Top 10 Best Taxi Apps In New York 2026

Finding the best taxi apps in New York in 2026 means choosing between two very different worlds: the app-based ride-hail giants that now carry the bulk of the city's for-hire vehicle trips, and the licensed yellow-cab tools that still put meter-regulated cabs in your hand. We ranked the ten best taxi apps in New York for 2026 using a mix of market-share estimates from New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) trip data, current App Store and Google Play ratings, TLC licensing status, and real-world coverage across all five boroughs.

Price transparency carried weight in our scoring, which is why fixed-fare and shared-ride services earned strong positions. So did reliability during peak demand, accessibility features, and how each app handles airport runs to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA). We also factored in driver-side economics, since a platform that treats drivers poorly tends to produce thinner coverage and longer waits over time.

One note on scope: New York's market differs sharply from the rest of the country because yellow taxis remain a regulated, meter-based option that ride-hail apps can't legally replicate. That's why Curb and Arro sit alongside Uber and Lyft here rather than being treated as afterthoughts. Our ranking reflects that dual reality, and every app below holds the required TLC license to operate in the city as of 2026.

Here Are The Top 10 Best Taxi Apps In New York 2026:

1. Uber

Uber remains the default ride-hail app in New York, and the numbers back it up. The platform accounts for roughly 70% or more of New York City for-hire vehicle trip volume, according to TLC trip-record patterns, and it holds a 4.7-star average rating across iOS and Android in 2026. No competitor comes close to that combination of share and satisfaction scores.

The product lineup covers the full range of needs: UberX for everyday trips, Uber Comfort for newer cars and extra legroom, Uber Black for professional drivers in high-end vehicles, and UberX Share for riders willing to split a trip to save money. Upfront pricing means you see the fare before you confirm, though surge multipliers still apply during peak demand.

Safety infrastructure is where Uber's maturity shows. The app includes a direct emergency button that connects to 911 with trip details, live trip sharing with contacts, and 24/7 in-app support. For airport runs, the driver pool is deep enough that JFK and LaGuardia pickups rarely require long waits, even at odd hours.

Coverage extends into the outer boroughs, though riders in eastern Queens, Staten Island, and parts of the Bronx will notice longer pickup estimates than in Manhattan. That's a citywide reality for all ride-hail apps, not an Uber-specific flaw. For most New Yorkers, Uber is the app that works when nothing else does.

2. Lyft

Lyft holds roughly 20% to 25% of the NYC for-hire vehicle market and carries a 4.6-star app rating in 2026. As Uber's primary competitor, it offers standard rides, XL for groups, Lux for premium vehicles, and shared options. The service is fully TLC-licensed and covers all five boroughs.

Pricing is Lyft's strongest card. Riders regularly report lower surge multipliers than Uber during high-demand windows, particularly in Brooklyn and Queens. The trade-off is wait time: in busy areas, Lyft pickups can run a few minutes longer than Uber because the driver network is smaller.

Lyft has also leaned into integration. The app connects with Curb for yellow-cab hailing and surfaces transit options alongside ride requests, which makes it more useful as a multi-modal tool than its rival. Driver-friendly policies have earned it goodwill in the local driver community, and that shows up in service quality over time. For riders who want a credible alternative to Uber without sacrificing coverage, Lyft is the obvious second call.

3. Curb

Curb is the official app for New York's yellow taxis, connecting riders to licensed medallion drivers rather than ride-hail vehicles. The network reaches more than 100,000 licensed NYC yellow taxi drivers, and the app holds a 4.5-star rating in 2026. For anyone who wants an authentic cab experience with regulated pricing, this is the app.

The key advantage is fare structure. Curb uses meter-based pricing, which means no surge multipliers, ever. You get an upfront estimate before you confirm, and the meter runs as it would on the street. In Manhattan, where yellow cabs are abundant, Curb's street-hail matching feature can flag a nearby cab in seconds.

Curb is especially useful at taxi stands and during events when ride-hail surge pricing spikes. In-app payment means you don't need to worry about card readers or cash. The main limitation is geographic: yellow cab density thins out in the outer boroughs, so Curb works best in Manhattan and at the airports, where the taxi queue is a fixture. For regulated, predictable fares, nothing else in this ranking matches it.

4. Via

Via built its New York business on shared-ride technology, and the pricing reflects it. Base fares for shared "corner-to-corner" rides start around $4 to $6, a fraction of what a solo ride-hail trip costs. The service covers all five boroughs and holds full TLC licensing.

The model works by pooling passengers heading in similar directions. You walk to a nearby corner rather than getting door-to-door service, and the algorithm handles the rest. For commuters on fixed routes, the savings are substantial. Via also runs wheelchair-accessible service through its partnership with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which makes it one of the few budget options with genuine accessibility built in.

Via's dispatch technology also powers accessible taxi service in the city, a detail that matters for riders with mobility needs who've historically struggled to book wheelchair-accessible vehicles through mainstream apps. The trade-off is flexibility: shared rides take longer and require walking, so Via isn't the right call for time-sensitive trips. For cost-conscious riders and accessible-transport users, it's the strongest option in the city.

5. Revel

Revel runs a 100% electric ride-hail fleet of Tesla and Kia EVs in New York, with more than 1,000 drivers as of 2026. The company's network of fast-charging "Revel Superhubs" supports the fleet and is gradually opening to the public. For riders who want to cut emissions without paying a premium, Revel is the standout choice.

Pricing is competitive, and Revel actively aims to undercut Uber and Lyft on many routes. Upfront fares are standard, and the app is fully TLC-compliant. Coverage has expanded across boroughs, though availability is still concentrated in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.

Revel's growth story is one of the more interesting in the local market. The company started as a moped-sharing service before pivoting to electric cabs, and the EV-only model gives it a distinct identity in a crowded field. Wait times can run longer than the majors in low-demand areas, but the environmental case and competitive fares make it a genuine alternative rather than a novelty.

6. Arro

Arro is a yellow-taxi hailing app that connects to more than 50,000 NYC yellow taxis, with a 4.2-star rating in 2026. Like Curb, it lets riders pay medallion cabs via phone, track trips, and estimate fares using the official meter. It partners directly with the taxi industry, giving drivers app-based hailing without ride-hail commission structures.

The experience is straightforward: request a cab, get matched to a licensed driver, and pay through the app. Fare estimates use the official meter rate, so there's no surge pricing to worry about. Arro's smaller user base means fewer riders competing for cabs, which can actually speed up matching in some neighborhoods.

Arro functions best as a backup to Curb. If Curb isn't matching quickly or you're in an area where taxi density is high, Arro is a reliable second option. The app lacks some of the polish of the ride-hail giants, and its driver network, while substantial, trails Curb's. For taxi loyalists who want a no-surge, meter-based ride, though, it does the job.

7. Gett

Gett focuses on pre-booked, fixed-price black car and taxi rides, with a 4.3-star rating in 2026. The service is popular with corporate accounts and airport transfers because it emphasizes reliability and no-surge pricing for scheduled trips. Its fleet consists of licensed professional drivers, which makes it a favorite for business travelers who need a car waiting at a specific time.

This isn't an on-demand hailing app in the Uber sense. Gett is built around scheduling: you book ahead, you get a fixed fare, and the car shows up. For early-morning JFK runs or client pickups where timing matters more than flexibility, that model works well.

The trade-off is spontaneity. If you need a ride in five minutes, Gett isn't the tool. If you need a car at 5:15 a.m. tomorrow with a fare you already know, it's one of the better options in the city. Corporate accounts get additional billing and reporting features that make expense management simpler.

8. Juno

Juno is a New York-based ride-hailing app that has historically offered lower driver commissions and rider perks. It provides standard ride-hailing with upfront pricing and TLC-licensed drivers, and it remains a viable alternative to the majors, particularly in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

The company's driver-friendly model was its original selling point, and that reputation still carries weight in the local driver community. Fares are competitive, and the app handles the basics well: upfront pricing, in-app payment, and trip tracking.

Juno's network is smaller than Uber's or Lyft's, which means longer waits in some areas and thinner coverage in the outer boroughs. But for riders who want a genuine local alternative and are willing to trade a few minutes of wait time for it, Juno delivers. It's the kind of app that works reliably in core neighborhoods and requires a backup plan elsewhere.

9. Empower

Empower operates on a tips-based model: drivers set their own rates and keep roughly 100% of the fare, with riders paying a small booking fee on top. The app has expanded its NYC presence in 2026 as a lower-cost, driver-centric alternative to the commission-heavy majors.

The pricing structure is genuinely different from anything else on this list. Because drivers keep the full fare, Empower can often undercut Uber and Lyft on comparable routes, and drivers have more incentive to accept trips. Riders pay the driver's rate plus the booking fee, which is transparent in the app.

Availability is the weak point. Empower's driver coverage is thinner than the top apps, so wait times can stretch in low-demand areas or during off-peak hours. It works best as a price-check tool: open it alongside Uber and Lyft, compare fares, and book whichever wins. For riders willing to plan around coverage gaps, the savings are real.

10. Moovit

Moovit is primarily a transit app, with more than 1 billion users globally, but it includes taxi and ride-hailing integration that lets New Yorkers compare subway, bus, and cab options in one place. It provides real-time NYC transit data and links out to taxi apps for last-mile trips.

The value here is planning rather than dispatch. Moovit shows you whether a subway plus a short cab ride beats a direct ride-hail trip on both time and cost. For tourists and commuters navigating unfamiliar routes, that comparison is genuinely useful.

Moovit doesn't dispatch taxis itself. It's a companion tool that connects you to the apps that do. That's why it sits at #10 rather than higher: it's the best multi-modal trip planner in the city, but it's not a standalone taxi dispatcher. Used alongside Curb or Uber, it rounds out a complete New York transit toolkit.

The right app depends on the trip. For fast, reliable pickups anywhere in the city, Uber's market share and driver depth make it the safest default. For lower surge pricing and a credible alternative, Lyft is the obvious second install. Riders who want regulated, meter-based fares should keep Curb on their home screen, with Arro as a backup.