Rideshare Earnings Calculator
| Fares / hr | Miles / hr | Net / hr (25% cut, 76¢/mi) |
|---|---|---|
| $20 | 12 | $5.88 - below federal minimum |
| $28 | 15 | $9.60 - under most state minimums |
| $35 | 18 | $12.57 - under the $15 bar |
| $45 | 20 | $18.55 - above the bar, finally |
Use this before you chase a bonus, lease a car for the app, or accept that the Saturday block: enter the fares you actually gross per hour online, the platform commission, and the miles you drive per hour - the calculator subtracts the cut and the wear and shows the only number that matters, net dollars per hour of your life.
The number in the driver app is fares, not pay. Between it and your pocket stand the platform cut (typically 25-30%), and the car itself - every paid mile has a gas, tire, depreciation and insurance cost riding in it, and so does every unpaid mile you drive to position for the next fare. Federal mileage math prices that honestly: the IRS standard rate is the all-in proxy for what a mile of driving costs.
How to use
- Enter your gross fares per hour online - from the app dashboard, averaged over real weeks, not your best night.
- Set the platform commission (check a pay statement; it varies by market and program).
- Enter miles per hour online and the cost per mile - the IRS rate is preloaded as the honest default; read the net and the verdict.
Frequently asked questions
How much do Uber and Lyft drivers really make per hour?
App dashboards show gross fares - commonly $20-35 an hour online - but the driver keeps 70-75% after the platform cut, and the car takes its share: at 15 miles an hour and the IRS rate, wear and fuel run about $11 an hour before anything reaches your pocket. Net earnings of $10-15 an hour are common; the calculator turns your own numbers into the honest figure.
Does the IRS mileage rate reflect what my car actually costs?
It is the conservative all-in proxy: 76 cents a mile for the second half of 2026 bundles gas, maintenance, tires, insurance and depreciation into one number. A paid-off gas sipper costs less; a new SUV on app insurance costs more. Run both the IRS default and your real number, and let the gap tell you how much of your paycheck is really car payment.
Do the dead miles count?
They count more than the paid ones: repositioning after a drop-off, circling the airport, driving home at 2 a.m. - none of it shows in the fares line, but every one of those miles costs the same 76 cents. That is why the calculator takes miles per hour online, not miles per paid trip: the ratio between them is the gig's silent tax.
When is driving actually worth it?
The verdict bands on the calculator frame it: below $7.25 an hour net you are subsidizing passengers out of pocket; $7.25-15 is under most state minimums; above $15 the dense-market combination of short deadheads, surge windows and a cheap-to-run car is working. The same car can hit all three bands in one weekend - which is why the math, not the vibe, should pick the hours.
Can I deduct car expenses and also take the standard mileage rate?
No - it is one or the other per vehicle: the standard mileage rate OR actual expenses, not both. What you can add on top are the non-car costs: phone, supplies, and part of tolls and parking as separate lines. The deduction decision is a tax-season question; this calculator is the year-round one, and the two should use the same cents-per-mile for consistency.