want our customers to know them before starting a mobile taxi app development.


We have gathered our experience in order to help you to find the answers to the following questions in taxi mobile app development:

Let’s work it out step by step.

Who orders mobile taxi app development?

Two types of companies may set their sights on a mobile app developing for taxis: existing businesses (taxi service, fleets of taxis) or startups. Although every taxi business has its own special characteristics, on the whole, a mobile app will provide the following characteristics.

Automate receipt and execution of the order.

The process of receiving and executing an order does not require the participation of a taxi service.

Refuse dispatchers or reduce the load on them.

The client-driver connection occurs through the application.

There is no need to make an order by phone. Reduces the cost of telephone communication.

Convenient service.

The passenger does not need to call the dispatcher to call a taxi. The client sees in advance the brand of the car that will come to him, tracks it on the map.

The application shows the cost of the trip and the driver's rating.

Convenient work with drivers.

Statistics for each driver: financial calculations, completed routes, the location of the driver in real time, etc.

If necessary, the driver disconnects from the system.

The company controls the process of fulfilling orders.

The customer sees detailed statistics of orders and monitors them in real time, controls the base of customers and drivers. This makes the business transparent and manageable.

How to make a taxi app: The standard structure of the system

Taxi application has been designed to have a three-way structure because they provide interaction between the passenger, the driver and the administrator.


1. Mobile application for passengers


This is the side of the application that allows customers to order a taxi. A set of standard functions includes registration, order form, the ability to track routes, make payments and leave feedback. As usual, the application is downloaded from the market.


mobile app for taxi


2. Mobile application for drivers


The application is also the main working tool for the driver (after the car). With its help, he can see active (inactive) orders, see his statistics, plan his trips according to online maps and react to feedbacks left.


taxi app development


3. Administrative web-panel


The owner of the application (or any other person who has access to the administrative panel) can manage the processes from the inside and track all data coming into the application from both taxi app users and performers.


taxi app solution


Admin panel, separate or synchronized with operating CRM, can include:

Admin panel can also:

Standard architecture of the system


A distinctive feature on such a "tripartite" application, that will be created during the development of a Taxi mobile app is the fact that it will need a backend part. It will work as a server for storing data and sending it directly to the application itself.

how to make a taxi app


Architecture can be roughly divided into 4 parts:


System elements communicate with each other via API. API is developed together with the whole system.


Work with system load


The main thing that should be taken into account in a mobile taxi app development is the fact that the product should work very fast. This is one of the distinctive features of all on-demand app - the users need to get their wish come true as quick as possible. So, the system should be able to seamlessly work and be bugs-free.

The second important issue we should foresee in taxi mobile app development is the way the system work in the peak loads conditions. These are the situations when the demand for taxi services increases several times almost instantly, for example, when the weather is bad or during holidays.


The following should be done during taxi mobile app development:

taxi app developers

That’s why we use the queue and caching servers in taxi mobile app development, build in the right architecture of storing data, customize a server to perform these tasks and conduct load testing.



Synchronization with existing systems


Do you use existing services and are not going to do away with them? Think through the process of synchronization with the mobile app.

They can be accounting systems, CRM-systems, VoIP, ready systems for taxi services etc. Synchronization is performed by operating the existing API or via developing the new ones.

Provide the developer with the requirements for synchronization before the taxi mobile app development starts.

How is taxi app development carried out?

Determine which functions a taxi mobile app will have. For this purpose:

Taxi application screens: sequence of selection

In the first place, a customer is required to input a number of parameters from the main ordering options.


The following can be hidden:

taxi application

Why and what analytic systems to install when your taxi app solution is ready

After the taxi mobile app development process is ended, it is necessary to build in one of the analytic systems. The most popular is Google Analytics, Firebase or systems on a paid basis - Amplitude, Mixpanel, Localytics.


It will give an opportunity to:


mobile app for taxi

Before the start of taxi mobile app development, determine which indicators you should use to measure a mobile app for a taxi

They are installed individually for each project and mainly answer the following questions:


For taxi services, there can be the following parameters:

What else to keep in mind during taxi app development?

Build a feedback function in the taxi app.

Complaints and offers will be coming to the mail, so they will be fast responded. If such function doesn’t exist, the reviews will be left on the app stores. Negative comments on the app page can decrease the conversion and affect the search results.

Push Notifications.

It’s a vitally important element for a taxi. Service notifications – about a new order, about a just arrived car – will be entering via push notifications.

Introduce a possibility to estimate an app on a scale of 1 to 5. It affects the search results and product rating.


taxi app development

Which platform to choose: iOS or Android to create a taxi application?

Select the one which is closer to your audience. Taxi is a mass product. In order to keep the customers, we have come up with a taxi app solution for two popular platforms: iOS and Android.

In case you create a service for just one platform, you risk wasting your advertising budget. For example, a person noticed an advert, entered Google Play or App Store, but didn’t find the app.

Here is the example: When the app “7likes Taxi“ was being created, a survey was carried out on what devices drivers and passengers use. It turned out that all drivers with “7likes Taxi” have iPhones, so development of Android app for them makes no sense. However, drivers in the CIS prefer Android devices.


The convenience of interface and app nativeness


The easier, and more understandable the app interface is, the more orders are received and the faster the service is provided. On any screen, a passenger should be guided quickly through the information of how to order a car.


taxi app solution


To ensure the apps are convenient and retain the audience, it’s essential to follow the requirements for the design of iOS and Android OS that should be taken into account in taxi mobile app development .


The main task of these requirements in mobile app development is to create a visual language of communication for all the apps of the system. It’s called “nativeness”.

If a customer used a mail app and later downloaded your app, he should find familiar control elements and understand how to use your app.

how to make a taxi app
taxi app developers

Design for Android and iOS is different


If we use “7LikesTaxi” as an example, you can see what screens in Android and iOS apps look like. It’s not a whim of a designer, but observance of the recommendations for Android and Apple for mobile app development.

taxi application
mobile app for taxi

Using non-native elements prolongs the terms of mobile app development. If you want to introduce a non-native element, verify it with the business tasks. Is it cost-effective to extend the deadline because of this function?

taxi app development
mobile app for taxihow to make a taxi app

Test the application


Test it on real users in order to know for sure whether the apps are understandable for the customer.


1. Conduct a survey of users at the design stage of mobile app development. Office staff or strangers can do the testing. Opinion poll can be held personally or via Skype. You can read about the method in the article “How to develop an interface” tips from a product-designer of Facebook Arthur Bodolts.


mobile app for taxi


2. Perform a so-called “soft” startup. Publish the product and check its performance using a small number of customers.


3. In Google Play you can test the graphics, icons, description using “Experiments” tool. A/B tests on your store listing.

Collected estimates and reviews will help to find and eliminate the errors and improve the product, as well as facilitate mobile app development.


Taxi mobile app development cost


The cost of mobile app development depends on the amount of working time of the specialists. The more complex the functionality is, the more time the mobile app development will require.


How to make mobile app development cheaper?


If you already use ready-made taxi app solutions, contact the developers. Find out if they have mobile solutions.

Search for the ready-made solutions at the market. It will save you time and money.


Create mobile app development by iterations


It’s cost-effective to perform mobile app development by iterations, i.e. release an app by parts. For example, the first options of the taxi order: the directions, mapping the route, cost calculation. These are more important as they form the basis of the ordering system. Later, operating complaints, crediting bonuses etc. should be added.


mobile app for taxi


In this manner, it’s possible to get feedback from customers, estimate the demand of each block at an early stage in order not to make unnecessary delays.


Take into account the cost of promotion and support in addition to the mobile app development


In order to attract an audience (passengers and drivers), it’s essential to draw up a marketing budget to promote the app in addition to the mobile app development cost.

A specific feature of the taxi app is that before attracting passengers you should involve drivers.

Beside standard methods of advertising (context, banner, social network advert etc.), become familiar with ASO-promotion. It’s a type of advertising which is created specially for mobile apps.

You will have to draw up a separate budget for promoting and supporting the product in addition to the mobile app development, where there should be expenditure items for evolution and support, payment for hosting service and server rental, payment for publishing on Google Play and App Store.

It’s important to develop and update the mobile app after the startup for various reasons:


How to choose a contractor to develop a taxi solution?


Having chosen a mobile development company, get to know its portfolio performance and recommendations:


Taxi app publishing


Ready-made taxi apps, both driver’s and a customer’s, can be published on special shops within Google Play and App Store after mobile development is finished. For this purpose you should:

Taxi mobile app is a complex client-server program. We tried to describe the key moments which should be taken into consideration during mobile development. The field of mobile development operations is a lot more extensive, and it would be impossible to delve into full detail here.

Are you thinking about developing a taxi app? We are experienced in mobile apps creation and can help you realize your plans for promoting your business. Contact us to find out the cost for mobile development now.







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