In order to attract new customers, many apps and services will make the first time someone uses them free or heavily discounted.
That being said, in the competitive ridesharing industry, Uber needs several different ways to stand out, and if you’re wondering whether one of them is making the first ride free, here’s what you need to know!
Is Your First Uber Ride Free?
Your first Uber ride isn’t automatically free, but there are promo codes you can use to get one in [currentyear]. Uber sometimes runs promotions where first-time users can get their first trip for free through promo codes, but these are rare. Also, Uber no longer provides free rides for first-time riders if they use a referral code from a friend.
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about getting your first ride free from Uber, including where to get the codes you need, other ways you can get free or discounted rides, and more!
How Can I Get Free Uber Vouchers?
Uber mainly uses promo codes over vouchers to give discounts and other offers, and those are what you should be on the lookout for.
You can get Uber vouchers for free straight from the company in the following ways:
- Promotional emails
- Social media
- Push notifications
You can also get these codes from reliable third-party deal platforms, which could be dedicated or on separate sections of major online outlets like Forbes, CNN, and the Washington Post.
Uber’s promo codes are given out for free, and anyone asking you to pay for them is likely running a scam.
How Do I Get a Free Uber Ride Hack?
One of the most reliable ways to get a free ride with Uber is to use the promo code that’s available to first-time users.
If you already have an account, a “hack” would be setting up a new account every time you want to use these codes.
You can get a phone number from someone you know that doesn’t have Uber and use that to create a new account.
You can also enroll in the Uber Rewards program and build up enough points that you can redeem and use to pay for rides.
Does Uber Give Free Rides?
Uber gives free rides, but you have to seek them out because they’re not easy to access as they were when the service was new.
Aside from promo codes, you can get free Uber rides through third parties that run promotions tied to the platform.
For example, during New Year’s Eve 2021 in San Francisco, a law firm called Ottinger Employment Lawyers was essentially giving out free rides on Uber.
If you took a ride during the eligible hours between December 31st, 2021, and January 1st, 2022, you could apply to get what you paid back from the firm up to $35.
There are also some promotions Uber runs in collaboration with other companies, as we’ll discuss in the next sections.
Does Uber Give Free Rides for Veterans?
Uber doesn’t always give free rides to veterans, but in the past, the company has had some promotions in the past where veterans didn’t have to pay for certain rides.
These promotions are usually only available for veterans in certain conditions and to or from certain destinations.
For example, in May 2020, Uber partnered with the Florida Veterans Foundation to help veterans with limited options for transport get to medical appointments.
At the time, this promotion was intended to let more people know that Uber was still operational even with restrictions on movement.
Uber also partnered with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in September 2021 to provide rides to veterans that were homeless or at risk.
In this partnership, the rides were only available to and from the riders’ jobs, health appointments, and back home after they get discharged from the hospital.
Does Uber Give Free Rides for Job Interviews?
Unfortunately, Uber doesn’t give free rides for job interviews, except through limited partnerships in certain markets.
For example, in January 2020, Uber South Africa partnered with a startup called Trusted Interns to give people free rides to job interviews.
This offer was capped at R10,000 (approximately $630) and was only available on UberX and UberGo rides, and only in major cities across the country.
What App Gives You Your First Ride for Free?
Unfortunately, most of the major ridesharing apps don’t automatically give you your first ride for free, so you’ll need to track down a promo code.
Like Uber, these apps have grown to the point where they don’t need or can’t afford to automatically give free rides to new users.
However, many of them have free ride initiatives like Uber, where they run promotions and partnerships.
For example, in October 2019, Lyft offered free rides to job interviews to people from select groups in collaboration with different non-profits.
To know more, you can also read our posts on Uber Cash, Uber Comfort, and is Uber 24/7.
Conclusion
Your first ride on Uber isn’t automatically free unless you apply a promo code for new customers. Uber stopped giving the first ride free if someone signs up for the service through a promo code.
Uber sometimes runs promotions to provide free rides for veterans, people going to job interviews, and other cases. However, these promotions have requirements for who qualifies and when.
