Being able to request a ride whenever you need one has become a straightforward reality for millions of people across the world.
However, taking advantage of these services requires planning in order to get the best rates when possible. Fortunately, you can plan ahead using the tips from our comprehensive look into whether Uber is cheaper at night!
Is Uber Cheaper at Night in [currentyear]?
Uber is cheaper at night if you request a ride when user activity is low. Uber’s prices are determined largely by the levels of user activity on the platform, meaning that the more people use the service, the higher the rates are in [currentyear]. Going by this principle, the later it is at night, the cheaper the ride will be.
To find out everything you need to know about Uber pricing at night, including how the system works, how to lower the fare and more, read on!
What Time Is It Cheapest to Use Uber?
Uber is cheapest during off-peak hours, i.e., when there are few people using the platform.
According to data from several Uber drivers, the service is cheapest around the following times:
- Between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. – this is after most people are already at work and school but before the lunch rush
- Between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. – this is right after the lunch rush and allows for variations on the exact times between different places like workplaces and schools. It’s also before people start getting off work
- After 6 p.m. – this is after people have gotten off work and are already home. However, it doesn’t apply on Fridays because more people use the app beyond 6 p.m. for happy hour
On weekends, the rates on Uber vary depending on where you live.
However, you can generally expect prices to spike on Saturday evenings and nights when people are going out in large numbers.
What Time Does Uber Cost the Most?
Uber costs the most when there are several people using the service at once because prices go up to funnel driver activity in response.
This means that, on weekdays, Uber is most expensive at these times:
- Before 9 a.m. – this is when people are using it to get to work or school in the morning
- Between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. – this is during the lunch rush when people are traveling to restaurants or placing orders via Uber Eats
- Between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. – this is during people’s end-of-day commutes when activity spikes to its highest levels since the morning commutes. On Fridays, this lasts significantly longer due to happy hour
Uber prices on weekends are harder to pin down but you should expect them to go up on Saturdays from late afternoons onward.
What Determines the Price of Uber?
When you request an Uber, the upfront price is determined by the following factors:
- Estimated time to complete the trip
- Estimated distance you’ll cover in the trip
- Time of day – this ties into the levels of activity, especially for events that happen at the same time regularly such as getting off work
- Whether the ride is shared – shared ride options like Pool will usually have lower rates
- Supply and demand – this is where surge pricing comes in; if more people are requesting rides, Uber drives up the rates to incentivize more drivers to work the area and meet the demand
What you’ll actually end up paying will factor in the following:
- Base fare
- Tips
- Tolls
- Surcharges
- Surge pricing
- Booking fee
- Pool discounts
- Rider promotions and subscriptions
- Route-based adjustments
How Can I Lower My Uber Fare?
You can lower your Uber fare through the following strategies:
- Use a cheaper ride option
- Split the fare with friends
- Use promo codes – Uber gives a lot of these away for free, especially to people that have the app installed
- Request the ride earlier or later than you normally would – this way, you avoid setting up a ride at the same time as several other people so you can beat the surge
- Walk to a different area – because surge pricing is location-based, requesting a ride from an area with low activity might give you lower rates
- Split the trip – you could take the Uber but only to a place where you can complete the trip more cheaply, e.g., to a bus stop or a safe area for pedestrians
Is Uber Cheaper If You Book in Advance?
Uber isn’t cheaper if you book in advance because the rates are the same as they would be if you were taking the ride immediately.
Therefore, if you book an Uber in advance but do it when the prices are high, you might be locked in with that fare.
However, Uber also warns that surge pricing might be in effect when you’re taking a scheduled ride, so the upfront fare might change.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on Uber Fleet, does Uber charge for cancellation, and why do Uber drivers cancel.
Conclusion
Uber might be cheaper at night but only if you request a ride when the levels of user activity on the platform are low. This makes Uber cheapest between 9 a.m. and noon, between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and after 6 p.m. on weekdays.
Uber is usually expensive on Friday and Saturday nights because many people use the platform at those times when going out. Otherwise, rates during other hours on weekends vary depending on where you’re based.
