London taxi apps ranked for 2026 — with the scoring shown

Bolt runs the same on-demand model as Uber, typically 10–20% cheaper on comparable routes — the gap widens outside central London. Independent April 2026 testing on the Heathrow–central corridor found Bolt marginally under Uber across dozens of bookings. The trade-offs: a slightly smaller fleet means longer waits in outer zones, surge behaviour is nearly as aggressive as Uber's (multipliers approaching 3× were recorded over Easter 2026), and support is app-only. If you check one alternative before every Uber booking, make it this one.

Still the deepest driver pool in London and the most polished product: fare splitting, scheduled rides, UberX through Exec and XL, plus Uber Taxi for black cabs (with a booking fee). Off-peak it's competitively priced; at peaks it's the most surge-exposed platform in this list, with 2026 airport fares recorded at £100–£140+ against £60–£85 off-peak. The January 2026 VAT change hit Uber hardest in perception terms simply because it carries the most riders — a £70 December journey became roughly £81–£83 in January for the identical route.

The easiest way to get a Knowledge-trained black cab to your phone. The regulated meter never surges, bus lanes carve through central traffic, and accessibility is built into the fleet. Base fares run 30–50% above UberX equivalents, driver supply thins beyond Zone 1, and watch for app-level peak surcharges on some bookings. Full head-to-head in our FreeNow vs Uber vs Addison Lee comparison.

Fifty years in the game and still the corporate benchmark: pre-booked fixed fares (£85–£120 Heathrow–central including the drop-off charge), executive vehicles, account billing and genuinely reliable airport pickups. It scores a perfect 10 on surge — a fixed quote cannot move — and its weighted score actually tops the table. What keeps it out of the everyday top spot is price: for a casual Tuesday journey you'll pay well over the app-market rate.

Gett is FreeNow's corporate cousin: primarily black cabs, with detailed expense reporting and account billing built for business travel. If your employer already runs a Gett account, the seamless invoicing is genuinely useful. For individuals there's less pull — pricing tracks FreeNow with somewhat thinner driver supply, and the platform has been ceding ground since 2023. Riders have also flagged peak surcharges appearing on bookings.

Mercedes E- and S-Class only, uniformed chauffeurs, water and Wi-Fi on board. Wheely isn't competing with Bolt on price and doesn't pretend to; it's the app for occasions where the car is part of the event. Availability is limited to the premium core of the city, and fares are a multiple of standard private hire.