Uber vs. Lyft - Who Should you Choose?

April 9, 2015 11:30 AM ET

by: Bryan Tropeano

For many of us “hailing a cab” or arranging a taxi for any reason was always a burden.  Either you couldn’t locate one, didn’t have a number, or calling the one taxi number you found in the yellow page resulted in the controller telling you the shortest wait time was over an hour.

Fortunately, the traditional Taxi has now driven into the 21st century and it is the latest thing to be digitized and made available as an online service.

Two of the key apps that have taken up the momentous task of digitizing the taxi experience are Uber and Lyft – reminiscent of VHS and Betamax, or Blu-ray and HD DVD. Many people feel like they have to make a choice between the two – but which is best and why?

Uber

Uber is perhaps the most well-known of the two services and the one that many attribute to the inception of the digital taxi experience. Available in over 56 countries and with safety always in mind, the app makes ordering a Taxi extremely easy and safe no matter where you are. When using Uber, you simply tap in your location, choose the type of Uber driver you want, and submit the request.  Instantly, all the available Uber drivers in your area are alerted and compete for your ride.  Within seconds you will receive a confirmation of your driver, what their car make/model is, and their name. You also have the option to enter your destination, reducing the need for turn by turn back seat navigation.

Lyft

Lyft operates under very similar concepts to Uber but is primarily a US focused app, available in major cities across the country. With Lyft you can also get journey estimates by putting in start and end locations here.

Whilst both apps are great, Lyft is perhaps best to use of you are based in the US whilst Uber is the app of choice if you are in any other country – since Lyft would not be available to you.

Having said that, both apps are great and the concept as a whole is fantastic – while it has faced a lot of criticism from the professional industry it is no doubt a fantastic app for the consumer.  Both applications have helped drive down the cost of taxi fares while also massively increasing the safety of the industry.