Rocket Internet’s Helpling gets a mobile app to let you book cleaners in Europe on the go

Rocket Internet’s cleaning startup, Helpling, has launched a mobile app on iOS and Android to make it more convenient for users in Europe to hire a professional cleaner on the go.

The app, supposedly the first of its kind in the countries it’s available in, can now be accessed by users in Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. Benedikt Franke, the co-founder of Helpling, said the startup’s foray into mobile is primarily aimed at making it easier for users to book local cleaners near them, given that “location-based services are the next big trend in mobile commerce.”

The Helpling app connects with calendar apps so you can easily manage your schedule, and it stores booked cleaning slots to the phone calendar, after which you can set alerts for when a cleaner needs access to your place. It also shows the availability for your favorite cleaners, and lets you make either single or recurring bookings — after launching the app, customers can use their last cleaning job as a blue-print to re-book the same service. As for payment, you can do so via the app either via credit card, PayPal or direct debit.

Helpling first launched in Rocket’s native Germany in April using the same ‘book a cleaner for a fixed fee’ model as US-based Homejoy (which is also active in the UK and Germany). Other European startups using the same approach include Hassle, Mopp and Housekeep, all of which recently announced funding rounds.

➤ Helpling: iOS | Google Play