inDrive Launches Ads and Groceries to Fuel Growth
Facing mounting pressure in an increasingly competitive ride-hailing landscape, inDrive is betting big on advertising and grocery delivery to drive its next phase of growth. The Mountain View–based mobility platform—known for its rider-driver fare negotiation model—is rolling out in-app ads across 20 key markets and launching grocery delivery in Pakistan as part of a broader “super app” strategy. These moves aim to reduce reliance on ride commissions, boost user engagement, and unlock higher-margin revenue streams in price-sensitive regions where every app open counts.
Why inDrive Is Going Beyond Rides
Ride-hailing margins have thinned globally, especially in emerging markets where users are highly cost-conscious and alternatives—from Uber to local rickshaws—are abundant. inDrive’s core appeal has always been affordability through its peer-to-peer bidding system, but that alone isn’t enough to sustain long-term growth. By layering in services like grocery delivery and digital advertising, the company hopes to transform from a transportation tool into a daily-use platform. The goal? Keep users opening the app multiple times a day—not just when they need a ride.
Advertising Rolls Out Across Key Emerging Markets
Starting in early 2026, inDrive has activated in-app advertising in top markets including Mexico, Colombia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Egypt, and Morocco. According to Andries Smit, the company’s Chief Growth Business Officer, pilot campaigns in mid-2025 generated hundreds of millions of impressions and attracted interest from global consumer brands and financial institutions. The timing couldn’t be better: with smartphone penetration surging in these regions, inDrive’s captive audience offers advertisers a rare blend of scale, attention, and contextual relevance.
High-Engagement Ad Placements Drive Early Success
Unlike traditional banner ads that get ignored, inDrive’s ad inventory appears during high-engagement moments—like the wait after booking a ride or during the trip itself. “These are moments when users are already focused on their screens,” Smit told TechCrunch. “They’re not scrolling past; they’re waiting, often looking at their driver’s ETA or route.” That built-in attention makes inDrive’s ad slots unusually valuable, especially compared to noisy social feeds where ad fatigue is rampant. Initial data suggests strong click-through and viewability rates, encouraging further investment in ad tech infrastructure.
On-Car Ads Are on Hold—for Now
While inDrive has explored physical advertising—such as branded wraps on vehicles—the company plans to hold off on large-scale deployment through 2026. Smit cited logistical hurdles in emerging markets, from inconsistent vehicle standards to regulatory gray zones. “Digital gives us cleaner data, faster iteration, and better control,” he explained. For now, the focus remains on perfecting in-app formats before expanding into more complex, real-world integrations that could complement—but not replace—the digital backbone.
Grocery Delivery Targets Pakistan’s Digital Boom
In parallel, inDrive is launching grocery delivery in Pakistan, a market with over 240 million people and rapidly growing e-commerce adoption. The service will leverage inDrive’s existing driver network, turning idle ride time into delivery opportunities. This isn’t just about convenience—it’s strategic. Grocery orders happen far more frequently than rides, meaning users may open the app several times a week instead of once or twice. That frequency builds habit, which in turn strengthens retention and cross-service usage.
The Super App Play in Emerging Economies
inDrive’s pivot mirrors strategies seen in Asia, where apps like Grab and Gojek evolved from transport into financial services, food delivery, and more. But unlike those players, inDrive is building its super app from the ground up in markets where digital ecosystems are still fragmented. That gives it a unique advantage: fewer entrenched competitors in adjacent verticals and greater room to shape user behavior. If successful, inDrive could become the go-to mobile hub for everyday needs in dozens of countries.
Balancing Monetization and User Experience
One risk looms large: ad overload. Users tolerate ads when they’re relevant and unobtrusive—but resentment builds fast if the experience feels cluttered. inDrive says it’s taking a measured approach, capping ad frequency and prioritizing quality over quantity. “We’re not chasing short-term revenue at the cost of trust,” Smit emphasized. Early user feedback from test markets has been positive, suggesting the current balance strikes the right chord between monetization and usability.
Competition Heats Up Beyond Transportation
Uber and Bolt have also dabbled in multi-service models, but inDrive’s grassroots negotiation model gives it a cultural edge in markets where haggling is normal and fixed pricing feels rigid. That local fluency could prove decisive as it layers on new features. Moreover, by focusing first on high-frequency, low-complexity services like groceries—not banking or insurance—inDrive avoids overreaching while still deepening engagement.
What This Means for inDrive’s Future
If advertising and grocery delivery gain traction, inDrive could significantly improve its unit economics. Ride commissions typically yield thin margins, but digital ads offer near-zero marginal cost at scale, and grocery delivery—while operationally heavier—builds habitual usage that boosts lifetime value. Together, they form a virtuous cycle: more services → more opens → more ad views → more revenue → better driver incentives → stronger ride network.
A Calculated Bet on Daily Utility
At its core, inDrive’s expansion isn’t just about new revenue—it’s about relevance. In a world where app stores are crowded and attention spans are short, becoming indispensable is the ultimate competitive moat. By embedding itself into users’ daily routines—whether they’re booking a ride, checking an ad for a new phone, or ordering lentils for dinner—inDrive is positioning itself not as a transit option, but as a lifestyle platform. And in emerging markets hungry for integrated digital solutions, that could be the winning formula.
As 2026 unfolds, all eyes will be on Pakistan and other test markets to see whether inDrive’s dual-pronged strategy translates into sustained growth. Early signals are promising, but execution will be everything. One thing is clear: the era of single-purpose ride apps is fading. The future belongs to platforms that solve more problems—and inDrive is racing to get there first.
