Gasbuddy, a new app that helps you locate the cheapest petrol prices, has been launched in Australia.
The GasBuddy model is based on crowdsourcing, with users observing prices for different grades of unleaded, diesel and LPG fuel at petrol stations Australia-wide and submitting them to the GasBuddy database. The database is then updated in real time and other users can confirm the prices or submit updates.
The app also rewards the crowdsourcing efforts of users. Every time a user adds a price they gain points and, once they build up enough 'deposits', they can then enter the draw to win a $100 fuel voucher.
Gaining critical mass will be crucial to Gasbuddy’s success in Australia. In recent years, our digital habits have steered towards using crowdsourcing apps like Airbnb and Uber which harness the power of the community voice.
The company's Australian manager Nic Moulis said that trials in Sydney had been successful. GasBuddy is aiming for 500,000 downloads within 12 months.
The app was conceived in 2000 as a community fuel price sharing website created by two Canadian university students. Today, motorists in North America generate around 15 million fuel price reports per month using the app.