Careem is one of the most popular ride hailing and super app companies in the Middle East, South Asia, and North Africa region. Since its launch in 2012, Careem has transformed from a simple ride booking platform into a full scale business group with multiple services including food delivery, grocery delivery, bike rides, digital payments, restaurant ordering, and corporate mobility solutions. In 2025, Careem is not only a brand, it is a large technology ecosystem that helps millions of users every day. In this guide, we will look at how Careem grew as a business group, what services it offers, and who are its main competitors in the market.
What is Careem Business Group
Careem began with a mission to simplify travel and make transportation easier in countries where public transport was not well developed. Today it has become a super app that covers almost every daily need. It was acquired by Uber in 2019, but Careem continues to operate independently in many regions and still maintains a strong local brand identity. Careem is now expanding into fintech, digital wallets, on demand services, and logistics. Careem Pay is becoming popular as a digital wallet service, Careem Food competes with major food delivery apps, and Careem Plus gives membership benefits. The business model of Careem is built on solving real local problems with easy technology.
Major Services Offered by Careem in 2025
Careem Ride Hailing Services for cars, bikes, and rickshaws in multiple countries.
Careem Food Delivery service that connects customers to restaurants.
Careem Grocery Delivery connecting supermarkets and stores.
Careem Pay digital wallet for payments, recharges, and transfers.
Careem Express for courier and parcel shipping.
Careem Corporate for employee transportation services.
By offering these services inside one mobile app, Careem has grown into a digital lifestyle platform similar to Grab in Southeast Asia.
Why Careem is Successful in the Middle East
Careem understands local culture and user behavior better than global competitors. Many countries in the Middle East and Pakistan prefer cash on delivery or cash payments only. Careem accepted cash rides very early, which helped people trust the app. Careem also supports local languages and local payment methods. It builds strong partnerships with restaurants, supermarkets, and fuel stations which improves convenience for users. Most importantly, Careem hires local talent and promotes local startup partnerships which gives it strong brand loyalty.
Careem’s Competitive Strengths
Trust and brand recognition in its active countries.
Strong presence in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Jordan, Qatar, Iraq, Egypt.
Multiple services under one app which increases retention.
Local market understanding gives pricing advantage.
Financial support due to Uber acquisition.
Careem Business Challenges
Increasing competition in food delivery and ride hailing.
Operational costs keep rising.
Local rules and government regulations change frequently.
Competitors offer big discounts which affects market share.
Demand is seasonal in some countries.
Even with challenges, Careem continues to innovate.
Top Competitors of Careem in 2025
Uber
Uber is the global ride hailing giant and the parent company of Careem but in some countries, Uber still operates separately and competes directly for customers. Uber has strong global brand value and high scale experience. Uber also runs Uber Eats for food delivery in many markets but in some Middle East regions, Uber Eats exited and Careem Food took over.
Talabat
Talabat is one of the biggest food delivery apps in the Gulf region. It has strong presence in UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman. It focuses mainly on food delivery and restaurant partnerships. Talabat is owned by Delivery Hero which is a global food delivery group.
Deliveroo
Deliveroo competes strongly in UAE and some GCC countries. Deliveroo is well known for premium restaurants, fast delivery, and excellent user experience. Deliveroo attracts higher income customers in cities like Dubai.
InDriver
InDriver is a global ride hailing app originally from Russia. It allows customers to negotiate the ride fare with drivers. InDriver is becoming popular in Pakistan, Egypt, and some African markets where people prefer bargaining. This unique pricing model makes it a strong competitor for Careem.
Bolt
Bolt is a fast growing ride hailing platform from Europe. Bolt focuses on offering lower prices and expanding aggressively in developing markets. Bolt competes with Careem in ride hailing and courier services.
Lyft (Indirect Competitor)
Lyft does not operate in the Middle East or Pakistan region directly but it is still a competitor indirectly in the global ride hailing industry. Lyft influences industry trends, innovation, business models, and pricing strategies. Many investors compare Careem’s growth with Lyft’s growth.
Noon and Amazon
Noon and Amazon compete indirectly with Careem in grocery and quick commerce. Careem Grocery competes with Noon Minutes and Amazon Fresh in the UAE. Quick grocery delivery is becoming a big opportunity, so this competition will grow stronger.
Foodpanda
Foodpanda is a direct competitor of Careem Food in Pakistan. It offers food delivery, grocery delivery, and retail ordering. It runs heavy discount campaigns to capture more users. Because Pakistan is one of Careem’s strongest markets, the competition between Careem Food and Foodpanda is intense.
Local Taxi Apps and Government Apps
In Dubai, there is the Dubai Taxi app, and in many countries there are locally controlled government transport apps. These apps offer taxi booking services with official pricing. They are slowly improving technology and giving competition to private ride hailing apps.
Careem Future Growth Opportunities
Careem can grow in digital payments through Careem Pay. It can also expand partnerships with banks, restaurants, supermarkets, and logistics companies. Careem Plus membership can drive repeat usage. Careem can also expand into healthcare appointments, bill payments, and other daily service bookings inside the app. This super app direction will help Careem defend its market position.
Final Conclusion
Careem Business Group is one of the most powerful technology platforms in the Middle East, South Asia, and North Africa region. It built a trusted ride hailing brand and then expanded into food delivery, grocery delivery, and digital payments. Careem understands its local users which is its biggest strength. However, it faces strong competition from Talabat, InDriver, Foodpanda, Deliveroo, Bolt, Noon, and many local government apps. In 2025, the battle for super app dominance will continue. The winner will be the company which gives maximum convenience, fastest delivery, lowest price, and best technology experience. Careem is well positioned and will continue to grow by expanding services inside one ecosystem.