Who wants to use transport super apps? Insights from combined PLS-SEM and NCA methods

• First study to examine the acceptance of transport super apps in Western context. • Performance expectancy (PE) and price value (PV) are key drivers and necessary conditions for adoption. • ‘App fatigue’ increases interest in super apps by reducing the need for multiple single-purpose apps. Super apps are a recent phenomenon in the retail sector, seamlessly integrating mobility, delivery, payments, entertainment, and other services into a single platform. While super apps such as WeChat and Alipay are well-established in many Asian markets, their adoption in Western markets remains largely underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining consumer intentions to adopt transport super apps in Germany, where platforms like Uber and Bolt are beginning to introduce the super app concept. Combining Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA), data from 575 potential users were analyzed. The results reveal that performance expectancy (PE), price value (PV), and habit (HA) significantly impact behavioral intentions to use transport super apps. Notably, PE and PV are necessary conditions for consumer adoption to manifest. Achieving the highest level of adoption intention requires meeting minimum threshold levels of 35.6% for PE and 12% for PV. Moreover, “app fatigue” was found to positively influence adoption, suggesting that super apps are perceived as convenient replacements for multiple single-purpose apps. The insights from this study highlight the importance of tailoring marketing strategies to emphasize transport super apps’ valued benefits for key target groups. This research contributes to the emerging literature on super apps, highlighting the need for sector-specific investigations across various super app categories.