Top 10 Ride-hailing Apps in Malaysia to Use for Cabs in 2025

There are so many ride-hailing services available in Malaysia’s
market, including traditional monopolies like Grab and new local competitors, like AirAsia Ride and MyCar. Each
platform survives the competition by offering something different than others. Maybe a different pricing, better
comfort, attractive features, specialized services according to different tastes, and whatnot.

Let’s understand these apps individually to understand what services
they offer and how they are different from others. This will help new startups get some insights to start their own
ride-hailing business in Malaysia.

1. Grab – The All-in-One Ride-Hailing Giant

Grab is the unchallenged favorite in Malaysia’s e-hailing market,
providing much more than taxi rides. It combines ride-hailing, food ordering (GrabFood), grocery purchases
(GrabMart), and courier services in one app. For commuters, Grab’s extensive coverage and variety of rides
(JustGrab, GrabCar, GrabShare, GrabBike) are reasons enough to consider it as their first choice.

What is special about Grab is its coverage and reliability. It is
available in nearly every major Malaysian city and also includes GrabRewards for regular users so that discounts and
special promotions can be availed. Fares are competitive, although peak-hour charges can be steep.

Grab’s in-app technologies feature real-time tracking of drivers,
cashless payment, safety notifications, and driver confirmation systems. Long-distance rides are made available by
Grab through premium services such as GrabCar Plus and GrabCar Premium for greater convenience.

2. AirAsia Ride – Low-cost & Transparent Pricing

AirAsia Ride, launched recently by the popular airline group, gained
popularity immediately due to the airline’s fare structure and transparent pricing. In other platforms, you cannot
predict surge pricing, which is not the case with this app. AirAsia Ride provides upfront and consistent pricing,
which attracts users.

The app also allows users to choose their preferred driver and
pre-book rides at a lower price than others. An outstanding move made by them is that the AirAsia Ride app is
integrated with the AirAsia Move, making it convenient for users to book hotels, flights, and rides from a single stop.

This low-cost yet dependable option attracts customers who require
affordable rides and safer and professional service.

3. Maxim – Affordable & Broad Range of Services

Maxim is particularly famous for its affordable prices and easy
booking process. A favorite among city and suburban dwellers, Maxim excels by providing bike taxis, regular cars,
delivery, and courier services all under one application.

The biggest differentiator is its pricing; Maxim tends to undercut the
competition on short distances. It’s also popular in smaller Malaysian cities where some of the bigger players have
less coverage.

Although it lacks the polish of Grab’s UI or wide range of loyalty
programs, Maxim is attractive to price-sensitive users and small business operators who require low-cost delivery
services. It’s a utilitarian, no-frills solution for regular commutes.

4. InDrive – Negotiate Your Fare

InDrive has brought an evolution in the market by breaking the old
pricing model. While other apps work with surge prices or fixed rates, this app allows passengers to offer their own
price for the journey. Then, drivers can choose to accept this offer, bargain with the passengers, or make a
counteroffer.

Negotiation is a human nature, and InDrive’s move makes it
particularly attractive for riders who need more affordable rides. The app will definitely be a preferred choice
during rush hours when other apps will be offering higher prices.

InDrive also offers control and transparency; customers are able to
choose drivers according to profile, car type, and rating. Although the service takes somewhat longer during
off-peak hours, it’s a great choice for individuals who desire cost flexibility in their rides.

5. MyCar – Malaysia’s Homegrown E-Hailing Service

MyCar is one of the first locally developed Malaysian ride-hailing
services to become popular as an alternative when Grab started to monopolize the market. It finds its niche as a
local, affordable, and reliable alternative, catering to Malaysian passengers and drivers.

The service is available in most big cities and boasts competitive
rates, clear booking, and robust driver support. It has both budget and premium options in the application,
accommodating diverse customer tastes.

Its strongest point is in attentive customer service; Malaysian
commuters tend to find drivers from MyCar more familiar with neighborhood streets and local areas. It’s also one of
the preferred choices for passengers wanting to support a local enterprise over multinational companies.

6. EzCab – Simple & Intuitive

EzCab is another e-hailing giant in Malaysia. With its choice of
regular taxis, private vehicles, and executive rides, EzCab provides great service to occasional commuters as well
as business travelers. Of course, users get features like cashless payments, ride tracking, and promo codes, overall
improving the convenience.

7. Dacsee – Social Ride-Hailing Platform

Dacsee stands out as a community-based ride-hailing app. As it calls
itself “The Social Ride-Hailing Platform,” passengers are able to select drivers according to preferences, ratings,
and even social networks.

This innovative strategy builds driver and passenger loyalty and
trust, creating a more personalized ride experience. The app maintains competitive fares, equal to other local
players, while also including crypto and blockchain-based driver incentives.

Dacsee has captured a niche with repeat riders that like the familiar
driver and the personal ride, setting it apart from saturated competition.

8. MV Taxi – Time-Tested & Trustworthy Service

MV Taxi is one of those traditional, veteran taxi operators that were
once appreciated for their reliability. They have managed to adapt to this digital change in the market. They have
launched their own app where customers can book taxis, monitor rides, and settle payments (various options).

Found in the majority of city centers, MV Taxi is also aided by robust
fleet management and safety compliance for the vehicles, so the quality ride experience is always high.

9. Buddy Driver – Personalised Chauffeur Service

Buddy Driver operates differently from other ride-hailing companies by
presenting itself as a personal chauffeur service instead of a conventional e-hailing service.

Rather than pairing up random drivers with riders, Buddy Driver
prioritizes establishing a network of professional drivers who tend to drive regular customers back and forth. It
services customers who require dependable, regular rides, be it corporate clients, daily commuters, or long-distance
rides.

Its higher-than-typical e-hailing rates are worthwhile for many
frequent customers, as the personalized, reliable service makes the difference.

10. Riding Pink – Women-Only Ride Service

Riding Pink is Malaysia’s first women-only ride-hailing platform,
which was established to meet safety needs for female drivers and riders. The platform offers female riders to be
matched exclusively with female drivers, hence becoming a safe and trusted alternative for women, kids, and
families.

This app has become popular steadily because of the trust from the
community and emphasis on safety. Currently, they are available primarily in urban areas, but they are still
expanding to other demands.

Comparison Table: Top Ride-Hailing Apps in Malaysia (2025)

How to Choose The Best Ride-Hailing App in Malaysia?

Let’s see which apps riders choose:

Pricing

Budget riders can use Maxim or AirAsia Ride, whereas the comfort and
professionalism seekers can use MV Taxi or Buddy Driver.

Safety

For women and families, there is a separate safety-first platform with
Riding Pink. Grab also possesses robust safety features.

Coverage

Grab and MyCar provide the most comprehensive national coverage,
whereas apps such as Dacsee provide coverage in certain cities.

Payment Options

Regular commuters can prefer apps that are connected to loyalty
schemes (Grab, AirAsia Ride), or users may prefer apps that enable more localized e-wallets.

Unique Features

Niche riders’ needs are met by community-based rides (Dacsee), travel
benefits integrated into the app (AirAsia Ride), or women-only rides (Riding Pink).

Selecting the correct ride-hailing app is often about having 2–3 apps
installed to strike a balance between cost, availability, and convenience.

How to Develop Your Own Ride-Hailing App in Malaysia?

While Grab has taken much of this space, there are still profitable niches for new businesses. Here is how you can
enter the market.

1. Decide Your Target Market & Unique Selling Proposition

Define your niche and target riders before development. Are you focusing on

• Budget-conscious commuters (rivaling Maxim’s low prices)?
• Premium riders looking for luxury vehicles or professional drivers?
• Women-only or family riders (such as Riding Pink)?
• Tourists and airport transfers (like AirAsia Ride)?

2. Select the Appropriate Technology Partner

Building a ride-hailing platform from scratch may be a 12–18 month, hundreds of thousands of ringgit affair. Most
successful startups avoid this path and instead use white-label solutions that are quick to market, affordable, and
fully customizable.

This is where ApplionSoft comes in.

• We offer a launch-ready ride-hailing app designed to suit Malaysian market requirements.
• Completely white-labeled so your branding, colors, and name will be everywhere.
• Multiple features, multi-language support, local currency processing, e-wallet integration, and in-app GPS
  tracking are included.
• Admin dashboards to track drivers, pricing, promotions, and earnings.

With our solution, you’ll go live in weeks, not years.

3. Integrate Core Features Riders Expect

To rival leading ride-hailing apps in Malaysia, make sure your platform has:

• User app with real-time ride booking, fare estimations, live tracking, and payment methods.
• Driver app with trip requests, directions, earnings overview, and ratings.
• Add safety features like SOS buttons, driver verification, and GPS tracking.

ApplionSoft’s ride-hailing solution already has all these in place, along with the option to customize further.

4. Launch with Localized Marketing

Malaysian success relies on local visibility and trust. Think about:

• Collaborating with local driver groups to sign them up in a hurry.
• Offer discounts or cashback for subscribers who join you in the early days.
• Discounts, like a first ride or referral bonus, can help you with word-of-mouth.
• You can advertise directly on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
• Using loyalty schemes to keep users coming back (such as GrabPay Points or AirAsia BIG Points).

5. Scale & Optimize

Once you’re up and running, scale by moving into new cities, new services (such as parcel delivery), or fleet
partnerships. Leverage your analytics dashboard to maximize pricing, promotions, and driver incentives.

Want to start your own ride-hailing app in Malaysia?

You don’t have to begin from scratch with ApplionSoft’s white-label taxi app solution. We give you end-to-end
assistance, from setup to launch, so you can concentrate on expanding your brand and customer base.

Reach out to ApplionSoft today and launch your e-hailing concept as a live business in weeks!

Frequently Asked Questions