About Hackney: Compare Rideshares
I’m the kind of person who opens both Uber and Lyft to check prices before booking a ride, which is a clunky, time-consuming habit. That’s why I was so eager to try Hackney. It’s a free app that does that comparison work for you in one place. After using it for my daily commute, weekend outings, and even a last-minute airport run, I can say it’s become my essential first step before ordering any ride. It cuts out the guesswork and puts all the options side-by-side instantly.
Features & Highlights
The core feature is, of course, the real-time price comparison. I’d enter my destination, and within seconds, I’d see a clear list showing UberX, Lyft Standard, and sometimes other services like local taxis if available, with their ETAs and prices. The price difference isn’t always huge, but I was surprised how often one service was $3-$5 cheaper for the exact same trip. The integrated map is a game-changer; I could actually see where the nearest cars for each service were clustered, which helped explain wait time differences. I also relied on the user ratings filter to avoid drivers with consistently low scores, which is a peace-of-mind feature the individual apps don’t make easy to prioritize.
User Experience
My real “aha” moment came on a rainy Friday evening. I was leaving a downtown area, and surge pricing was in effect everywhere. I opened Hackney, and while both apps showed high prices, Lyft was quoting $28 and Uber was at $34. Seeing them right next to each other made the choice a no-brainer. Another time, I was in a quieter suburb. Uber showed a 10-minute wait, but Hackney revealed a Lyft driver just around the corner with a 2-minute ETA. The app doesn’t book the ride for you—it deep-links you to the chosen rideshare app—but that one extra tap is worth the savings and better info. The interface is clean and doesn’t feel cluttered, which is impressive given how much data it’s presenting.
Pricing
The app is completely free to download and use. There are no subscription fees or in-app purchases. Hackney makes money through affiliate links when you book through the app, which is a standard and fair model. For me, the value is undeniable. The money I saved in my first week of testing alone made it more than worth the download. You’re not paying with money, just a sliver of screen space on your phone.
Updates & Support
During my testing period, the app updated once, adding support for a regional taxi service in my city, which was a nice surprise. I had one minor glitch where a price didn’t refresh. I used the in-app support chat, and I got a helpful, non-automated reply within a few hours walking me through a cache reset. It wasn’t 24/7 instant support, but it was effective and polite, which is all I can ask for from a free utility app.
Security & Privacy
I downloaded Hackney directly from the official Google Play Store. The app requires location access (obviously) and will ask to connect to your Uber/Lyft accounts to show your ride history and payment methods if you want that feature. I chose not to link accounts and it worked perfectly fine for comparisons. Their privacy policy states they collect usage data for analytics but don’t sell personal data to third parties. I did see occasional non-intrusive banner ads for other travel apps within Hackney, which is how they keep the lights on. It’s a reasonable trade-off for the service provided.