Comparison

Uber vs Empower Driver

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Uber

Easily request various types of rides, from affordable options for solo trips to larger vehicles for groups. Get upfront pricing and estimated arrival times for stress-free travel. Book rides in advance and explore eco-friendly options.

Highlights
  • Request various ride types
  • Upfront pricing and ETA
  • Book rides in advance
  • Eco-friendly ride options
  • Rent cars with delivery
  • Food and grocery delivery
  • Package delivery service
Features
Read full description

Join the millions of riders who trust Uber for their everyday travel needs. Whether you’re running an errand across town or exploring a city far from home, getting there should be easy. FIND THE RIDE YOU WANT Find the perfect ride right at your fingertips! Uber is here to make your journey stress-free and enjoyable. Pick from a wide range of products that the Uber app has to offer including: - UberX: Affordable rides, all to yourself - Electric: Eco-Friendly - UberXL: Affordable rides for groups up to 6 - Comfort: Newer cars with extra legroom - Comfort Electric: Premium zero-emission cars - Uber Pet: Affordable rides for you and your pet - Black: Luxury rides with professional drivers - Taxi: You now have the option to request a cab or a taxi on demand using Uber in select cities - 2-wheels: Find a scooter to start riding roday UPFRONT PRICING With Uber, you no longer need to worry about hidden costs or unexpected surprises. As you enter your destination in the app, you get upfront pricing and the estimated time of arrival. SAFETY TOGETHER Safety is a top priority at Uber. We have established comprehensive safety features to help ensure every rider and driver feels secure and comfortable. AFFORDABLE PRICING We’re doing all we can to make our pricing as transparent as possible. - UberX Share: UberX Share connects you to other riders headed in the same direction. - Group Rides: Share the journey with friends. - Split Fare: Don’t worry about doing the math later—split the cost evenly while you’re still on the ride. JOIN UBER ONE FOR EXCLUSIVE PERKS Benefit from $0 Delivery Fee and up to 10% off eligible delivery and pickup orders, 6% Uber Cash back on eligible rides and a $5 credit if our Latest Arrival Estimate on your order is off. Other fees & terms apply. For more details see uber.com/uberone. RESERVE RIDES IN ADVANCE Need a ride at a specific time? No problem! Uber allows you to reserve rides in advance, so you can plan your day with confidence. GO GREEN Uber is committed to building a sustainable future for our cities. With a growing fleet of electric and hybrid vehicles, you can choose eco-friendly rides to reduce your carbon footprint. RENT CARS AND HAVE THEM DELIVERED TO YOU Whether you need a car today or later, the online booking experience will help you find the right vehicle for a family vacation, a weekend getaway, airport travel, and more. You can have a rental car delivered to your door at the time and location of your choice with Valet, currently available in select cities. MORE FEATURES Delivery: Order food from your favorite restaurants through Uber Eats. Stock up on groceries, shop pharmacy, convenience and pet supplies and get them all delivered. Uber Connect: an easy, same-day, no-contact delivery solution that allows people to send items whether it’s a care package for a loved one or an item you sold online. Transit: Say goodbye to complicated time schedules, hectic transfers, and unexpected waits while reducing your trip’s emissions. Uber Charter: Book high-capacity group rides in vehicles seating 14-55 passengers, such as limo buses, luxury vans, and coach buses. 2-Wheels: Did you know you can also bike or ride a scooter with the Uber app? Uber for Business: Manage and track business travel, meal programs, and more on one dashboard. Uber Hourly: Keep a car and driver with you for hours. Uber Car Seat: Uber Car Seat provides one forward-facing car seat for a child who is at least 2 years old, 22 pounds, and 31 inches tall. Get Started Now! Download the Uber app and create an account today. Uber is available in the following cities: Boston, DC, LA, New York, San Francisco, Vegas, Orlando, Chicago and more. Check if Uber is available in your city at https://www.uber.com/cities. Stay updated on the latest news, promotions, and offers by following us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/uber and liking us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/uber.

About

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.

Highlights
  • Direct driver-passenger connection
  • Sustainable driver income
  • Less expensive rides
  • Customized transportation options
  • Bypass corporate middlemen
Features
Currently charting
Read 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.

Screenshots

Uber4 screens
Empower Driver3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Uber at 17M against Empower Driver's 2.7K. Uber also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and chart position (#1 vs #154). Empower Driver's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Uber holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Uber has 17M ratings behind it against 2.7K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Uber's written reviews are positive against 62% of Empower Driver's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Uber ships an update weekly, Empower Driver fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Uber versus Empower Driver: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUberEmpower Driver
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (17M ratings) — better4.6 (2.7K ratings)
Positive reviews68.8% of reviews — better62.1% of reviews
Number of ratings17M — better2.7K
Update frequencyWeekly — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
Best chart rank#1 — better#154
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size401 MB63 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUber Technologies, Inc.Yazam Inc.

Customer experience

Uber

All ratings16,875,151 ratings
Positive97.8%
Neutral0.9%
Negative1.4%
Written reviews18,447 reviews
Positive68.8%
Neutral3.0%
Negative28.1%

Empower Driver

All ratings2,692 ratings
Positive88.6%
Neutral2.6%
Negative8.8%
Written reviews219 reviews
Positive62.1%
Neutral3.7%
Negative34.2%

User reviews

Uber

From 17M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Convenient transportation
  • 🤝 Friendly drivers
  • 💰 Affordable prices
  • 🗺️ Accurate GPS navigation

Room to improve

  • 🚗 Unreliable drivers
  • 🕰️ Long wait times
  • 💰 Surge pricing issues
  • 🔍 Inaccurate location tracking
  • 🤖 Poor customer service

Empower Driver

From 2.7K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Bugs and requests

Uber

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes and glitches
  • Payment processing problems
  • Incorrect trip details and charges

Requested features

4 requests
  • Option to choose preferred drivers
  • Improved in-app support and communication
  • Ability to provide detailed feedback on rides
  • More transparency around surge pricing

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

In-app purchases

None

Uber

No in-app purchases

None

Empower Driver

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Uber free?
Uber is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Empower Driver free?
Empower Driver is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Uber or Empower Driver?
Uber is rated higher. Uber averages 4.9 out of 5 from 17M ratings, while Empower Driver averages 4.6 from 2.7K ratings.
Do Uber or Empower Driver have ads?
Neither Uber nor Empower Driver shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Uber or Empower Driver?
Uber ships an update weekly, and Empower Driver fortnightly. Most recently, Uber was updated on September 24, 2026 and Empower Driver on September 23, 2026.
Which is more popular, Uber or Empower Driver?
Uber currently peaks at #1 in the App Store charts, and Empower Driver at #154. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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