With rideshare apps popping up so rapidly, it can be a little difficult to decide which is the best for you. All of them have their own unique benefits and downsides, despite being better than most taxi services. Here is a little bit to know about each one and what they bring to the table.
For passengers:
Uber
Uber is probably the most well known of these three; it is also the most used. Uber is available in far more locations than any other rideshare app, and you can often find a driver quickly even in more suburban areas. Their surge pricing can be extremely high, however. You may sometimes have to wait a while to get a ride at a reasonable price. With Uber, you can order a car all to yourself or share a ride at a lower rate. Because of Uber’s popularity, it’s often the subject of some terrifying headlines.
Lyft
While both Uber and Lyft feature a “surge” or “prime time” feature where prices are increased based on high demand: Lyft’s prices are almost half of Uber’s during these times, on average. This means that if there is surge pricing on both apps, then you’re almost always better off with taking Lyft. On top of this, Lyft’s primary focus is on customer service so they have a more developed support center than Uber. The big downside to Lyft, however, is that it is not as popular as Uber, so there are places where there aren’t many drivers. Similar to Uber, you can choose to share a car with other riders if you’re not in a hurry.
Via
Via is somewhat unique among the increasingly popular rideshare apps, as it actually features a flat rate instead of charging based off distance like the other two. This can be a pro and a con since the flat rate might be lower or higher than the other services would’ve been.
The major drawback of Via, however, is its accessibility. It’s only available in very few cities: Chicago, New York, and Washington D.C. It also only provides coverage in certain areas of a city, so it’s great for trips downtown, but if you need to go to the outskirts, Via may not be for you. Still, Via is expanding to other cities and areas, so it could be a good option for you.
With Via’s flat rate, you might have to share the car with other riders, but you often get a ride all to yourself at no additional charge.
Hopefully this has helped you figured out which rideshare app is the best one for you as a rider; however, as a driver these companies work a little differently than for the customers.
For drivers:
Uber
This rideshare app is generally considered the worst for employees. The main benefit is its availability. Since more people know about it, you’re more likely to get customers (it works the same way for the customer’s benefit as well). Other than that, it doesn’t look too great compared to the other two. Uber takes the most money out of the ride fare, compared to the other two, but it also charges the most on average.
This still means you might be making less than you would with the other two. On top of this, tipping in the app was only recently integrated, and you have to have an extremely high rating from your customers in order to stay employed.
Lyft
The benefits and downsides for a Lyft driver coincide heavily with the benefits and downsides of a rider. For both, there are areas where Lyft isn’t popular and using it as a driver or rider won’t be very lucrative. Despite this, you get more money than Uber as during surge hours. Their support center is also reportedly more responsive than Uber’s for both the driver and customer, which means that they are easier to work with when something goes wrong.
Via
Via is probably the best rideshare app for drivers in areas that it’s available. Not only does it give you a higher percentage of pay per drive compared to the other two, but since it’s only located in highly populated areas, you’re more likely to get a ride without much wait. On top of this, your rides typically don’t wear down your car as much as longer drives would (which is one of the main driver complaints of using rideshare apps). Of course, like the customers, you’re only able to drive in select cities, but it is definitely the best to work for if you are in those cities.
Despite their unique flaws and benefits, you’re better off actually working for multiple rideshare apps as a driver. If you plan on being a driver in an area that offers any combination of these three, it’s the most beneficial to get each of them, in order to maximize your earnings.
As both a driver and rider, your best bet is to use Lyft most of the time. However, Lyft isn’t always available, while Uber is practically everywhere. Uber’s main drawback for a rider is that their surge pricing can skyrocket, but sometimes they are really your only option. Via is also a great alternative to either one if you live in one of the select cities where it’s available. Happy travels!
