DriveU reported a 109% increase in net profit to ₹3.60 crore in FY26, marking its third consecutive year of profitability. The Bengaluru-based mobility startup also recorded a 17% rise in net transaction value (NTV) to ₹131 crore, while net revenue grew 14% to ₹32.87 crore. The results show how the company has expanded its driver-on-demand business while keeping its operations profitable.
An important distinction is that ₹131 crore represents the gross value of transactions processed through DriveU’s platform, not the revenue retained by the company. Its net revenue after accounting for driver-partner payouts was ₹32.87 crore. The difference highlights the platform-based nature of its business, where a substantial share of customer payments goes to the drivers completing the bookings.
Key Takeaways
- DriveU’s profit after tax increased 109% to ₹3.60 crore in FY26, compared with ₹1.73 crore in FY25.
- Net transaction value rose 17% to ₹131 crore from approximately ₹112 crore.
- Net revenue increased 14% to ₹32.87 crore.
- EBITDA grew 58% to ₹2.74 crore, with the EBITDA margin improving to 8.3%.
- Operating cash flow increased to ₹4.03 crore from ₹1.05 crore.
- The company completed more than two million trips during FY26.
- DriveU is targeting NTV of ₹170 crore in FY27.
DriveU Reports Its Third Consecutive Profitable Year
DriveU continued its profitable growth in FY26, more than doubling its profit after tax compared with the previous financial year.
The company’s profit after tax increased from ₹1.73 crore in FY25 to ₹3.60 crore in FY26. This represents a 109% year-on-year increase and extends its profitability streak to three consecutive financial years.
The improvement is notable in a startup ecosystem where many mobility and consumer technology companies continue to spend heavily on customer acquisition, incentives and expansion.
DriveU’s financial performance suggests that its existing business is generating enough revenue to cover operating costs while supporting further expansion.
The company also reported that it has not raised fresh external capital since 2024. It has instead relied on internally generated funds to support its operations and develop additional services.
DriveU’s Financial Performance in FY26
| Financial metric | FY25 | FY26 | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net revenue | ₹28.9 Cr | ₹32.87 Cr | 14% |
| Net transaction value | ₹112 Cr | ₹131 Cr | 17% |
| Profit after tax | ₹1.73 Cr | ₹3.60 Cr | 109% |
| EBITDA | — | ₹2.74 Cr | 58% |
| EBITDA margin | 6% | 8.3% | Improved |
| Operating cash flow | ₹1.05 Cr | ₹4.03 Cr | Nearly 4x |
Figures are based on the company’s FY26 disclosures and reported financial results. Some FY25 figures are rounded.
Understanding DriveU’s ₹131 Crore NTV
One of the most important figures in DriveU’s FY26 results is its net transaction value, which increased 17% to ₹131 crore.
NTV represents the value of transactions facilitated through the platform. It provides an indication of the total business activity taking place through DriveU, including payments associated with driver bookings.
However, NTV should not be confused with net revenue.
DriveU reported net revenue of ₹32.87 crore during FY26. This is the amount retained by the company after accounting for payments to driver-partners and other applicable transaction arrangements.
The difference between the two figures reflects DriveU’s operating model. Customers pay for driver services through the platform, but most of the transaction value is associated with the drivers who provide those services.
NTV Versus Net Revenue
| Metric | FY26 value | What it represents |
|---|---|---|
| Net transaction value | ₹131 Cr | Value of transactions facilitated through the platform |
| Net revenue | ₹32.87 Cr | Revenue retained by DriveU |
| Profit after tax | ₹3.60 Cr | Profit after expenses and taxes |
This distinction matters when evaluating platform businesses. A company can facilitate a large volume of transactions without recording the entire amount as its own revenue.
For DriveU, the growth in both NTV and net revenue indicates that platform activity and the company’s retained revenue increased during FY26.
EBITDA Growth Signals Better Operating Efficiency
DriveU’s profitability improvement was also supported by higher EBITDA.
The company reported EBITDA of ₹2.74 crore in FY26, representing a 58% increase compared with the previous year. Its EBITDA margin on net revenue improved from 6% in FY25 to 8.3% in FY26.
EBITDA measures earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation. It is commonly used to assess the operating performance of a business before certain financing, tax and accounting costs.
The improvement in EBITDA and margins suggests that DriveU generated more operating earnings from each rupee of net revenue.
The company also kept its overall expense growth relatively moderate. Its expenses increased approximately 10% year-on-year to ₹30.5 crore, according to its reported financial statements.
Where DriveU Spent Money
Driver-partner payments represented the largest expense associated with the platform’s operations.
| Expense category | FY26 expenditure |
|---|---|
| Payments to driver-partners | ₹97.21 Cr |
| Employee benefit expenses | ₹13.70 Cr |
| Direct expenses | ₹8.35 Cr |
| Business promotion and marketing | ₹4.84 Cr |
The figures above reflect different expense categories reported by the company and should not be added together as a complete expense statement without accounting for all other items and classifications.
Marketing expenditure declined 5% year-on-year to ₹4.84 crore. This suggests that the company was able to expand its business without increasing this particular expense category.
However, the figures alone do not establish that customer acquisition costs have fallen across the entire platform. They do indicate that marketing spending did not grow alongside transaction value during FY26.
More Than Two Million Trips Completed in FY26
DriveU’s financial growth was accompanied by higher platform usage.
The company completed more than two million trips during FY26. Customers used over five million hours of driver-partner time through the platform during the year.
This activity reflects demand from customers who own vehicles but prefer to hire professional drivers for particular journeys.
DriveU provides trained and verified drivers who can operate customers’ own cars. Its services can be used for everyday travel, office commutes, airport transfers, outstation journeys and situations where customers do not want to drive themselves.
The company says repeat customers played an important role in its expansion. According to its management, existing users increased the frequency with which they booked drivers, contributing to growth during the year.
DriveU also reported a Net Promoter Score above 60, an indicator it uses to measure customer willingness to recommend its services.
Founded in 2015, the company has built a network of more than 100,000 registered driver-partners and completed over 10 million trips since its inception.
DriveU Expands Beyond Its Core Driver-on-Demand Business
While on-demand drivers remain DriveU’s primary business, the company is expanding into other mobility services.
In 2026, it introduced two additional offerings: DriveU Reserve and DriveU Coach.
The strategy is to use its existing customer relationships and driver-partner network to serve more transportation-related needs.
DriveU Reserve: Premium Chauffeur-Driven Travel
DriveU Reserve is a pre-booked premium cab service that connects customers with chauffeur-driven vehicles.
The service covers airport transfers, in-city travel, outstation journeys, corporate trips and multi-day rentals.
Launched in April 2026, Reserve was introduced to address demand from customers looking for premium travel services alongside the company’s existing driver-on-demand offering.
According to company disclosures, the service completed nearly 1,000 transactions after launch. Around 60% of its bookings came from existing DriveU users, while international travellers accounted for 15%.
The share of bookings from existing customers could help DriveU expand into a new service category without depending entirely on acquiring new users.
However, Reserve is still a relatively new business, and its long-term contribution to revenue and profitability will depend on booking volumes, operating costs and customer retention.
DriveU Coach: At-Home Driving Lessons
DriveU Coach is another addition to the company’s mobility platform.
The service connects learners with professional driving coaches who provide personalised lessons using the customer’s own vehicle.
It is designed for people who want to learn driving or improve their confidence behind the wheel without relying exclusively on traditional driving schools.
DriveU introduced the service in July 2026. According to the company, it has expanded to seven metropolitan cities, with more than 1,300 active coaches and over 5,000 completed sessions.
The business also uses DriveU’s existing network of verified driver-partners, some of whom have experience as driving instructors.
Together, Reserve and Coach give DriveU opportunities to serve customers beyond its original driver-booking business.
DriveU Funds Expansion Through Internal Cash Flow
A significant part of DriveU’s FY26 performance is its ability to fund expansion without a fresh external fundraise.
The company has raised approximately ₹54 crore in equity capital since its inception, with its last reported funding round taking place in 2024.
Its operating cash flow increased to ₹4.03 crore in FY26 from ₹1.05 crore in FY25. This improvement gives the company additional internally generated resources to invest in its operations.
As of March 2026, DriveU also reported cash and bank balances of approximately ₹12 crore.
For an early-stage mobility platform, stronger operating cash flow can reduce dependence on frequent fundraising and provide greater flexibility when developing new services.
However, the company’s ability to finance expansion internally will depend on whether its core business continues to generate sufficient cash as it enters additional markets.
DriveU Targets ₹170 Crore NTV in FY27
DriveU is targeting net transaction value of ₹170 crore in FY27, which would represent growth of approximately 30% over FY26.
The company plans to expand DriveU Reserve and DriveU Coach into more cities while continuing to develop its core driver-on-demand operations.
The target also reflects management’s ambition to turn DriveU into a broader mobility platform rather than limiting its services to hiring drivers for customers’ own vehicles.
Its existing customer base and driver-partner network could provide an advantage when introducing related services. However, each new business will need to demonstrate sustainable demand and attractive operating economics.
The company will also need to maintain service quality as it expands. Driver verification, availability, reliability and customer trust are particularly important in a business where customers hand over their personal vehicles to platform-connected professionals.
The Bigger Picture
DriveU’s FY26 results offer an example of a mobility startup pursuing growth alongside profitability. Its NTV increased to ₹131 crore, net revenue reached ₹32.87 crore and net profit more than doubled to ₹3.60 crore. The improvement in EBITDA margin and operating cash flow also indicates that the company strengthened its financial position during the year.
The company’s next challenge is to prove that its expansion beyond driver-on-demand services can generate meaningful business without weakening its financial discipline. Reserve and Coach provide opportunities to serve existing customers in new ways, but their long-term success will depend on repeat usage, efficient operations and the ability to scale across cities.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What was DriveU’s net profit in FY26?
DriveU reported a net profit of ₹3.60 crore in FY26, up 109% from ₹1.73 crore in FY25.
2. What was DriveU’s NTV in FY26?
DriveU’s net transaction value reached ₹131 crore in FY26, representing a 17% increase from approximately ₹112 crore in FY25.
3. What was DriveU’s net revenue in FY26?
The company reported net revenue of ₹32.87 crore, up 14% from ₹28.9 crore in FY25.
4. What is the difference between NTV and net revenue?
NTV represents the value of transactions facilitated through DriveU’s platform. Net revenue is the revenue retained by the company after accounting for driver-partner payouts and applicable transaction arrangements.
5. What are DriveU Reserve and DriveU Coach?
DriveU Reserve is a premium, pre-booked chauffeur-driven cab service. DriveU Coach connects learners with professional driving instructors who provide personalised lessons using the learner’s own vehicle.
6. Is DriveU profitable?
Yes. DriveU reported its third consecutive profitable financial year in FY26, with net profit of ₹3.60 crore.
7. What is DriveU’s FY27 growth target?
DriveU is targeting NTV of ₹170 crore in FY27, implying growth of approximately 30% over FY26.
Looking Ahead
DriveU enters FY27 with a profitable core business, improving operating margins and stronger cash generation. Its ₹170 crore NTV target will depend on continued demand for driver-on-demand services, more frequent bookings from existing customers and the expansion of its newer mobility offerings.
The bigger test will be whether DriveU can turn Reserve and Coach into meaningful growth engines while maintaining the profitability that has distinguished its recent performance. If it succeeds, the company could strengthen its position as a broader mobility platform built around India’s growing demand for convenient, chauffeur-driven and personalised transportation services.
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