What every rideshare app hides from your dashboard
Uber, Lyft, Didi, Bolt, Grab, Ola, and Gojek all show you 'gross fare + tips' and call that your earnings. It isn't. Four costs eat that number before any of it lands in your account.
- • Platform commission + booking fees — 18–35% depending on city and surge.
- • Fuel — usually $0.10–$0.20 per mile / €0.08–€0.15 per km on a sedan.
- • Maintenance, tires, and brakes — averages $0.06–$0.10 per mile across a vehicle's life.
- • Depreciation — the cash you'll lose when you sell the car. Often the single biggest hidden cost.
Platform commission rates worldwide
Commission varies wildly by country, vehicle class, and whether the trip went through surge pricing. These are typical mid-2026 effective ranges.
- • Uber / Lyft (US, CA, AU, UK): ~25–35% effective after service + booking fees.
- • Bolt (EU, Africa): ~15–25% — usually the lowest commission of the majors.
- • Didi (LatAm, ANZ, Japan): ~20–25%.
- • Grab (SEA): ~20% on rides, higher on premium tiers.
- • Ola (India, UK): ~20–25%.
- • Gojek (Indonesia, SEA): ~20% on GoCar, ~10–15% on GoRide motorbike.
Why depreciation is the cost no one budgets for
A 2024 sedan with 30,000 rideshare miles a year loses $4–7k of resale value annually. Most drivers don't see it because it isn't a line on the app — but it shows up the day you trade the car in. Bake $0.10–$0.20/mile into your real net even if you ignored it before.
FAQ
How much do Uber drivers really make per hour?
In most US cities, the dashboard number ($25–$35/hr gross) lands around $12–$22/hr net after the 25–35% platform cut, fuel, maintenance, and depreciation. Bigger cities + surge windows push the high end; suburbs without surge pull the low end.
Is Bolt or Uber better to drive for?
In most European and African markets, Bolt takes a smaller commission (15–25% vs Uber's ~25–35%), so the same gross fare yields a meaningfully higher net hourly. Trip volume usually still favors Uber in capital cities.
How much does Didi pay drivers in Mexico City or São Paulo?
Typical full-time Didi drivers in Mexico City and São Paulo report gross of MXN 150–200 / BRL 35–50 per hour, netting roughly half after commission, fuel, and wear.
Does this calculator account for surge / Prime Time / quest bonuses?
Bump your 'gross per hour' to reflect surge or bonus hours. The math is honest about cost; the gross number is yours to estimate.
Should I drive my own car or rent through Uber / Lyft / Hertz?
Rentals strip out depreciation risk and most maintenance but add $250–$400/week. They make sense when your car would burn through that in depreciation + repairs anyway — usually above ~35 driving hours/week.