Top Ride-Hailing Platforms Globally 2025

Ride-hailing has been around for a long time, with hailing a taxi as soon as you spot one on the road. However, with technological advancements and the demand for immediate ride booking services, ride-hailing platforms have seen increased adoption. It has become the need of the hour due to the demand for rapid transport all around the world.

Rise of Ride-hailing

The ride-hailing market currently has a total market value of $87.68 billion, with projections reaching an amount of $918.15 billion by 2033. Rapid urbanisation has further fueled this market. 90% of revenue from ride-hailing platforms comes from Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, where long commutes and traffic congestion are driving this market.

Smartphone Penetration

Smartphone usage is integral to the growth of ride-hailing platforms for them to earn substantial revenue. In developing and developed countries 80% of the population owns a smartphone, while in developed countries the number is 90%.

In the US, 91% of the population owns a smartphone. Uber and Lyft, two of the leading ride-hailing platforms globally, have 72 million active users in the country. Thus, smartphone ownership is directly linked to higher usage of the platforms.

Public Infrastructure Woes

Public transport is also losing a significant number of commuters to these platforms. In India, the rise of OLA and Uber is attributed to the fact that 41% of individuals cited a lack of public transport availability in certain areas.

Kerala, a state in India, saw a decline in the number of private buses meant for commuters. In 2023, the number fell from 27,500 to 7,300 in 2 decades. Ride-hailing platforms help fill in this gap with their online booking features, along with real-time tracking of their designated driver.

Solving Last Mile connectivity

Last-mile connectivity is also a rising issue faced by 70% of commuters. The distance between the main public transportation and an individual’s destination is where ride-hailing platforms fit in. By using these platforms, a commuter can reduce their travelling time by 23%, efficiently solving this hindrance.

Prominent Platforms in 2025

Uber maintains its top position

Uber continues to occupy the first position in this market, with operations running in 70 countries and a total of 10,000 cities. Q1 2025 revenue has been very promising, with numbers amounting to a whopping $11.05 billion. The platform has crossed 3 billion trips in Q1 2025 and has a daily average of 28 million on a daily basis.

DiDi is laying stake in China

China’s DiDi has ranked second in terms of Q1 2025 revenue, with $7.02 billion. DiDi greatly differs from Uber in the aspect that the Chinese-based ride-hailing platform has limited itself to China while expanding in emerging areas such as Mexico and Australia.

By strategically entering new markets, it has created a permanent position in the market. In China, it has virtually removed the entry of any other platform in the country, serving as a worthy competitor to Uber with 30 million rides per day. The platform also provides a diverse range of services such as EV rentals, bike sharing, and bus travel.

Grab: Multi-service platform

Grab, along with providing ride-hailing services, has also diversified as a multi-service platform. It runs operations mainly in Southeast Asia and currently has more than 187 million active users. Grab offers a host of services, such as food delivery and digital wallets, which can be accessed through a single application. Specifically for ride-hailing, Grab completes an average of 9 million rides a day, with emphasis being laid on electric vehicles.

OLA: Regional Player

OLA has been growing tremendously with Q1 2025 revenue reaching $99.76 million 2025. It has scrapped out its commission-based model for its drivers by providing them with a standard daily fee of $0.80. This amounts to $690 a month, resulting in the retention of drivers as opposed to losing them to competitors. The platform, on average, completes 4 million rides daily, with cabs being responsible for 55% of rides.

Conclusion

The ride-hailing market in 2025 has grown tremendously, which is evident from the number of active users of each platform. Revenue amassed is another indicator of how well the platforms are performing. Uber continues to occupy the top position, followed by regional platforms such as DiDi and Grab. Adoption of EV vehicles and further research in bridging last-mile connectivity will further propel this market.