Singapore’s latest ride-hailing app is sadly useless on arrival

Geolah, Singapore’s latest ride-hailing app, has massive sneakers to fill. Again in 2023, when the app was nonetheless in its beta section, we found that GeoRide persistently provided the bottom fares throughout peak hours, dwelling as much as its declare of being “Singapore’s most reasonably priced ride-hailing service platform”.

In apply, although, truly getting a experience on Geolah felt unimaginable. I’ve tried numerous instances—and failed simply as typically. Readers who adopted our protection again then additionally reported the identical frustrations.

However that was two years in the past. In Dec 2024, Geolah secured a provisional license from the Land Transport Authority (LTA), paving the best way for the official launch of its ride-hailing providers in Feb 2025 with a revamped platform.

Now, with GeoRide dwell, I wished to see if something had modified and whether or not the platform may lastly ship on each pricing and reliability.

Would the fares nonetheless be as enticing as earlier than? Might I truly guide a experience with out infinite frustration? It‘s time to place the platform to the check once more.

The brand new and upgraded Geolah

Earlier than testing out the platform, I spoke with certainly one of Geolah’s founders, Deniel Singh, about how the corporate has improved since its beta days.

Since our final engagement in 2023, we’ve been refining our enterprise mannequin following suggestions from each riders and drivers, whereas additionally strengthening compliance below our provisional license from the LTA.

He added that Geolah nonetheless stays dedicated to its no-surge pricing promise. “We obtain this by monitoring fares every day to make sure passenger costs keep aggressive whereas driver earnings stay truthful.”

That mentioned, drivers at the moment are charged commissions. Nevertheless, Singh confused that the platform’s fee charges are “structured to stay aggressive with, and in some circumstances, extra beneficial than different ride-hailing platforms.”

At first look, the brand new Geolah platform itself feels noticeably extra polished in comparison with its early model—once we first examined it again in 2023, the app was buggy, did not show fare costs, and infrequently didn’t even enable bookings, making a irritating expertise for anybody who truly wanted a experience.

This time, the app feels a lot smoother, extra aesthetic, and simpler to navigate. First impressions matter, and Geolah scores properly right here.

However what actually counts are the fares and the app’s reliability in comparison with different ride-hailing platforms in Singapore—particularly, how straightforward it’s to get a driver and the way distant that driver is when a reserving is made.

To place this to the check, we carried out a complete comparability of Geolah towards the 5 different main ride-hailing apps in Singapore: Seize, Gojek, Ryde, TADA, and CDG Zig (by ComfortDelGro). We chosen 5 completely different pickup and drop-off places throughout Singapore and booked rides at varied instances of the day to see how every platform stacked up.

For apps the place no driver was discovered on the primary try, we tried as soon as extra. If each makes an attempt failed, we marked it as unsuccessful.

So, with out additional ado, listed here are the outcomes:

(Disclaimer: Testing was finished on a weekday, and fares proven exclude any prevailing promo codes/reductions. Driver particulars have additionally been omitted to guard their privateness.)

Round 7:30AM: Punggol to Grantral Mall, MacPherson

At about 7:30AM on a random Wednesday, I positioned experience bookings throughout all main platforms from house to work. Out of all of the apps, I solely managed to efficiently safe rides on Seize, Gojek, and Ryde.

When it comes to value, Geolah wasn’t dangerous—it was among the many extra reasonably priced choices. Sadly, affordability didn’t matter once I couldn’t truly get a experience.

Least expensive: TADA, Most Costly: Seize

Quickest: Ryde, Slowest: Gojek

Round 12PM: Grantral Mall, MacPherson to PLQ Mall

This time, I used to be capable of safe a experience on all platforms—save for Geolah.

Regardless of a number of makes an attempt, no drivers had been matched on the platform, leaving Geolah because the solely app that did not ship a reserving at this noon slot. To make issues worse, its pricing was the highest in comparison with all different apps, making it each unreliable and dear.

Least expensive: Ryde, Costliest: Geolah

Quickest: CDG Zig, Slowest: Ryde

Round 3PM: Ion Orchard to One Marina Boulevard

I lastly managed to safe a experience on Geolah at 3PM. The optimistic observe was that the experience was virtually matched immediately, displaying some enchancment in availability. Nevertheless, it was as soon as once more the priciest possibility in comparison with all different platforms.

Least expensive: CDG Zig, Costliest: Geolah

Quickest: Seize, Slowest: Geolah

Round 7PM: Grantral Mall, MacPherson to Bugis Junction

At 7:00 PM, I used to be capable of guide rides on all platforms besides Geolah, which once more did not match a driver. Its pricing was on the greater aspect, although not the most costly among the many apps examined.

Least expensive: TADA, Costliest: Gojek

Quickest: Gojek, Slowest: Ryde

Round 10:30PM: Bugis Junction to Clarke Quay Central

At 10:30PM, I managed to safe one other experience on Geolah, in addition to on all different platforms.

The pricing was cheap this time, but it surely took two reserving makes an attempt and I needed to look ahead to 18 minutes earlier than a driver was matched.

Least expensive: Ryde, Costliest: S$21.22

Quickest: Seize, Slowest: Gojek, CDG Zig

As soon as once more, getting a driver on Geolah was a battle

Out of the 5 time slots examined, I solely managed to efficiently guide a experience on Geolah twice—and for a type of, it took two reserving makes an attempt earlier than a driver was matched.

Regardless of its polished new interface, reliability stays a serious challenge for Geolah.

As well as, Geolah’s fares had been additionally among the many pricier choices throughout all 5 time slots—and in two cases, it was truly the most costly platform.

The expertise, general, was irritating: more often than not, there have been merely higher, sooner, and cheaper alternate options obtainable.

A troublesome promote in Singapore’s ride-hailing scene

It additionally appears to be like like many others have gone by way of an analogous expertise when reserving rides on Geolah.

The app presently holds a dismal 1.6-star score on the App Retailer and 1.7 stars on Google Play. Complaints vary from a clunky interface (although I didn’t encounter that challenge throughout my check) to the larger ache level of not with the ability to safe drivers in any respect.

Some customers additionally flagged the shortage of buyer assist choices when issues come up, vouchers that may’t be utilised, and fares that really feel unreasonably excessive.

As well as, drivers who’ve used the platform have raised their very own issues. Withdrawals include service charges, and drivers are required to pay a deposit earlier than they’ll even money out their earnings, although Geolah has claimed that they’ve eliminated the deposit price requirement.

Those that utilized to affix the platform additionally reported delays in getting their purposes confirmed, including one other layer of frustration.

All of those points make Geolah a tricky promote in Singapore’s extremely aggressive ride-hailing market. Riders have little purpose to stay with a platform that struggles to match them with drivers and infrequently expenses greater fares, whereas drivers face hurdles to earn and withdraw their revenue.

In Singapore, loyalty to a ride-hailing app is skinny, and established gamers like Seize and Gojek dominate as a result of they mix aggressive fares with dependable availability.

Newer entrants akin to TADA, CDG Zig and Ryde have additionally carved out small niches by providing both higher pricing, promotions, or specialised providers.

Geolah, regardless of its polished interface and bold guarantees, remains to be struggling to search out its place. Its greatest drawback stays a scarcity of drivers, which immediately impacts each availability and reliability. Whereas it’s going to inevitably take time for the platform to construct a crucial mass of drivers, this stays the important thing hurdle it should overcome.

And with no clear differentiator, it dangers remaining on the sidelines in a market the place riders can simply change apps on the slightest incentive.

Featured Picture Credit score: Geolah