London Ride Sharing
London's complete ride-sharing landscape — six TfL-licensed ride-hailing apps (Uber, Bolt, FREE NOW, Wheely, Addison Lee, Gett) plus two carpool platforms (BlaBlaCar, Liftshare). Every operator's prices, coverage, app and regulatory status in one place.
Operators
Uber
Ride-Hailing · PHV · Active
£8–£25 typical city trip
World's largest ride-hailing app — UberX, Uber Comfort, Uber Green (EV), Uber Pet, Uber XL, Uber Lux. Fully licensed by TfL as a Private Hire Vehicle operator.
Open guide →Bolt
Ride-Hailing · PHV · Active
£7–£22 typical city trip
Estonian ride-hailing app — typically 10–15% cheaper than Uber. Categories: Bolt, Comfort, XL, Premier, Pets and Bolt Cab (black taxis).
Open guide →FREE NOW
Ride-Hailing · Black Cab + PHV · Active
Metered (black cab) or fixed (PHV)
Europe's largest ride app for licensed taxis — books over 14,000 London black cabs plus PHVs (Match category). Formerly mytaxi/Hailo.
Open guide →Wheely
Ride-Hailing · Chauffeur · Active
From £35 — premium tier
Premium chauffeur app — Mercedes E-Class, S-Class and V-Class with vetted, suited drivers and end-to-end privacy (no data resale, no driver review of route).
Open guide →Gett
Ride-Hailing · Corporate · Active (corporate focus)
Metered black cab
Israeli ride-hailing app — pivoted in 2022 to focus on corporate ground-transport. Books licensed London black cabs at the metered rate plus a £1.49 booking fee.
Open guide →Addison Lee
Ride-Hailing · Premium PHV · Active
From £14 — premium PHV
Britain's largest premium private-hire fleet — over 4,000 Ford Galaxy and Mercedes Vito vehicles, all driver-employed (not gig). 100% electric/hybrid by 2026.
Open guide →Ola Cabs
Ride-Hailing · Historic · Withdrew August 2023
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Indian ride-hailing giant — launched London 2018 with TfL PHV licence, withdrew from the entire UK market in August 2023 to focus on India.
Open guide →BlaBlaCar
Carpooling · Long-distance · Active (long-distance only)
£5–£25 typical intercity seat
Europe's largest long-distance carpooling platform — riders share intercity drives at petrol-share rates. UK service is rides-only (no urban commuting); BlaBlaBus runs separately.
Open guide →Liftshare
Carpooling · Commuter · Active (commuter focus)
Cost-share — typically £3–£12 each way
UK's largest commuter carpool network — 700,000+ members, used by 700+ employers and councils. Matches London commuters travelling the same route to share daily drives.
Open guide →Ride-hailing vs ride-sharing — which do you need?
Ride-hailing (Uber, Bolt, FREE NOW, Wheely, Addison Lee, Gett) books a licensed driver for your trip alone. You set the route, you pay the full fare. Best for: airport runs, late-night returns, business travel.
True ride-sharing / carpooling (BlaBlaCar, Liftshare) lets you join a private motorist's planned journey at petrol-share rates. Best for: long-distance intercity trips (BlaBlaCar) or repeating commutes from outer London (Liftshare).
Black cabs (FREE NOW Taxi, Gett, or kerb-hail) — the only vehicles that may legally be hailed in the street; offer bus-lane access and ULEZ/Congestion Charge exemption.
FAQs
What ride-sharing apps work in London?
Six main ride-hailing apps operate in London in 2026 — Uber, Bolt and FREE NOW for everyday rides; Wheely and Addison Lee for premium chauffeur trips; Gett for corporate accounts. Two carpool platforms — BlaBlaCar (intercity) and Liftshare (commuter) — cover ride-sharing in the original sense. Ola withdrew from the UK in August 2023.
Is ride-sharing the same as ride-hailing in London?
Strictly no. Ride-hailing (Uber, Bolt) means booking a licensed Private Hire Vehicle for yourself. True ride-sharing (BlaBlaCar, Liftshare) means sharing a private motorist's planned journey at petrol-share rates. Most people use the terms interchangeably; both are covered on this page.
Do I need to tip ride-hailing drivers in London?
Tipping is not expected but appreciated. Most apps offer an in-app tip (10–15% is generous). London cabbies traditionally accept rounding-up to the nearest pound rather than a percentage.
Are ride-hailing apps regulated by TfL?
Yes — every Private Hire Vehicle operator (Uber, Bolt, FREE NOW Match, Wheely, Addison Lee) holds a TfL operator licence and every driver holds a TfL PHV driver licence plus an Enhanced DBS check. Black-cab dispatch apps (Gett, FREE NOW Taxi) book Knowledge-tested Hackney Carriage drivers.
Which ride app is cheapest in London?
Bolt is typically 10–15% cheaper than Uber for like-for-like trips. BlaBlaCar (long-distance) and Liftshare (commuter) are dramatically cheaper than any PHV — typically 50–70% less than equivalent taxi journeys — because they're cost-share between private motorists, not commercial services.
Can I get a ride-hail to a London airport?
Yes — Uber, Bolt, FREE NOW, Wheely and Addison Lee all serve Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City with designated PHV pickup zones. Airport pickups carry an additional £4–£6 airport fee plus toll passes; arrival drop-off is unrestricted.
Are e-scooters and bikes part of ride-sharing?
They are forms of shared mobility but priced and regulated separately. See our guides to London shared bikes (Santander Cycles, Lime, Forest, Brompton) and the London e-scooter trial (Lime, Dott).