Hackney

What it does

Hackney is a mobile app that aggregates real-time pricing and wait times from multiple ride-hailing services in a single interface. Users enter a destination, then see prices and availability from Uber, Lyft, Waymo, Tesla Robotaxi, Curb, and Empower displayed together. Once a user selects a provider, the app deeplinks to that service's native app with the route already filled in, completing the booking there.

Who it is for

The app targets riders in markets where multiple ride-hailing options exist. It appeals to price-conscious travelers who want to avoid surge pricing and compare options without opening six different apps. Riders can save favorite locations to speed up repeated trips.

Pricing

The site does not show prices.

How it stands out

Hackney works by reverse-engineering the mobile apps of ride-hailing services to understand how they fetch pricing from their servers. The app collects credentials from users for the services they already use, then queries pricing directly. The creator claims the app operates client-side with phone-side storage and keeps login credentials private. By deepinking to native apps rather than handling payments itself, Hackney avoids becoming a payment intermediary.

The comparison format addresses a real friction point: riders currently must check multiple apps independently to find the cheapest option. Centralizing that view could save time on every trip.

What a founder should check

First, verify the durability of the reverse-engineering approach. Ride-hailing companies actively update their APIs and mobile apps, which could break Hackney's ability to fetch live prices. These platforms have financial incentive to block third-party access. Check whether the creator has a plan for maintaining compatibility as services change, or if this remains a game of constant repair.

Second, confirm switching costs and network effects for users. Ride-hailing loyalty is weak today—people already use multiple apps—but switching to Hackney still requires giving it login credentials to each service. Test whether the convenience of one interface outweighs privacy concerns around storing multiple credentials, even client-side.

Third, examine the unit economics of the arbitrage. Hackney captures no transaction fees from bookings since users complete purchases in the native apps. Revenue model viability is unclear. A competitor could theoretically negotiate affiliate relationships with ride services or charge a subscription, but those moves might conflict with the current positioning as a pure comparison tool.