When you decide it’s time to hail an Uber ride, you know where you need to go and you know when you need to be there.
The big question is, how much will you be spending for the convenience of getting from point A to point B?
That’s where estimating your Uber ride will come in handy.
An Uber fare calculator can estimate how much you’ll pay depending on factors such as distance, time of day, and the type of Uber ride you reserve.
Luckily, there are three different ways you can calculate your Uber fare — and we’re covering them all.
In this article, we’ll explain how Uber calculates its fares and how you can use an Uber fare estimator to know how much you’ll be charged before pulling out your phone and tapping the app.
How Much Is Uber?
The cost of your Uber trip largely depends on how far you need to go, what time of day you’re driving, and how long it takes to get to your location.
Uber adds up all of the following factors when calculating your Uber fare.
- Base fare: The default flat fee for getting picked up.
- Time: The time you spend in your Uber ride, charged by the minute.
- Distance: How far you drive from pick-up to drop-off.
- Booking fee: Another flat fee that covers Uber’s operational and administrative costs.
- Surge pricing: A variable price multiplier that goes into effect during periods of high demand.
- Tips: Optional tips you decide to give your driver.
- Tolls and other fees: Highway tolls, airport fees, service fees, and cancellation fees you’re responsible for paying.
So now that you have all of these different variables, what does the actual calculation look like?
Uber calculates your fare with the following equation:
((base fare + time rate + distance rate) * surge multiplier) + booking fee + tolls and other fees
This equation can be helpful and is great to know, but you’re still sitting at square one.
You still need to figure out how much you’re going to pay.
That’s where an Uber fare calculator comes into play.
What Is an Uber Fare Calculator?
An Uber fare calculator lets you plug in your pick-up and drop-off locations to give you an estimate of how much you’ll need to pay.
It also allows you to see additional information like the price difference between types of Uber vehicles, the estimated arrival time of your driver, how long your ride will be, and the predicted drop-off time.
These calculators are great for preparing you for your Uber trip.
If the estimated price is too high, you can always look into using Lyft or other forms of transportation.
They also help you decide if you want to take your trip now or wait until the price and rider demand go down on the Uber platform.
It’s important to note that Uber fare estimators are just that — price estimates.
The amounts shown may be adjusted higher or lower than the price you were quoted after you complete your ride.
Sometimes during Uber trips, you’ll end up driving a different distance or duration which will alter your quoted fare.
3 Uber Fare Calculator Options
There are three reliable Uber fare calculator options — within the Uber app, on the Uber website, or with Ridester’s Uber fare estimator.
Let’s start with the in-app price estimator since it’s the most convenient way to see your Uber fare.
1. In-App Fare Estimator
The in-app Uber fare estimator should be your go-to means of predicting your fare.
It’s easy to use and can be leveraged when you’re on the go with your mobile device.
The first step is opening the Uber app and tapping on the “Where to?” text box.
You then use your current location — or type in a pick-up address — and type in where you want to go.
After that, the app will pull up the cost for each type of Uber vehicle, such as Uber Pool, UberX, and Uber Black.
It will also show you a map of where the closest vehicles are.
It will even give you the drop-off times of each vehicle.
You can also tap the small informational icon next to your ride description.
This will pull up a complete fare breakdown that details what you’re being charged.
You’ll be able to see details including your base fare, booking fee, minimum fare, per-minute rate, per-mile rate, and the estimated tolls and surcharges.
When you find a ride you want, you can tap the “Confirm” button and wait for your driver to show up.
All of this can be done within the app.
But what if you’re on your desktop computer and you want to check out prices?
You can always head to Uber’s website.
2. Uber Website Price Estimator
The second way to plan your trip is by going to Uber’s price estimator on its website.
This tool gives you almost the same functionality as the in-app estimator.
To start, you can head to Uber’s price estimate page.
You can then type in your pick-up and drop-off location.
You’ll then be given a list of popular ride options and additional Uber options.
Next to each Uber car type will be your estimated fare.
You can also opt to tap the informational icon, which shows you the entire breakdown of your fare.
Once you find the right choice, you can click the “Request a ride” button.
If you’re not signed in, you’ll be asked to do so.
If you are signed in, the booking map will show up.
You can then choose your ride and tap the black “Request” button.
Then you’re all set.
Your Uber driver will be on the way shortly.
If you’re interested in an additional way to estimate your fare, there’s one more option.
3. Ridester’s Uber Fare Estimator
Our friends over at Ridester have developed their own Uber fare calculator for you to use.
The functionalities of the Ridester calculator are very similar to those available through Uber.
However, with Ridester’s Uber fare estimator, you have the ability to compare your Uber fare with a competitive Lyft fare.
To start, head to Ridester’s price estimator page and type in your pick-up and drop-off points.
Then tap the “Estimate Uber Fare” button.
If you’re more interested in a Lyft ride, you can instead tap the “Estimate Lyft Fare” button.
You’ll then be taken to a page that includes Uber rates and price comparison details.
First, you can see the estimated cost and arrival time for each type of Uber ride.
You can also see the duration of your ride and how many miles you’ll drive.
A nice perk is that you have the ability to share this Uber fare with your friends via Facebook and Twitter.
Next, you’re able to see city-based prices if you’d like to know the standard rates for the city you’re in.
This is helpful if you’d like a rough idea of what Uber charges in your city.
This page can be found by tapping the “City-Based Prices” link in the footer.
Lastly, this Uber fare calculator has additional features to explore such as seeing top destinations and popular Uber trips around the world.
You even have the ability to see Uber trip bookings in real-time on a live map from all over the world.
All of these pages can also be found in the footer links at the bottom of Ridester’s price estimator page.
After you’ve found the perfect ride, you can head to the app and book your trip.
It’s as simple as that.
Ridester’s Widget vs. Other Uber Cost Estimators
Although there are many widgets that assist with Uber estimates, Ridester’s Uber Fare Estimator goes above and beyond.
This all-inclusive widget makes estimation generation easy and somewhat fun to use for anyone.
Bloggers and website owners that choose to make this widget part of their site layout can do so with ease.
Ridester developed a simple HTML code that makes embedding the widget into any site easy.
The three-step process takes a few minutes and almost anybody can do it.
Even so, if you find yourself getting confused during the process of embedding the code, we are here to help.
Other than online help and a wide variety of features, the estimator is leagues above the competition in accuracy alone.
Ridester’s widget ties into the Uber API, providing always up-to-date data.
In contrast, competitors have a habit of forgoing the API and using outdated stats.
To avoid falling into the category of “was once useful,” we update our tools as much as possible.
Uber Price Estimate Tips and Tricks
Do not miss out! Make sure that you are using the Uber Fare Estimator to its maximum potential.
Capitalize on all the features included in this tool by checking out our list of tips and tricks below.
Letting your friends know which route to take based on the price can be pretty handy.
You’re able to share the information generated by the Uber Fare Estimator due to its data storage function.
This is a great way to drop the need to recalculate the info once you have already done it.
This data includes all the basic information, plus a full breakdown of the ride.
This means you can check out the route details via a map as well as other in-depth details.
To do so, click on the URL and copy/paste it somewhere safe.
You can access this page at any time.
This tool is great for planning get-togethers such as concerts, conferences, and vacations.
Auto-Populating Destinations
This useful feature is for users that have an idea of where they’re going but no solid address.
The widget works with Google Maps to help users search for locations in a fast and efficient manner.
In turn, this gives you unprecedented access to the immense database Google Maps has.
How Much Does Uber Cost in Different Cities?
Taking a peek at how much an Uber is in various cities around the world is intriguing and kind of exciting.
Ridester’s Uber Fare Estimator reviews different factors based on each location’s unique information.
Relevant websites can give their users useful information that they can apply in real time.
After tinkering with the widget ourselves, we have identified most of the areas where the price for an Uber is the lowest.
In general, the cities where Uber is the cheapest are usually in countries where there are a lot of drivers available.
When this occurs, the average price is affected negatively for drivers and positively for riders.
To view areas where Uber is the most affordable (and most expensive), check out our list below.
Most Affordable Cities to Catch an Uber
- Penang
- Hanoi
- Jakarta
- Kuala Lumpur
- Bandung
- Surabaya
- Johor Bahru
- Ipoh
- Bali
- Visakhapatnam
Most Expensive Cities to Catch an Uber
- The Hamptons
- Stockholm
- Gothenburg
- Jersey Shore
- Florida Keys
- London
- Malmo
- New York City
- Amsterdam
- Marseille
As we mentioned above, there are cities where the market is not flush with available drivers.
This occurs when there is a high demand for Uber drivers, but not enough drivers to fulfill that need.
When a location experiences a driver shortage, the average price of a ride increases.
Find Out Your Uber Estimate
Before taking your next trip, you should be well aware of what you’re about to pay.
Factors like surge pricing, distance, duration of ride, and where in the world you’re located all have an effect on your Uber fare.
It would be wise to use an Uber fare calculator before hopping in a vehicle so you can have a clear idea of what to expect beforehand.
It also wouldn’t be a bad idea to get a quick fare estimate if you’re in a new city — or perhaps at an airport — and need to have a general idea of what Uber service will cost you in that area.
And if it’s too expensive, you can always opt for public transit or check out Lyft as an alternative ride solution.
If you’re interested in more ways to save on your next Uber trip, you can also check out the Uber Ride Pass, Uber referral codes, and Uber promo codes.
