Upfront Fares, explained
Learn how Upfront Fares are calculated, what new info you’ll get, and how they can help you earn more consistently throughout the day.
Why the move to Upfront Fares?
Because every trip should be your call. You’ll get more visibility and control over your earnings.
You’ll get extra info about each trip upfront so you can decide which rides are worth your time.
Upfront Fares adjust to what’s happening in real time to help you find more steady earning opportunities.
How are Upfront Fares calculated?
While most platforms are still calculating fares per minute and mile, at Uber, we know there’s more to a trip than its length and distance. So we built the technology to make it happen.
When calculating Upfront Fares, we take 3 key categories into account: details, demand, and data.
Trip details
The basic details of a trip will always factor into how Upfront Fares are calculated. These include:
Estimated trip length
Estimated trip duration
Pickup location
Dropoff location
Real-time demand
How much you can make is impacted by the current demand in your area. These include:
Surge pricing
How busy is it in your area
How busy is it at the destination
How likely are you to get another trip quickly
Traffic
Historic data
Key earnings trends and data help to create more accurate predictions. These include:
Areas with high and low demand
Areas with high and low earnings
Estimated demand at locations
Estimated demand at various times throughout the day
What you’ll see upfront
Make informed decisions about which rides you accept.
How much you’ll make, including surge pricing
Where you’ll go
Time and distance to pickup location
Time and distance to drop off location
Upfront Fares can be higher or lower than the pricing based on fixed time and distance rates. Why is this?
To create more consistent earning opportunities for everyone in the same area. We look at conditions by the second to make sure every offer you get is just as good as the ones you miss.
When changes happen
Technology can only predict so much. When unexpected traffic, construction, or extended wait times happen, you’ll get an automatic fare adjustment to help make it right.
Tracking your earnings
Understanding your earnings can help you plan your day. The app has resources that can help you keep track of your earnings, see totals in real time, get details about a specific trip, compare earnings by week, and more.
How fares are calculated
You'll earn based on the time and distance of each trip.
Standard trip fare
Earn a base fare for every trip, plus amounts for each minute and mile you drive.
Surge
Check the heat map in your app to find out when and where rider demand is high, so you can potentially earn more.
Cancellations
Your time is valuable. When a rider cancels more than 2 minutes after you've accepted their trip, you'll be paid either the standard cancellation fee or the actual time and distance you spent driving toward the pickup, whichever amount is more.
Service fee
This is a fee Uber charges for trips made through the app that helps fund things like app development and customer support.
More earnings information
The app can help you be efficient with your time on the road.
What you can expect to make
Earnings vary weekly and monthly. They depend on the number of trips you take, where and when you drive, and other factors. For a closer look at how earnings are calculated, go here.
Getting ahead with the app
The app has powerful features to help you make the most of your time on the road. Trip Planner lets you see upcoming promotions and hourly trends to inform you of potential earning opportunities nearby.
Frequently asked questions
- Why am I being charged a service fee?
Uber charges a service fee for trips made through the app to help fund our platform's operations and to support innovation.
- Where can I see my trip earnings?
You can see a quick earnings overview at the top of the app. You can tap your earning cards and swipe right and left to see your daily and weekly earnings at a glance. You can also get more details in the Earnings section of the app.
- How do I earn with surge?
During certain busy times, surge may appear on the map as red, orange, and yellow. To earn fares with surge rates, drive to the colored areas, stay online, and accept your next trip. Surge amounts will be applied once you complete your surge trip.
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