The good news is that you can create an app like Uber just in 1500 hours. Sounds impressive, but it makes the goal measurable and achievable. All you need is a company providing React Native services and an outstanding team of developers who know exactly what they’re doing.

Before you start planning your budget, let’s see why Uber is so popular and discuss what you need to develop a React Native app like it.

Typical Features of a Taxi App

Booking Rides

This section is the most important because it is what defines the taxi app as it is. Users should have an opportunity to book the ride just in a couple of seconds, without the necessity to provide a lot of details. Just type in the destination address, and the app will plan your ride.

Fare Calculations

The next important feature is the price calculations, considering all factors that affect the final cost: ride options (UberX, Comfort, Green, Van, Shuttle, etc.), weather conditions, demand, discount opportunities, etc.

Displaying Trip Details

Attracting customers to your side, you need to provide them with information in advance about different types of taxis, fares, estimated travel times, etc. This will give users all the options available to choose the most suitable one.

Finding a Driver

If the customer agrees with the details of the trip and confirms their order, the app sends the request to the nearest available drivers. It is important not to miss the client’s attention at this moment, so one can observe the map of the nearest cars. Knowing that there are several cars nearby, the client will not give up on the search. Besides, these interactive elements are fun pleasing to the eye.

Confirming the Trip

As soon as a passenger and a driver receive the ride details, they both have an opportunity to confirm or decline the trip. The apps’ business logic should work in such a way that users can’t cancel a big amount of rides for a short period. They should also be aware of possible penalties, e.g. a partial payment if the driver is already on one’s way.

Connecting Passenger to Driver

Once the trip is confirmed, the passenger and driver can contact each other. They receive contact information as well as other useful information, such as license plate number, car make, location on a map, etc. They can also chat or call to clarify some details.

Payment

When registering, the user indicates the most comfortable payment methods. The more features your application provides, the better. The required minimum is bank cards and cash. But you can also add the ability to make payments using mobile wallets, online banking,

QR codes, etc. The React Native app development cost will depend on how many of them you’re gonna implement.

Rating

At the end of the trip, both parties can rate each other. When developing an application, it is important to ensure the transparency of this system to avoid bias and negative comments. Think about what algorithms will be incorporated into this process to motivate drivers. For example, a bad rating can affect the number of orders and the size of the commission, and sometimes even the dismissal.

This also works the other way, as passengers with high ratings from drivers can get preferential treatment and good deals.

Tech Support

This option is necessary to stay connected with both passengers and drivers regardless of their rides. It is an opportunity to leave a claim, share new ideas on improving the app, or lost search ads. The tech support menu makes an application more ‘human’, it shows your user-focused attitude and real care.

How does Uber work?

The first thing that makes Uber so popular among 80 million users is its outstanding service. One tap on the phone and you have a personal driver who will pick you up in a few minutes.

Automation of all standard functions has reduced the cost by 35–50% in comparison with conventional taxi services. On the one hand, this influence on the market is called destructive. But Uber has set the bar high that other companies are just trying to reach.

And if you want to figure out how to create your own app that will compete with Uber, you should start not only with a budget estimate. Try to understand the flow that app users, both passengers, and drivers, go through — yeah, don’t forget to develop a version for drivers. This will increase the React Native app development cost but you cannot start without it.

Passengers’ app

• Register/login: It all starts with a simple and straightforward registration via email and/or social media, filling out a profile, and adding credit cards.
• Booking interface: As soon as the user opens the application, he sees a screen with a field for entering the address, choosing the type of taxi, and setting a specific landing spot.
• Price calculator: If one wants to know the estimated cost from point X to point Y before ordering, the price calculator is here to help.
• Tracking: It is important to track the driver’s location as well as to make updates during the ride.
• Payments: There are several payment options, such as credit card, cash, Uber credits, and certificates.
• Push notifications: Users stay updated on their order status, taxi arrival, and other important details, like car model, driver’s name and photo, etc.
• Messaging, ratings & reviews, booking history. Any time one needs, one can check previous bookings, rate them, leave a review. There is also an opportunity to see one’s own rate, set by different drivers.

Drivers’ app

• Register/profile/status: If the user should verify one’s phone number and email only, the driver has more options. One should verify the tax number and wait for approval by an administrator. Uber app also provides drivers with online status and schedule.
• Booking: Drivers can accept or deny incoming orders, depending on the customer’s current location and destination. They also have access to the booking history.
• Push notifications: They are necessary for order updates and their completion.
• Navigation: Drivers do not need to install other navigation apps because Google Maps or Google Places provide them with optimal directions just in the Uber app. They could also be voiced.
• Cost estimation, reports, messaging, support: If one needs to submit any report, or to get the users’ support, just go to the appropriate app section.

Technologies are used to build an app like Uber

You probably know that Uber does not hide its API at all, and therefore there is no difficulty in building a similar application. You will need three giant basics like server, mapping, and payments. These affect React Native app development cost.

First off, it is impossible to process all user requests, driver routes, and other data without your own server.

Developing the backend, you may use Node.js, Python, Java, PHP, Ruby on Rails. OpenStreetMap API is the best solution for GPS. Take care of the tech stack for push messages as well. As for the payment systems, you may use Stripe, BrainTree, Paytm, PayPal mobile SDK gateway adapters to develop an app.

How to estimate React Native app development cost? First of all, make sure you know the pros of the framework.

Choosing the solution for the app development, we would recommend you to rely on React Native primarily. It has a lot of advantages, and you can:

• Create your app fast. Java and Swift / Objective-C require you to develop two standalone apps. But if you opt for React Native, it will allow you to share up to 95% of your codebase and bring a high-quality product to market pretty soon.
• Save money. Saving time, you also save money that would be needed to develop separate applications. You get two products that cost just over half of one version. No need to think about making the choice between Android or iOS because of a limited budget. Start right away and save on maintenance and updating your product as well.
• Achieve great performance. The React Native programming language is optimized for mobile devices, and therefore applications run as fast as native ones, that were developed for a specific platform.
• Enjoy increased flexibility. Your developers will appreciate the ability to easily jump to where someone left off and continue developing. React Native flexibility simplifies the testers’ routine as well, as they can create test scripts with fewer hurdles.
• Immediately view changes. One of the essential React Native advantages is “hot reloading”. It allows developers to instantly preview changes made to the code at the same time in another preview window. Sounds impressive, right?

The good React Native team is your chance to cut down operational costs, reduce the risk, and meet any challenges head-on!

But there is the last question: how to estimate React Native app development cost?

How much does it cost?

Now that you have a roadmap of your app development, you have the necessary information to estimate the react native app development price. Of course, it all depends on the developers you hire, because some freelancer will cost you much less than an in-house team. Actually, the low rate doesn’t promise you a decent result, so it shouldn’t be the only factor to consider.

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How to choose good React Native developers

Looking for a team to implement your project, you should consider a lot of factors. For example, success stories. Look at their portfolio to understand what they are working with, and how it meets your expectations.

The next advice is to take care of transparent communication. Regardless of the location, and time zone, you should be on the same wave. Make sure they are ready to provide you with regular reports, relieving you of the need to control the entire process on the up and up.