inDrive rolls out in-app ads and grocery services in Pakistan

inDrive is diversifying its revenue model by rolling out in-app advertising across its top 20 markets and expanding its grocery delivery service into Pakistan. The advertising rollout, which follows mid-2025 tests, spans markets including Mexico, Colombia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Egypt, and Morocco. The company is executing a “super app”—a platform offering multiple services beyond its core offering—strategy to reduce its reliance on ride-hailing commissions. The company, which operates in 1,065 cities across 48 countries and has surpassed 360 million app downloads, expects advertising to become a more meaningful contributor over the medium term. Ride-hailing, which accounted for about 95% of inDrive’s revenue a few years ago, now makes up closer to 85%. Andries Smit, chief growth business officer at inDrive, stated that the company plans to prioritize in-app advertising formats through 2026.

Pakistan serves as a key growth market for this expansion. Since launching in Pakistan in 2021, inDrive has grown its ride-hailing services to more than 20 Pakistani cities and its intercity services to over 200 locations. In 2025, the company’s ride volume in Pakistan grew nearly 40% year-over-year, while its courier service deliveries grew 67% in the first half of 2025. To scale its grocery delivery, inDrive is partnering with Krave Mart, a local dark-store operator—a retail outlet catering exclusively to online shopping—in which inDrive invested in December 2024. The grocery service, which represents a push into quick commerce (e-commerce emphasizing rapid delivery), will launch first in Karachi. Users in Karachi will be able to order from more than 7,500 products with delivery times of around 20 to 30 minutes, with free delivery on orders above PKR 499 (about $2). The service plans to expand to Lahore, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi.

This expansion is supported by inDrive’s $100 million multi-year investment program announced in late 2023. Smit noted that at least half of this capital has already been deployed, with the largest share directed toward Pakistan. “We’re seeing incredible potential in Pakistan. Ideally, we want to continue and double down on [investments] as we see performance,” Smit said. This capital deployment comes despite broader investor caution in Pakistan’s startup ecosystem. According to Karachi-based startup analyst firm Data Darbar, equity funding in Pakistan rose 63% year-over-year in 2025 to $36.6 million. However, this remains well below the $347 million raised in 2021 and the $331 million raised in 2022. inDrive is continuing to deploy capital regardless, citing its experience operating across emerging markets and frontier markets as a buffer against volatile capital-market sentiment.

Why it matters

inDrive is shifting from a pure-play ride-hailing model to a “super app” strategy to reduce reliance on ride commissions and boost engagement in price-sensitive emerging markets.