Consumer Reports spent months testing Uber and Lyft prices nationwide. The investigation used riders who requested a trip from the same starting point to the same ending point priced at almost the same time—generally within a few minutes of one another and, in many cases, within the same minute.
The result? Many riders saw very different prices.
“We had about 175 people from across the country look at different prices for the same ride at the same time,” said Consumer Reports Investigative Reporter Derek Kravitz. “People do get different prices for essentially the same ride.”
In a test near Florida’s Gulf Coast, two riders looked up the same ride between two towns at the same time. One was quoted close to 95 dollars. The other would have paid almost sixty-six—same trip, same time, same app—a difference of nearly thirty dollars.
The investigation also raised concerns about discounts and crossed-out prices. Consumer Reports found that in some cases, the higher “original” price did not appear to be a real starting price, meaning riders may think they’re getting a deal when they’re not.
“Where you might see a ride discounted from $80 down to $60—that’s not a real discount," said Kravitz. “That’s fictitious pricing.”
Uber and Lyft strongly dispute Consumer Reports’ findings and deny setting prices based on who you are. They say the different fares reflect a live marketplace: supply, demand, traffic, weather, and that prices can change by the second. Both companies also deny offering discounts that weren’t real.
Consumer Reports also found that the companies are keeping a bigger slice of every fare between forty-three to nearly fifty percent. Drivers say it leaves them feeling squeezed.
“They know they can manipulate us, and they basically take advantage of that,” Mario Antunez, a Lyft driver in Portland, said.
What can riders do? Consumer Reports says there are limited options, but it recommends comparing prices between Uber and Lyft before booking, being skeptical of crossed-out “discount” prices, and considering taxis, public transit, or other options if available.