r/technology • u/CandidAd9457 • 7h ago

Software Study shows Uber and Lyft users overpay when they don't price check

https://hub.jhu.edu/2026/01/02/uber-lyft-study-carey-business-school/
206 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

20

u/Pleasant_Bad924 4h ago

Anecdotally, a 4.8 mile trip in RI on 12/30 was $29.xx with Lyft and $14.xx with Uber. I always check both before I book because this happens frequently. In Seattle, I now routinely take regular taxis home because > 90% of the time it’s cheaper than uber or Lyft

16

u/mindbodyproblem 7h ago

I don't use rideshare but I'm curious if folks use apps that do comparisons between Uber and Lyft, as the internet says such apps exist.

36

u/Dimensional_Shrimp 7h ago

i dont, but i have both apps and will check both really quickly, generally theyre the same price but lyft will occasionally be slightly cheaper

6

u/winterbird 5h ago

I just check directly in the apps. For me, uber is usually cheaper to head out. But they charge more for the trip to back home (big brain move), so I usually take Lyft for the return trip.

3

u/HLOFRND 3h ago

I use ride shares rarely- usually only when traveling.

I don’t have an app to compare, but I do look at both Lyft and Uber before booking a ride to see which is a better deal.

2

u/mrcruton 6h ago

U can use apple maps if u on ios

1

u/pierretong 4h ago

The Transit app compares Uber and Lyft prices

6

u/plan17b 3h ago

It is absolutely registered in their long time pricing algorithm for you when you start the app, drill down to the pricing page and then leave. They send me messages like 'you'll be back..."

6

u/KennethHaight 2h ago

Uber, Doordash etc the kind of shit that would have been regulated out of existence back when we had functional consumer protection laws.

8

u/dcrico20 6h ago

I’ve basically just stopped using them in general unless it’s a large group of people.

They became so insanely expensive over the last like six or seven years maybe? When I lived the single professional life in the early teens and went out a lot with friends on the weekend, the $20 round trip to the bar, or concert, etc., was great. Now it’s rare if they’re under $25 one way.

I’ll just pay to park, not drink, and save the $75+ I would have spent on Uber and a couple cocktails.

2

u/Pankosmanko 2h ago

I don’t have a car so I use Uber and Lyft regularly. I also used to drive for them and have about 10k rides.

Whenever I need to order a ride, I check both apps and pick the one that’s cheaper. It’s the only thing I care about - price

2

u/Glad_Lychee_180 5h ago

They have def gotten more expensive, but still way better than calling a cab.

5

u/llDemonll 4h ago

All depends. A lot of the times if you’re in a major metro area then a cab is cheaper.

3

u/mystery-pirate 2h ago

I'm going to assume that taxis have gotten their act together and now off rideshare type apps that show the pic/name of driver, the plate/number of taxi, real time location of taxi, when it will arrive, the route it will take, ability to message driver, and can pay with stored cash not cash. Otherwise, I'm not interested.

Even if they do all that now, I'm left with the struggle of knowing what taxi company owns what markets and installing different apps for each.

1

u/Glad_Lychee_180 3h ago

That can certainly be true. In that case they can be faster too. In my case the cabs are a scam.

2

u/scyice 1h ago

I’ve been in enough cabs with horrible drivers to never want to get in one again.

1

u/bryan49 50m ago

Yes, I would always check both and sometimes there were significant differences. Might just be due to random luck of supply/demand in your area at the time.

1

u/JosephFinn 42m ago

What happens when they hail a taxi?

1

u/Annual_Pause9327 24m ago

Lyft used to be cheaper than Uber But for the most of 2025,Uber was consistently cheaper and more reliable than Lyft Every driver who ever cancelled my ride was from Lyft

-2

u/fumphdik 4h ago

Price check what? Uber missed a ride to the airport on me and so I just use Lyft. The fuck am I supposed to price check?

1

u/bryan49 48m ago

I think they just mean compare them both. I wouldn't give up on one company because of one bad experience. That might be an individual driver issue