Uber and Lyft comprise the two largest rideshare apps in the modern gig economy. Like Coke vs. Pepsi or Mac vs. PC, these discussions often beg the question - which, if either, is better?
Most successful drivers have already figured out the secret: they drive for both platforms and switch between them! But if you’re just starting out or are trying to optimize your earnings, understanding the differences between Uber and Lyft’s pay and policies can make a big impact on your bottom line.
Here’s what you need to know.
Related: Uber Driver Requirements Explained (2025) | How To Become an Uber Driver
Does Uber or Lyft Pay More?
The short answer is that Uber typically pays more per hour, but Lyft’s commission rate guarantee can make individual rides more profitable. With that said, these basic generalizations can break down once you factor in things like your specific market, your schedule, and the types of rides you’re willing to accept.
What do Uber and Lyft Pay?
Some commonly cited earning averages you can find online will usually put Uber’s pay somewhere between $25 and $40 per hour, while Lyft drivers may see something more like $20-35 per hour (both before expenses).
Related: Lyft Driver & Vehicle Requirements | How to Drive for Lyft (2025)
There’s also the fact of each respective platform’s commission structure. Lyft states that drivers get 70% or more of the rider’s payment after external fees, implying an, at most, 30% commission on each trip, with the potential for it to be less.
Uber refers to its cut as a “service fee” which can vary by your trip, city, and other factors. As an Uber driver, you’ll get a “Weekly Statement” every week that breaks down your pay, including what your service fee was.
The example given on Uber’s website shows a service fee of about 20%. The customers paid $1,500, $300 of which was deducted for region/city fees and tolls, with another $300 going to Uber’s service fee.
Many driver-advocate sources report that Uber’s commission typically falls somewhere between 20% and 25%. Lyft’s cut will be in a similar ballpark (around 20-30%), but with a floor promise of at least 70% pay to drivers (after those external fees - keep an eye on those).
Related: How Much Do Uber Drivers Make? | Uber Driver Earnings Explained
Other Factors That Can Affect Your Uber vs. Lyft Pay
Both Uber and Lyft have a form of surge pricing - increased pay during busy times. This is another place where some drivers suggest that Uber’s surge pricing tends to be more generous than Lyft’s Prime Time, its equivalent feature.
Lyft’s CEO isn’t the biggest fan of surge pricing, and it appears to be something the company is trying to phase out. As of right now, Lyft still does provide surge pricing, but this is another area where some say Uber’s is more generous.
Some drivers even insist that Lyft’s algorithm intentionally “balances” their earnings, preventing them from getting multiple high-paying rides in a row in order to “set an invisible hourly rate” that they can’t exceed. There’s no definitive proof of that being true, but it’s something you may try to look out for yourself.
Related: Make More Money With Uber: 9 Must-Know Tips (2025)
It also can depend on your market. Some drivers report, anecdotally, that Lyft is the busier app in their market compared to Uber.
From our research, it seems as though there’s a good chance you may earn more per-ride with Lyft, but you’ll get significantly more rides with Uber since it has the far greater market share. Like we said previously, you should do what other drivers do - just use both apps to maximize your earning potential.
Promotions, Bonuses, & Guarantees
Both Uber and Lyft offer additional earning opportunities through various bonuses and promotions. Taking advantage of these are edges drivers can chase to make more money.
Uber’s promotions include Quest, which gives rewards for completing a set number of trips within a time period (e.g. Get $40 for completing 40 trips in a week). They also offer Boost+, which pays you extra for completing trips that begin within a specific area.
Lyft provides Lyft Rewards. For every dollar you make (including tips), you get points which increase your rank (Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Elite). Your rank unlocks new perks based on your tier, and they can be redeemed for things like cash or gift cards.
Related: Uber Vehicle Requirements | Which Car Can I Drive for Uber?
Uber Pro is similar to Lyft Rewards. Lyft also offers what they call “Earnings Guarantees”, which are guarantees that you’ll earn a minimum amount of money for completing a required number of rides within a given period.
If your actual earnings in that Earnings Guarantee period fall short, Lyft will pay you the difference. Uber doesn’t really offer any such guarantees today (outside of California).
Do Uber or Lyft Passengers Tip More?
While there’s no official data that the companies give out detailing what percentage of their passengers tip, a recent study found that about 28% of passengers tip.
We couldn’t find clear evidence of one app tipping more than the other, but after combing through forum posts of Uber and Lyft drivers sharing their experiences, it seems as though Uber passengers tip at fairly significantly higher rates than Lyft passengers.
Related: Free Uber/Lyft Vehicle Inspections Explained (2025 Update)
Uber vs. Lyft FAQ
Q: Which platform pays more, Uber or Lyft?
A: Drivers tend to report that Uber pays slightly more per hour, but Lyft’s commission structure guarantees drivers receive at least 70% of each fare after external fees, which can make individual rides more profitable.
Q: What percentage do Uber and Lyft take from each ride?
A: Uber charges a “service fee” that typically ranges from 20-25% of the fare, though this can vary by trip and location. Lyft’s range is around 20-30%, but guarantees drivers will receive at least 70% of the rider’s payment (after fees like tolls and regional charges).
Q: Do passengers tip more on Uber or Lyft?
A: While a little over 1/4 of rideshare passengers tip overall, drivers seem to feel as though Uber passengers tip at significantly higher rates than Lyft passengers. However, neither company releases official tipping data.
Q: Does Uber or Lyft offer better bonuses and promotions?
A: It’s fairly even, and which works better for you may come down to when and where you drive. Uber provides Quest rewards for trip milestones and Boost+ for rides in specific areas. Lyft provides “Earnings Guarantees” that pay you the difference if you fall short of a minimum amount, something Uber doesn’t offer outside of California. Both platforms have decent loyalty programs (Uber Pro and Lyft Rewards) that unlock perks as you drive more.
Q: Can I drive for both Uber and Lyft at the same time?
A: Yes, you can - and you should! Most successful drivers use both apps at the same time to minimize downtime and thus maximize their earnings. By keeping both apps open, you can accept the best available ride at any moment based on surge pricing, pickup distance, and trip details.
Make Both Lyft and Uber Work For You
In reality, it shouldn’t matter all that much which app pays more individually. You really should be using both simultaneously and accepting the best available ride on either app at any moment.
If you were to just use Lyft or Uber alone, you’d be facing a lot more downtime. Every minute you’re not ferrying a passenger is money that’s not going back into your pocket.
Keep both apps open, and monitor them closely for surge multipliers, distance to pickup, and the direction of your destination. Both apps also give you fairly detailed information about how much you’ll earn for that trip as well, making the calculation easier than ever.
Related: Does Uber Track Your Mileage? | How to Track Your Mileage for Uber
How to Maximize Your Rideshare Earnings
In addition to using both Lyft and Uber at once, you can save thousands of dollars on your taxes by running a mileage tracker app like TripLog in the background as well! You can deduct each mile you drive for work by $0.70 in 2025, which can add up to a ton of extra cash for you come tax time (e.g. 1000 miles driven for work = $700).
You can download TripLog for free on iOS and Android today and start tracking unlimited automatic miles for free!