Uber Fare Estimate - How much does Uber Cost? What are the Uber Rates/Price in Cities?

As an Uber customer, you will want to know how you are being charged and for what. The estimation process is quite simple and is based on a basic fare fee breakdown. However, there are some additions that can confuse passengers, so we present a full breakdown of the fare estimation process in the article.

How Uber Fare is Estimated

Base Fare : this is the flat fee that Uber charges for each ride, it varies according to the car category UberX, Uber Black, SUV, etc.

Cost per Minute : This is what Uber charges for every minute from the moment the ride begins. It takes into account traffic and other circumstances that can cause a ride to take longer than expected.

Cost per Mile : This is what Uber charges for every mile drive. Drivers usually take the fastest route, but when traffic or other instructions are foreseen, they will choose a different route. Uber charges for the shortest distance in a pre-quote fare.

Booking Fee : This is an extra fee that Uber charges to cover its operational costs. It is not included in Uber Black and SUV fares.

Surge Price : This is an additional multiplier that is added when there is a lot of strain in the system, basically a supply and demand function. So if you are in a surge area, your overall fee can multiply by up to x3.

Tipping : This is purely optional, while there is an Uber tipping platform, the passenger can give the driver cash at their own discretion.

The Fare is calculated like this:

  • Base Fare + ((Cost per minute x time of the ride) + (cost per mile x ride distance) x surge boost multiplier) + booking fee = Passengers Ride Fare

Minimum Fare

Uber charges a minimum fare rate that is set to assure a basic income for their drivers. This fee is different per city and is based on the above calculation being no lower than the minimum fee. If the total outcome is lower than the minimum fee, the passenger will be charged the minimum price.

The Pre-Trip-Quote or Upfront Pricing

Uber has a fare estimator calculator built into the app. This calculator uses an algorithm that evaluates the fare according to a number of factors. It takes into account the basic estimations that the fare is based on and adds into that the expected mileage and time to make the ride using an updated GPS coordinated mapping system (similar to Google Maps and Waze). It also factors into the estimation surges and obstructions as well as takes into account historical data for price averaging.

Also Check Out: Lyft Fare Estimate

On occasions, Uber will add an extra fee to cover service costs, this is not a regular occurrence and is based on updated company policies per country and state. While Uber does provide a fee breakdown, it does not supply explanations regarding each fee, so if there is a query, you will have to take it up with Uber directly.

Here is how to access the Uber fare estimation:

How to receive an estimate

  1. Open your Uber app
  2. Input the destination
  3. You will get the estimate. If you scroll the screen to the side, you will see the fare estimate for Uberx, Uber XL, Uber Select, and other city-specific services.
  4. Tap on the little ā€œiā€ icon next to the fare estimate to see the fare breakdown (Base Fare + ((Cost per minute x time of the ride) + (cost per mile x ride distance) x surge boost multiplier) + booking fee)

Uber fares are linked to different car categories and are also city dependent. This leads to a lot of variances, for instance, a user in LA will receive a different price to a user in Boston. Add to that this the different services that include UberX, Uber XL, Uber Select, Uber BlackCar, Uber SUV and Uber Pool.

Tipping

During July 2017, and as a part of Ubers 180 days of the change, a tipping feature was added into the app. Passengers can now tip directly through the app or in cash to the driver. Tips are optional, and up to the passengers good-will, tipping is considered a sign of appreciation.

  1. Passengers should wait until the ride is over
  2. First-rate your driver, please note that a 4-star rating is bad! Here is a quick look: Anything under 4.6 is considered to be a bad ride. When a passenger rates less than 5, Uber will request a feedback to explain the reason.
  3. After providing feedback, you can tip the driver in the next screen; select one of three options: no tip, a pre-set tip or a personal tip amount. You can tip in cash if you prefer.

Using Uber webs site for city details

In order to review city specific details go to Uber's website, and check out the fares differences per city:

  1. Enter Http://www.uber.com/cities
  2. Select the city you want to check
  3. Choose "Get Fare Estimate"
  4. Input your pickup and drop off locations
  5. Hover your mouse over the question mark (?)
  6. You will get the fare estimates rates for the service chosen

Via the Uber app:

  1. Open Uber app
  2. Input your destination, (It will use your location as the indicator)
  3. Choose the Uber service you want
  4. Tap on the (i) icon that is next to the fare estimate, and it will give you a breakdown of the fare.

Using Uber app for scheduling a ride

Uber now offers a pre-scheduled or pre-ordered ride. This is, in fact, a misrepresentation since the ride is not accepted beforehand by any driver. The trip is entered into a schedule list which opens the ride up before the actual scheduled time, and any driver can accept it. So, do not feel secure that a specific driver had accepted your request when you made it. On the other hand, before the pick-up, you will be notified that the request is still valid, and you have a chance to cancel it or accept it. The driver will be in contact with you as a usual ride.