FN
Ride-Hailing · Black Cab + PHV

FREE NOW

Europe's largest ride app for licensed taxis — books over 14,000 London black cabs plus PHVs (Match category). Formerly mytaxi/Hailo.

Regulatory note: All ride-hailing in London — Uber, Bolt, FREE NOW, Wheely, Addison Lee, Gett — requires the operator and every driver to hold a Transport for London Private Hire Vehicle licence. Always book through the official app; never accept a kerbside hail from a PHV (only black cabs may be hailed).

Key facts

Operator
Intelligent Apps GmbH
TfL Licence
Active PHV operator + black-cab platform
Service tiers
Taxi (black cab), Match (PHV), eTaxi, Assist (wheelchair)
Coverage
All London + 100+ European cities
Payment
Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, FREE NOW for Business
Average wait
2–4 min for black cabs in central London
App
FREE NOW — Taxi & Ride App
UK launch
2011 as Hailo, rebranded 2019

FAQs

What is FREE NOW in London?

FREE NOW is the largest app to book a licensed London black taxi — over 14,000 cabbies use it. It also offers PHV trips (the 'Match' category) and accessible cabs. It was formerly known as Hailo (2011) and mytaxi (2017).

Is FREE NOW the same as black cab?

FREE NOW's 'Taxi' tier dispatches a licensed Hackney Carriage (black cab) at the metered rate. You get bus-lane access, ULEZ and Congestion Charge exemption, and a Knowledge-tested cabbie. 'Match' is a separate PHV product.

Is FREE NOW cheaper than Uber?

FREE NOW black-cab fares match the metered TfL rate — usually 10–20% more than Uber for short trips but competitive for longer ones with no surge. The 'Match' PHV category is priced similar to Uber/Bolt.

Does FREE NOW have wheelchair accessible cars?

Yes — every London black cab booked via FREE NOW is wheelchair accessible (ramps, intercom, hearing loop). Use the 'Assist' booking flow to confirm requirements with the cabbie in advance.

Can I pay cash with FREE NOW?

All FREE NOW rides are charged to your in-app payment method by default. Cabbies can accept cash if you switch payment to 'Pay in taxi' before confirming the booking.

Other London ride apps