Launched in 2011 in London, Citymapper began as a transport app. Since then, it has expanded to over 80 cities worldwide, including New York, Paris and Tokyo. The multi-modal app that provides real-time transport information has just passed a huge milestone that could well shake the giants of Silicon Valley…
News that will make people happy
For many years, Citymapper offered a premium business model, materialized by two offers, Club and Club+, at €29.99 and €99.99 per year respectively. These premium offers provide access to certain features, such as real-time alerts on delays and service interruptions. However, this has recently changed, with the announcement that the application will be completely free.
Citymapper’s decision to become entirely free was made for several reasons. Firstly, the company has seen continued growth in its user base, which means that it is able to generate enough revenue from advertising to cover its costs. In addition, the company recognized that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on people’s travel, so it decided to make it as easy as possible for users of the application to travel.
Citymapper a master stroke
This decision to make Citymapper completely free is a great benefit for users of the app, as they now have access to all the features without having to pay, which is good news for people who use the app regularly. The free nature of the app should also attract new users, who can now discover and use Citymapper without having to make a financial commitment. That’s quite a feat considering that the app has already been adopted by several million users and that many prefer it to Google Maps or Apple Plan.
However, CityMapper will continue to rely on its advertising system to generate revenue. An ad-free subscription of €1.49 per month is being launched. For Club customers, three months without ads are offered, before the flat rate is automatically applied.
The additional features the company has added over the years already make the app invaluable for people who rely on public transport. Now that the app is completely free, it should overshadow Google and Apple who will now face a competitor with great potential…
