Would you trust me if I say you can book a ride, order food online, send/receive parcels, and buy groceries from a single app? It sounds too cool to be true. Well, trust me or not, this is the reality, due to the rise of ride-hailing app like Careem clone app development that have brought e-commerce innovation a step ahead. In reality, the super app market is gaining a lot of popularity, estimated to grow at a 27% annual rate, reaching US$426 billion by 2030. This growth showcases the need for apps like Careem that offer all digital services in one place.
If you want to build an app like Careem, the first and most important question that pops up in your mind is: how much does it cost to develop an app like Careem? If we see based on average that it will cost you between $30,000 – $200,000, based on features, complexity, the platform you choose, and more. Or have other thoughts, like entering the digital world? Don’t worry? Let’s explore the golden opportunities that the Middle East has to offer.
Latest Statistics on the Careem App?
- The wide range of the ride-hailing market is estimated to grow considerably, with global profit anticipated to reach $216 billion by 2028.
- The quickest delivery in Abu Dhabi took only 1.03 minutes.
- The Careem app has more than 50 million registered users as of 2025, with functions across the Middle East, Pakistan, & North Africa.
- In 2022, Careem’s profit is anticipated at $350 million. The mobile app development company in Dubai was valued at over $3 billion in 2020, when it was acquired by Uber at $3.1 billion.
Careem is defined as a Super App, which works as an Umbrella for all niche-unique apps. To understand the Careem app development cost, it is important to know about other aspects that have made Careem so popular.
Core Features of Ride-Hailing App Like Careem
A super app is an all-in-one platform that has made life easy, as you will get everything in one place. You don’t have to look at other apps for anything, as you will get every item in one place. If you are willing to develop an app like Careem, you should know about the features that your Taxi booking app development cost should contain to make it successful.
Driver Details & Rating
Your app should contain the complete information about the driver, and also show the rating that is given by the user to the driver, so that it will be easy for other users to decide whether they choose this driver or not. Also, show the rides done by them and what users say about the driver.
Multiple Payment Options
As Careem provides a lot of different payment options, you should also integrate various payment gateways like UPI, Pay Later, credit/debit cards, and more. This will give user the choice to pay as per their convenience.
Real-time Tracking
Users should be able to keep track of their ride and know how much time the driver will take to reach their location. And also integrate an in-app chat or call option, so that users can directly call or chat with the driver, so that there will not be any issue in finding the location. And also the user will be assured that yes driver is coming.
Ride History & Receipts
Your ride app development should contain the ride history, so that users can check if the fare has been estimated correctly or not. If they charge extra, there should be a support team or chatbots who will solve their issues immediately.
Scheduled rides
Users should be able to schedule their rides, which means if they want a ride for another day, they can schedule it at their convenience. And the driver should reach the location at the given time, only you will be able to reach to wider audience like Careem.
Advanced Search & Filtering
Your app should have advanced seach filters, so that users can search for those specific things that they want to see. If they want to compare price, preferences, brand, & availability, allow users to identify products easily and fast.
In-app Notifications
Keeping consumers informed will lead to more user engagement. Real-time notifications offer an update on customized deals, order status, reminders, & more. You can send these notifications through SMS, e-mail, & push messages, allowing users to stay connected with the app updates & offerings.
AI & Personalization
AI-based personalization improves the shopping experience by analyzing user behavior & past buying. The app can itself recommend the right products, provide dynamic pricing, & offer AI-based chatbots for support. Predictive analysis also helps consumers to restock important items by making their shopping journey more interesting and efficient.
Understanding the Cost to develop an app like Careem
Building an app like Uber & Careem requires navigating multiple cost-related obstacles. Factors like features, development team, complexity, tech stack, UI/UX design, front-end, backend development, maintenance, & more. As given, the anticipated cost to develop an app like Careem will range from $40,000 to $300,000. To know it better, we are mentioning the factors one by one with a detailed explanation.
| Type of App | Cost Estimated | Time Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $40,000 - $60,000 | 2 to 3 months |
| Moderate | $60,000 - $90,000 | 3 to 6 months |
| Advanced | $90,000 - $300,000 | 9+ months |
Factors Affecting Taxi Booking App Development Cost
Developing an app like Careem, you need to know that it is influenced by many factors that make up the cost. So, if you are planning to build an app like Careem by hiring an experienced super app mobile app development company in Saudi Arabia, you should know about these factors and then make any commitments.
Design Requirements
UI and UX are very important for making sure of the intuitive interface and visually engaging design. Top-notch design quality components consist of animations, custom graphics, & a user-friendly interface, which might need an extra effort or working hours, which can lead to more app development cost.
App Complexity
The app’s complexity consists of user roles, features, & integration with different services such as payment gateways, navigation, & notifications, that directly impact your development costs. More advanced features like route optimization, real-time tracking need extra time & resources, which will ultimately increase your development cost.
Development Team & location
The expertise and the location of the team influence the development cost. Hiring developers in areas with higher labor costs, like Western Europe & North America, will cost you a higher hourly rate, if you compare it with Asia, South American regions.
Third-Party Integrations
Integrating 3rd-party services, such as payment options like Phone Pe, Google Pay, analytics tools, map services, & cloud storage, can add to your development cost. The complexity of compliance with local rules & API integration also affects costs.
Quality Assurance
Rigorous testing & QA testing are important for finding out errors, bugs, ensuring app stability, & smooth user experience. Investing money in comprehensive QA testing, automated & manual testing, will contribute to the overall app development cost.
Tech Stack
The selection of the tech stack influences the cost to develop an app like Careem. Using the latest technologies, such as AI/ML for customized recommendations, Blockchain, IoT, and cloud computing for high performance, all influence the development cost.
Maintenance
Ongoing maintenance is important to keep the app updated and see if it is functioning in the right manner. Budgeting for error fixes, regular maintenance, & feature updates, all of which add to the cost to develop an app like Careem.
Understanding Super Apps & Their Influence in the GCC Market
The GCC area is witnessing a fast growth in mobile-first users and driving the need to integrate services. Super apps work as a main asset for financial addition with multiple services. The GCC public sector is supporting super apps like Careem.
A super app is a mobile app that combines various services into a single platform. It provides a lot of features in a single place. It is also known as the Everything app, as you can find anything in one place, be it related to food delivery, messaging, banking, transportation, & e-commerce. For example, Careem, Uber, and Amazon are some of the super apps that show the capabilities of super apps. They also motivate many businesses to invest & learn about the app development cost.
How To Build a Taxi Booking App Like Careem
The cost to develop an app like Careem needs a well-organized plan, from market research to launch to marketing. Let’s have a look at the steps one by one that help you to develop the app, tailored to meet your business needs.
Market Research & Competitor Analysis
Before you start app development in Kuwait, it is important that you do proper market research and know about the market, which will help you in finding the USP, target users, & latest trends. Also, learn about your competitors and know where they are lacking, and you can take advantage of that. So, detailed competitor analysis & market research are important.
Choosing the right development partner
When you are choosing a development partner, you should look at their portfolios, case studies, and past projects, which will help in getting the right partner on board as per your business requirements. Also, see if their developers can integrate the latest technologies into your app by adding the advanced features to it.
UI/UX Design
This is the most important aspect that you need to look at. Having an intuitive UI & visually engaging design will help in attracting more users. The app should be easy to use & work smoothly with no glitches & errors.
App Development & Testing
Once you are ready with the design, you can begin the development process. The frontend and backend development of the app should be done in the right manner. And you should begin it with MVP, as it will give you the basic ideas about your app, and you can collect user feedback and make changes at that time only. After that, start testing your app through manual and automated testing, and also go for Quality Assurance, to find out the errors, bugs, so that you can solve them immediately before the final launch.
Launch & Marketing
A well-developed app will not succeed if there is proper marketing is not done. So, at the time of launching your app, you should go for social media marketing, influencer marketing, & referral programs & loyalty to engage more users. Partnership with restaurants, local businesses, and investors also plays an important role in expanding your reach. SEO & ASO are also important for higher ranking in searches & improving downloads.
How to Monetize a Super App in the UAE & Across Regions
Knowing about the Careem clone app development cost is one aspect, but the main challenge that you face is how to make it profitable. So, we have provided the top business models that will help you earn profit from these super apps.
Subscription models
Subscription-based models are increasing as users look for premium services & exclusive advantages. By providing them with an annual or monthly subscription plan, you can generate extra revenue by increasing user retention. In the UAE, Careem Plus & Noon VIP have executed this strategy, as users are ready for more convenience.
Commission-based model
One of the best monetization models is a commission-based model, where your platform will charge a % of their earnings. This model is being used by many super apps such as food delivery(Talabat), ride-hailing(Careem & Uber), & online marketplaces such as Amazon, Noon.
AI-based customized offers
The best benefit of building apps such as Careem, Uber, & more is that you will be able to analyze large amounts of user data. By using AI/ML, you can provide more hyper-personalized services to users that make them spend more.
Advertising & Partnerships
Advertisement is another profitable way to earn extra revenue, as you don’t charge directly to the users. But by partnering with local businesses, 3rd party ads, and brand collaborations, you can generate income while improving user experience. Also, you can integrate AI-based ad placement, which will show suggestions based on user behaviour, preferences, and more.
Read More: Taxi App Development Cost in UAE vs Qatar vs Saudi Arabia (KSA) – A 2025 Comparison Guide
Conclusion
Building a super app like Careem is a journey filled with rewards & risks. It might be possible that you will face high On-demand ride-sharing app costs in the UAE due to high competition. But the payoff can be good due to tech-savvy people and strong digital infrastructure.
Mainly, your success lies in choosing the best mobile app development company. AT TechGropse, we specialize in developing high-performing, feature-rich apps by following agile methodologies to ensure long-term growth and a smooth user experience. Our mission is to bring innovation, creativity, and transformation to your digital world.
With 10+ years of experience and a team of 200+ professional developers, we deliver extensive tech expertise to super app development solutions by leveraging advanced tools & technology. Contact us today!
Hello All, Aman Mishra has years of experience in the IT industry. His passion for helping people in all aspects of mobile app development. Therefore, He write several blogs that help the readers to get the appropriate information about mobile app development trends, technology, and many other aspects.In addition to providing mobile app development services in USA, he also provides maintenance & support services for businesses of all sizes. He tried to solve all their readers' queries and ensure that the given information would be helpful for them.
