Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost?

From $2.99 USD per query — no subscriptions, no monthly fees, no account required:

• •Single query — $2.99: one taxi fare check or tipping guide
• •Country Pass — $7.99: unlimited queries for one country, valid 24 hours
• •10-query bundle — $19.99: stored on your device, valid 90 days across any city or country
• •Prices shown in your local currency at checkout

What payment methods are accepted?

Payment is handled by Stripe. You can pay with any major credit or debit card. Apple Pay and Google Pay are supported automatically on compatible devices and browsers.

How accurate are the fare estimates?

Fare ranges are calculated from a curated dataset of local taxi rates combined with real route distances from Google Maps. A ±15% range is applied to account for traffic, surcharges, and driver discretion. Always confirm the fare with your driver before the journey — Hootling is a reference tool, not a metered guarantee.

Which cities are covered for taxi fares?

Hootling covers 120+ cities across every continent, including major tourist destinations in Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East. If your city is not in our dataset, the result will include a note to verify the fare directly with your driver.

Which countries are covered for tipping?

Tipping guides are available for 50+ countries including all major travel destinations. The guide covers six scenarios: restaurants, taxis, hotel porters, bars, tour guides, and delivery.

What are the scam warnings based on?

Scam warnings are AI-generated by Anthropic Claude and reflect well-known issues specific to each city — such as meter tampering, unofficial taxis, or fixed-price scams. They are generated from Claude's training data and cached for up to 90 days. They are a starting point for awareness, not a guarantee of current conditions.

Can I use my payment for multiple searches?

It depends on the option chosen. A single query ($2.99) covers one result. A Country Pass ($7.99) allows unlimited taxi and tipping queries for one country for 24 hours. A 10-query bundle ($19.99) gives you 10 queries stored on your device, valid for 90 days across any city or country.

Do I need to create an account?

No. Hootling has no accounts, no sign-up, and no login. Your query result and access token are stored temporarily in your browser only.

Can I get a refund?

Due to the instant digital nature of the service, all sales are final once a result has been delivered. If you experienced a technical failure that prevented delivery, contact legal@hootling.com within 7 days and we will review your case.

Is my payment data stored?

No. Payment is processed entirely by Stripe. Hootling never sees, handles, or stores your card number, CVC, or banking details. We only receive confirmation that a payment session was completed.

Does Hootling track my location?

No. Hootling does not use GPS or request location permission. You type addresses manually. Those addresses are sent to Google Maps to calculate the route distance — that is the only data sent.

What data is sent to Anthropic?

Only the city and country name of your pickup location (e.g. "Bangkok, Thailand") is sent to the Claude API to generate scam warnings, tipping notes, and driver phrases. No address-level detail is included.

Is Hootling affiliated with any taxi company?

No. Hootling is an independent travel reference tool with no affiliation with any taxi company, driver, dispatch service, or transportation authority.

What languages is the app available in?

The Hootling interface is available in English, Spanish, French, German, and Portuguese (Brazilian). Use the language selector in the bottom navigation bar to switch. AI-generated content (scam warnings, tipping advice) is currently in English only.