Driving for a rideshare service is often harder than it looks. It requires putting in long hours, dealing with impatient customers (who’ve had a bit too much to drink sometimes), and staying alert behind the wheel.
Truth be told, new drivers are often surprised to learn how difficult it can be to make money in this line of work and enjoy it.
But it can be a lot easier with some of the rideshare apps for drivers that we’ve put together. Let’s take a look.
Best Apps for Rideshare Drivers
Here are the best rideshare apps for drivers to make their work easier and more fun:
- Mystro
- Upside
- Stride Tax
- Google Maps
- Apple Maps
- Waze
- Surge
- Honk
- MileIQ
- FlightStats
- Quickbooks Self-Employed
- Hurdlr
- SherpaShare
- MileWiz
- TripLog
- Instacart
- Swagbucks
- Spotify
- DriveFocus
- Personal Capital
1. Mystro
Mystro saves time for drivers by pulling data from multiple rideshare apps, allowing operators to select the most profitable trip at any given time. The nice part about Mystro is that it has a touchless driving feature, which allows operators to remain focused on driving without having to continuously pick up their phones and browse trip requests.
Download:
2. Upside
Upside can help drivers offset the cost of gasoline by providing cashback opportunities at the pump as well as at grocery stores.
Here’s how it works: Install the app for Android or iPhone and earn cash back every time you fill up your tank. The company also helps users save 25 cents per gallon every time they get gas! Not bad, right?
3. Stride Tax
Stride Tax allows drivers to automatically track mileage, making it easy to file taxes with the IRS. This is a must-have app for drivers who are looking to minimize taxes and streamline reporting – and, of course, avoid ending up with a massive tax bill at the end of the year.
Download:
4. Google Maps
Google Maps is one of the most popular and widely used navigation apps out there. It offers real-time route updates and directions for drivers over a user-friendly and highly accessible interface.
Google Maps comes preinstalled with Android phones, making it the go-to free navigation service. It also integrates a variety of additional Google tools like Google Assistant and Google Street View, making navigation a breeze.
Download:
5. Apple Maps
Apple Maps is the iPhone’s equivalent to Google Maps. Overall, it’s pretty comparable. The main difference is Apple’s Flyover 3D mode, which is fun to use but doesn’t really apply to rideshare drivers who are on the go.
Download:
6. Waze
Waze – also owned by Google – is a bit different from Maps. This app offers a community-based experience that uses social networking to exchange information between users. For example, Wazers can let other motorists know about accidents, speed traps, police, and other hazards, allowing them to change routes in advance to save money and avoid getting stuck in traffic.
The result is an interactive navigation experience with a strong community feel, providing advanced on-road intelligence.
Download:
7. Honk
Honk offers a leading roadside assistance app that’s a must-have for any driver who is frequently behind the wheel.
You never know when you’re going to encounter an emergency situation that requires support, and Honk is a tool that can help in any situation. This app offers on-demand roadside assistance across the U.S., with plans starting at $50.
Download:
8. MileIQ
MileIQ is a Microsoft-owned app that tracks miles and location data. This app is for tax-related recordkeeping purposes, streamlining data collection so you can focus more on driving and making money instead of compiling and reporting information.
Download:
9. FlightStats
FlightStats is a global flight tracker that drivers can use to check incoming flights and hover around airports to maximize pickups.
Download:
10. Quickbooks Self-Employed
Quickbooks Self-Employed is a platform for managing invoices, tracking purchases, and handling accounting. This is a great option for drivers who work for several different rideshare apps and need a centralized tool for managing finances.
Use our link above to get 50% off your first 3 months.
11. Hurdlr
Hurdlr is a useful mile-tracking app that also tracks expenses. In addition, the app provides real-time earning calculations along with tax deductions, making it easy to see your actual earnings alongside what you owe the government.
Hurdlr is a versatile app that also comes with invoicing, accounting, and self-employment tax tools. The company claims to have saved over $300 million in taxes for its customers to date.
Download:
12. SherpaShare
SherpaShare operates as a rideshare driver assistant, combining a variety of useful features like real-time data AI to increase hourly pay and financial management tools. The app also offers access to exclusive discounts to save money and benefits like an insurance for drivers. In addition, SherpaShare has a mileage and expense tracking feature.
Download:
13. MileWiz
MileWiz is an automatic mileage tracker, streamlining tax deductions and employer mileage reimbursement. The app uses a powerful tracking algorithm that combines GPS and motion sensor data to keep track of how much you drive.
It’s also optimized for precision, offering up to 99% accuracy.
Download:
14. TripLog
TripLog has a mileage and expense tracker with real-time tracking and reporting services. This tool is commonly used by drivers to maximize tax deductions.
Download:
15. Instacart
Instacart is an option for drivers who are looking to break up their routines and stretch their legs. The Instacart app allows you to connect with local grocery store shoppers. You can hand-pick groceries, deliver them, and get paid for your service.
It’s a great opportunity to spend some time out from behind the wheel, refocus, and make extra money simultaneously.
16. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is perfect for downtime – like when you stop for a cup of coffee or a lunch break but still want to make some money. This app provides access to cashback surveys. It’s simple and easy to use. The more surveys you take, the more you earn.
In addition, Swagbucks offers referral bonuses, meaning drivers can invite passengers to take surveys and get a bonus when they sign up – an easy way to make more money.
17. Spotify
Spotify can transform you into an in-ride DJ. Using Spotify, you can ask riders what type of music they like to enhance their ride. This can result in better ratings – and better tips.
Let’s be honest: Everyone likes a driver who plays good music or offers to let the passenger dictate what they want to put on. It’s also a great way to build rapport with customers, leading to further income opportunities.
Download:
18. DriveFocus
DriveFocus is for drivers who want to improve their on-road skills and situational awareness. It’s designed with research-based situational awareness driver training tools and uses interactive roadway videos. By using DriveFocus, you can potentially become a better and safer driver – leading to smoother and safer rides and better tips.
Download:
20. Personal Capital
Personal Capital is useful for staying on top of finances and tracking accounts across multiple platforms. Drivers can use Personal Capital for managing side hustle money and tracking growth over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the most frequently asked questions about working as a rideshare driver.
Are rideshare drivers independent contractors?
The vast majority of rideshare drivers operate as independent contractors, making them responsible for taxes and benefits. An exception would be full-time taxi drivers or someone who works a private driving job and is salaried, with taxes getting regularly removed from their paycheck.
What should I do with money from Uber and Lyft rides?
It’s important to be strategic about managing revenue from rideshare services. The money should ideally go towards paying bills and credit cards and then investing or saving. At the end of the day, money is hard to earn and easy to lose. As such, it’s critical to protect it and nurture it over time.
Why are mileage-tracking mobile apps helpful?
Mileage tracking apps are useful for logging miles when driving for rideshare companies and doing UberX rides. Drivers can use these apps to easily document work from ridesharing apps and claim tax deductions.
The Bottom Line
People who are fortunate enough to own their own car have a great opportunity to make money with ridesharing services. These jobs don’t offer a ton of perks like some other lines of work, but they can lead to flexible part-time or full-time work and 24-hour money-making opportunities.
To succeed in competitive cities like New York City and Los Angeles, Uber drivers and Lyft drivers need to find ways to get ahead and maximize opportunities. The way to do this is to leverage rideshare apps for drivers from the App Store and Play Store in order to find the best routes and capitalize on surge pricing.
Drivers who use these apps listed above can potentially make more money and have a more enjoyable experience all around.
There’s only one question left: Which app are you going to try first?
No comments yet. Add your own