If you’re a rideshare driver, you already know that the best thing about being your own boss is the flexibility and freedom it brings. But we also know that staying on top of things can be hard. Things like: making sure you’re getting paid on time and having access to the right tools to keep you organized.
Luckily, there’s an app for that! OK—well, several apps for that. We’ve compiled some of our favorite apps for rideshare drivers below. Whether you’re looking for ways to get paid faster, stay up to date on gas prices, or keep track of your mileage for tax purposes, these apps are going to help make your life easier.
Table of Contents
Best Apps For Rideshare Drivers
There are a lot of apps out there claiming to help rideshare drivers and others with the best gig jobs and in this article, RSG contributors Christian and Tyler share their favorite driver apps. Click here instead if you’re looking for a list of the best delivery services to drive for.
Rideshare Apps for Uber Drivers: Which Ones are the Best?
There are a lot of companies building apps to help drivers, but today we’re going to focus on the category of driver assistance apps. We’ve already covered mileage tracking apps extensively, but driver assistance apps are a new term we just coined and they are apps that make driving easier for drivers or allow drivers to earn more money. Most of them have a monthly or yearly fee, and there are some pretty unique ideas out there, but at the end of the list, I included my opinion on the best rideshare apps out there.
Fetch App
Table of Contents
Rideshare Apps for Uber Drivers: Which Ones are the Best?
Rideshare Apps Make The Job Easier
Cash Back Apps Are Driver Must-Haves
9 Best Rideshare Apps
1) Voxer
Voxer Reviews:
2) Audible
3) Podcast Player
4) Rakuten
5) Navigation app
6) Music Apps (Spotify, Amazon Music, Etc.)
7) Gridwise
8) Kindle
9) Muver
What About Mystro?
Rideshare Apps Make The Job Easier
Rideshare Apps are Like Tools
Rideshare Apps are like Tools
I like to think of these apps as tools to make driving easier, help drivers discover information, or help drivers with specific challenges while driving. Many of them have subscription fees, but they all have free trials, so I encourage testing them out in the wild to see if they help you earn more.
Cash Back Apps Are Driver Must-Haves
We can’t start any article about the best driver apps without talking about cash back apps. If you’re a driver (whether delivery or rideshare), you absolutely must have the following cash back apps installed:
Rakuten
I love this app! I like to use it while I’m in a store, or to surf through the sales while I’m waiting for the next ping. Rakuten is a great way to make or save more money while you’re working.
Get $30 for signing up with Rakuten here!
Ibotta
If you’re out and about and can’t decide on what you’re going to get for that quick snack, Ibotta can help. Go into a store and see what’s in the app for you to buy, get it, and get money back in the app.
Get a $20 sign up bonus using RSG’s link here.
Swagbucks
Swagbucks is pretty cool because you can shop through (and earn points that can be redeemed for money or gift cards), play games, watch TV, etc. It’s a pretty easy way to pass time (especially if you’re waiting for a scheduled ride, or for a sporting event to get out) and earn some extra cash.
Get $10 for signing up with Swagbucks here!
9 Best Rideshare Apps
1) Voxer
Here at The Rideshare Guy, we love to help and give tips and tricks that will help you make the most amount of money in the least amount of time. However, there is no way we can be experts in your specific area because we aren’t there. So, if you’re looking for location-specific insider stuff Voxer is for you.
Not only can you use it to talk with friends and family, but odds are there are rideshare groups around you where they will share what’s working for them.
It’s a great way to “share the struggle” or have that “fellow employee” feel you don’t get from being by yourself all day.
Voxer for Rideshare
Voxer for Rideshare
Voxer is a walkie-talkie app that allows you to communicate with your voice in real time. You can record by pushing the button once and then stop recording by hitting the button again. It’s really well set up for rideshare driving because it requires little input to operate while in your car. It’s not as popular as it used to be since Messenger steamrolled everyone into using it instead. I still prefer Voxer though.
Voxer Reviews:
“Awesome app! The only thing I would change is that it vibrates like you have a message when you back out of conversations or when you back out of the app. Other than that it sends and receives messages very well, little to 0 delay.” – Jacob Wright
“I love this app and my wife and I communicate on it more than any other platform. That being said, we use it quite a bit. During our normal commute there are a few spots that don’t have the best service Understand this app requires data. However, the messages don’t ever seem to come through once data is available. It is the most frustrating part and it happens all the time… :(“ – Jon M
Pro: Easy communication and fast file sharing.
Cons: Tends to get buggy about sending messages after a while (you have to clear the app’s cache)
Cost: Free for basic version but you can upgrade to PRO for $3.99/month or $29.99/year.
Free Trial Period: 7 days for PRO.
Sign up for Voxer here.
Runner up: Facebook groups! Yes, while we don’t like how Facebook has steamrolled into our lives, we admit city-specific driver Facebook groups can be really helpful and informative. If you have Facebook, you can install the Facebook app on your phone and check out what people are saying in your city almost in real time.
2) Audible
When you have downtime while driving, music is nice, but so is getting smarter about running your rideshare business or even just relaxing with a great audio book to keep you company.
Learn how to download and get started with Audible here.
You get a free audiobook and 30-day trial membership when you use our link.
3) Podcast Player
Whether you use Spotify, Apple, Pocketcast, or something else, a podcast player app is a must have!
Similar to audiobooks, podcasts give you something to listen to while driving and they can be on almost any topic you can think of. Business, personal, religious, The Rideshare Guy – whatever you are into, it’s probably on there.
Most people use Apple podcasts, but I’ve found PocketCast to be a better and easier-to-use app for listening to podcasts on an iPhone. When I had an Android I used Podcast addict and loved it.
4) Rakuten
Rakuten is one of the top cash-back apps out there, and for good reason. With the Rakuten app, you get access to cash back, exclusive discounts, and in-store coupons. Getting started with Rakuten is easy, too!
Scott on our team has earned over $400 with Rakuten so far.
Related: Our Rakuten Review
rakuten app image
Downloading the Rakuten app is easy and free
The sign-up process is super simple, and you can sign up using our Rakuten referral link here. It’s basically just like signing up for any other website. You provide your email address and create a password. You don’t provide any payment information because you do not pay through Rakuten, but through the website you’re actually making the purchase through.
Here’s just a short list of the stores that partner with Rakuten:
H&R Block Tax Prep (8% cash back right now!)
Turbotax (7.5% cash back right now)
Amazon
Advance Auto Parts (5% cash back)
Autozone (4% cash back)
Sears
Kohl’s
Walmart
Ebay
Target
And many, many more
Sign up for Rakuten here.
5) Navigation app
Not so much fun but practical, having a good navigation app is essential to having a good day of rideshare driving.
waze vs google maps
My personal favorite is Waze, not only does it work really well, but it usually finds you the best way to go, lets you know when there is an accident or detour and how to get around it. It also lets you know if there was a cop spotted in the area. I love that it also has food recommendations, which is always important to me.
On the other hand, many drivers prefer Google Maps because they’re more used to that interface. If you’re on the fence, check out our article on Waze vs. Google Maps, or take a look at the video below: Google Maps vs Waze: Which One Is Better For Lyft & Uber Drivers?
6) Music Apps (Spotify, Amazon Music, Etc.)
99% of the time while I’m delivering or driving, I listen to an audiobook or podcast. But sometimes you just have those days where you need to have some music!
uber connect delivery request
I personally use YouTube music. It’s a great app that makes it easy to download whatever song you want. One thing I love about it is it constantly learns what you like and will alter what is downloaded while it charges. So, even though you aren’t using any data, because the songs are all downloaded already, you are getting new songs all the time.
If you don’t want to take up space on your phone, and data isn’t a concern of yours, it will also stream music.
7) Gridwise
This is my swiss army knife of rideshare apps.
First, it tracks your mileage for you. Simply hit the tracking button when you start and stop it when you get home.
Next, it will automatically link with most services to download how much you make per shift. It will then send you an email the next day with a breakdown of how much you made per hour, per mile, and how many deliveries, passengers, etc. you did per hour.
It will also tell you what’s going on in your neighborhood, the best time to drive, which apps to drive with, how many passengers are booked at the airport, and so much more. If you want to make more money with rideshare, this is the app to get.
Looking for more rideshare mileage tracking apps? Check out our video below: 5 Best Apps to Track Mileage in 2022
8) Kindle
As much as we would love to be, we are not always driving 100% of the time! Sometimes we just have to wait (usually for deliveries, but it happens with rideshare too!) When that happens, rather than scrolling through social media, do something constructive.
I sometimes bring physical books with me, but if I forget I always have a few Kindle books downloaded so I can be sure to have something to read.
Not sure what to read? Check out The Rideshare Guide, written by Harry Campbell himself!
9) Muver
Whether you’re working part-time or full-time in the gig industry, odds are you are juggling multiple apps. Using multiple apps is a great strategy to help boost and diversify your income, but it can come with its pitfalls.
For example, it may get tedious when you’re waiting for rides, trips, and delivery opportunities on multiple apps at the same time. Being online ‘everywhere’ could risk your ability to complete the task at hand and land a good review. Luckily, there’s an app solution for this ‘app problem’.
Muver is a newer app that can help you manage all your rideshare and delivery service activity in one place.
Get started with Muver here!
Muver allows you to switch your Uber, Instacart, Lyft, Grubhub, or Doordash accounts between online and offline automatically. If you drive for multiple rideshare and delivery apps, this could be an ideal way to continue working more efficiently.
Sounds great, right? Get started with Muver today here!
What About Mystro?
Note: We are no longer promoting Mystro due to driver complaints about the app not working, poor customer service and more.
Mystro allows you to automate which trips you accept by setting a filter ahead of time. Then, when you’re driving, Mystro filters and accepts rides for you without you having to touch your phone.
For example, you can set Mystro to only filter through rides on 1.5x surge with a passenger rating of 4.8 or above, and if an incoming request meets those requirements, the Mystro app will accept the ride for you automatically. It’ll also deny any rides that don’t meet your requirements. You can watch it do this without even taking your hands off the wheel.
tools for uber drivers
Every industry has its selected essential tools of the trade. It’s no different in ride sharing where drivers use tools to help them increase their profits and serve their customers better.
At first glance, the tools may seem unremarkable but once used you’ll never look back.
Here are 15 of the best essential tools for any ride sharing driver we know about.
- GOFAR – 3 essential tools in one package
Optimize your costs and earnings with GoFar
Image source: Kickstarter.com
If you are not making enough money, try using smart technology such as GOFAR to cut your expenses.
GOFAR helps you to find your car engine’s sweet spot and then guides you on driving efficiently to save fuel and reduce wear on your brakes.
Other areas where the GOFAR app and device can help you include;
Tracking the car mileage for tax deductions
Alerting you when the car has a fault
Explaining the car faults in plain English
Reminding the driver of ReGo & Insurance
Connecting drivers to top-rated mechanics and parts suppliers
Saving fuel by finding the engine’s sweet spot
Click here to learn how to increase your gas mileage and save up to 30%* on fuel costs each year.
- A Charger for the Passengers
How do you ensure that the passengers know you are thinking of them? One way would be to invest in a car charger with multiple USB ports.
Your passengers can charge their smartphones, tablets, and laptops while in your car. It’s a fantastic item to have as an Uber driver.
- Charger for Personal Phone
Imagine being lucky and getting in the centre of a Surge, and then your phone battery dies. As an Uber driver, you want to be always online.
This is the only way to keep getting the client ride requests all day.
- A Phone Mount
Keep your phone within your periphery with a phone mount.
Photo courtesy of Flickr Images by Jesus Abizanda
A phone mount is more of a security device than a phone holder. It is best mounted on a place where you can make a quick glance at it without getting your eyes off the road. - Surge Chaser
Surge Chaser app allows you to drop pins on a map and receive notifications when there is a nearby surge. You can then set your notifications filtered according to;
Amount of surge
How close the surge is,
The product, e.g. UberX, Select, UberXL, etc.
The Surge Chaser is a valuable tool to have since when you have back-to-back rides; you might fail to notice the surge.
The app notifies you when there is a surge, allowing you to log out and retarget an area where there is surge pricing instead of accepting the stacked regular rides.
- Radarscope
If you drive in a city where the weather has a significant effect on demand and driving difficulty, it is essential to know when the weather is going to strike.
One of the problems with most weather apps is that their radar images are too delayed to be of much use.
Radarscope app provides detailed radar images that have no more than a 5-minute delay. Regular weather apps have delays of more than 10 minutes.
The Radarscope is also an app that meteorologists and weather chasers use.
- Sidebar
You probably work for both Lyft and Uber and therefore need a method that helps you to switch between apps quickly.
Sidebar allows you to set a slide-out bar that contains all the apps you use regularly.
By using Sidebar, you can text, talk on the phone, use your Google Maps and switch between Uber and Lyft apps seamlessly.
- Gas Buddy
Of all the essential tools, this one helps you find the cheapest petrol stations in your location. To make better use of the app, toggle the price and distance to get advice on where you can get the best price relative to the distance from where you are located to the petrol station. - Waze Navigation App
When it comes to navigating around, use the Waze Navigation App which is 95% accurate. Google Maps is good, but Uber’s built-in navigation is just horrible.
Believe us, this tool is invaluable, and it’s in our list of essential tools for good reason.
- Vomit Bags
Always keep some vomit bags in your car to take care of the intoxicated passenger you pick up. You don’t want to clean puke or have that residual smell in your car! - Text Shortcuts
We all know we shouldn’t be texting and driving. It is critical that you find ways of texting quickly. One way to do this is to set up text shortcuts. Different phones have different ways of creating shortcuts. Know how to use yours. - Bluetooth
You can either use the Bluetooth in your car to make calls or get one that easily mounts on your visor. Passengers don’t like guessing whether you are talking to them or you are talking to somebody else on the phone. - Pen and Index Cards
Essential tools to write with
Image from: Pixabay by kropekk_pl
One of the quickest ways to get important details is through the traditional pen and paper.
You can never guess who you are giving a ride and when it comes to getting their details and navigating the city routes, giving the customer a pen and paper to put down their details is always better than trying to save them on your phone.
- Back up Phone
Always have a backup the phone with you. For one, your primary phone may become faulty during your daily errands.
In an app like Lyft, you can use the extra battery to check where your competitor’s cars are while still engaged in driver mode on your primary phone.
- Water Bottle Filled with Soap and Latex Gloves
If you are unlucky and somebody pukes in your car, you will need to clean up the mess before the vomit sticks to the fabric of your seats. In such cases, you will need soapy water and latex gloves.
You don’t want to touch the stuff, do you? Take it from us – include this in your list of must-have essential tools or you’ll find yourself unprepared – and stinky.
Something to Ponder
As an Uber driver, you may want to think about creating a website where you can share your personal experiences and your personal essential tools with other drivers.
It will be an important undertaking that can allow you to claim up to $20,000 in tax deductions. Besides, Uber offers substantial referral income, and your website can be one of the places you refer others.
Another thing you can do on the website is to sell ads on behalf of businesses in your area, or even advertising your other businesses.
Conclusion
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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