The minicab app market is just as competitive as the cab companies they feature. Minicabster is one of the notable players in the pack and we road test it to see whether it has what it takes to tackle popular rivals like Uber.
First off, Minicabster is part cab booking app, part price comparison app. Once you’ve created an account (which you can do from within the app), you’re presented with a single screen for inputting all your travel information. Typing in the ‘From’ and ‘To’ sections will bring up suggested locations and a map so you can verify that you’re going to be picked up and dropped off in the right place. You can also set a ‘Via’ location if you need to stop off somewhere on your journey.
Once you’ve set your route, you can choose the approximate time (and day) of pickup, set whether you require a return journey, set the number of passengers and bags as well as any additional notes for the minicab firm you’ll eventually order with. The next screen is where things get interesting. Hitting ‘Get quotes’ assembles a shortlist of suitable operators capable of taking you on your desired journey, complete with name, review scores, estimated pickup time and most important of all, booking price.
Being able to quickly peruse the various companies in the area for your preferred option is one of Minicabster’s biggest strengths and sets it apart from apps which license their own cars or partner with specific operators. By pitting the different firms against each other you get a lower-priced journey.
Should you linger on the price comparison screen for too long the app will actually prompt a popup offering a one-button ring-through service to Minicabster’s own helpline, on hand to help you pick the right service for your needs, or at the very least, talk you through any elements of the app that aren’t completely clear.
Once you’ve picked a fare you’ll see an overview of your requested ride and the options to pay by card through the app or by cash on delivery, (discount codes can also be added on this screen). One thing you can be sure of is that this service is thorough when it comes to notifying you of what’s going on. We received confirmation of payment, word that our taxi was dispatched, driver and car information and a ‘thank you’ notification, all relayed by both email and SMS.
Whilst you wait for your ride, you also have the option to see where your driver is, although this relatively new featured bugged out when we tested it. The app works as advertised, but expect the Android build to throw the occasional curve ball, like oversized fonts or the aforementioned malfunctioning map view, at least for the time being.
On the whole Minicabster boasts a clean design, accessible user interface and it’s built with the user in mind. In its current form its a little rough around the edges, but where it counts, this app could save you some serious time and money too.
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