Taxi apps wage battle via rebates

Beijing residents are benefitting from the competition between taxi-hailing apps Didi Dache and Kuaidi Dache, which has made it possible for passengers to pay as little as 1 to 2 yuan for a trip costing the minimum fare of 13 yuan ($2.12), the Beijing Youth Daily reported.

On February 18, Didi Dache began offering a variable rebate (8-20 yuan) per journey to passengers who paid via WeChat. On February 25, Didi Dache adjusted the subsidy to 11 yuan, whereas Kuaidi Dache, which partners with Alipay and has claimed that its subsidy will always be one yuan higher than Didi Dache's, raised their instant rebate on cab fare to 12 yuan. An app user surnamed Yan in Haidian district said he welcomes such price competition because it benefits passengers.

Moreover, because taxi drivers' license numbers are recorded by the app, passengers can easily contact the driver if they accidentally leave their belongings in the vehicle.