Are you making the most money you can with your Lyft driving gig? The best way to find out is to discover what Lyft earnings are like, and what you can expect to make from a day’s work. Let’s explore some numbers to provide more insight into your Lyft gig, and consider some advice for maximizing your daily earnings.
Here's what we cover:
What are Lyft earnings like per day?
Some sources state that Lyft drivers will have to work 6–8 hours to earn from $96–$136 in any given 24-hour period. The accuracy of a figure such as this depends on a lot of factors, including who is reporting the numbers, the driver’s geographic location, and how well the data is curated to ensure that it reflects a true picture of a Lyft driver’s day.
Most of the figures we see come from a general consensus derived from surveys that have been conducted by employment companies, or even the rideshare and delivery apps themselves. These don’t always tell the whole story, or provide accurate data, about driver earnings. At best they are guesstimates.
Lyft driver pay is calculated by adding tips and bonuses to base pay, which is what Lyft charges for the ride minus the “take” Lyft keeps for their part in making the rides happen. This is the gross amount of driver pay, meaning that expenses for gas, car maintenance, and the like aren’t accounted for.
The biggest variable involved in calculating daily pay is solid information about hourly earnings, and how long drivers’ shifts actually are. How many hours would be considered “a day” for the typical Lyft driver? Some drivers work full time, at least 8 hours a day, while others have more sporadic hours, possibly varying their hours from one day to the next, or perhaps by using more than one app at a time during the day.
These variables may or may not be taken into account when calculating daily earnings. It’s most likely that the numbers are averaged out so that “a day” consists of an average number of daily hours.
What do the numbers say about Lyft daily earnings?
Some drivers claim they make much more, while others report much lower daily earnings. Data from Gridwise reflects actual earnings information from drivers just like you, so it creates a more realistic picture of Lyft daily earnings.
This picture of Lyft daily earnings reflects the experience of drivers nationwide, but there is more to the story.
No matter where you live, it pays to know where events, traffic jams, and weather problems might be. Download Gridwise to get specific information about these items, plus airport information for your locality.
Pick your best days to drive for Lyft
Your Lyft driving day might be two hours or as many as ten, but if you want to optimize your driving time, it’s wise to choose the best days to drive. Lots of factors combine to create the best days. Most authorities will say that early mornings, along with Friday and Saturday nights, are the times when drivers can make the most money.
This might be a good general guideline, but it isn’t the whole story. What if you can’t arrange your schedule so you’re available to drive at these times? Or what if these patterns don’t hold true in your area? You need more detailed information that applies directly to you.
You get exactly that with When to Drive from Gridwise! This amazing in-app feature gives you actual data about real Lyft drivers in your area. You’ll be able to see the best times of day to drive, as well as the days when drivers are making the most money in the places where you drive.
Maximize your daily Lyft earnings with these pointers
- Download Gridwise and use When to Drive. Driving for Lyft isn’t complicated, but it’s far more profitable when you use this powerful tool to maximize your daily earnings.
- Use multi-apping to increase your odds for success. If you notice Lyft business lulls on certain days, consider using different apps to fill in the gaps.
- Track your mileage and expenses. Hang on to more of your money and be in good shape for tax time. Download Gridwise to catch those deductible in-between miles your app doesn’t count, and enter your expenses to minimize your taxable income.
Ready to take your gig work to the next level?
Download Gridwise, the app that helps you track your expenses and maximize your earnings
