Taxi apps can be real lifesavers when you’re in an emergency! In Hong Kong, hailing a cab with a mobile app isn’t just convenient; it also gives you a broader range of payment options. Numerous taxi apps also offer a neat 15% discount, making them cheaper than flagging a taxi on the street. However, with so many taxi apps available, how should you pick the right one?
Top 9 Taxi Apps for Hong Kong Review
- Hong Kong taxi app features and discounts comparison 2024
- Fare comparison for the same route across taxi apps
- Be cautious of misleading taxi app discounts advertisements
- Consumer Council’s taxi app performance test results
- Best credit cards for taxi apps in Hong Kong
In 2018, the Consumer Council evaluated the performance of 7 taxi apps in Hong Kong and found significant differences in their success rates for booking, waiting times, and overall satisfaction levels. They even revealed that some apps failed to deliver the advertised 15% discount for booking rides. In this article, we at MoneySmart compare the latest fees, discounts, and features of taxi apps in Hong Kong in 2024 for you, and provide the Consumer Council’s test results for reference.
Hong Kong taxi app features and discounts comparison 2024
| Taxi App | Discount | Payment Method | Real-Time Fare Estimates | Driver Location Tracking |
| HKTaxi | Specify in advance in the remarks section | Cash, Octopus card, credit cards, Apple Pay, Tap & Go
*A 3% administrative fee will be charged for electronic payments |
Yes | Yes |
| FlyTaxi | 12% off | Octopus card, Payme | Yes | Yes |
| Uber Taxi | Irregular discount code promotions | Cash, credit cards, Apple Pay, AlipayHK, Paypal (pay upfront) | Yes | Yes |
| God Taxi | 15% off | Cash, PayMe, Alipay, Tap & Go, Octopus card, FPS, O! ePay, WeChat Pay
*A 2% + HK$1.5 administrative fee will be charged for electronic payments |
No | Yes |
| Pro Taxi | 10-15% off | Cash | No | Yes |
| DiDi | N/A | Cash, credit cards, Alipay, WeChat Pay | Yes | Yes |
| OneTaxi | 15％ off (only available when the base fare is at least HK$70) | Cash, FPS, PayMe, Octopus card | Yes | Yes |
| SynCab | N/A | Cash, Apple Pay, credit cards (Visa/Mastercard payWave) (pay upfront) | Yes | No |
| eTaxi | N/A | Cash, credit cards (Visa Mastercard, American Express), Octopus card, AlipayHK, WeChat Pay HK | Yes | Yes |
For discounts, HKTaxi, FlyTaxi, God Taxi, Pro Taxi, and OneTaxi all offer discounts ranging from 10 to 15% off. Among them, OneTaxi specifies that the base fare must be at least HK$70 to enjoy the 15% discount. HKTaxi also provides a 15% off taxi booking service; however, passengers must specify in advance in the remarks section and confirm the discount with the driver upon boarding. Uber Taxi periodically offers discount codes or limited-time discounts for dedicated users.
In terms of payment methods, most taxi apps accept cash, Octopus cards, and credit cards. If you’re a fan of using PayMe, then FlyTaxi, God Taxi, or OneTaxi would be your best options. For those who regularly use Alipay or WeChat Pay, Uber Taxi, DiDi, or eTaxi could be your top choices. It’s worth noting that HKTaxi and God Taxi explicitly state that an additional administrative fee is charged for electronic payments. Although HKTaxi offers mitigation through its 1% “Taxi Dollars” rebate program, it would be beneficial to use a credit card with higher online spending rewards to offset the fee. An interesting feature of HKTaxi is their “Pay for Street-Hail” function, allowing you to pay for street-hailed taxis electronically through the app, but the administrative fee still applies.
It’s also worth mentioning that while Uber Taxi charges in Hong Kong dollars, the transactions are processed by Uber’s Dutch entity, categorising them as foreign currency transactions. Some banks may charge an extra fee for these overseas HKD transactions or exclude them from earning credit card rewards. To avoid unexpected charges, consider using a credit card with higher foreign currency transaction rewards.
Seven out of the nine taxi apps provide real-time fare estimates, and eight offer driver location tracking. eTaxi and Uber Taxi offer a trip-sharing feature to let your friends and family track your ride’s location and lost-and-found assistance to contact the driver for misplaced items. HK Taxi, FlyTaxi, God Taxi, and SynCab all offer vehicle type selection, including regular and wheelchair-accessible taxis, catering to passengers with special needs like wheelchair users or pet owners.
Fare comparison for the same route across taxi apps
To find out the differences in fare estimates offered by various taxi apps, we compared the rates for a route from APM Mall in Kwun Tong to Times Square in Causeway Bay using the Eastern Cross Harbour Tunnel:
| Taxi App | Fare Estimates (Regular) | Fare Estimates (Discounted) |
| HKTaxi | HK$150 – HK$160 | N/A |
| FlyTaxi | HK$125 | HK$110 (15％ off) |
| God Taxi | HK$98.7 – HK$105.2 | HK$83.9 – HK$89.4 (15％ off) |
| Uber Taxi | HK$143.54 | N/A |
| Pro Taxi | N/A | N/A |
| DiDi | HK$106.38 | N/A |
| OneTaxi | HK$107.8 | HK$91.6 (15％ off) |
| SynCab | HK$333 | N/A |
| eTaxi | HK$153.7 – HK$186.7 | N/A |
According to test results, different taxi apps showed significant variations in fare estimates for the same route, ranging from HK$83.9 to HK$333. It’s important to note that fare estimates generally only cover the basic fare, so additional charges like tunnel fees will be billed separately. Some apps do have a handy feature where you can include the one-way tunnel fee upfront, which saves you the extra HK$25 return fee.
The tests revealed that FlyTaxi, God Taxi, and OneTaxi offered “corporate rate” discounts, equivalent to 12-15% off of the regular fare, allowing passengers to choose between regular and corporate rates when booking. God Taxi quoted the lowest price, with the fare being just HK$133.9 even after adding the HK$50 round-trip Eastern Cross-Harbour Tunnel fee.
On the other hand, SynCab quoted the highest price at HK$333 for a one-way trip, but it’s worth noting that this price included all additional charges such as tunnel fees, luggage fees, and pet fees. SynCab markets itself as a premium taxi service, offering perks like Wi-Fi and USB charging ports, making it a great choice for passengers seeking higher-quality service. Feel free to choose the taxi app that best suits your needs and budget.
Be cautious of misleading taxi app discounts advertisements
Despite certain taxi apps claiming to offer 15% discounts, the Consumer Council found that the success rate for booking at the discounted rate was nearly 10% lower than when booking at the regular rate. Furthermore, over 30% of successful discounted bookings found that their discount was less than the promised 15%, with actual discounts ranging from 5-10%. Therefore, the fare estimates provided by the taxi apps may not be entirely accurate.
Consumer Council’s taxi app performance test results
In 2018, the Consumer Council tested 7 taxi apps, including HKTaxi, Kuai-de-da-che (now DiDi), Pro Taxi, FlyTaxi, God Taxi, HT-Club (now discontinued), and SynCab. The results showed that the success rate for booking a taxi through these apps ranged from 52.4% to 98.4%, with driver acceptance times varying between 5 and 13.9 minutes. Among these taxi apps, HKTaxi performed the best, with an overall satisfaction rate of 86.7%, 50% higher than the worst-performing app, HT-Club.
| Taxi App | Overall Satisfaction Rate | Booking Success Rate (Peak Hours) | Booking Success Rate (Non-Peak Hours) | Average Waiting Time (Minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HKTaxi | 86.7% | 94.4% | 100% | 5.5 |
| FlyTaxi | 69.6% | 69.6% | 87.2% | 6.9 |
| 85 FlyTaxi | 69.0% | 72.7% | 92.5% | 6.7 |
| DiDi | 66.7% | 90.0% | 90.0% | 5 |
| God Taxi | 60.0% | 77.8% | 78.6% | 7.6 |
| SynCab | 48.0% | 45.8% | 56.4% | 13.9 |
| HT-Club | 36.7% | 56.5% | 75.7% | 9.5 |
Best credit cards for taxi apps in Hong Kong
One significant advantage of using taxi apps is the ability to pay with credit cards, which offers both convenience and the opportunity to earn credit card rewards. Since taxi app transactions are generally classified as online spending, using a credit card with high online rewards is ideal. MoneySmart recommends the following credit cards for taxi app transactions:
AEON CARD WAKUWAKU: 6% rebate on online spending
By using the AEON CARD WAKUWAKU for taxi app transactions, you can earn a 6% online spending rebate with a monthly rebate cap of HK$300, and you can earn the maximum rebate with a spend of HK$5,000.
- Min. Annual Salary
- HK$0
- Cash back on online shopping
- 6%
- Cash back on Japanese spending
- 3%
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CNCBI Motion Credit Card: 6% rebate on online and dining spending
The CNCBI Motion Credit Card provides a 6% rebate on online and dining spending year-round. However, the combined monthly cash rebate cap is HK$200, meaning you can earn the maximum rebate with a spend of HK$3,636. This card is more suitable for smaller expenditures.
BOC Chill Card: 5% rebate on online and overseas spending
The BOC Chill Card offers a 5% cash rebate on online and overseas spending and up to a 10% rebate at selected merchants. The combined monthly rebate cap is HK$150. For non-designated merchant spending, you can earn the maximum rebate with a monthly spend of HK$3,260.
Mastercard X HKTaxi offer: 3% Taxi Dollars rebate
Additionally, if you frequently use HKTaxi and hold a Mastercard, don’t miss out on this offer: From now until June 30, 2024, paying for HKTaxi rides with a Mastercard will earn you a 3% Taxi Dollars rebate. This allows you to earn credit card points and additional rebates simultaneously. For instance, if you use the AEON CARD WAKUWAKU Mastercard, with its 6% online spending rebate plus HKTaxi’s 3% Taxi Dollars, you can earn a combined 9% rebate, effectively discounting your fare by nearly 10%!
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