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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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Is it worth paying for

Freenow by Lyft

45
Value score / 100 Worth paying? No Skip it

Freenow is a convenient app for hailing taxis in many European cities, offering quick pickups and often fixed prices, but users frequently report significant overcharges, hidden fees, and extremely poor customer support.

Free to download 4.8★ lifetime (51,473) since 2011

Freenow offers a convenient way to book taxis in Europe, with many users praising its efficiency and ease of use in cities like Rome, Athens, and Barcelona R1R5R17R24. However, a significant number of reviews highlight issues with deceptive pricing, including being charged double the meter fare or initial quote, and a lack of effective customer support for resolving these disputes R3R16R18R25.

Free vs paid

Freenow is a free app to download and use for booking taxis, with no explicit 'paid tier' or in-app purchases mentioned in the product description. Users pay per ride, but many reviews indicate that the final charge often exceeds the quoted price or the taxi meter, with additional service charges that are not clearly explained R3R16R18R35. There are no reported benefits for paying more, as the issues with overcharging and poor customer service affect all users.

Value complaints

  • Users are frequently charged significantly more than the quoted price or the taxi meter reading, sometimes double the expected fare.R3R16R18R25
  • Additional service charges and fees are often added to the bill without clear explanation.R35R14R268R762
  • Cancellation fees are applied even when drivers fail to show up or drive away from the passenger.R6R12R21
  • Drivers may start the meter before arriving at the pickup location, leading to higher initial charges.R760
  • Pre-booked rides or airport trips are often subject to overcharges or unexpected price changes.R2R8R30R55

Where it delivers

  • The app is generally easy to use and intuitive, especially for those familiar with other rideshare apps like Uber or Lyft.R13R38R46R48
  • Many users report fast, efficient, and courteous drivers, leading to pleasant ride experiences.R1R20R29R31
  • It is a great option for getting around in specific cities like Rome, Athens, and Barcelona, with good availability and quick pickups.R5R17R24R39
  • In some cases, prices are reported to be reasonable or even cheaper than other services, especially when a fixed price is honored.R46R72R90R95
Worth paying if

It is worth using Freenow if you are in cities like Rome or Athens where it consistently provides quick and reliable service at reasonable prices, and you are prepared to monitor the fare closely and potentially dispute charges R17R39R72R90.

Skip / stay free if

Skip Freenow if you are concerned about unpredictable pricing, hidden fees, or the potential for drivers to overcharge, as customer support is widely reported to be unresponsive for resolving such issues R2R3R6R8. Also, avoid it if you need reliable pre-booked rides or airport pickups, as these often fail or result in incorrect times R2R4R7R119.

Evidence note: The reviews show a significant split, with many positive experiences regarding driver quality and app functionality in specific locations, but an overwhelming number of negative experiences related to pricing discrepancies and non-existent customer support.

Frequently asked

Is Freenow reliable for pre-booked rides, especially for airports?
Freenow is generally unreliable for pre-booked rides and airport pickups, with multiple users reporting issues like drivers not showing up, pickup times being changed automatically to incorrect times, or cancellations without warning R2R4R7R119.
Does Freenow have good customer service for issues like overcharging?
Freenow has extremely poor customer service, with users reporting only automated responses, endless chatbot loops, and no human assistance or follow-up for serious issues like overcharging, fraud, or driver misconduct R2R6R8R12.
Are the prices quoted in the Freenow app accurate?
The prices quoted in the Freenow app are frequently inaccurate, with many users reporting being charged significantly more than the initial estimate or the taxi meter, sometimes double the expected fare R3R16R18R25.
Is Freenow a good alternative to Uber or Lyft in Europe?
Freenow can be a good alternative to Uber or Lyft in some European cities, particularly Rome, Athens, and Barcelona, where it offers quick taxi service and is easy to use R5R17R38R39. However, its reliability and pricing can be inconsistent compared to higher-quality services .

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R3] 1/5 · US Fair changed: Frustrating we booked with FreeNow for a price of 12.10 but driver charged us 21.00.
  2. [R16] 1/5 · US 2x fare: The fare on the meter was 12.20 eur and free now charged me 22 eur
  3. [R18] 1/5 · US Taxi meter does not match what you’re charged.: (Italy) Every ride we took, the amount I was charged was double what the taxi meter read. €9 ride? €20. €20 ride? €48. The price breakdown doesn’t actually break down the fare, it just notes the overall cost as “trip value,” and “intermediation cost,” with no additional information as to how they came to that number. I reached out to support through
  4. [R25] 1/5 · US Random up charge??!!: The app quotes $12 then charges $50 after the ride. It’s done it three times. For one ride - it charged me twice. Scam alert!
  5. [R35] 3/5 · US Added charges about service charge not explained: 5 euros added to bill above service charge. Should I switch to it taxi? I’m thinking so.
  6. [R14] 2/5 · US Don’t use in Ireland: If you use this in ireland be prepared to pay for 3 Euros fee plus artificially inflated cost for the ride. Try to hail a taxi if at all possible as they are then required to charge you what shows on the taximeter. 90 percent of the cabs won’t even start taximeter if u call them via freenow app and they charge you the max price show on the app. Don’t be fooled by the range sh
  7. [R268] 3/5 · GB Expensive: Very expensive for Black Cabs to many add ons after you have booked which are not made clear at time of booking and not displayed on the cab meter. Fare can be a lot more.
  8. [R762] 3/5 · AU App works but ...: Loading fee not transparent... (My driver was a nice chap)
  9. [R6] 1/5 · US Cancelation fee: After ordering a course and seeing the driver moving around and never getting any closer for 20min a 5 euro cancellation fee still applies to the button to cancel. Yes they will reimburse the fee but you don’t know when you click … So you don’t. Drivers are abusing this and Freenow does nothing to address the issue. The fee is by design, even after waiting 20min it shows up.
  10. [R12] 1/5 · US driver cancel sometime and charge $5: no where to complain and find help , I tried find support and no one every responded , asked for human assistance and then no more response.
  11. [R21] 1/5 · US Charges on cancellation: This App charges €5 even if you cancel the ride. The driver was driving away from me and I have waited for 12 minutes then I cancelled the ride and I was charged.
  12. [R760] 3/5 · AU Annoyed: Why is it the meter starts when the request for taxi is made that is totally unfair ... by the time the driver reached the meet is 4.80 euros... that's a total rip off
  13. [R2] 1/5 · US No customer service: I’ve tried 4 chats on 2 different days and email today with only automated responses. No support. I have pre-booked for pickup at Dublin Airport (3x) scheduled at 10:30AM. It has changed the pickup time every time to 5:30AM. The App says to book at the pickup local time which I have done but it keeps changing the time. What’s going on. We are traveling US to Ireland in 2 days.
  14. [R8] 1/5 · US The driver drive to the airport without us. Charge d 58 €: We were five minutes late when we get outdoor. I find the driver has gone to the airport. The app has no communication function. They charged me a full price. Be careful if you want to use this app.
  15. [R30] 1/5 · US Deceptive Pricing: I’ve used Freenow to get to and from DUB airport and every time the price quoted has closed out €20 over. Ridiculous set up and no real resolution
  16. [R55] 1/5 · US Charged almost double what was said: We pre booked a ride from the airport and it said it would be between 30-45 euros and in the end we were charged 69 euros.
  17. [R13] 4/5 · US Option for app: One thing that might be helpful is right before you hit confirm pickup, you can also review your time and date option. Other than that the app is easy to use and have enjoyed it.
  18. [R38] 5/5 · US Works well: Works like Lyft. The The GPS and ride assignment works better than the other taxi app I tried.
  19. [R46] 5/5 · US Dependable and Easy to Use!: It’s our first time in Barcelona! Upon arrival, the app appeared and was easy to access! Drivers are accessible and price is reasonable. Drivers were courteous and can speak English. Thanks!
  20. [R48] 5/5 · US App: App os easy to use and drivers are professional and courteous
  21. [R1] 5/5 · US So efficient: Every driver has been fast, efficient and courteous.
  22. [R20] 5/5 · US Thank you!: Very nice!
  23. [R29] 5/5 · US Prompt pickup...clean vehicle and pleasant driver.: I would use this app again. Lots of traffic but driver maneuvered through it well. We were dropped off a block before our destination due to "no vehicle " restrictions, but he gave us good directions. Love this app. Good driver.
  24. [R31] 5/5 · US Very Flexible: Great driver. Very flexible.
  25. [R5] 5/5 · US Great experience: Great experience in Barcelona and Rome, easy to find; in Nice was difficult
  26. [R17] 5/5 · US Great App - Must Have in Athens: This was amazing to have, and it allowed my family, and I had to travel flawlessly throughout the city on our four-day vacation.
  27. [R24] 5/5 · US Great service: Painless way to get around in Spain!
  28. [R39] 5/5 · US Great option in Rome to get around quickly: Good option in Rome especially when it’s not easy to walk around in the summer heat. I have been getting a ride in less than 5 minutes
  29. [R72] 5/5 · US In Italy - This App is Perfecto: In Rome specifically this has been the best app to easily travel around. You pay a fixed price and the taxis come in 1-2 minutes. It is so easy and perfect!!!
  30. [R90] 5/5 · US Legit App: This app is legit and professional. Gets me a taxi quick, and I pay through the app. It's just like Lyft and Uber in the States but with better prices
  31. [R95] 5/5 · US Great Taxi app in Greece: Great app. No need to hassle and the prices are cheaper than the usual meter
  32. [R4] 1/5 · US No driver showed up: One driver canceled. Other driver just sat for over 10 minutes and never cancelled or showed up.
  33. [R7] 1/5 · US Horrible service. No pick up. Scam.: Worst drive ever. We were waiting for our taxi and they never came to the pickup spot. For the cherry on top, they never gave me the option to call or text the driver! Do not use this app. It is genuinely horrible.
  34. [R119] 3/5 · US Prebooking doesn’t prebook!?: Very frustrating experience on vacation. We pre-booked a taxi for 8 AM the day before. The app says we will get driver details by 7:50 AM. At 8 AM we get a notification that all drivers are busy, but the app is “working hard to find us a driver. “ I canceled and walked 30 minutes instead.

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store