Ola Consumer turns profitable as rivals burn Rs 100 cr per month

Ola Consumer has turned free cash-flow positive and achieved profitability, widening the gap with rivals that continue to spend heavily to gain market share in India’s fiercely competitive ride-hailing sector, according to company disclosures, industry estimates and people familiar with the matter. The company reported operating revenue of about Rs 1,171 crore in FY25, ahead of Rapido’s Rs 934 crore. Industry estimates suggest the gap is even wider on a net revenue basis — after accounting for customer discounts and driver incentives — with Ola estimated to have generated Rs 250-300 crore in net revenue during the latest quarter, compared with around Rs 40-45 crore for Rapido and Rs 35-40 crore for Uber, according to people familiar with the developments.

The performance reflects Ola’s shift over the past two years towards a profitability-focused strategy, prioritising monetisation and cost efficiencies over aggressive discount-led growth. “Short-term growth driven by discounts and incentives is difficult to sustain. Revenue quality and the ability to retain value from each transaction are more meaningful indicators of business strength,” a person familiar with the matter said. Industry executives and investors estimate Rapido is currently spending Rs 80-100 crore a month to support growth and expand market share. Uber’s India ride-hailing business is also estimated to be losing more than Rs 100 crore a month. Regulatory filings showed Uber India’s ride-hailing unit reported revenue of about Rs 88 crore in FY25 while posting a segment loss of approximately Rs 1,401 crore.

Ola, meanwhile, has undertaken a series of cost-cutting and operational-efficiency measures over the past year, including workforce rationalisation, consolidation of operations and greater automation. People familiar with the company said these initiatives helped it become free cash-flow positive in the fourth quarter of FY26 and achieve EBITDA breakeven in FY27.

The divergence in financial performance comes as investors increasingly prioritise profitability, cash generation and sustainable business models over pure market-share gains, particularly after valuation markdowns across parts of the global technology sector.

While competitors continue to deploy significant capital to fuel expansion, Ola has focused on improving unit economics and revenue realisation, resulting in stronger cash generation and profitability metrics, according to people familiar with the matter.