# Empower Driver vs Lilac Rides

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 (#110 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Empower Driver | Lilac Rides |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/empower-driver/id1486383191/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lilac-rides/id6792097052/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.9K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 60.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#110** | — |
| Size | 63 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Yazam Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1454849874) | [Gordon Pandy Enterprises LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6792097054) |

## What reviewers say

### Empower Driver

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/empower-driver/id1486383191)

**Currently charting:** #110 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** Direct driver-passenger connection, Sustainable driver income, Less expensive rides, Customized transportation options, Bypass corporate middlemen

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💰 100% of fare kept by drivers
- 🤝 Drivers set their own rates
- 🚗 Flexible driving hours
- 💳 Daily payouts from Stripe
- 🔒 Gender-specific driver selection

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Poor customer support
- 🗺️ Inaccurate pickup/dropoff locations
- 🚕 Unexpected number of passengers
- 💰 Discrepancies between quoted and actual pay
- 🔒 Safety concerns with unverified passengers

**Reported bugs**

- Background check delays
- App crashes and freezes
- Inability to delete account

**Requested features**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lilac-rides/id6792097052)

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.

**Highlights:** Name your own fare, No surge pricing, Real-time ride tracking, In-app messaging with driver, Flexible driver acceptance, Pay in-app or cash

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Empower Driver free?

Empower Driver is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Lilac Rides free?

Lilac Rides is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Empower Driver or Lilac Rides?

Lilac Rides is rated higher. Empower Driver averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while Lilac Rides averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Empower Driver or Lilac Rides have ads?

Neither Empower Driver nor Lilac Rides shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Empower Driver or Lilac Rides?

Empower Driver ships an update fortnightly, and Lilac Rides every 3 days. Most recently, Empower Driver was updated on November 11, 2026 and Lilac Rides on October 31, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*