Need a car?
You’ve got options
You can sign up to drive, even if you don’t have a car right now. In the meantime, we’ll give you access to hire and leasing deals through our sister company, Partner Point. Their website is filled with deals on hire and financing options that you can’t find anywhere else.
Drive when you want, make what you need
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Vehicle options overview
Owning outright
Owning outright is likely to be the best option if you want to reduce your weekly costs. However, it typically has the highest upfront cost as you have to purchase the vehicle all at once.
If you've got a lump sum of money you can invest in purchasing your vehicle and want to drive on the Uber app for a few years, this is likely to be the cheapest option.
It's fine to buy a second-hand car – and these can be cheaper than buying a brand-new car. However, you should be confident in the condition of the car and make sure that it will last you a while. It also has to be eligible as a private-hire vehicle in your city and meet the requirements to drive on the Uber app. It's also worth checking to see if the vehicle will be impacted by any charges, such as charges for driving in Ultra Low Emissions Zones, which some cities are introducing.
To see which cars you can drive on the Uber app in your city, check vehicle requirements.
Financing
One way to purchase a vehicle is on finance. Finance deals will allow you to own a vehicle while paying for it monthly over a 3- to 5-year period.
Generally, you pay a deposit upfront and then a monthly payment to the financing company. At the end of the period, you own the vehicle fully. It avoids you needing a large amount of cash upfront.
One potential barrier is that many financing companies require you to have a minimum credit score – and, if your credit score is low, they will either charge a high deposit and higher interest rate, or not offer finance to you at all. If finance is an option for you, you'll also need to sign a contract that will commit you to paying the monthly payment and following their terms.
Flexi-buy
Flexi-leasing and flexi-buy, also known as rent-to-buy, are halfway between a finance product and a hire or lease product. They allow you to own the vehicle at the end of the finance period (typically 3 years), but also allow you to return the product (like car hire) if it's not working out for you. Because of this additional flexibility, it is a more expensive option than financing. There are companies that offer these to drivers with Uber because of the appeal of flexibility. Some offers include insurance, maintenance and servicing, as well as licensing the vehicle.
What is the difference? Flexi-Buy is a hire-purchase agreement where you keep the car at the end of the contract and don't have to make a final lump-sum payment (balloon payment); Flexi-Lease has a lower weekly payment, but you have the option to pay a lump-sum (balloon payment) at the end of the contract to own the vehicle, otherwise you hand it back.
They also tend to offer deals to those with lower credit ratings – and so, if this is an issue for you, then it's worth looking at rent-to-buy options.
Leasing
An easy way to think of leasing is like long-term hire. You commit to a longer-term contract that you cannot break (usually between 6 months and 3 years), and the vehicle comes with servicing and maintenance. Insurance is usually offered too.
Leasing is a great way to reduce the weekly costs when compared to hiring, without committing to owning a vehicle. It's also great for people who like driving a new car and would like to trade their vehicle in for a new car every few years. Although this of course means that you always have to make leasing payments as you never own the car at the end of the contract with a long-term lease.
Hire
Hire is the most flexible option – some providers in the market will hire with the minimum commitment of a week. They will typically require a deposit (around £250–500) and generally charge every week, for the week ahead. Many hire cars include insurance and maintenance, so in most cases that is one extra cost you won't need to account for.
We regularly survey partners to understand how much they're paying in the market. Weekly vehicle costs can vary depending on the type of model and what is included in your package (insurance, servicing, etc.), but we have included some examples below:
- Kia Niro (Electric) £255 per week
- Toyota Prius (Hybrid) £212 per week
- Mercedes E-Class (Diesel) £361 per week
The engine type is important, as fuel or charging costs can go up or down, and higher-emissions vehicles are likely to cost more in road tax and schemes like Low Emission Zones.
Hiring can be a good option for anyone new to private hire who wants to try it out. However, if you are enjoying it, you can look to move to owning/financing as this will mean you are paying less for your vehicle and will be better off in the long term.
° Based on partner cost data 2023
Interested in driving with an electric vehicle?
At Uber, we've committed to all vehicles on the platform in the UK being fully electric by 2030. In London, we've committed to being fully electric by 2025. Join the movement. Now, more than ever, there are so many EV options. From premium EVs to compact cars, SUVs and people carriers, there's an EV out there for everyone.
Explore your options
Information on car-hire companies to help you decide the best option for you.
Helping you choose
- How long do you think you might spend driving on the Uber app?
If you're not looking to commit to partnering with Uber for a long period of time, flexi-leasing and hire lets you hand your car back at any point, and other costs, like insurance and maintenance, are included in the price you pay.
If you're interested in driving on the Uber app for an ongoing period of time, buying a car outright and buying a car through financing offer the lowest weekly costs.
- Have you got money put aside to get you started with a vehicle?
If you have some money you can use for a deposit, then it's worth looking into leasing, financing or buying, which may ultimately help you save costs later on. If not, you can still hire a vehicle with deposits starting from £250.
- How flexibly do you want to use the Uber app?
With Uber, you can choose to work or not at the touch of a button – and it's up to you if, when, where, for how long and how often you want to drive.
If you're thinking of combining driving with Uber with work you do elsewhere or you'll be spending periods of time off the road, renting a car gives you more flexibility – and minimum stress when it comes to insuring and maintaining a vehicle. Hire costs usually cover all costs – and your car-hire company will likely find you a new car if you do have problems with it that prevent you from driving it. However, you should be aware that with this convenience comes a higher weekly cost.
The information provided on this web page is intended for informational purposes only and may not be applicable in your country, region or city. It is subject to change and may be updated without notice. Photography is for demonstration only and not reflective of vehicle options in all locations. You must be approved to drive with Uber in order to qualify for new vehicle discounts, lease options, car hire, and fleet-owner partnerships.
¹ Must be 25 or older and have a valid credit or debit card to hire a car. Weekend hire is from Friday to Monday (72 hours maximum) from Hertz only.
² All discounts applied to invoice or lowest negotiated price at the dealer to new, unused and unlicensed vehicles. You must be approved to drive with Uber in order to qualify for vehicle discounts. Vehicle eligibility for UberX or UberXL may vary by city.
The information provided on this web page is intended for informational purposes only and may not be applicable in your country, region or city. It is subject to change and may be updated without notice. We encourage all drivers to get independent advice based on their personal circumstances.