Lyft and Uber are ride-sharing services that were launched in 2012 in competition with taxi companies. To book a ride with Lyft or Uber, you’ll need smartphone a Lyft or Uber mobile app, and an account with the service. Both services connect drivers and passengers with location services and accept payments through the app. There are a few differences between the two organizations, but is one better than the other? We explore the similarities and differences to help you decide which ride sharing service is best for you.
General conclusions
Lyft
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Usually found in and around major cities.
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Mainly limited to North America.
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More relaxed atmosphere and feel.
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Bright and friendly app design.
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More service options and economical travel.
Uber
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More widely available.
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Greater global presence.
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Corporate and professional look.
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More conservative app design.
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Simple pricing and service levels.
Lyft and Uber looked very different at launch. Uber mostly used black cars and SUVs, drivers were dressed, and passengers sat in the back seat. Meanwhile, Lyft cars featured giant, grilled pink mustaches, and passengers were encouraged to sit forward and punch the driver. Lyft has mostly gotten rid of the pink mustache and punches, and passengers are now sitting in the back seat.
Services are now almost identical. Uber and Lyft work in the same way. Book a ride through the app, find the driver, track the driver on the map in real time and pay the fare using the app at the end of the ride. Drivers of both ride-sharing services are considered contractors, not full-time employees.
Price: It’s a close race
Lyft
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Price dependent.
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The price increases with demand.
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See quote before booking.
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Periodic discounts.
Uber
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Price dependent.
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The price increases with demand.
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See quote before booking.
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Periodic discounts.
The number one concern for most people is cost. For Uber and Lyft pricing depends on your location, time of day, and local traffic. Both services raise prices when demand is high. Uber calls it a price hike, while Lyft calls it Prime Time.
The higher rates are meant to encourage drivers to go online to meet demand. According to ridester.com shared monitoring services trips from- due to fierce competition between the two companies, prices are about the same . In most cases, riders see a price estimate before accepting a ride.
Passengers also benefit from free or reduced trips from time to time, sometimes tied to an event or holiday. Chances are if Uber offers discounts on certain weekends, Lyft will follow suit.
Service Areas: Uber is in slightly more locations
Uber
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Wider coverage.
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It has been extended for longer.
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Global Presence.
Lyft
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Initially more exclusive.
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Coverage is growing in most places.
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More focused on North America.
Both Uber and Lyft are mature services that have built up a reputation and scope of service over the years. Because of this, the service areas of both of them are similar.
Initially, Uber served a wider area than Lyft, covering more of the US than its competitor and expanding from major cities. Uber now boasts a wider range, but the difference isn’t as big as it used to be.
The lift began exclusively on the west coast and slowly spread to other major cities. It is now available in most areas of the US, but is still mostly centered around cities.
Applications: both are great
Uber
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Easy to register.
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Easy to choose service levels.
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Clean, modern design.
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Get an immediate fare estimate.
Lyft
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Sign up on desktop or mobile.
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Easy to choose service levels.
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Bright, friendly design.
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Get an immediate fare estimate.
Both services are primarily mobile-based, although Lyft allows you to request a ride from a desktop web browser. As such, they each spent time and resources to make their mobile apps as intuitive and user-friendly as possible.
On any app, you won’t have much trouble setting up an account and requesting a ride. With any of them, you can go from an uninstalled app to waiting for a driver within minutes.
Uber and Lyft make it easy to choose your current location, destination, and service level on a live Google map that shows drivers in your area. You can get real-time estimates for each service level and see how long you wait for a ride. Both apps also track the driver on its way to your location.
If there is one major difference between the two, it is the design. Uber feels boring and almost corporate. Lyft, on the other hand, is more lively and friendly in style. None of this matters in terms of functionality, but Lyft just feels better.
Service levels: Lyft offers more options
Uber
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Easier levels of service.
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Group trips.
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It is easy to distinguish service levels.
Lyft
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More options.
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Group trips.
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More economical options.
Both services offer a wide range of options and different levels of service. Each of them provides a range of vehicle options and ways to drive at different prices. Lyft and Uber also include ride-sharing options if you want to be more economical.
Uber breaks down its service into economy and premium rides. Uber’s economy options include the standard UberX option for regular sedans and UberXL for SUVs. You will also find a ride sharing option here.
Uber premium service has only two options, Uber Black and Uber Black SUV. They are essentially the same as their economy counterparts, but in more expensive vehicles.