Cab App in Rome?

You can just have your hotel call for a taxi
It will arrive in a few minutes

There are a few taxi apps, can’t recall the names but a search here will bring them up

The Hotel can arrange for a cab the night before giving them the time of arrival. We have done this more than once and the cab was always there early. What hotel are you staying at close to the Pantheon?

Have a great trip!

If you are in an AirB&B, don't forget that there are taxi stands all over the historic center of Rome, and there are taxis there waiting for passengers from about 6 a.m. on. Just look for the orange sign and the clumps of white taxis. For example, from the Pantheon it is a short walk to Largo Argentina where there is a large taxi stand, just across the street from the Feltrinelli bookstore.

We did exactly that for our 7:00 am entrance to the Vatican. Walked a few minutes to the Largo Argentina taxi stand, where there were several taxis waiting. Super easy.

Thank you everyone! I should clarify we are staying in an AirBNB so we don't have the luxury of asking the desk to call us a taxi. I've been reading about so many taxi scams and making sure you take a legit taxi I was getting nervous about how to find a real one. If a taxi is at a taxi stand does that mean they are bound to charge the correct rate?

@suzy that's good to know. What was the rate from that taxi stand to the Vatican Museums entrance?

I don't remember the fare anymore but it wasn't very much - short ride, no traffic that time of day.

As a side note, none of the thousands of romans that use FreeNow every day would label this app "a scam". In fact they get 4,8 stars out of 5 on the App store.
Together with ItTaxi, FreeNow is the most used national app.

If a taxi is at a taxi stand does that mean they are bound to charge the correct rate?

Yes, like all licensed cabs all over the world they are not allowed to cheat customers and they are bound to charge the correct rate. Some take their customers for the long route anyway, but it doesn't depend on where they park their cars.

Ask the driver to turn the meter on or simply get off the car. Before gettin' on, Make clear that you have no cash (and that you are not going to stop at an ATM along the way): dishonest cabbies will look for an easier prey.

Looking into taking a cab from our hotel near the Pantheon to the
Vatican

now this

I should clarify we are staying in an AirBNB

OK

The cab fare from Largo Argentina to Vatican shouldn't be much more than 10-15 euros.

We will head to Rome this weekend and will stay at an apartment close to Pantheon as well. I just asked the host. She said there is a taxi stand right next to Pantheon. I checked the webcam. Here it is

https://i.ibb.co/x8vCYn6/Screenshot-2023-03-06-at-9-18-04-AM.png

I read about an app called FreeNow, saying its similar to Uber but works in Rome. Reading the reviews it didn't sound legit

It is legitimate. The company is actually owned by BMW and Mercedes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Now_(service)
I used Freenow four or five times when I was in Italy last year and it worked well. It's exactly like Uber but you are getting an actual licensed taxi driver, which is nice. I used it to get to the airport in the morning and had no issues.

Where did you read reviews that suggested it wasn't legit?

ItTaxi and Free Now are the most used apps.

But if you are near the pantheon, walk to the pantheon, and there is a taxi stand right next to it, along on the western wall of the Pantheon (right side facing the Pantheon) on Via della Rotonda.
If you tell the exact location of your AirBnB we can suggest if there are any even closer to you.

Thank you everyone for the insight into FreeNow - I read the poor reviews on Google Play Store (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=taxi.android.client&hl=en_US&gl=US)

Appreciate the insight into the taxi stand locations as well. Didn't mean to cause confusion @ChristineH by saying hotel vs AirBNB, thank you for the fare estimate. And thank you @Dario for the tips too!

Approx location is near Via del Seminario and Via della Minerva. Sounds like the stand on the right side of the Pantheon will be perfect as long as they are there early morning.

Then you are staying right next to the Pantheon on the eastern side of it, so basically 300 ft (one minute walk) from the taxi stand. A line of Taxi cabs will probably be there 24/7. It's probably one of the busiest tourist spot in Rome with people walking around at all hours of the day and night. In the unlikely event the taxi stand is empty (impossible at that location in my opinion), just call a taxi at
+39 06 3570 or +39 06 6645. The former can be dispatched using the ItTaxi app too.

If you walk to the taxi stand you save a little bit, because when you call or use an app, the fare starts from the time you call and the taxi is dispatched to you.

No problem!
You might find this useful:
https://www.archeoroma.org/taxi/stands/
You can only get a taxi at an official taxi stand, no flagging one down as you would in NYC for example

Just checked the webcam again. now it's 6:20 am in Rome. And there are several taxis waiting by Pantheon.

https://ibb.co/WvNs2mc

Thank you @feiliao! So kind of you to check the camera again.

While I appreciate all the advice to ‘just walk to the taxi queue’, I’ve been at the eerily empty taxi stands at both the Pantheon and Largo Argentina. Late hours and rain means an uncomfortable wait when you have someplace you need to be, or are carrying a suitcase. I’m hoping to use FreeNow during my trip this fall but I certainly wouldn’t mind another option, if anyone wants to offer that up. I am renting an apartment, so no need to admonish me to ask the front desk. I’m asking if there are other viable apps. Thank you.

I am literally staying at an AirBnB now, close to the Pantheon and I’ve used the ItTaxi app twice so far. It’s been great. I was even able to reserve an early morning pick up. It is different in that you need to upload a credit card but you pay directly to the taxi for each ride- cash or card. There are Taxi stops not far from here but using the app has been great when time is tight or we’re just exhausted or lost 😬

I’ve also used Ubers in Rome-the Ubers there are “black car service” and easily accommodate 4 people.