Ride-hailing costs climbed sharply in 2025, with average fares on Uber and Lyft rising 9.6%, according to Gridwise’s annual gig mobility report. The typical ride increased from $21.58 at the end of 2024 to $23.66 by December 2025, based on an analysis of roughly one billion anonymized gig economy tasks across the United States.
Riders Pulling Back on Usage
The price surge is changing behavior. A survey of 1,000 ride-hailing customers conducted in January 2026 found that 60.4% had reduced their use of apps like Uber and Lyft due to higher costs — a jump of 16.6% compared to a similar survey from December 2024. More than half of respondents said they would cut back even further if prices continued rising. Despite this, both companies remain financially healthy, continuing to grow and post profits as they expand into new markets.
Drivers Seeing Smaller Gains
While customers paid more, drivers saw only modest earnings growth. Driver gross pay per trip rose just 3.6%, and hourly earnings climbed 4.1% — both well behind the pace of fare increases. The platforms themselves benefited most, with average platform fees surging around 33% in 2025. Lyft remained the more affordable option, pricing rides approximately 14% below Uber. Uber disputed some of Gridwise’s findings, arguing the report reflects only a small fraction of activity and that its share of fares had remained largely flat or declined in recent quarters.