Karhoo takes its taxi-comparison app to more UK cities

Six weeks after its launch in London, Karhoo is taking on the rest of the UK. The ride-hailing app, which lets you compare different taxi companies simultaneously, is yet another alternative to Uber, Hailo and Kabbee. The difference is that Karhoo wants to be an open platform, presenting a range of prices, vehicles and estimated arrival times so that you can make an informed decision. Any company, aside from Uber, can theoretically sign up and have its fleet listed inside Karhoo's iOS and Android apps. That includes black cab, minicab and executive car hire providers.

Karhoo is slowly rolling out in the following cities: Nottingham, Derby, Leeds, Bristol, Bradford, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Brighton, Stoke on Trent, Belfast, Manchester, Glasgow, Leicester and Birmingham. It'll go international with New York and Singapore this summer.

Today's expansion gives Karhoo considerable reach in the UK, which is important if it's to gain traction as a viable Uber alternative. The company does have a few advantages over its ferocious and well-funded rival -- you can pre-book a ride through the app, for instance, and there's no surge pricing to worry about it. Karhoo's battle is still a tricky one, however. It needs to get the word out, which is easier said than done, while undercutting its rivals and keeping the traditional taxi industry on side.