If you are travelling around Panama, you will eventually discover something that can make getting around considerably easier: you do not necessarily need to negotiate with a taxi on the street anymore. Put your destination into an app, choose a driver, get picked up and go.
For years, Uber was the obvious choice for many travellers, particularly in Panama City. But there is another player that has become extremely important in Panama: inDrive.
And there is an interesting twist. As of 2026, inDrive is actually showing very strong growth in Panama and has expanded aggressively outside the capital. In fact, inDrive reported in February 2026 that it had become the country's most downloaded mobility app according to Sensor Tower.
So if you are travelling around Panama, should you download Uber, inDrive or both?
My answer: download both. But if you are travelling into the interior, I would definitely have inDrive installed.
What exactly is inDrive?
inDrive works somewhat differently from Uber.
With Uber, the app generally calculates the fare and presents you with a price before you request the ride.
With inDrive, you can propose the price you want to pay. Drivers can accept your offer, reject it or make another offer. You then choose among the available drivers based on factors such as price, rating and vehicle.
That makes inDrive particularly interesting in a country like Panama, where traditional taxis are still an important part of transportation and where distances can become surprisingly long once you leave the major cities.
Instead of simply being told:
“The ride costs $12.”
you can effectively say:
“I'll offer $8.”
A driver might accept.
Or they might come back with $10.
Or nobody accepts and you have to increase your offer.
It feels slightly more like negotiating with the local taxi system, except you get the convenience of an app, driver information and ratings.
Is inDrive actually more popular than Uber in Panama?
This is where things get interesting.
According to Sensor Tower data reported in February 2026, inDrive was the most downloaded mobility app in Panama, putting it ahead of Uber in downloads.
However, downloads aren't exactly the same thing as total rides or active users.
Sensor Tower's Q4 2025 data showed inDrive with roughly 62,000 to 69,000 active users during the quarter, while Uber's active users rose to around 65,000 by the end of December. So the two platforms were much closer in active usage than the download ranking alone might suggest.
The safest conclusion is therefore:
inDrive is extremely popular in Panama and appears to have overtaken Uber in app downloads, but it would be misleading to say that Uber has somehow disappeared.
Both are important.
And for a traveller, that's actually good news.
Why Panamanians like inDrive
The biggest attraction is obvious:
price.
Because you can propose a fare, inDrive can sometimes be cheaper than Uber.
But there is another reason it has become particularly interesting in Panama: drivers have an incentive to accept trips that make economic sense to them.
This becomes especially useful outside Panama City.
In March 2026, inDrive formally expanded into Río Hato, Santiago de Veraguas, Chitré, Penonomé and Las Tablas, offering a 0% commission model for drivers in those newly activated areas.
That is significant because the interior has historically had much thinner coverage from app based transportation than Panama City.
And inDrive isn't stopping with individual city rides.
inDrive is becoming particularly interesting for travelling between cities
This may be one of the most useful developments for travellers.
In September 2026, inDrive announced that its Ciudad a Ciudad service had expanded to 59 localities connected by 303 routes in Panama. The company says the number of completed intercity trips had grown approximately 3.5 times since November 2025.
The idea is different from simply ordering an Uber around town.
You can request transportation between cities and propose the amount you're willing to pay. Drivers can then offer their prices, and you can compare them.
For travellers moving around Panama, that opens up some interesting possibilities.
Imagine you are in one of the smaller towns and discover that the next bus isn't for another three hours.
Instead of trying to find a taxi driver on the street and negotiating everything from scratch, you can open inDrive and see whether somebody is willing to make the trip.
That doesn't mean you will always find a driver.
But the possibility is becoming much more realistic than it was a few years ago.
What about Uber in the interior?
Uber is certainly not restricted to Panama City.
Uber's current official listings show passenger service in Panama City, David and La Chorrera, while its driver network lists a much broader collection of locations, including Boquete, David, Bugaba, Dolega, Alanje and Boquerón in Chiriquí.
That distinction is important.
Uber's driver coverage can extend beyond the places where its public passenger city list makes the service look most established.
And David and the surrounding Chiriquí area are particularly important for travellers because David is the main transportation hub for much of western Panama.
So if you're staying in David, try Uber and inDrive rather than assuming one will automatically be better.
So which one works better in the interior?
This is where I would give inDrive the advantage, particularly as its interior expansion continues.
Why?
Because the inDrive model is well suited to smaller markets.
In a huge city like Panama City, an Uber can often find another passenger or driver very quickly.
In a smaller town, there may simply not be enough drivers constantly cruising around waiting for app requests.
inDrive's ability to negotiate the price and its expanding city to city network can make it more useful for these longer or less conventional trips.
The company has specifically expanded its network in the interior during 2026, including the five new locations mentioned above, and now says 59 localities are connected through its intercity service.
But there is an important warning:
Do not assume that “available in the city” means “a car will always be available within five minutes.”
Panama is still Panama.
You can have excellent app coverage one day and struggle to find a driver at a particular time the next day.
This is especially true in smaller communities.
What about David and Boquete?
For travellers heading into Chiriquí, I would install both apps before arriving.
David has considerably more transportation activity than most small interior towns, and Uber officially lists David as one of its passenger markets.
Uber also lists Boquete and several surrounding Chiriquí districts in its driver network.
inDrive, meanwhile, has established itself in David and has been expanding its interior coverage.
This means your best strategy isn't really:
Uber OR inDrive.
It's:
Uber AND inDrive.
Open both.
Enter the same destination.
Compare the prices.
Then see which one actually has a driver available.
Why inDrive can be brilliant for longer journeys
This is probably where the app becomes particularly interesting for backpackers and independent travellers.
Suppose you're staying somewhere outside a major tourist centre and want to get to another town.
An ordinary taxi driver might quote you a price that makes you wonder whether you're secretly renting the entire vehicle for the week.
With inDrive, you can make an offer.
Maybe your first offer gets ignored.
Fine.
Increase it.
Eventually someone who actually wants the trip may accept.
The driver gets a price they're happy with, while you avoid blindly accepting the first price somebody gives you.
This is particularly useful when you understand roughly what a journey should cost.
And if you don't know what it should cost?
Ask a local first.
Your hostel reception, hotel, restaurant or a local friend can often give you a much better idea of whether your proposed fare is reasonable.
The downside of inDrive
There is one thing about inDrive that some tourists initially find annoying.
You have to participate in the process.
Uber is beautifully simple:
Destination → price → request → driver.
inDrive can feel more like:
Destination → offer price → wait → driver responds → compare → accept → confirm.
That's not necessarily bad.
In fact, many people love it.
But if you're standing outside Tocumen Airport after a 10 hour flight with luggage, children, no sleep and absolutely no desire to negotiate over $2, the simplicity of Uber can be appealing.
Is inDrive safe?
The same basic precautions you should use with any rideshare service apply.
Check the driver's name, photograph, vehicle and licence plate before getting in.
Don't simply jump into a car because someone shouts your name.
Confirm that the driver and vehicle match the information displayed in the application.
And if something feels wrong, don't get in.
inDrive has been adding safety features and guidance as it expands throughout Panama, including work around safety recommendations in its newly launched interior markets.
The important thing to remember is that an app does not magically make every journey safe.
It gives you information and a record of the trip, but you still need basic situational awareness.
The best strategy for tourists
If you're travelling around Panama for several weeks, I would do something very simple:
Download Uber.
Download inDrive.
Keep both accounts ready.
In Panama City, compare them.
In David, compare them.
In Boquete, try whichever has cars available.
In smaller interior towns, check inDrive first because its expansion has been particularly aggressive there.
For longer journeys, especially between smaller towns, definitely check inDrive.
And if you are somewhere where neither app produces a driver, don't panic. Panama still has traditional taxis, buses, colectivos and private transport.
The apps are an additional tool, not a replacement for the country's enormous traditional transportation network.
The Panama transportation trick most tourists eventually learn
Panama isn't really a country where you should depend on one transportation method.
The smartest traveller has several options.
You might take the Metro in Panama City.
Then Uber.
Then a bus.
Then a taxi.
Then a colectivo.
Then perhaps an inDrive.
And suddenly you're halfway across the country for a fraction of what you expected to spend.
That's part of the adventure.
The bottom line
Is inDrive popular in Panama? Absolutely. In 2026, it was reported as the country's most downloaded mobility app.
Is Uber still important? Definitely. Uber remains well established, particularly in Panama City and David.
Which is cheaper? Often inDrive, because you can propose the fare, but it depends on the trip and what drivers are willing to accept.
Which is easier? Uber generally has the simpler fixed price experience.
Which is more interesting for the interior? inDrive has a growing advantage, particularly because of its aggressive 2026 expansion and city to city service.
The best option for a tourist? Download both.
Because the real winner isn't Uber or inDrive.
It's having a second option when the first one says, “No drivers available.”