Uber vs. Uber Eats: Which Is Best for You? (full guide!)
Uber and Uber Eats are some of the first options people turn to when they need to earn some extra cash.
But which is better? Which one will make you more money and is the best choice for you? Here’s what we found…
Uber vs. Uber Eats: Which Is Best for Drivers?
If you ask Uber drivers, or as Uber calls them Uber Partners, which are the best jobs at Uber, you’ll likely find that the answer depends on the driver: Some like driving, some like Uber Eat delivery, and others Drivers will happily use both options.
This article explains the Uber services (driving vs food delivery) and which one is a better job: We look at what they involve, how much you can earn, and the pros and cons of each.
excellent food
Earnings per delivery with Uber Eats is made up of your base salary, ride allowances, promotions, and tips. Base pay is determined by time, pick-up, drop-off and distance traveled. How much you earn depends on how many trips are available to you when you are on call.
Uber Eats drivers can make anywhere from $10 to $25 an hour, but that rate is influenced by a host of external factors, most of which are beyond the driver’s control.
Uber Eats guarantees higher delivery rates in specific areas and times to balance supply and demand of drivers.
Uber Eats drivers keep 100% of tips, which can be paid in-app or in cash when your meal is delivered. According to Uber, a Trip Supplement is something extra that can make a job considered “monotonous” more rewarding.
There are two kinds of driver boosts: Surge and Boost. These increase the amount of money drivers can earn under certain demand and supply conditions. During busy times these are in the app. If there is more than one promotion on an order, the driver will be paid the higher of the two.
Uber Eats drivers, like Uber Passenger drivers, are likely to earn much less in rural areas than in busy urban areas.
Uber Eats drivers are considered independent contractors and are therefore responsible for withholding taxes. Uber will send Form 1099-MISC for tax purposes.
Read: Is Uber Eats Paying More Than DoorDash?
uber
Uber drivers earn the base fare plus an amount for how long and how far they’re willing to drive. Per-minute and per-mile rates vary by city. Drivers who are available where and when passenger demand is high can earn more on top of the standard fare.
Driver salaries are calculated based on location, time of day and frequency of work. That means no matter how many hours a driver works each week, wages can vary from day to day.
Independent analysis suggests that the typical Uber driver earns between $15 and $28 an hour, but the final amount depends on many variables, including season, location, time of day, demand, and more.
Like Uber Eats drivers, Uber passenger drivers keep 100% of tips and are financially responsible for fuel, car registration, insurance, maintenance and cleaning.
Read: Can You Make $500 a Day With Uber?
Uber vs. Uber Eats Drivers: Who Makes the Most?
According to the data, Uber Eats drivers and Uber passenger drivers able After accounting for location, demand, and driver fees, they make nearly the same amount, but Uber Eats drivers actually make less.
Both types of drivers lose a significant portion of their income to Uber due to service fees. However, there is also a difference in earnings between experienced drivers and those just starting out.
Experienced drivers consistently report that:
- Where you drive matters — your location is easily the most important factor in determining how much you’ll earn as an Uber and Uber Eats driver. Generally, you earn more in urban areas and less in rural areas.
- When to Drive Matters – Driving when demand is high will boost your revenue through dynamic pricing and promotions. You can earn more if you’re willing to give up some of the flexibility of driving your own way.
- How often you drive – drive as much as possible to earn more. If you’re not spending enough time behind the wheel, developing strategies to improve your earnings per trip and hour won’t do much good.
- Consider picking an area with few other drivers, or one that gets very busy at certain times of the season. Set up your vehicle to carry professional equipment.
- Avoid accepting long trips with “dead ends” (drivers returning from rural areas with no passengers)
- Never forget your ongoing vehicle costs, which include:
- Vehicle financing or lease charges
- Registration and Licensing Fees
- Motor Vehicle Maintenance
- Vehicle maintenance and cleaning costs
- vehicle depreciation cost
- Telephone bills, taxes, insurance and other operating expenses
- Medical fees
- rising fuel costs
What are the pros and cons of Uber and Uber Eats?
The most helpful answers about the pros and cons of working for Uber come directly from the Uber employees (or “partners”) themselves. The responses of these drivers are direct, honest, and based on direct experience. They are not strictly divided into “pros” and “cons”, but rather a mixed response to both experiences.
You’ll find that the driving experience is greatly influenced by where and when they drive, and the chaotic nature of the job, as drivers learn to expect anything during their shift. Consider the following:
“Uber drivers make more money than Uber Eats because we Uber Eats couriers only get a fixed amount per delivery, whereas I believe Uber drivers make that much money per kilometer. That means you need to drive all night You have to deliver to make something decent. That almost never happens.
“If you’re working at Uber Eats, unless the delivery times match up and are in the same direction, the travel time (cost) can spiral up to get the same amount, so if the delivery takes a long time, you’re earning less per hour.” But for Uber drivers, the longer the trip, the more money they make.
“If you work at Uber Eats, only pick up jobs that are nearby. That way you can optimize your earnings. Time is money for this job!
“I work for both, so I know I don’t burn as much fuel with Uber Eats, and I keep costs down by using a bike or a scooter. You can’t do that when you’re driving.
“With Uber Eats, when the courier returns to base with an empty car instead of doing the return on the way back, they lose money. Doing this for one night means you may end up getting nothing.
“The best thing about Eats is that you can drive in any city in the country, and if you rent a car at the store, no one cares what car you use to drive their food. And you won’t get around if you don’t take a passenger, You must be meticulous about cleaning. This saves time and money.
‘Uber Eats is safer. You’ll never have to deal with sick, stupid or aggressive passengers in your car.
‘It’s much better to carry passengers. a lot of. I usually average (non-COVID time) $20-25/hour for driving passengers in Las Vegas (after fees). But Uber Eats is around $10-15.
‘One has to work really hard for any job. Uber Inc. is the all-around winner here.
‘During Covid, I’m making $25-40/hour through passengers and about $20/hour through Eats. But Eats is a great supplement, so I take both.
“Personally, I make more money as a passenger than as a cook. I did Uber Eats for about a year, but the work involved and the hours of food made me less per hour than a passenger. But I’m still two either do.
“I thought I would get more tips on Uber Eats, but that never worked out. So I stopped doing Uber Eats. It made neither financial sense nor work sense.
“The only time Uber Eats exceeds the cost of a ride is when a customer leaves a generous tip, which happens sometimes. The advantage of Uber Eats is that you don’t have people sneaking around and judging you while you’re on the road .”
Uber partners in both roles found:
- Your earnings depend on bonus demand and availability
- you really need hints
- Uber did not acknowledge the increased fees
- Driving for Uber earns more but pays more than Uber Eats
- Uber Eats is just for getting started
- You need to do your research and walk around until you create a niche for yourself
- It’s nice to be able to choose your own time
- payment is fast
- Passengers and food patrons can be difficult. You need good people skills.
Read: Do Uber drivers make more at night?
summarize
Potential Uber employees often ask which job is better: Uber driver or Uber Eats delivery. Neither job is easy, and drivers have to work relentlessly and hard if they want to make money.
Neither job is easy, and both require a range of conflict-resolution skills, the ability to make quick decisions, problem-solve, be flexible about anything, and the ability to know what you’re doing.
Neither is better than the other, and rising fees make neither option viable, some Uber partners said. However, Uber-as-a-Service is more in demand than ever.
