Empower Driver vs Lilac Rides
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Empower Driver
This app connects passengers directly with drivers, offering a more sustainable income for drivers and potentially lower costs and customized rides for passengers. It bypasses large corporate platforms to facilitate direct transactions.
- Direct driver-passenger connection
- Sustainable driver income
- Less expensive rides
- Customized transportation options
- Bypass corporate middlemen
Read full descriptionHide full description
We started Empower to empower drivers who can’t make a sustainable living under the current rideshare model and to provide an alternative for passengers who want the convenience provided by on-demand transportation platforms, but prefer to support drivers, not the companies exploiting them. By removing the giant corporate middleman, Empower is able to do that, while enabling passengers to obtain less expensive and more customized transportation directly from drivers.
Lilac Rides
This rideshare app allows users to set their own prices for trips, with independent drivers able to accept or counter-offer. It offers real-time tracking, in-app messaging, and flexible payment options, aiming to eliminate surge pricing.
- Name your own fare
- No surge pricing
- Real-time ride tracking
- In-app messaging with driver
- Flexible driver acceptance
- Pay in-app or cash
Read full descriptionHide full description
Lilac Rides puts you in control of what you pay for a ride. Post your pickup and destination and name your own price. Nearby independent drivers can accept your offer instantly or send back a counter-offer of their own. No surge pricing, no algorithm deciding what your ride costs today. HOW IT WORKS - Enter your pickup and destination - Name the price you're willing to pay - Nearby drivers see your request and can accept it or counter-offer - Track your ride in real time and pay securely in the app FOR RIDERS - Set your own fare, no surprise surge pricing - See nearby driver availability before you request - Real-time ride tracking with live driver location - In-app messaging with your driver - Pay in-app or with cash FOR DRIVERS - Choose which rides to accept, no forced dispatch - See the rider's offer before accepting - Keep more of what you earn - Flexible scheduling, drive when you want Currently serving the Rochester, NY area. Lilac provides software tools that connect independent transportation providers with riders. Independent providers set their own prices and availability and choose which rides to accept.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Lilac Rides at 100% against Empower Driver's 61%. Lilac Rides also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly). Empower Driver's advantage is ratings volume (2.9K vs 2) and chart position (#109 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Lilac Rides holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Empower Driver has 2.9K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Empower Driver's written reviews are positive against 100% of Lilac Rides's.
Empower Driver ships an update fortnightly, Lilac Rides every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Empower Driver | Lilac Rides |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (2.9K ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 60.5% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2.9K — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #109 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 63 MB | 23 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Yazam Inc. | Gordon Pandy Enterprises LLC |
Customer experience
Empower Driver
Lilac Rides
Bugs and requests
Empower Driver
Reported bugs
3 issues- Background check delays
- App crashes and freezes
- Inability to delete account
Requested features
4 requests- Destination mode to pick up riders along the way
- Cancellation fees for riders
- Cleanup fees for driver incidents
- Improved GPS accuracy and navigation
Lilac Rides
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Empower Driver
No in-app purchases
Lilac Rides
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Empower Driver free?
Is Lilac Rides free?
Which has better reviews, Empower Driver or Lilac Rides?
Do Empower Driver or Lilac Rides have ads?
Which is updated more often, Empower Driver or Lilac Rides?
Other comparisons
