By MinicabTransfer editorial team · Updated
The main difference between a minicab and a black cab is how you get one. A black cab (a licensed taxi, or hackney carriage) can be hailed in the street or taken from a rank and runs on a meter. A minicab is a private hire vehicle that must be booked in advance through a licensed operator, usually for a fare agreed or estimated before you travel. Ride-hailing apps such as Uber are also private hire. You book through the app, and the price is set by the app and can rise when demand is high.
This guide is for visitors and Londoners deciding how to get across town, to an airport or home late at night. It covers how each option is hired, licensed and priced, plus luggage and accessibility, and ends with a simple decision guide.
The three options at a glance
| Black cab (taxi) | Minicab (pre-booked private hire) | Ride-hailing app | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you get one | Hail in the street, take one from a rank, or book by phone or app | Book in advance with a licensed operator by phone, online, app or at its office | Book in the app |
| Licensed by | TfL (taxi licence) | TfL (private hire operator, driver and vehicle licences) | TfL (private hire operator, driver and vehicle licences) |
| How the fare works | Taximeter, at TfL-set tariffs | Operator agrees a fare or gives an estimate before the journey | Price set by the app, which can rise at busy times |
| Can you hail one? | Yes | No | No |
| Wheelchair accessible | All London taxis | Only designated vehicles. Ask the operator | Only some vehicles. Choose the option in the app if offered |
| Best for | Short hops, short notice, hailing on the spot | Planned trips, airports, groups, luggage, specific car types | On-demand trips when you’re happy with the app’s price |
How do you get each one?
Black cabs are the only vehicles in London that can be hailed or picked up at a rank without a booking. TfL’s own guidance puts it plainly: only taxis, with the orange “TAXI” light, can be hailed on the street or hired at a rank. A lit sign means the cab is available. Many black cabs can also be booked by phone or app.
Minicabs cannot be hailed, and they cannot pick you up at a station or outside a club unless you’ve booked. TfL says that all minicab and private hire journeys must be booked with a licensed private hire operator, and that a minicab that isn’t booked is “uninsured, unsafe and illegal”. You book by phone, online, through an app or in person at the operator’s office.
Ride-hailing apps work the same way legally: the app company is the licensed operator, and you book through it. The convenience is that booking takes seconds, but you still can’t wave one down.
Don’t accept a lift from a driver who approaches you. A TfL licence sticker in the window doesn’t make an unbooked car safe. Our guide to booking a safe minicab in London explains why.
How is each licensed?
All three are regulated by Transport for London, but under different licences.
- Black cab drivers hold a taxi driver’s licence. Applicants go through the Knowledge of London, the long test of London’s streets and routes, before they are licensed.
- Minicab and app drivers hold a private hire driver’s licence, which includes an enhanced criminal records check through the Disclosure and Barring Service, a medical and other checks. They must wear their TfL photo ID badge while working.
- Private hire vehicles carry TfL licence discs on the front and rear windscreens.
- Private hire operators, the firms and apps that take bookings, need their own TfL operator licence. Only licensed London operators can accept private hire bookings in London.
You can check any private hire operator, driver or vehicle on TfL’s public register. Our step-by-step guide shows how to check a TfL private hire licence.
How does pricing work?
This is where the three differ most.
Black cab: the meter
The taximeter calculates the fare from the time of day, the distance and the time taken, using tariffs set by TfL. It is illegal for the driver to charge more than the metered fare. TfL publishes typical fares and the current tariffs. Its fare information dated 25 April 2026 lists a minimum fare of £4.40, a booking extra of up to £2.00 for phone, app and online bookings, and no extra charge for luggage, additional passengers or paying by card. Every London taxi must accept credit, debit and contactless cards.
Because the meter keeps running in traffic, you only know the final cost at the end. For a short trip on clear roads that’s rarely a problem. For a long journey in heavy traffic it can add up.
Minicab: an agreed or estimated fare
As a condition of their licence, private hire operators must agree a fare for the journey or give an accurate estimate, and record it before the journey starts. In practice, many operators quote a price per journey based on the route and the vehicle, so traffic doesn’t change what you pay. What’s included varies: airport parking, drop-off charges, waiting time and the Congestion Charge may or may not be part of the quote. Ask before you book. Our guide to the Congestion Charge and ULEZ in minicab fares explains what to check.
Ride-hailing app: dynamic pricing
Apps generally show a price before you confirm, set by the app’s own algorithm. When many people want a car at once, after a concert, in heavy rain or when several flights land together, that price can rise sharply. The car type and driver are allocated by the app, so you may not know what will turn up until it’s on its way.
Luggage, groups and vehicle choice
A black cab has a large rear compartment and fold-down seats. It suits a few people with cabin bags, but it isn’t designed for a family with four large suitcases.
With a pre-booked minicab you choose the vehicle when you book: a saloon for one or two people, an estate for extra luggage, or an MPV for groups. For airport runs, this is often the deciding factor. On MinicabTransfer, fares from Heathrow to central London start from £74 for a saloon, or £97 for an MPV. These are indicative. The operator you choose confirms the final price. See the vehicle classes partner operators offer for seats and luggage space.
App vehicle sizes depend on what’s available nearby. Larger-vehicle options exist in some apps but are not always available when you need them.
Accessibility
TfL designates all London taxis as wheelchair accessible. Drivers must carry a passenger seated in a wheelchair and must not charge extra for doing so. That makes a black cab the most reliable choice if you use a wheelchair and need a car at short notice.
Most private hire vehicles are standard cars. Some are designated wheelchair accessible, but you need to ask the operator for one when booking. Every taxi and private hire vehicle, including minicabs, must carry assistance dogs at no extra charge. For more detail, see our guide to wheelchair-accessible taxis in London.
Which should you choose?
- You need a car right now and you’re near a rank or a busy street: a black cab. No booking needed, the fare is regulated, and every cab is wheelchair accessible.
- You’re going to or from an airport, or carrying lots of luggage: a pre-booked minicab in the right size of car, with the fare agreed or estimated in advance. Compare options on our airport transfers page.
- You want a car on demand and the app’s price looks reasonable: a ride-hailing app works well, but check the price before confirming at busy times.
- You need a driver for several hours or several stops: pre-booked hourly hire is usually simpler than a string of separate trips.
- It’s late at night: a black cab from a rank or a car booked through a licensed operator or app. Never an unbooked minicab. Our late-night taxi guide has more on getting home safely.
How MinicabTransfer fits in
MinicabTransfer doesn’t run cars. It compares fares from TfL-licensed private hire operators and forwards your quote request to the operator you choose. That operator then contacts you directly, confirms the price and terms, and carries out the journey. Each operator’s TfL licence number is shown next to its quote and on our partner operators page, so you can check it before you travel.
If a pre-booked car looks like the right fit, compare fares and request a quote.