How Much Can You Earn Driving for Uber & Lyft (2025)?

How Much Do You Really Make Driving for Uber or Lyft in 2024?

So, you’ve seen the ads: “Earn $20 an hour driving for Uber!” Sounds like easy money, right? You get to be your own boss, cruise around town, and maybe even listen to your favorite podcasts while you work. But let’s pump the brakes for a second. How much do you actually make per hour once all the costs are factored in? Spoiler alert: it’s a lot less than you think.

We’re diving deep into the nitty-gritty numbers to find out if Uber or Lyft is the jackpot side hustle you’ve been dreaming of—or just a one-way ticket to barely breaking even. Buckle up; it’s about to get real.

The Basics: How Much Can You Earn?

Let’s start with the good news: the revenue. According to multiple sources, Uber and Lyft drivers earn an average of $15 to $25 per hour, depending on:

• The car you drive. (A Prius? Cha-ching. A gas-guzzling SUV? Not so much.)

• The time of day. (Late-night surge pricing might pay more but comes with drunk passengers—yay!)

• Your city. (Driving in LA? Hope you love traffic. Driving in Fargo? Hope you love snow.)

The overall average lands at about $19 per hour, including tips and after Uber or Lyft takes their cut. Sounds decent, right? Not so fast. That’s the “gross” number. To find out your actual profit, we need to subtract costs. And trust me, there are a lot of costs.

The True Costs of Driving

Here’s where things get interesting—and by “interesting,” I mean slightly depressing.

1. Gas: $2.53 per hour

Ah, gas—the lifeblood of any driver’s day. With the national average hovering just over $3 per gallon, most drivers put about 1,000 miles on their car weekly if working full-time. That’s around 20 miles per hour of driving. Assuming your car gets a modest 25 miles per gallon, you’re burning through about $2.53 in gas every hour.

2. Maintenance & Repairs: $2.29 per hour

Oil changes, tire rotations, brake replacements… Driving for a living can turn your car into a ticking time bomb of repair bills. Depending on your vehicle type, annual maintenance costs can range from $1,500 (small car) to $6,000 (SUV). On an hourly basis, that’s roughly $0.96 to $2.22. And no, watching a YouTube tutorial doesn’t make those brake pads any cheaper.

3. Depreciation: $2.50 per hour

Depreciation is the silent killer of car value. Every mile you drive shaves a little off your car’s worth. Based on studies, driving 20 miles per hour on average costs you $2.50 per hour in depreciation. That “new car smell”? Yeah, it’s turning into “old car blues” real fast.

4. Insurance: $0.12 per hour

Adding rideshare coverage to your personal auto policy typically costs an extra $20 a month, or about $0.12 per hour if you drive 40 hours a week. Not a dealbreaker, but it’s still a nickel-and-dime expense to keep in mind.

Grand Total: $7.44 in Costs Per Hour

When you add it all up, your hourly costs come to $7.44. Subtract that from your $19 average revenue, and you’re left with… $11.56 in profit per hour.

Other Things to Consider

But wait, there’s more! Costs don’t stop with gas and maintenance.

• Stress: Traffic jams, rude customers, and endless GPS recalculations will test your sanity.

• Tickets: Speeding, parking, red-light cameras—your wallet isn’t safe.

• Extras: Car washes, cleaning supplies, and maybe a therapy session or two after a night of dealing with drunk passengers.

Is Driving for Uber or Lyft Worth It?

Let’s be fair: driving for Uber or Lyft has its perks. You can work whenever you want, avoid office drama, and earn money without much training. But if you’re looking for a side hustle that pays significantly more than minimum wage, this might not be it—especially if you live in a city where minimum wage is already higher than your net earnings.

For example, in Chicago, the minimum wage is nearly $16 per hour. Compare that to your $11.56 profit driving for Uber or Lyft, and you might find yourself rethinking this gig.

Better Side Hustles to Consider

If you’re feeling disheartened, don’t worry—there are other side hustles out there. Why not try something with less wear-and-tear on your car (and your patience)?

• Start a YouTube channel. Share your experiences, review side hustles (meta!), or create niche content.

• Amazon affiliate marketing. Make money while you sleep by reviewing products and earning commissions.

• Junk removal services. Seriously, people will pay you to haul away their old stuff—and you get to keep anything cool they throw out!

Final Thoughts

Driving for Uber or Lyft can be a decent side hustle if you’re strategic about when and where you work—think peak hours, holidays, and high-demand events. But for full-time drivers, the profits shrink dramatically after factoring in all the costs.

If you’re still on the fence, ask yourself: “Do I want to trade my sanity, car value, and free time for $11.56 an hour?” If the answer is no, it might be time to explore a new side hustle.

What’s your experience driving for Uber or Lyft? Let me know in the comments below. And hey, if you found this article helpful (or at least mildly entertaining), share it with a friend who’s thinking about hitting the road.

Safe driving.