Going Somewhere? Here Are Ride-hailing Apps in Singapore Apart From Grab

Ride-hailing services have completely changed the way we move. Gone are the days when you have to fall in line and wait for a taxi to arrive. Now, all you need is a smartphone and a good internet connection to reach your destination in a private car booked through an app. You don’t need to talk to the driver (but it’s okay if you’re feeling chatty!) and give them directions because all they need to know is available within their device. They can even bring you to your destination faster by going through different routes to avoid traffic with the help of GPS.

Everything was going well until Uber decided to exit the Southeast Asian market in 2018, leaving its competitors behind. This has led many companies to venture into the transport sector, hoping to give commuters more ride-hailing options. Despite that, Grab is still leading the ride-hailing sector in Southeast Asia, particularly in Singapore (74%), Malaysia (94%), Indonesia (52%), Thailand (80%), the Philippines (91%), and Vietnam (73%). It has also expanded beyond transporting people, as it now offers same-day courier delivery (GrabExpress), food delivery (GrabFood), digital payments (GrabPay), and more. 

Even so, simply because Grab is the leading one out there doesn’t mean we won’t look for other apps to help us (or our things) move around. Given the demand for transport, we can’t always be sure there’s a ride available in our area. It’s best to have a Plan B. We also have to consider which are friendlier to our budgets, especially now that inflation is hitting us hard. If you ever find it hard to book a Grab, fret not with these alternative ride-hailing apps!

ComfortDelGro

ComfortDelGro is one of the largest land transport companies in the world and the leading provider of public transport (bus and rail) in Singapore.

Its ComfortDelGro taxi booking app has rebranded with a new name “CDG Zig” and logo, but it has retained most of the features users are familiar with. You can do current and advanced bookings for taxis and private hire vehicles, set multiple pick-ups and drop-offs, see fare estimates, get in-app push notifications for all bookings, and share your ride info to family and friends. For street hails, you can still go cashless in-app by scanning the QR code inside the vehicle during your ride. What’s more, ComfortDelGro has electronic vehicles (EVs), so that’s a plus for the environment!

Download CDG Zig on the App Store or Google Play. You can also follow them on Facebook for updates.

Gojek

Indonesia’s Gojek started as a call centre in 2010 with a fleet of only 20 motorcycle-taxi drivers (ojek) and grew to be one of the leading on-demand, multi-service tech platforms in Southeast Asia. Today, the company dubs its platform as a one-stop “super app,” where they offer more than 20 services to millions of registered users.

When Uber left Southeast Asia, the company saw it as the perfect opportunity to expand to the city-state. There’s no need to download a different app (unlike its services in other countries) as it works both in Indonesia and Singapore. With it, you can book a private ride (GoCar/GoCar XL/GoCar Premium) with multiple destinations, a taxi (GoTaxi), a motorbike (GoRide), courier delivery (GoSend), and shopping services (GoMart). You can also opt in for extra coverage during your rides through RideShield and create a business profile to tag your bookings as personal or business.

Download Gojek on the App Store or Google Play. You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram for updates and promo codes.

TADA

TADA is Singapore’s first zero-commission ride-hailing app founded in 2018. Yes, you read that right. The app doesn’t charge any commission unlike others that take a percentage out of their driver’s earnings. It’s new in the game, but it’s known to provide fairer services and reasonable fares to commuters. 

Powered by MVL, the app lets you book your rides up to seven days in advance and make cashless payments through card, Alipay+, or NETS QR (DBS PayLah, OCBC Pay Anyone, and UOB Mighty). If you’re travelling with children, though, you’ll need to choose the Family option in the app. TADA has also launched a booking option called iONTADA, where commuters can book an EV or Hybrid.

Download Tada on the App Store or Google Play. You can also follow them on Facebook for updates and promo discounts.

Ryde

Ride-hailing has indeed made our lives easier, but it’s not without its problems. As more cars are available on the road, the traffic increases and so is the fuel they burn and carbon dioxide they release into the atmosphere. Imagine the space a car with a single passenger occupies compared to a car with up to four passengers. If you don’t mind sharing a ride with strangers, you can check out Ryde.

Ryde is a ride-hailing app that offers on-demand mobility services, such as private hire (RydeX/RydeXL), carpool (RydePOOL), taxi (RydeTAXI), and delivery (RydeSEND). It’s mostly popular for carpooling, but users are also enjoying other features such as its pet-friendly rides (RydePET) and private hire by the hour (RydeHIRE). If you liked your driver and want to book them again in the future, you can tap the heart symbol on the app and send them a private pick-up request.

Download Ryde on the App Store or Google Play. You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram for promos and cashbacks.