Do you want to know how much your Uber will cost before you request it? You might not want to get an Uber if you have no idea how much the ride will cost!
The good news is that Uber provides upfront cost estimates right inside the app.
The best way to get an Uber fare estimate is to open the Uber app and input your pickup and drop-off locations. You will get an instant price estimate for the ride with several options for different ride types. You can also use the Uber.com price estimate tool.
Want to know how Uber comes up with the cost of a ride? This article explains how Uber pricing works and how the ride type you choose affects the cost of your ride.
What you need to know
- To get an Uber estimate, use the Uber.com price estimate tool or input a destination into the Uber app
- Most cities have upfront pricing: See the exact cost of a ride before you request it
- Ride types with additional features cost more than the standard UberX
- Prices may be higher than expected due to surge pricing
- You can save on rides with the Uber One membership, credit card rewards, and other perks
Article Contents
- How to Get an Uber Fare Estimate
- How Uber Calculates Ride Prices
- Price Difference Between Ride Types
- Examples of Uber Pricing
- Surge Pricing
- Uber Fees and Tolls
- Discounts: How to Save on Uber Rides
How to get a price estimate in the Uber app
- Download the Uber app and open it
- Input your destination in the “Where to?” text box
- Fare estimates for each Uber service will appear after you input your destination. Scroll to see how much other services cost, and tap on each price to get more detailed pricing info
Enter your destination to get a price estimate
Get an estimate at Uber.com
Visit the Uber.com price estimate tool to see how much a ride will cost. You may need to create an Uber account to get the estimate.
You can also request your ride from Uber.com without using the app if you have an Uber account.
The Uber.com tool doesn’t enter your starting destination, so it’s an easy way to estimate prices outside of your city. And it’s the only way to get an estimate without downloading the Uber app.
Get a fare estimate at Uber.com
How Uber calculates ride prices
Uber makes it easy to see how much a ride will cost, but they do not publish a price formula that tells you exactly how they calculate ride prices.
To complicate things, Uber has two pricing models: The upfront pricing system and post-trip prices. Most cities use upfront pricing, but some still use post-trip prices.
In cities with upfront pricing, the app displays a guaranteed price before you request a ride. The cost is based on the trip length, local demand, and other factors.
In cities with post-trip prices, you won’t know the exact cost of the ride until it is over. Before you request your ride, the app shows you a range of estimated prices instead of one precise price.
The final price is calculated based on a rate card that determines the per-mile and per-minute price.
Upfront pricing: See how much you will pay before your ride
With upfront pricing, Uber shows you an upfront price as soon as you enter your destination. It is the pricing system in most US cities.
You are guaranteed to pay the upfront price as long as you don’t make any extra stops along the way and the trip doesn’t take significantly longer than expected.
The ride receipt will explain why an upfront price wasn’t honored. Any additional charges will be based on distance rates or dynamic pricing charges.
How does Uber calculate upfront prices?
Uber states, “Many data points go into calculating an upfront price, including the estimated trip time, distance from origin to destination, time of day, route, and demand patterns.”
With so many undefined data points, it’s impossible to predict exactly how prices work in upfront pricing. Variables like ‘demand patterns’ mean that prices can increase during busy times, but Uber does not tell you the details.
In ride receipts, Uber only tells you the ‘trip fare.’ They don’t say how they calculated the trip fare or any specific per-mile or per-minute cost.
With upfront pricing there’s no detail about how Uber calculates the ‘trip fare’
Post-trip prices: The other pricing model that uses a rate card
Uber uses post-trip prices in cities that don’t offer upfront pricing. If your city uses this model, you will see a range of potential prices when you input your destination.
You won’t know the exact cost of your ride until the ride is complete. The final price is calculated based on the local rate card, which specifies the per-mile and per-minute rates.
This pricing model also may take into account a base fare, a booking fee, surcharges, tolls, and dynamic pricing.
The costs that go into the price of an Uber ride
The factors below contribute to the cost of an Uber, for both the upfront pricing system and post-trip prices.
- Base rate – A flat fee charged at the beginning of the ride
- Booking fee – A variable fee to cover ‘operational costs’
- Cost per minute – A charge for each minute of the ride
- Cost per mile – A charge for each mile of the ride
- Marketplace Fee – Replaces the booking fee in California. A variable fee to support regulatory, safety, and operational costs
- Tools and surcharges – Passengers pay for tolls, and surcharges like airport fees
- Dynamic pricing – Additional charges based on local demand
The price difference between Uber ride types
The Uber ride type you choose determines the price you pay. For example, no-frills rides from Uber X will be cheaper than luxury ride types like Uber Black.
The price of Uber ride types, in order from cheapest to most expensive
- UberX Share
- Uber X
- Uber Comfort
- Uber XL
- Uber Premier
- Uber Black
- Uber Black SUV
- Uber Lux
Related: What’s the Difference Between the Uber Ride Types?
An example of Uber rates in Los Angeles
To give you a feel for the range of Uber rates, here’s a look at basic costs in Los Angeles. LA features almost every Uber service, and the prices aren’t much higher or lower than other US Uber markets.
Note that Uber’s use of dynamic and upfront pricing means that ride prices aren’t strictly calculated based on the criteria below. Unspecified “other factors” may increase the cost of your ride.
| Cost Per Mile | Cost Per Minute | Base Fare | Minimum Fare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uber X | $1 | $0.24 | $0.10 | $9.06 |
| Uber Comfort | $1.20 | $0.33 | $0.11 | $13.11 |
| Uber XL | $1.95 | $0.26 | $1.13 | $11.25 |
| Uber Black | $2.88 | $0.70 | $8.64 | $15.56 |
| Black SUV | $3.95 | $0.79 | $16.56 | $27.07 |
How to find the price per mile and per minute
First, input a destination in the Uber app. Then tap on a ride type, such as UberX, then tap on the small ‘i’ on the following screen. This will display a ‘fare breakdown’ that lists pricing info.
Tap on the small ‘i’ to see more pricing info
But keep in mind that with upfront pricing, dynamic factors make it so you can’t precisely calculate the price of a ride with per-mile and per-minute pricing alone.
An example ride to show you how pricing works
This table shows that the same ride has a different price depending on the service you choose.
Note: This ride is 2.3 miles and 11 minutes long. The price may change due to the time of day, traffic conditions, discounts, or surge pricing.
| Uber Ride Type | Ride Cost (2.3 miles, 11 minutes) |
|---|---|
| X | $8-$10 |
| Comfort | $10-$12 |
| XL | $10-$13 |
| Black | $20-$27 |
| Black SUV | $30-$37 |
| Select | $16-$22 |
More essential reading on Uber
- How to Change Your Uber Payment Option
- How to Add Multiple Stops to Your Uber Trip
- Uber Eats User Guide: Order Food, Contact Customer Service, and Get Free Food
The minimum fare: The cheapest an Uber can be
Uber sets a minimum fare for each service to help fairly reimburse drivers for short rides. Thanks to upfront pricing, you’ll know immediately if a very short trip will be more expensive than you expect.
Let’s say you want to take an UberX two blocks down the street. You figure that the ride couldn’t cost more than a few dollars. But the minimum fare for UberX is $6.50, so you will be charged $6.50. You walk instead.
Surge pricing: Uber charges higher prices when demand is high
Uber may add an additional cost called surge pricing during times of high rider demand. Surge pricing changes dynamically depending on local driver supply and rider demand.
Uber indicates surge pricing with a small warning that prices are higher than normal. The exact cost of the surge pricing is not displayed. After the ride is over the trip receipt will not say exactly how much the surge charge was.
If you’re looking for a ride and the prices seem abnormally high, you can wait and see if the price goes down after a few minutes. If you’re in a busy area, consider walking a few blocks away to see if prices become cheaper.
How to tip your Uber driver
You can tip your driver in the app, either during the trip or after. Drivers keep 100% of your tip. Tipping is optional, but most drivers expect and appreciate tips.
During the trip, swipe up on the trip info to see a tipping option. To tip after your ride ends, rate the driver and select a tip amount.
Uber fees and tolls
Uber has several fees and tolls that you should be aware of before you request an Uber ride.
Uber will charge a cancellation fee if you cancel a ride two minutes after requesting the ride, or if you take longer than 5 minutes to come out to the driver after they arrive at your pickup location. The cancellation fee is typically around $5, but may vary based on the ride type.
The cost of any tolls are passed onto the passenger. The toll will be included in the upfront price if Uber expects your route to use a toll road. You will not have to give the driver cash or coins to pay the toll.
Some airports charge Airport surcharges. Any airport fees and surcharges will be included in the upfront price estimate when you request a ride.
Discounts: Methods to save on your ride
There are several ways to save money on Uber rides.
Uber One: A membership for $9.99 per month that offers 6% Uber Cash back on eligible rides, $0 delivery fees on eligible Uber Eats orders over $15, and 5% off pickups and deliveries.
Promo codes: As of June 2020, Uber no longer allows users to invite other users with a promo code. The Uber app still has a place to enter a promo code, but it isn’t easy to find a working code.
Credit card promotions: Some credit cards have partnered with Uber to offer benefits to cardholders. Amex Platinum users get $15 in Uber cash each month. Apple card users get 3% cash back on Uber rides.
Go to your Wallet in the Uber app to see the current offers
How to schedule an Uber in advance: Uber Reserve
The Uber app allows you to schedule a ride in advance. On the home screen, tap the clock icon inside the “Where To?” search bar to schedule a ride. Next, pick the date, time, and pickup & drop-off location.
There are currently two types of scheduled rides on Uber, and the one available to you depends on your city.
Some cities have Uber Reserve, which sends your ride to nearby drivers who can accept your ride far in advance and enter it into their itinerary.
But in other cities, a scheduled ride is only an automated request that is sent out near the time that you schedule. If there are no drivers around, you won’t get a ride even though you scheduled it!
Is Uber too expensive? Try Lyft
Uber and Lyft are the top options for rideshare in the US. If Uber is available in a city, Lyft is most likely available too. If Uber seems too expensive, open up Lyft and see if Lyft offers a better price.
DoreenR says
Does Uber pick up customer at the San Pedro Cruise Ship in San Pedro,Ca ?
and drop off let say for example Flyaway bus terminal?
DougH says
Yes. But they may have a hard time finding you at the cruise ship terminal, so be ready to call them and give them more specific directions.
DoreenR says
Has any one ever taking a uber from the San Pedro Cruise ship to there destination like
for example LAX, or Home or Flyaway bus terminal
Samantha says
Can the same Uber pick you up?
DougH says
Not usually, unless it happens by chance. You can try to arrange with the driver to be near you when you need your return ride, but most drivers don’t like to do that.
George D says
Uber charges more during work commute times.
7am to 9am and
4pm to 6pm are the times in the Redwood City (San Francisco Bay Area)
when uber charges the passenger/uber user a higher rate.
Janice Whitman says
Is it extra if you have more then one rider.
Neferitti says
Hi do uber have a flat rate for a around trip
DougH says
No. You have to request a separate ride for the trip home and it may cost a different amount based on time/route.
Sharon says
How do I indicate, we are two people, each traveling to the airport with ski luggage? Thx
DougH says
You can’t specifically indicate that. All you can do is request the Uber service that you think will accommodate you. With ski luggage, you should request an XL because it has more room.
LIndsay says
How can I schedule an Uber ride in advance? Four of us are flying into Milwaukee, arriving at 11:30pm, and we need a ride from the airport to a hotel which is about 10 miles away. I would like to set this up prior to our arrival. What is the best way to go about this?
And how do I know they will be there and how do I know if the Uber car will fit all four of us??
DougH says
Uber is an on-demand service, so you can’t book in advance. If you’re flying into MKE, Uber is allowed to pick up from there, so I recommend requesting an Uber after you pick up your bags. There shouldn’t be too long of a wait. If you have any luggage at all, request an XL. Four people + luggage won’t fit into an X.