Is Uber or Lyft Cheaper in 2024? The Cheapest Way to Ride (2024)

Bestreferral Team | December 26, 2022 | Reading Time: 00:06

Ride sharing apps have been a godsend for many people who need to get around but don’t want to use public transportation or drive their own car. They’re also great for people who want to save money on transportation costs. However recently they are often in the news because of the high prices.

The Uber-Lyft competition is good news for users. Indeed to grow their market share, they are always trying to offer the best service at the lowest prices.

It's a question that is on the minds of many Uber and Lyft users – is one cheaper than the other?

The answer is not always black and white, as there can be variations in rates depending on the city you're in. But, by taking a look at some general comparisons, you can get an idea of which ride-sharing service is more affordable for you. In this article, we'll break down the cost of both Uber and Lyft rides, as well as discounts and promo codes that can help you save money on your next ride.

Is Uber Or Lyft Cheaper in 2024?

There is no clear answer to the question "Is Uber or Lyft cheaper?" It all depends on a number of factors, including the city you're in, the time of day, and the length of your trip. However, you can easily find the cheapest ride service near you just by opening the app and getting a real time quote.

If a product were cheaper at one store than another, would you buy it from the more expensive store?

Pricing models are the same for Uber and Lyft. Both charge a base fare along with per-mile and per-minute rates. Additional fees, such as “gas surcharge” and other fees, may be applied in some cities. To learn more and understand how the pricing is calculated, you can take a look at our guides with the breakdown of Uber fares and Lyft fares .

Furthermore, drivers often work for Uber and Lyft at the same time, accepting rides from the company offering better incentives.

A study conducted by BestReferralDriver found that the best value for low-traffic rides, rush-hour rides, night rides and airport rides can be found by comparing the pricing of the top ridesharing services in the 10 most populous U.S. cities.

To find out whether Uber or Lyft offers the cheapest fares in your area, take a look at our case study.

Methodology: To realize our analysis and aswer the question "is Lyft cheaper than Uber" we compared the Uber and Lyft rates using respectively the Uber fare estimator tool and the Lyft Fare estimator tool. The rates were compared in 10 of the most popular cities in the U.S. using the same pick up and drop off location during normal hours and rush hours.

Chicago: Uber

Uber

• Regular ride: $15.95
• Rush-hour ride: $20.93

Lyft

• Regular ride: $20.10
• Rush-hour ride: $22.99

Dallas: Lyft

Uber

• Regular ride: $8.30
• Rush-hour ride: $15.82

Lyft

• Regular ride: $14.80
• Rush-hour ride: $11.85

In Dallas, Lyft is cheaper than Uber. Indeed, suring our tests, Lyft rates were cheaper than Uber rates, especially during the rush hours. Here, both ride apps face the competition of a new car service called Alto.

Denver: Uber

Uber

• Regular ride: $22.98
• Rush-hour ride: $41.55

Lyft

• Regular ride: $23.79
• Rush-hour ride: $44.15

New York: Uber & Lyft Tie

Uber

• Regular ride: $11.60
• Rush-hour ride: $12.16

Lyft

• Regular ride: $11.84
• Rush-hour ride: $11.72

New York is one of the most competitive markets. The rates for Uber and Lyft in NYC are almost the same. Lyft costs a little bit less during the rush hours. NY riders can find cheap rides rates with Opoli.

San Diego: Uber

Uber

• Regular ride: $10.91
• Rush-hour ride: $47.15

Lyft

• Regular ride: $13.99
• Rush-hour ride: $17.41

In San Diego, for a very short ride from the airport to downtown both apps have the same prices. However, especially on long distance rides, Uber is a little bit cheaper than Lyft. If you plan on using them a lot, then sure, download Lyft and use whichever one is cheaper for your current trip.

Phoenix: Lyft

Uber

• Regular ride: $16.39
• Rush-hour ride: $31.00

Lyft

• Regular ride: $16.85
• Rush-hour ride: $18.08

San Francisco: Lyft

Uber

• Regular ride: $20.50
• Rush-hour ride: $45.38

Lyft

• Regular ride: $12.86
• Rush-hour ride:$20.35

San Francisco is one of the cities where we assisted a real Uber's driver shortage. In California the situation is made even more complicated because of high gas prices. Uber partners with Flywheel taxi app, one of the San Francisco taxi options, amid driver shortage.

Los Angeles: Uber

Uber

• Regular ride: $48.95
• Rush-hour ride: $61.63

Lyft

• Regular ride: $46.70
• Rush-hour ride: $64.96

Anyone who has been to Los Angeles knows that traffic is a nightmare. Rush hour can last for hours, and trying to find a parking spot can be close to impossible. As a result, many people have turned to ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft as an alternative to driving their own car. But which service is cheaper? According to our analysis, Uber is typically the cheaper option, especially during rush hour. Surge pricing for both companies, but Uber's surge is typically less than Lyft's. In addition, Uber is a great option for LAX rides. As a result, Uber is often the better choice for price-conscious riders in Los Angeles.

Seattle: Uber

Uber

• Regular ride: $22.22
• Rush-hour ride: $49.92

Lyft

• Regular ride: $27.99
• Rush-hour ride: $49.41

The San Francisco headquartered company recently released rankings of the best and worst cities for drivers to pick up passengers. Uber drivers rank Seattle drivers second worst in the U.S. just ahead of New York City.

Washington DC: Uber

Uber

• Regular ride: $9:25
• Rush-hour ride: $12.92

Lyft

• Regular ride: $12.96
• Rush-hour ride: $13.47

Uber is the cheaper option in DC.

Is Lyft or Uber Cheaper at the Airport?

Uber and Lyft provide airport rides from many major airports around the US such as LAX, Denver’s airport, SFO and Las Vegas.

If you're planning on using ridesharing apps to get to or from the airport instead of airport shuttles, then you'll want to take a look at the rates for both Uber and Lyft to find the cheapest ride to the airport.

Keep in mind that neither Uber or Lyft have flat rate airports. So, the only thing you can do to find the cheap ride app for your next airport transfer is to compare it.

So, let's compare rates for Uber and Lyft at the airport, instead of cities. For this example, I chose to compare the rate from SFO international airport to Embarcadero.

Uber

• Regular ride: $30.98
• Rush-hour ride: $35.06

Lyft

• Regular ride: $36.77
• Rush-hour ride: $56.99

As you can see, Uber is probably going to be the better deal for airport rides.

Which Is Cheaper Uber Or Lyft at Night?

The pricing for Uber and Lyft rides is different during the day and night. Both services use what is called "dynamic pricing," which means that prices go up or down based on demand. This is why you may have noticed that your ride is cheaper during off-peak hours.

At night, however, surge pricing is typically in effect. This means that the prices are higher and gig workers make more money.

We took a test in San Francisco for a ride from Embarcadero to Berkeley.

The rate for a standard Lyft ride was $79.17 while the rate for a standard UberX was $56.08.

In general, Uber is cheaper than Lyft at night. However, this can vary depending on the city you're in and the specific rates that are in effect.

How To Find The Cheapest Ride Service?

Now that you find out which is cheaper, Lyft or Uber in the major cities across the US, follow our rideshare expert advice to find the best value for your next ride.

If you're trying to save money on your next ride, there are a few things you can do. First, try to take your ride during off-peak hours. This is when dynamic pricing is in effect for both Uber and Lyft, and you're likely to get a cheaper ride.

Second, look for discounts and promo codes . Both services offer deals for first-time riders and promo codes that can save you money on your ride.

Finally, take a look at the rates for Uber and Lyft in your city. In some cases, one service may be cheaper than the other overall. By taking all of these factors into account, you can find the cheapest ride-sharing option for your next trip.

How Do I Get Uber Cheaper?

If you want to save money on your next Uber ride, you should probably know what is the cheapest Uber ride.

Ordering the wrong type of vehicle can make your ride much more expensive.

UberX is among the cheapest Uber ride options. On the other hand, if you are at the airport and have a lot of luggage, ordering an UberXL will save you from paying expensive cancellation fees.

Another way to save money is to know when Uber prices are lowest and avoid using the car ride service when the rates are high.

As always, it depends on the demand. Usually Uber is cheapest from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and in the afternoon 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

You can get Uber cheaper by signing up to Uber One , the membership subscription that gives you access to benefits on rides, food and grocery delivery.

How Do I Get Lyft Cheaper?

While Lyft is probably not the cheapest ride app, you can get Lyft cheaper by taking advantage of its membership subscription service called Lyft Pink.

You can also save more money by delaying your pickup. Indeed recently Lyft introduced the wait and save ride option.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is it Cheaper to Use a Taxi?

You can take a look at our complete comparison of Uber Vs Taxi. Taxis are typically more expensive than ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft.

However, there are some cases where it is cheaper to use a taxi. If you're taking a short trip or going to an area with heavy traffic, taxis may be the better option. This is because they charge per mile when moving, yet they charge per minute while idling.

Additionally, taxis typically don't use dynamic pricing, so the price is the same no matter when you take your ride. If you're looking for the cheapest option, though, ride-sharing is usually the way to go.

Is it Cheaper to Drive Yourself?

In most cases, no. When you factor in the cost of gas, insurance, and maintenance, it is usually cheaper to take an Uber or Lyft. However, there are some situations where it may be cheaper to drive yourself.

For example, if you're only going a short distance or there is little traffic, the cost of gas may be less than the cost of your ride. Additionally, if you're using a carpooling service like Lyft Line or Uber Pool, you may be able to split the cost of your ride with another person. This can make it cheaper than taking a taxi or driving yourself.

If you want to know more about taxi services, take a look at our guide to taxis in New York City

Find Cheap Rides Near You

To get the most affordable Uber or Lyft ride, it's important to compare rates in your city, choose the right ride types and look for discounts that you can apply to your fare. By taking the time to do a little research, you can ensure that you're getting the best possible deal on your next ride.

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