Ride-hailing platform inDrive ended 2025 with the Philippines becoming one of its most dynamic markets in Southeast Asia, posting sharp gains in rides, passengers and active drivers.
Now on its second year of operations in the country, inDrive said the Philippines’ share of its Southeast Asia business grew by 13 percentage points compared to 2024 — one of the largest increases among the six countries where it operates in the region.
Executives described the local market as “high-growth” and driven largely by strong demand from both passengers and drivers seeking alternatives to dominant incumbents.
The company reported an eight-fold increase in completed rides and seven times more passengers compared to the previous year.
While it did not disclose absolute numbers, the spike reflects expanding demand as the app moved into seven urban centers across the country: Metro Manila, Cebu, Baguio, Bacolod, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro and Butuan.
As of October 2025, inDrive had 16,000 active partner drivers, nearly doubling the 13,000 recorded at the end of 2024.
The company is targeting around 20,000 drivers by year-end, a growth trajectory it says remains on track.
Metro Manila continues to account for most of the volume, but inDrive expects Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo and Baguio to become key expansion areas in 2026 as it shifts more operational focus to regional centers where it believes passengers and drivers are underserved.
inDrive attributed much of its growth to its low 10-percent commission rate, significantly lower than the industry’s 20- to 25-percent standard.
The company said this has helped recruit more drivers while giving passengers a cheaper option.
It also cited its recruitment caravans, intensified holiday-season incentives and the LTFRB’s recent release of 18,000 additional TNVS slots as factors supporting its rapid expansion.
Safety upgrades played a major role in 2025, with the app adding an emergency button connecting users directly to law enforcement, strengthened in-app and email support, improved trip-sharing features, and better mapping accuracy beginning in Baguio.
The company said it is rolling out additional AI-driven monitoring tools to detect unsafe passenger or driver behavior in real time.
Partnerships also helped widen its footprint. inDrive worked with the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange to improve mobility for commuters passing through the busy transport hub, handled around 3,000 rides during the Undas travel rush, and collaborated with fleet partners in Baguio to deploy what it calls the first regional electric vehicle ride-hailing fleet in the country.
It is also working with the Department of Health to implement a 100 percent smoke- and vape-free ride program, and with Tesda and the PNP Highway Patrol Group to strengthen driver onboarding and road safety training.
The platform is preparing to expand into two more cities next year, though it declined to name them pending further feasibility assessments.
Discussions are ongoing with airport management regarding future access to arrival areas, something the company hopes to secure by 2026.
inDrive is also seeking a courier service license as it eyes growth in deliveries, with a possible rollout by early 2026.
Motorcycle taxi services remain off the table for now while the TWG maintains its moratorium on new entrants.
Asked whether inDrive could eventually challenge Grab’s dominance, executives downplayed comparisons, saying the priority is to continue improving service quality for both drivers and passengers.
They noted, however, that the company is encouraged by the pace of its growth and expects strong momentum to continue into 2026.
“The growth we’ve seen in 2025 has been very aggressive,” said inDrive PH business development head Sofia Guinto. “The market wants more options, and that is what is driving our expansion in the Philippines.”
