5 free ridesharing apps for Android and iPhone

The strike of December 5 promises to wreak havoc among all those who are used to going to their place of work using public transport. To avoid this hassle, why not opt ​​for carpooling? This ecological, economical and very practical solution is gaining more and more workers and travelers.

A convincing alternative to public transport, the sharing of a vehicle between individuals is now facilitated by many companies in the collaborative economy that put drivers and passengers in touch. The various players in the sector are also doing everything to encourage public transport users who would be tempted to change their means of transport to opt for carpooling. Several of them offer a free round trip daily for users who have a subscription to a transport card such as Navigo.

The editorial team therefore surveyed mobile stores to present the five best carpooling applications available on Android and iPhone.

BlaBlaCar

We no longer present BlaBlaCar. Specializing in long-distance journeys, the platform is suitable for both drivers and passengers. Posting an advertisement is done in just a few seconds, with the possibility of personalizing the chosen route – stages, types of roads taken, number of places available. The application itself suggests the support rates that you can readjust if they seem too high or not enough to you (scale estimated at 0.41 € / km for five passengers, or approximately 0.08 € / km per passenger not including service charges).

Passengers can reserve one or more seats for a specific trip, in advance or at the last minute. The meeting point and time are fixed by the driver who undertakes to respect his part of the contract. To avoid unpleasant surprises, BlaBlaCar is based on a carpooler rating system, the profiles of which you can freely consult.

The +:
+ Long distance journeys
+ User rating system
+ Very active community
+ Great diversity of routes

The – :
– Does not manage proximity carpooling
– Very high BlaBlaCar commission

Download BlaBlaCar for Android (Free)
Download BlaBlaCar for iPhone (Free)

BlaBlaLines

For short distances, BlaBlaCar has a full-fledged application with BlaBlaLines. Deployed in three French agglomerations for the moment – Reims, Toulouse, Paris -, the service focuses on home-work trips, but also on short trips of all types. The carpools available for a trip are listed on a timeline for the day with the possibility of reserving a car on D + 2. The indicative times are to be confirmed with the driver who chooses a meeting point.

Unlike BlaBlaCar, BlaBlaLines does not manage payments. The passenger must pay for his seat in cash with the driver, before or after the trip. The prices indicated correspond to the tax scale and are free of commission charges.

The +:
+ Short journeys
+ Possibility to view all trips for the same day and to book on D + 2
+ No commission fees

The – :
– Too few agglomerations concerned
– No payment management

Download BlaBlaLines for Android (Free)
Download BlaBlaLines for iPhone (Free)

Karos

Karos focuses on short distance daily trips. Like an intelligent assistant, the application uses the geolocation of your device to learn about your movements and offer you relevant routes. Drivers and passengers meet halfway and leave at the end of the common route, without detours that penalize the driver.

Karos shows considerable flexibility. Drivers and passengers do not necessarily meet from one day to the next, the carpooling suggestions taking into account the hourly variations of each. The attractive prices applied by the app (0.10 € / km per passenger with a minimum of 1.50 € per trip) are free of commission fees. Ile-de-France residents who hold the Navigo Card even benefit from one free return trip per day. This option, currently being tested in Île-de-France, aims to cover other regions of France.

The +:
+ One round trip per day offered to Ile-de-France residents who have a Navigo Card
+ No commission retained
+ Flexibility of journeys
+ Possibility to save several trips as favorites

The – :
– Sends a lot of not always useful notifications despite disabling push messages in the application settings

Download Karos for Android (Free)
Download Karos for iPhone (Free)

Klaxit

Klaxit makes corporate carpooling its leitmotif. When you register, the app inquires about your workplace to put you in touch with already established sharing networks. If the company is not listed, it is still possible to use the service.

Klaxit takes your schedules into account to offer you relevant carpools, whether you are a driver or a passenger. You can refine the search results by indicating the type of atmosphere you want for your trips. Less flexible than Karos, the app only manages one daily round trip route. The fixed prices (0.10 € / km per passenger from the first kilometer) cover the estimated costs of the driver without the possibility of a flat-rate adjustment. Partner of the cities of Paris, Lyon, Lille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Grenoble, Nantes and Rennes, Klaxit offers two journeys per day to holders of associated transport cards.

The +:
+ One round trip per day offered to holders of a transport card in eight major cities in France
+ Create a corporate carpooling network
+ No commission retained
+ Possibility to organize all your carpools for the week in one go

The – :
– Not always flexible on the routes

Download Klaxit for Android (Free)
Download Klaxit for iPhone (Free)

YesHop ‘

Unlike its competitors, OuiHop ‘relies on the unexpected and connects pedestrians and drivers. The goal here is not to schedule daily routes, but to offer hitchhikers an efficient and secure platform. From your geographical position, the application displays the number of users present in real time as well as the routes of each. Pedestrians can virtually flag down a passing vehicle while drivers can manifest themselves to tired riders.

OuiHop ‘works by subscription and offers the first three journeys. For 2 € / month, it is possible to carpool unlimited as a passenger. Drivers pay nothing and are remunerated by a point system – the Hopiz – redeemable for vouchers that can be used on the motorway, in service stations, car parks, overhaul centers, and even for cultural activities.

The +:
+ Facilitates and secures hitchhiking
+ Ability to view the routes of all connected users

The – :
– Remuneration in Hopiz for drivers
– Passenger subscription not necessarily profitable depending on the number and duration of trips made

Download OuiHop ‘for Android (Free)
Download OuiHop ‘for iPhone (Free)