Urban Company has renamed Insta Maids to Insta Help after backlash from a labour union over its alleged exploitative work model.
"This is not just about renaming a service, it's about reaffirming our commitment to a future where every service professional is valued, respected and accorded the dignity of labour they deserve," the company said.
Urban Company had introduced Insta Maids last Thursday as a 15-minute maid booking service, marking its entry into the quick commerce space. The service was launched a month ago on the Urban Company app and is currently available in select locations in Mumbai.
On March 14, the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers criticised Urban Company's work model on X, calling it exploitative. The union demanded fair wages and social security for workers, regulatory oversight to prevent exploitation and safe working conditions.
"Exploitative Work Model Alert Urban Company's 15-minute maid booking service is a blatant exploitation of gig Platform domestic workers! This move prioritises speed over dignity and worsens working conditions," it said.
Exploitative Work Model Alert@urbancompany_UC 15-minute maid booking service is a blatant exploitation of gig Platform domestic workers! This move prioritizes speed over dignity and worsens working conditions. 1/2 https://t.co/yHI4fF7FnY pic.twitter.com/VKOlWD8TrM
"We launched Insta Maids with the vision of creating a trustworthy and convenient house help service that India can rely on," the company said in response. "Equally important, we aimed to empower our service partners with stable work opportunities, respectable earnings of Rs 150–180 per hour (Rs 20,000-25,000 per month), and benefits such as free health insurance and on-the-job life and accidental coverage."
"We saw this as a step towards formalising and uplifting a traditionally unorganised sector," it said.
Urban Company acknowledged that its focus on tangible aspects — fair pay, insurance, and formalisation — did not fully account for the cultural and emotional sensitivities involved. "From a marketing perspective, 'Insta Maids' was perfect—it resonated instantly with our target audience and was gaining traction fast. Lakhs of people searched for 'Insta Maids' on our app just over the weekend! This made the decision even harder," it said.
However, after engaging with feedback, the company recognised the broader implications. "We realised that progress isn't just about convenience and formalisation, it is also about the values we choose to uphold and reinforce. To everyone who challenged us to think deeper—thank you. Growth comes from listening, and this is how we move forward, together," the company said.
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