I’m always torn between taking Uber and Lyft when it comes to rideshares. I mostly base the decision on which promos I’m chasing at the time. Because both companies let you stack several offers to earn points and cashback rewards every time you ride.

Here’s what you can get with Uber:

• 200 points (worth $2 in cashback) for each ride when you link your card through Pei – download the app here and enter code “2pur1z” for 500 free points
• 250 to 500 Freebird points (5,000 points = $10 cashback) when you start your ride through Freebird – download the app here and enter code “OUTANDOUT” for $10 back
• 1% cashback when you link your card through Hooch – download the app here
• $1 in Shop Your Way rewards for every ride, up to $20 per month – link accounts here
• Up to 10% back in credits with Visa Local Offers (opt-in through the Uber app)
• 10 Drop points per $1 for when you link your card with Drop – download the app here

And here’s what you can do with Lyft:

• 3X Hilton points per $1 – link accounts
• 1X Delta mile per $1, and 2X Delta miles on rides to/from the airport – link accounts
• 30 JetBlue points for rides to/from the airport (up to 1,200 points per year) – link accounts
• 200 points (worth $2 in cashback) for each ride when you link your card through Pei – download the app here and enter code “2pur1z” for 500 points
• 250 to 500 Freebird points (5,000 points = $10 cashback) when you start your ride through Freebird – download the app here and enter code “OUTANDOUT“ for $10 back
• 25 cents for each ride when you tap through Ebates – sign up here (this does NOT stack with Freebird, so choose one or the other – I recommend Freebird!)
• 10 Drop points per $1 for when you link your card with Drop – download the app here
• $10 in credit for every 5 rides when you link and pay with a World Elite MasterCard

And that doesn’t count their respective loyalty programs that are slowly rolling out.

It’s kind of incredible you can get all this back from each ride – when you stack multiple opportunities, the rewards amount to a big rebate, particularly if you take a lot of quick rides around town.

So which one is the better choice?

Points & Cashback for Uber & Lyft

• Download Uber
• Download Lyft

All things told, Uber and Lyft are pretty neck and neck as far the rewards go. I personally give the slight edge to Uber because their loyalty program is available in Dallas and Austin, while Lyft’s isn’t.

That’s a nice edge, because I also earn Uber points on Uber Eats deliveries. And I get $5 in credit for every 500 Uber points I earn.

Plus, the most meaningful rewards, $2 in cashback through Pei, and 250 or 500 Freebird points, are available with both services.

It sounds dorky to say this, but the real tie-breaker for me is the $1 in Shop Your Way rewards from each Uber ride. I save them up and treat myself to a new shirt or pair of pants every once in a while. And that little reward flips the switch toward Uber for me (this partnership is rumored to be ending at the end of May 2019, so if that happens, I’ll prolly go all Lyft all the time).

If you have a World Elite Mastercard and link it to your Lyft account, you’ll get $10 in Lyft credit for taking 5 rides in a month. World Elite Mastercards include:

• Citi Premier℠ Card
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard®
• Barclaycard Arrival Plus® World Elite Mastercard®
• Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card

Even without a rewards program, the $10 credit might be more compelling than a rewards program. I have my Citi AT&T Access More card linked up to Lyft. If I maxed this out every month, that’s $120 in Lyft credits, which easily offset that card’s $95 annual fee.

Because honestly, for a $10 Lyft ride, earning 30 Hilton points and 10 Delta miles isn’t gonna sway me one way or another.

It’s different for everyone, and based on:

• If Uber or Lyft has a rewards program where you are
• If you get a lot of Uber Eats deliveries
• Whether or not you have a World Elite MasterCard
• Which rewards you personally find more meaningful

Where Uber & Lyft rewards overlap

There are 3 programs that reward you regardless of which company you ride with:

• Pei
• Freebird
• Drop

First up, Pei has blown me away. You link your cards once, then earn cashback at tons of retailers, including Uber and Lyft.

You can cash out to PayPal once you reach $20 in rewards. And let me tell you – they add up FAST.

When you download the app and enter code “2pur1z” you’ll get 500 points (worth $5) instantly in your account.

Then there’s Freebird. I am obsessed with this app. Link your rideshare accounts and book through their app to earn points and cashback on your rides – and it adds up quick, too. They also do well with constant Freebird promo codes.

Plus, the points you earn stack with all other promotions, discounts, earnings, etc. There’s literally no downside to using Freebird.

You can get up to $30 cashback if you’re a new user:

• Download Freebird
• Enter promo codes:
• “OUTANDOUT” – $10 cashback ($5 for each of your first 2 rides)
• “GO2TEN” – $20 cashback ($10 for each of your first 2 rides)

Finally, there’s Drop. The points add up slower than the others, but once you reach a certain threshold, you can redeem for free gift cards.

I added my cards once, and check it every month or so. I’ve redeemed Drop points for Amazon and Whole Foods gift cards in the past. So while not lucrative, hey, I’ll take free merch for spending as I normally would!

No matter which service you prefer, you should definitely be earning rewards through these three avenues – all of them are completely free to use.

Bottom line

• Download Uber
• Download Lyft

Like I said, I waffle back and forth between Uber and Lyft. Mostly, I toggle between accounts on the Freebird app to check prices on my route. 90% of the time, they’re within 50 cents of each other. In that case, I mostly go with Uber. Those Shop Your Way rewards, they got me! 🤑

In comparing the stacking opportunities, it really comes down to what’s most important to you. Like if you can sign-up for the Uber or Lyft loyalty program, if you can get the $10 monthly credit with Lyft, or how often you use Visa Local Offers for Uber credit.

From what I can tell, they’re roughly equal. But whichever you like best, you should definitely utilize:

• Pei (with code “2pur1z” for 500 points)
• Freebird (with code “OUTANDOUT” for $10 back)
• Drop for free store gift cards

What’s even better is nearly all of the earning opportunities stack. My rides tend to be $7 to $10 each, so even just getting $2 cashback with Pei is already a huge percentage off.

I’ll keep this page updated as offers come and go. Are there any earning opportunities I missed? Let me know, and I’ll add ’em!

Oh and also… do you prefer Uber or Lyft for your rideshares? 

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