We tried Taxify – the new Uber challenger that’s 50% cheaper

“Happy drivers means a better quality service for riders” that’s the mantra behind Taxify, the new threat to Uber’s dominance in London.

There’s more substance to that claim than meets the eye. Other than a punchy 50% discount on all fares throughout September, the one difference you need know about is Taxify claims its drivers are better off, because the company takes around half the level of commission compared to its rivals.

That means happier drivers and cheaper rides across the capital.

50% off all rides

Starting today, you can try Taxify in London, with surge pricing also suspended throughout September, so no more late-night surprises.

These punchy discounts are off Taxify’s already low fares, which the company claims are cheaper than Uber in London.

That means a ride from Piccadilly in the West End to Bank in the City of London will set you back a mere £4.60, compared to £8 with Uber according to fare estimates on both apps.

Taxify isn’t an overnight success. This upstart was founded in Estonia back in 2013, since then it has attracted over 1m customers and dominates Eastern Europe and parts of Africa, co-founder Martin Villig told The Memo in February.

Read more: Taxify This Uber challenger profits from paying drivers well

Trying out Taxify

We tried Taxify in Riga, Latvia earlier this year, when founder Villig revealed his ambitions to expand to London.

We said at the time “It looks like Uber. It feels like Uber. But it’s not Uber,” and that statement still stands.

If you preferred the old Uber app, you’ll love Taxify, as it appears to be nearly identical.

Signing up took less than a minute and our driver arrived within 5 minutes and we paid a metered fare regulated by the city of Riga.

Despite looking like a clone of Uber, we saw a big difference every time we used it. Without being prompted, every driver we spoke to told us how happy they were driving with Taxify, because they felt they were being paid fairly.

David vs Goliath

As we’ve reported before, there are happy Uber drivers out there, but few of them evangelise about working for the company in public.

Read more: 10 of the biggest complaints about Uber – from Uber drivers

This is a true tale of David vs Goliath – Taxify is relatively small, nimble and unlike Uber, claims to be profitable with only €2m of investment to date. Compared to the $12bn raised by Uber, Taxify is a true underdog.

But if Taxify can deliver on its promises and pay drivers more, while keeping prices low enough to convince Londoners to switch – this could be the perfect storm that challenges Uber’s grip on the capital.