What is Frugal?
Frugal is a UK-based private hire vehicle (PHV) booking app that uses a live auction model. Riders post a trip and drivers compete by submitting lower and lower bids. The system automatically assigns the lowest bid at the auction deadline — so you always get the most competitive price without haggling.
How does the auction work?
When a Rider creates a trip, they pay the estimated base price upfront. Drivers can then place bids (at least £2 below the current lowest). The auction runs until the cut-off time — a minimum of 2 hours before the scheduled pickup. At cut-off, the lowest bid wins automatically. If the winning bid is lower than what the Rider paid, the difference is refunded automatically to the Rider.
Is Frugal available in my area?
Frugal is currently available for UK bookings. Drivers must hold a valid UK Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) licence to operate on the platform. Service availability may vary by region — check the App for current coverage.
Can I be both a Rider and a Driver?
Yes — the same phone number can be registered for both roles as separate independent profiles. However, you cannot be logged in as both simultaneously. You will need to sign out and log back in under the other role.
Which payment methods are accepted?
Frugal accepts credit/debit cards and Apple Pay, processed securely through Stripe. Cash payments are not supported. Card data is never stored on Frugal servers — all payment information is handled by Stripe (PCI DSS compliant).
How do I book a trip?
Open the App and tap “Create Trip”. Enter your pickup location, drop-off address (and up to 5 intermediate stops if needed), select a date and time, and choose your vehicle category. The App will calculate a base price. Tap “Create trip for bidding” and complete payment — your trip is then published to the auction for drivers to bid on.
Can I choose my driver?
No — driver selection is automatic. The system assigns the driver with the lowest bid when the cut-off timer expires. You can view incoming bids in real time and accept the current lowest bid early if you prefer not to wait. Bids are shown as amounts only; driver personal details are not disclosed during the bidding phase.
How far in advance can I book?
You can book up to 30 days in advance. The auction cut-off must be set at least 2 hours before your pickup time.
What vehicle categories are available?
Frugal currently offers four vehicle categories: Normal (up to 4 passengers), Estate/Executive, MPV (5 or 6 seats), and Mercedes Vito/Transporter (7 or 8 seats). Larger vehicles can bid on smaller vehicle jobs, but smaller vehicles cannot bid on larger vehicle jobs.
What does the base price include?
The base price is calculated from your pickup and drop-off addresses using the tariff for your chosen vehicle category. If your trip ends at a supported airport (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, or London City), an airport drop-off charge is added and shown separately. The £1.50 booking fee is always charged on top and is non-refundable.
Will I get a refund if the winning bid is lower than what I paid?
Yes. If the winning bid is less than the base price you paid at booking, the difference is automatically refunded to your original payment method via Stripe after the auction closes. The £1.50 booking fee is not refunded.
Can I cancel my trip?
Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours before pickup and you will only forfeit the £1.50 booking fee. If you cancel less than 3 hours before pickup, you still only forfeit the £1.50 booking fee — no additional charge. If you do not show up within 20 minutes of the scheduled pickup, the driver can mark a no-show and the full trip amount will be charged to you. Note: because each Trip is booked for a specific scheduled date and time, the statutory 14-day cooling-off period does not apply — see Section 7.1 of the Terms & Conditions.
Can I add stops to my trip?
Yes — up to 5 intermediate stops can be added when creating a trip. Stops cannot be added or edited after the trip has been published and paid for.
How do I track my driver?
Once a driver is assigned, you can track their location in real time on the map inside the App. You will receive push notifications as the driver’s status changes (on the way, arrived, trip started).
How do I sign up as a driver?
Download the App, select “Driver” during registration, complete your profile, and upload the four required documents: Driving Licence, Insurance Documents, PCO Certificate, and PCO Photo ID. Your documents will be reviewed manually by the Frugal team. You cannot accept orders until all documents are verified and approved.
What documents do I need?
- Valid UK Driving Licence
- Up-to-date Vehicle Insurance
- PCO (Private Hire Operator) Certificate
- PCO Photo ID
All documents must remain current. If a document expires, your account will be suspended until updated documents are approved.
How do I place a bid?
Go to the “Bid” tab and browse open trips. Tap “Bid” on any trip that suits you. Enter your bid amount — it must be at least £2 below the current lowest bid. You can place up to 2 bids per trip and can update your bid any time before the cut-off. After your bid is submitted, you will see it listed in “Current Bids” with a status of Pending.
What is the 3-hour buffer rule?
While you hold the lowest bid on a trip, you cannot bid on any other trip whose pickup or drop-off time falls within 3 hours of the estimated drop-off time of that trip. This applies in both directions (forward and backward in time). The buffer is calculated from the estimated drop-off time of your current lowest-bid trip, not the actual completion time.
What happens when I win a trip?
You will receive a notification and a “Won Trip” status badge on your bid card. Confirm the trip, navigate to the pickup location, and follow the four-step status flow in the App: Driving to Rider → Arrived → Rider in Car → Drive Completed. The rider sees your location in real time throughout.
What if the rider doesn’t show up?
Once you arrive at the pickup location, a “Rider No-Show” button appears — it is locked for the first 20 minutes after the scheduled pickup time (regardless of when you arrived). After 20 minutes, you can tap the button, confirm the no-show, and the full trip amount will be charged to the rider. You will receive those earnings in your next weekly payout.
How and when do I get paid?
Earnings are paid weekly every Monday for the Mon–Sun cycle via Stripe Connect. Frugal deducts 12.5% commission from each completed trip’s earnings. Any £5 late-cancellation penalties are also deducted from your weekly payout. Airport fees are paid in full (no commission deducted). To receive payments, you must connect a Stripe account in the App.
What happens if I cancel a trip less than 3 hours before pickup?
A £5 penalty will be deducted from your next weekly payout. In addition, a 3-hour buffer is applied as a penalty, restricting you from bidding on overlapping trips for the next 3 hours.
Can I add or remove vehicles?
Yes — go to “Vehicle Details” in your account to manage your vehicles. You can add new vehicles using your registration plate, set a primary vehicle, and remove vehicles not linked to active trips. Your first vehicle is automatically set as primary. Vehicle photos are not required in the current version of the App.
What happens if my document is rejected?
You will receive a push notification with the rejection reason. You can re-upload the document directly from the Driver Documents screen. While any document is pending review, you cannot accept new trips — though previously confirmed trips are not affected.
What if the auction ends and no driver bid on my trip?
If the timer expires with no bids, your trip returns to “Awaiting Bids” status. You will receive a notification and can choose to wait for more bids, republish the trip, or cancel.
How do I delete my account?
Tap “Delete account” at the bottom of your Account screen and confirm. Your personal data will be anonymised; anonymised trip history is retained for legal and audit purposes. This action is irreversible. You can re-register at any time with the same or a different phone number.
Which devices and operating systems are supported?
Frugal is available on iOS (iPhone) and Android smartphones. We recommend keeping your device operating system up to date for the best experience.