BlaBlaCar, a global leader in intercity carpooling, has made India its largest market—despite initially stepping away and facing formidable challenges. This case provides rich insights into platform growth, competition, and strategic adaptation.
On October 25, 2025, TechCrunch published a fascinating piece on this topic. Below, I highlight excerpts from this article and explain the economic and managerial mechanisms behind them, drawing on our book, ‘Platform Strategies’.
The Role of infrastructure and word of mouth
“Growth has come largely without marketing or a local team, driven instead by word of mouth, expanding mobile internet access, and the rise of digital payments and car ownership among India’s middle class.”
Growth in India has flourished without significant marketing spend or a sizable local team. Instead, the expansion of mobile internet, digital payments, and rising car ownership among India’s middle class created fertile ground for platform adoption. For entrepreneurs, the lesson is clear: platforms need supporting infrastructure—don’t take mobile access and payment systems for granted. Equally important is ensuring a critical supply side. For this type of service, enough users must have cars with empty seats before it becomes viable.
Competitive dynamics: The Platform Value Net
“Other factors behind BlaBlaCar’s rapid growth in India include the country’s limited public transport capacity relative to its over 1.4 billion population, and the steady expansion of road infrastructure that is improving connectivity between smaller towns, rural areas, and major cities.”
India’s limited public transportation and improving road infrastructure are crucial factors. Using the Platform Value Net—an analytical tool merging Porter’s Five Forces with the Value Net—you can map out BlaBlaCar’s competitive landscape. Public transport emerged as a competitor, while expanding road networks acted as complementors, making carpooling more attractive. Entrepreneurs should assess not just who competes, but also who enables growth: estimate the strength of both opponents and allies in the market before investing deeply.
Challengers: Uber and Ola
“BlaBlaCar first entered India in early 2015, setting up a local office in New Delhi. The company soon faced stiff competition from Uber and local rival Ola, both of which were experimenting with carpooling services and marketing them heavily. (The companies would end up suspending those carpooling services during the COVID-19 lockdowns.) Struggling to gain traction, BlaBlaCar withdrew its local team in 2017.”
BlaBlaCar’s early entry in 2015 was met by competition from ride-hailing giants Uber and Ola, who briefly offered carpooling but later suspended those services. While their models differ—Uber and Ola focus on on-demand urban rides, BlaBlaCar specializes in planned, intercity carpooling—these players still compete for overlapping users and attention. When competitors seem strong, careful timing and market observation may be wiser than aggressive expansion.
Growth before monetization
Despite all this growth, BlaBlaCar is not looking to enable monetization in India anytime soon. “We are in no hurry to start introducing a fee or generating revenue in India. We are focused on generating usage, and we have the playback because we’ve done that in several markets,” Brusson told TechCrunch.
A striking insight: BlaBlaCar isn’t prioritizing monetization in India. Instead, the platform is focusing on growing its user base, understanding that early-stage losses pave the way for future profits. This tactic is possible because BlaBlaCar is profitable elsewhere and can afford to subsidize operations. Such “envelopment” strategies let established platforms enter new markets with confidence; reputation and resources from other regions boost trust and adoption in India. This gives BlaBlaCar an advantage over local competitors that lack such resources.
Continuous improvement: From minimum viable to added value
“Some users have complained that it can be difficult to reach BlaBlaCar’s customer support, which often replies with automated messages. The company told TechCrunch it operates a “blended model,” with an outsourced local team handling most day-to-day queries and a smaller group at its Paris headquarters managing complex issues and quality checks. (…)
BlaBlaCar introduced an ID Check feature in India to verify users’ identities through government-issued documents. However, TechCrunch found that users can still book or publish a ride even if their ID check is incomplete. (…)
Some BlaBlaCar users in India also report frustration when drivers or passengers cancel trips at the last minute, sometimes even after reaching the meeting point. Additionally, the app lacks a live location–sharing feature, which Jain noted limits BlaBlaCar’s use for those trying to book rides on behalf of family members or friends.”
User feedback highlights areas for improvement, such as customer support, identity verification, and trip reliability. BlaBlaCar started with a “minimum viable platform”—offering only essential features to reach critical mass. As user numbers grow, more value-added features—such as ID checks—are introduced, though implementation remains a work in progress. The concept: reach the minimum critical mass without overbuilding features before core interactions are established (see our previous blogs on this topic).
In conclusion, BlaBlaCar’s rise in India highlights how digital platforms can achieve remarkable growth by leveraging local infrastructure, adapting to competitive dynamics, and nurturing user trust before pursuing profits. The company’s journey underscores the importance of patience, platform flexibility, and strategic market entry, offering powerful lessons for entrepreneurs navigating emerging markets and platform innovation.
(During the preparation of this post, the author used GenAI tools to collect ideas and improve the expression. After using these services, the author reviewed and edited the content as needed. The author takes full responsibility for the publication’s content. Photos by author or royalty-free photos from Pexels.com.)
