Ride sharing apps are, in my opinion, one of the most convenient modern day services on the app store market. In the passed year, the emergence of this new industry has taken the world by storm. With Downtown San Diego living, these apps have proven to be incredibly useful. Whether it’s for a night out in Gaslamp Quarter, or to avoid the hassle of parking for a Padres game, ride sharing apps are your best friend.
Below, I cover the top two most popular competitors – Uber and Lyft – as a driver and as a passenger.
Driving for Uber vs. Lyft
Uber
- Receive fares weekly with automatic deposit into your bank account
- Receive fares right away with Instant Pay directly to your debit card
- Customer is charged from the moment the trip beings
- Available in more cities
- Given $4 out of the $5 cancellation fee if a customer is a no show (only if you met multiple criteria during the pick up)
- Drivers stay busier
Lyft
- Receive fares weekly
- Ride minimum makes it easier to turn a higher profit per ride
- Customer is charged from the moment you arrive to pick them up
- Customer is given the option to tip at the end of the ride
- Given the full $5 cancellation fee if a customer is a no show (as long as you called the rider)
- More strict car requirements

Riding with Uber vs. Lyft
Uber
- Increases prices by 7 – 8x the original amount during surges
- Upfront pricing
- Available in 58 countries and 300 cities worldwide
- UberX: an everyday car with seating for up to 4 passengers
- UberPOOL: riders can share rides along the same route at a lower cost
- UberXL: an everyday vehicle with seating for up to 6 passengers
- UberSELECT: a 4 door luxury sedan with seating for up to 4 passengers
- UberBLACK: a high-end luxury vehicles with seating for up to 4 passengers.
Lyft
- Increases prices by 2 – 3x the original amount during surges
- Upfront pricing
- Available in about 65-70 cities in the United States
- WayPoint option allows you to add stops to your ride
- Schedule a pick-up for a later time
- Lyft: an everyday day with seating for up to 4 people
- LyftLine: riders can share rides along the same route at a lower cost
- Lyft Plus: an everyday vehicle with seating for up to 6 people
- Lyft Premier: higher-end vehicles with seating for up to 4 people
Give me a call today at (619) 228-6790 or email me at Ryan@livingthesandiegolife.com for more information or to schedule a tour of the neighborhood!