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When you hear the term “super app,” chances are your mind jumps to WeChat in China or Gojek in Indonesia — platforms that evolved beyond their roots to become digital ecosystems. But while many companies have tried and failed to replicate that magic globally, one challenger believes it has cracked the code: InDrive.
Best known for its unconventional ride-hailing model that lets passengers and drivers negotiate fares, InDrive is setting its sights far beyond cabs. The California-based company, which already operates in nearly 1,000 cities across 48 countries, has begun transforming into a full-fledged super app — starting with groceries.
Why Groceries and Why Kazakhstan?
InDrive’s first step into daily essentials is rolling out in Kazakhstan, where it now promises 15-minute grocery deliveries from a catalog of more than 5,000 items. Using a “dark store” model (dedicated fulfillment centers for online orders), the company has already seen strong traction: an impressive customer satisfaction score of 83% and an average of five orders per user per month.
The choice of Kazakhstan might surprise some, but there’s solid reasoning. Not only is it the largest economy in Central Asia, but InDrive also has a big operational footprint there, with its largest headcount and R&D base. The country’s tech ecosystem has grown dramatically in recent years, making it fertile ground for new digital services.
And while local grocery apps already exist, InDrive aims to win with affordability — hoping to become the “Aldi of online groceries,” accessible to cost-conscious households.
Building on Serious Momentum
This pivot doesn’t come from thin air. InDrive has clocked over 360 million app downloads and 6.5 billion transactions worldwide, making it the second most-downloaded ride-hailing app since 2022, just behind Uber. Its delivery arm alone handled 41 million orders in 2024, and the first half of 2025 shows even sharper growth.
As Andries Smit, InDrive’s chief growth business officer, put it: “If customers use you more frequently, they stay longer, they’re more valuable, and they’re just more loyal overall.”
Super Apps Are Tricky Business
Plenty of companies have dreamed of becoming a one-stop app for everything. Some, like Meta, tried and failed to expand beyond their core. Others, like Uber, leaned into food and freight with mixed results.
InDrive thinks its edge lies in serving markets and segments others often overlook — focusing on affordability, accessibility, and even AI-powered personalization. The company envisions services that not only deliver groceries but also make apps usable for people with lower literacy or disabilities.
To back this up, InDrive has already set aside a $100 million investment arm, with about a third committed to super-app experiments, including a stake in Pakistan’s grocery startup Krave Mart.
India Remains a Puzzle
While InDrive is making noise in Latin America, Central Asia, and parts of Africa, India has been more complicated. Despite competing directly with Uber, Ola, and Rapido, InDrive’s downloads have dipped by more than 20% year-over-year. Safety concerns and the challenges of its bidding system have also made adoption tricky.
Still, the company hasn’t given up. Instead, it’s zooming in on key cities and testing freight services while working to improve safety features and trust among users.
What’s Next in the Super App Playbook?
Beyond groceries, InDrive has ambitions to branch into financial services, micromobility, and even public transport integrations. In Brazil and Mexico, for example, drivers can already access small loans through the app. The plan is to extend similar offerings to passengers and small businesses too.
The long-term goal? To offer city-specific bundles of services tailored to local needs, whether that means affordable groceries, ride-hailing, or financial tools.
Can InDrive Pull It Off?
The odds are stacked — history shows super apps outside of Asia often stumble. But InDrive has a knack for thriving in frontier markets where global giants like Uber and Bolt haven’t always connected. By staying close to the needs of cost-conscious users and moving quickly into high-demand verticals, the company may just have a shot at making the super app dream work where others have failed.
One thing’s certain: if InDrive succeeds, it won’t just be about adding more buttons to an app. It’ll be about reshaping digital access for millions of people in emerging markets who need affordable, everyday solutions.
