How Taxi Advertising Pricing Works
Two ways to buy. Both verified.
Most taxi advertising is sold as a flat count — a number of wraps, for a number of weeks, and a reach figure nobody can check. We do it differently: a single fixed price, or a capped deal where you only pay for what gets delivered — and a report that shows where your wrap actually ran.
Fixed, or capped pay-for-delivery.
Every advertiser picks one of these. Both include GPS-verified delivery reporting, and neither can hand you a bill you didn't agree to.
A single fixed price
One price for the whole campaign, agreed before it starts. All-in, verified delivery included. Simple to budget for, and it doesn't move.
- You know the number before you commit.
- Full delivery reporting either way.
Only pay for what you get — capped
We agree a cap up front. If we don't deliver the premium-zone exposure we targeted, you pay less than the cap. You never pay more than it.
- The cap is the most you can ever pay.
- Under-delivery comes off the total, settled on the report.
Booking on behalf of a client? Agencies buy on a flat trade fee per format instead — predictable and resellable. See the agency option →
Zones don't set your price. They prove your delivery.
We split London into six zones — central to outer — the same mental map most Londoners already carry. They're how your report shows where the wrap spent its time, and how a capped deal gets settled. They are not a rate card.
From brief to proof, we run the whole thing.
You approve the artwork and pick the format. We handle the rest — including the bits that usually slow a taxi campaign down.
Brief & quote
Tell us budget, timing and target areas. Back comes a price — fixed or capped — before you commit.
Artwork & TfL approval
You supply the design; we handle the TfL approval process and confirm the spec. No paperwork on your side.
Production & install
Print and fit onto the cabs, scheduled around fleet availability. We confirm dates before anything starts.
Live & tracked
The wrap goes on the road and GPS logging starts immediately — visible to you live via portal or API.
Delivery report
The report that shows where it ran, when, by zone and borough. On a capped deal, it settles the bill.
The usual way, versus how we do it.
Most taxi advertising in London is still sold the same way it was a decade ago.
The usual way
- A flat number of wraps, for a flat number of weeks.
- Reach estimated from industry averages, not your taxis.
- No visibility into where your taxis actually ran.
The Helix Engage way
- One fixed price, or a capped deal — never a surprise.
- Every route GPS-logged and mapped as it happens.
- You see the zone breakdown your wrap actually delivered.
Booking through an agency? A flat trade fee per format is available too — still fully GPS-verified, just billed the way agencies buy. See the agency option →
Questions, answered.
Pricing and the practical stuff — the questions we get asked most before a first campaign.
Do you handle TfL approval?
Yes. Taxi advertising has to be approved by Transport for London, and we manage that process for you — you supply the artwork, we get it cleared and confirm the spec.
What do you need from me, and in what format?
Your design to our template for the format you've chosen. We'll send exact artwork specs and deadlines once you book, and flag anything that won't clear approval before it goes to print.
How long from booking to on the road?
It depends on format, artwork approval and current fleet availability. We confirm real dates before anything starts — no campaign goes live on a guess.
What exactly do you measure?
Where each wrap goes and when, by GPS — mapped to zone, borough and daypart. That's measured. Audience figures like reach and impressions are modelled from those measured hours, and always labelled as modelled.
How is my final invoice calculated?
On a fixed price, it's the price you agreed — it doesn't move. On a capped deal, it's the cap, or less if we didn't deliver the premium-zone exposure we targeted. Either way the report shows exactly where your taxis ran.
What if my taxis run more in outer zones than planned?
On a fixed price, nothing changes — you pay what you agreed. On a capped deal, that's exactly the case the cap protects: you'd pay less than it, never more. The report always reflects real GPS data, not the original plan.
Can I combine formats in one campaign?
Yes — most campaigns mix a wrap or superside with tip-seats. Each format is quoted and tracked individually, and appears in the same delivery report.
Is there a minimum campaign length?
It depends on format and current fleet availability. Tell us your timing and budget and we'll confirm what's realistic.
What if I'm booking through an agency?
Agencies book at a flat trade fee per format — predictable and resellable, and still fully GPS-verified. See the agency page for details.
How do I receive the tracking data?
Live during the campaign via a web portal or API/webhooks, or as a finished report once it wraps — reconciled to Route where that's part of your measurement stack.
Tell us the campaign, we'll send a price.
Share your budget, timing and target areas — we'll come back with a clear price, fixed or capped, and the delivery reporting that backs it up.
- → One fixed price, or a capped pay-for-delivery deal.
- → Format guidance based on your budget and goals.
- → No obligation — this starts as a conversation.