Earn Points + Cashback With Every Uber & Lyft Ride: The Complete List to Save the Most

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 Freebirddownload the app here and enter code “OUTANDOUTfor $10 back
  • 1% cashback when you link your card through Hoochdownload 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 Dropdownload the app here
points cashback uber lyft

Get to saving every time you rideshare

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 Peidownload 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 Freebirddownload the app here and enter code “OUTANDOUT for $10 back
  • 25 cents for each ride when you tap through Ebatessign 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 Dropdownload 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

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.

a screenshot of a mobile app

I’m already Gold with Uber

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).

a screenshot of a phone

I LOVE getting $10 in credit after every 5th ride each month

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:

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.

a screenshot of a phone

Pei currently gets you $2 per Uber or Lyft ride, plus loyalty bonuses

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.

a screenshot of a game

Drop is handy for Amazon gift cards every now and again

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

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 “OUTANDOUTfor $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? 

* If you liked this post, consider signing up to receive free blog posts in an RSS reader and you’ll never miss an update!
BEST Current Credit Card Deals
  • Capital One Venture X Rewards—Earn 90,000 Venture miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening, plus a $300 annual statement credit for travel booked through Capital One
  • Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card—Earn 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months and 3X bonus points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year
  • Amex Blue Business Plus—Earn 15,00 Membership Rewards points once you spend after you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of Card Membership and 2X bonus points on up to $50,000 in spending per year with NO annual fee
Open a savings account with Yotta and play the lottery every day—for free. Get FREE tickets with a new account!

The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

About Harlan

Just a dude living in Memphis, traveling, and working toward financial independence.

More articles by Harlan »

Pingbacks

Comments

  1. Great post. Small mistake: you can cash out Pei with $15 gained not $20. Also, I have a question: I used to be able to see my uber local offers on the app but cant any more. I have my “gold” membership info stock at the bottom of the app and cant find a way to get rid of it. Local offers are not displayed anymore.

Leave a Reply