Urban Company announced that its quick-service housekeeping vertical, InstaHelp, achieved a massive milestone by crossing 50,000 daily bookings (recording 51,520 bookings) on Sunday, February 22.
This achievement comes less than a year after its pilot launch in Mumbai in March 2025, signaling an explosive growth trajectory in what many are calling the “quick commerce for house-help” segment.
InstaHelp: The 15-Minute Home Service
The service has rapidly scaled across select micro-markets in five major metros: Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, and Pune.
- The Services: Offers on-demand housekeeping including cleaning, dishwashing, laundry, and meal preparation.
- The Speed: Promises a professional at the doorstep within 10–15 minutes of booking.
- The Scale: In comparison, it took Urban Company’s core business nearly six years to reach the same 50,000 daily booking milestone that InstaHelp hit in under 11 months.
Financials: Growth vs. Burn
While the order volume is surging, the “hyper-local” density required for 15-minute fulfillment comes at a significant financial cost.
| Metric | Q3 FY26 (Oct–Dec 2025) |
| Total Orders | 1.61 Million |
| Net Transaction Value (NTV) | ₹28 Crore |
| Adjusted EBITDA Loss | ₹61 Crore |
| Loss Per Order | ₹381 (Reduced from ₹760 in Q2) |
Strategic Outlook: CEO Abhiraj Singh Bhal noted that while InstaHelp is the primary “drag” on current profitability, the investment is necessary to win market share against rivals like Snabbit and Pronto. The company expects the consolidated business to return to breakeven by Q3 FY28 as the “loss per order” continues to decline with better density.
The “New Normal” in Urban India
Industry analysts at Redseer and Antler India suggest this is a structural shift in urban consumption:
- Retention: Repeat usage rates in high-density neighborhoods are already reaching 8 bookings per month, higher than early-stage food delivery metrics.
- Supplementary Layer: Currently, the service acts as a “backup” when regular domestic help is absent, rather than a full replacement.
- Supply Model: Unlike traditional gig work, professionals are often on fixed shifts with assured monthly earnings of ₹20,000–₹25,000, providing more stability than standard delivery roles.
“Crossing 50,000+ daily bookings reflects strong consumer demand for reliable, on-demand housekeeping… we are building a high-frequency category.” — Abhiraj Singh Bhal, CEO & Co-founder.
