As long as you meet the requirements for driver experience, driver’s license, car type and insurance, driving for rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft can be an ideal way to work for yourself full-time. You can also make some additional money in your spare time. Many people who already drive for a rideshare app or are considering driving for one might want to know if they can increase their income further by driving for two different rideshare apps at the same time. But is this possible?
Can You Uber and Lyft at the Same Time?
You are able to drive for both of these rideshare companies at the same time. This is because drivers for both of these companies are classed as independent contractors, so you are not legally bound as an employee to either of them. If you are a ride share driver, you can make this method work for you to earn more money.
Maximise Your Earnings by Working for Lyft and Uber at the Same Time
How much money you can make by driving for Uber and Lyft will depend on how much and how smartly you work. By working smarter, you can reduce your gas expensive and make more per ride. And, running both Uber and Lyft apps at the same time will keep the time you are waiting for a new passenger down to a minimum, meaning that you can increase your hourly income.
Since you will earn a fee per ride that you give, your income can vary when you drive for Uber, Lyft, or both. Lyft often pays more in terms of each drive, as they give drivers more of the tip and driver promotions are more frequent. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that both companies take a percentage of the ride fare.
Studies have found that Uber drivers, however, earn slightly more than Lyft drivers depending on their location and the demand. On average, Uber drivers make $19 per hour while Lyft drivers make around $16 per hour. However, there are also expenses to consider including paying for gas, car maintenance, car cleaning, and insurance. As a contract worker, you will also need to pay self-employment tax.
Should I Drive for Uber and Lyft?
If you are a ride share driver, it makes sense to use both the Uber and Lyft apps to stay busy while you are working and ultimately make more money. This is because you are not tied to either company with an employment contract. The downside of this is that you are not guaranteed a set number of passengers from either. Some of the main reasons to consider driving for both Uber and Lyft at the same time include:
- Increase Income
When you are active on both Uber and Lyft, you will be able to pick up more passengers meaning the chance to earn more money. And since both companies offer passengers the option to leave a tip, you can increase your earnings even further when you provide an excellent service.
- Be More Efficient
Since you are already in your car when you are working, it makes sense to use both apps to increase your efficiency and search for available fares constantly.
- Reduce Downtime
Parking up and waiting for new ride requests can damage your profit. Not only are you wasting time, but if your engine is still running, you’re also wasting your gas. By using both apps, you can be on the lookout for new passengers as soon as you have dropped the last one off. Using both services means that you can look further and find even more available fares in your area.
How to Do Lyft and Uber at Same Time
If you are new to driving for ride sharing services, driving for Lyft and Uber together can be quite overwhelming. Keep these tips in mind to help you make the process as simple as possible and ensure that you are getting the most from the time and effort that you put in.
Your car is your office when you are driving for Lyft and Uber, which means that getting the right driving setup is essential for you to work productively and efficiently.
- Phones
Upgrading your phone can be a big expense, but the Uber and Lyft apps tend to work best with the latest technology. If you have a fairly new phone, you might not need to upgrade to the latest one – just make sure that you have the latest operating system so that everything runs as smoothly as possible.
You may also want to consider using a second smartphone so that you have one phone for each app; however, this is an extra expense that isn’t always necessary. You can run both apps on the same phone. It’s worth trying this out before deciding if you need to buy a second one.
- Accessories
The right accessories for your phone will make it easy for you to stay safe and focus on the road when you are driving for both Uber and Lyft. Phone holders for your car are an essential to allow you to keep your hands on the wheel while still being able to see your screen. They are also useful for navigating to pick up passengers and complete rides.
A Bluetooth headset is another good option to consider if you do not have Bluetooth integrated into your car. It allows you to operate your phone using voice commands so that you don’t break cell phone laws when driving. Finally, make sure that you have a phone charger, and perhaps a spare, in your car too. Running both apps is going to drain your phone battery fairly quickly.
- Phone Data
Running both the Uber and Lyft apps for your entire driving shift can use up a huge amount of data. The last thing that you want is to run up a massive bill while working, as this will quickly cut into your profits. If you do not already have one, it is worth getting an unlimited data plan.
Driving Uber and Lyft at the Same Time
Before you get started with driving for both Uber and Lyft together, it’s a good idea to spend some time getting familiar with each one. Drive around using Uber and get to know the interface, then do the same for Lyft. This will help you get a better understanding of each app, making it easier for you to manage your time when you are running them both together.
When using both apps together, it’s important to keep Uber active as you will be logged out otherwise and will not get ride requests. As long as you have opened it, Lyft will run in the background and keep you available as a driver, along with sending you notifications for new fares. If you have an Android handset, you can see both apps at the same time using split-screen mode.
As soon you get a ride request one on app, you should log out of the other until you have dropped the passenger off. This is because you will have a passenger in the car so you will want to avoid any further bookings while you are busy. If this happens, you will need to cancel the ride, which can land you a bad rating.
Is there an App to Use Lyft and Uber at the Same Time?
Using both the Uber and Lyft apps can seem like a lot of effort, but the good news is that you can use a third-party app called Mystro to help manage this for you. This app is available on both Android and iPhone handsets, and switches between the Uber and Lyft apps to save you time and effort. You can set preferences in the app to make sure that you get the best-paying fares.
Mystro automatically switches between Lyft and Uber to keep you active as a driver and help you find more passengers. It will save time and effort on your part by logging you out of the other app when you have accepted a ride. It will filter through jobs based on your preferences so that you are always getting the best-paying fares. You can sort passengers by several factors including the pick-up location and the destination.
Mystro offers a free trial that you can use to see what the app has to offer and determine whether or not it is something worth using as a driver. Once your free trial has ended, there are several different plans to choose from paid either weekly, monthly, or annually. Choose the plan that works best for you based on how much driving you do.
Annual plans cost $99.95 and are suitable for drivers who work for Uber and Lyft full-time. On the other hand, if you drive as a side hustle and do not always need the app service, you can get a weekly plan for $4.95 or a monthly plan for $11.95. This means that you can simply not pay for them on the weeks or months when you’re not driving often or at all.
Since Uber and Lyft drivers are independent contractors rather than employees, there is nothing stopping you from maximising your profits by driving for both.