LibreTaxi
@libretaxi_bot
FreeOfficialENRUES
An open-source, commission-free ride service that lives inside Telegram, a passenger posts where they are going and nearby drivers answer with their own price, settled in cash between the two of them.
Key features
- Matches passenger and driver directly in Telegram, with no dispatcher in between
- The fare is negotiated by the two sides and paid in cash
- No service commission, free for drivers and passengers alike
- Full source code published on GitHub
- Interface in English, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese and Indonesian
What LibreTaxi does
LibreTaxi is an open-source answer to ride-hailing apps that runs entirely inside Telegram. Instead of a dispatch algorithm and a service fee, it does one thing: it puts a passenger and a nearby driver in touch. The passenger shares a location and a destination, drivers in the area see the request, and whoever is interested replies with a price. The two sides agree on the fare themselves and settle it in cash at the end of the trip.
That design is deliberate. The project was started in 2016 by developer Roman Pushkin as a free alternative to Uber and Lyft, and libretaxi.org is explicit that no money is taken from either side: the app is free for drivers and for passengers. The full source code is published on GitHub, so anyone can read how requests and locations are handled, or run the code themselves.
The trade-off is that LibreTaxi is only as useful as the number of people using it around you. There is no fleet, no driver vetting, no in-app payment and no dispute process, everything rests on a direct agreement between two people. The interface works in English, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese and Indonesian.
How to start
- Open @libretaxi_bot in Telegram and send /start
- Pick your language and share your location
- Choose a role, passenger looking for a ride or driver taking orders
- Send the trip request and agree the price with whoever replies
Pricing and limits
Free Free for drivers and passengers with no limit on rides, you pay only the fare agreed with the driver, in cash.
Pros / Cons
- Free with no service commission on either side
- Open source, the code can be read on GitHub
- Interface available in five languages
- Useful only where enough drivers nearby already use the bot
- No driver vetting, no in-app payment and no dispute handling
- No monthly-user count shown on the Telegram profile
Alternatives
Compare LibreTaxi with
Score breakdown
| Criterion | Weight | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Functionality | 25 | 6 / 10 | |
| Reliability & speed | 15 | 5 / 10 | |
| Popularity & trust | 15 | 3 / 10 | |
| Price & free tier | 10 | 10 / 10 | |
| Usability | 10 | 7 / 10 | |
| Safety & privacy | 10 | 6 / 10 | |
| Freshness | 5 | 4 / 10 | |
| Localization | 5 | 10 / 10 | |
| No intrusive ads | 5 | 8 / 10 | |
| Score | 100 | 61.0 |
FAQ
Who decides how much the ride costs?
The driver and the passenger agree it between themselves, the bot does not calculate a fare and does not take a cut.
Is it really free?
Yes, libretaxi.org states that no money is taken for using the service, you only pay the agreed fare in cash to the driver.
Will it work in my city?
Only if drivers around you already use the bot, there is no fleet of its own, so coverage depends entirely on local users.
Technical details
- Inline mode
- Mini App
- Works in groups
- Works in channels
- Accepts voice
- Accepts files
- Requires phone number
- Requires registration
- Shows ads
