TL;DR
inDrive is rolling out in-app advertising across its top 20 markets after mid-2025 tests and is scaling grocery delivery in Pakistan through a partnership with Krave Mart. The moves form part of a broader 'super app' push to reduce dependence on ride commissions and increase user engagement in price-sensitive markets.
What happened
inDrive has begun broadening its business beyond ride-hailing by launching advertising across its top 20 markets and ramping up grocery delivery in Pakistan. The ad rollout follows mid-2025 trials that produced hundreds of millions of impressions and attracted interest from consumer brands and banks; initial ad placements will focus on in-app moments such as the wait period after booking and during trips, with in-car and on-vehicle ads pushed to a longer-term roadmap. Grocery delivery is expanding in Pakistan through a partnership and investment in local dark-store operator Krave Mart. The grocery service will start in Karachi with 20–30 minute delivery windows and plans to add Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi later in the year, offering more than 7,500 products, free delivery on orders above PKR 499 and no service fees. The strategy aligns with inDrive’s aim to grow higher-frequency services and diversify revenue while leveraging its scale in emerging markets.
Why it matters
- Advertising can provide a higher‑margin revenue stream that scales with app usage and engagement.
- Grocery delivery increases user frequency, creating more opportunities for cross‑selling and contextual ads.
- Diversification reduces dependence on ride commissions in competitive, price‑sensitive markets.
- Investing in Pakistan signals a willingness to deploy capital where others are cautious, potentially unlocking local growth.
Key facts
- Ad rollout covers inDrive’s top 20 markets, including Mexico, Colombia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Egypt and Morocco.
- Mid‑2025 ad tests delivered hundreds of millions of impressions and drew interest from global brands and banks.
- Initial ad inventory will be in‑app (waiting period and while passengers are en route); in‑car/on‑vehicle ads are planned later.
- Grocery delivery in Pakistan is being scaled via a partnership with Krave Mart, an operator that received inDrive investment in December 2024.
- Grocery launch will begin in Karachi with 20–30 minute delivery times, then expand to Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi later this year.
- The planned grocery assortment exceeds 7,500 products, with free delivery on orders above PKR 499 and no service fees.
- In 2025, ride volumes in Pakistan rose nearly 40% year‑over‑year; courier deliveries grew 67% in the first half of the year (company data).
- inDrive operates in 1,065 cities across 48 countries and has surpassed 360 million app downloads; it ranks second in mobility app downloads behind Uber.
- Ride‑hailing’s share of revenue has shifted from about 95% a few years ago to closer to 85% as new verticals scale.
- inDrive announced a $100 million multi‑year investment program; at least half of that commitment has been deployed and the largest share so far went to Pakistan (company comment).
What to watch next
- How quickly advertising contributes to overall revenue and margin improvement over the medium term.
- The pace and geographic scope of grocery expansion beyond the initial Pakistani cities.
- Timing and scale for in‑car and on‑vehicle advertising rollout: not confirmed in the source.
- Exact amounts of capital deployed to Pakistan from the $100M program and future investment plans: not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- Super app: A platform that combines multiple services—such as transport, delivery, payments and commerce—within a single mobile application to increase user engagement and cross‑sell offerings.
- In‑app advertising: Digital ads served within a mobile application, often placed in user flows or between app screens to capture attention while users interact with the app.
- Dark store: A retail distribution center optimized for rapid online order fulfillment, not open to in‑store customers, commonly used for quick commerce and grocery delivery.
- Quick commerce: Fast delivery models—typically 10–30 minutes—for everyday items like groceries and household essentials, enabled by dense micro‑fulfillment networks.
- Peer‑to‑peer fare negotiation: A pricing approach where riders and drivers negotiate or agree on fares directly rather than relying on fixed, algorithmic pricing set by the platform.
Reader FAQ
Which markets are getting inDrive advertising first?
Ads are being rolled out across inDrive’s top 20 markets, including Mexico, Colombia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Egypt and Morocco.
When will grocery delivery be available across all Pakistani cities?
inDrive will start groceries in Karachi and expand to Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi later this year; broader nationwide timing is not confirmed in the source.
Has inDrive disclosed how much it invested in Pakistan specifically?
Not confirmed in the source; the company said the largest share of its $100 million program has gone to Pakistan but declined to give specific figures.
Will inDrive roll out in‑car or on‑vehicle advertising in 2026?
Not confirmed in the source; the company plans to prioritise in‑app formats through 2026 and describes in‑car/on‑vehicle ads as a longer‑term roadmap item.
Known for its bidding-based approach to fares, inDrive is deepening its push beyond ride-hailing by rolling out advertising across its top 20 markets and expanding grocery delivery to Pakistan, executing…
Sources
- inDrive turns to ads and groceries to diversify revenue
- Local Tactics That Fueled inDriver's Global Expansion
- InDrive Begins SuperApp Rollout With Grocery Delivery …
- inDrive has big plans to become a global 'super app' where …
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