Bird and Uber are two popular transportation services that allow users to get around cities in new and innovative ways. Bird offers shared electric scooters that can be rented on-demand, while Uber provides ride-hailing services through its app connecting riders with drivers. When it comes to price, both Bird and Uber use dynamic pricing models that fluctuate based on demand, time of day, and other factors. This makes a direct price comparison between the two services difficult. However, by looking at average prices in various cities and contexts, some useful insights can be gained into how Bird and Uber pricing stacks up.
Bird Pricing
Bird scooters cost $1 to unlock and 15-49 cents per minute to ride, depending on the city. The base rate is around 20 cents per minute in many markets. There are also flat pricing options in some cities that allow you to rent a Bird for a 30 minute chunk for around $10-15.
Some key factors that impact Bird pricing:
- Base rates vary by city
- Peak hours in mornings and evenings typically have higher per minute charges
- Longer rides are cheaper per minute than short hops
Bird also offers monthly passes for frequent riders in select markets:
- $5 per month for 100 minutes of rides
- $25 per month for 400 minutes of rides
Pass holders get waived unlock fees and discounted per minute rates.
Bird Pricing Examples
Here are some representative costs for Bird rides in major US cities:
City | Unlock Fee | Per Minute Rate | 15 Minute Ride |
---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles | $1 | 15-20 cents | $3-$4 |
Miami | $1 | 20-35 cents | $4-$6 |
San Francisco | $1 | 25-35 cents | $5-$7 |
As these examples show, a 15 minute Bird ride can cost as little as $3 in some markets or as much as $7 in high-cost cities.
Uber Pricing
Uber uses dynamic pricing for rides based on supply, demand, route, and other factors. There is no single base rate. Uber offers several tiers of service at different price levels:
- UberX – Budget friendly rides
- Uber Black – Premium rides with professional drivers
- Uber SUV – Larger vehicles for groups
Some key things that impact Uber pricing:
- Base fares start around $2-$3
- Per mile and per minute rates vary by city and service type
- Surge pricing applies during peak demand times
- Premium services like Black and SUV cost more
Uber also typically charges booking fees of around $2-$3 per trip in addition to base, mileage, and time rates.
Uber Pricing Examples
Here are some representative UberX costs for 15 minute, 3 mile rides in major cities:
City | Base Fare | Per Mile Rate | Per Minute Rate | 15 Minute Ride |
---|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles | $2.30 | $0.90 | $0.15 | $8 |
Miami | $2 | $1.11 | $0.13 | $7 |
San Francisco | $2.50 | $1.21 | $0.31 | $10 |
Note these examples do not include prime time or surge pricing, which can make Uber rides significantly more expensive during peak demand.
Comparing Bird and Uber Pricing
When looking at typical rides in major cities, some key differences between Bird and Uber pricing emerge:
- Bird rides start at around $1 with per minute unlock fees of 15-35 cents in most cities.
- UberX rides have base fares of $2-$3 plus per mile and per minute charges, making short minimum fares around $5-$7.
- For 15 minute rides covering a few miles, Bird costs between $3-$7 while UberX costs between $7-$10 on average.
- Bird offers cheaper and more predictable pricing for short point to point trips under 2-3 miles.
- Uber offers shared and premium options while Bird pricing is fixed for standard scooters.
- Uber costs tend to ramp up at a higher rate for longer rides while Bird has more distance price caps.
In most cities, Bird has an edge for shorter rides under 15 minutes while Uber has more flexibility and premium service options for longer rides. However, Uber pricing also tends to surge more during peak demand while Bird pricing remains more stable.
Factors Impacting Cost
Some key factors impact the pricing and overall cost for Bird and Uber beyond just base rates:
Trip Distance
– Bird costs ramp up slowly for longer rides due to capped pricing per ride in many markets. A 5 mile ride may cost $15-$20.
– Uber costs tend to increase more for longer distances due to per mile charges. A 5 mile UberX ride could cost $15-$25 on average.
Peak Demand
– Bird does not use surge pricing, so costs remain stable during busy times.
– Uber frequently institutes surge pricing during peak times, holidays, rush hour and more. Surge multipliers of 1.5X or more can greatly increase ride costs.
Route Efficiency
– Taking efficient routes with fewer miles is more important with Uber to control costs.
– Bird’s lower per minute pricing means route efficiency is slightly less crucial to constrain costs.
Promotions
– Bird runs frequent promotions for discounted rides, free unlocks, and other perks.
– Uber also offers occasional promos like first ride free up to $20.
Tier of Service
– Bird has fixed pricing tiers for scooter types – only standard at the moment.
– Uber offers budget UberX, premium Uber Black, Uber SUV options at vastly different price points.
Conclusion
While both Bird and Uber use dynamic, location-based pricing, some clear trends emerge when comparing the services:
– Bird offers greater cost predictability with fixed per minute pricing, while Uber has more variability based on distance, time, demand, and other factors.
– For trips under 2-3 miles, Bird tends to be the cheaper option with base fares starting at $1 plus 15-35 cents per minute unlocked.
– UberX becomes price competitive with Bird for mid-range trips of 10-15 minutes or 3-5 miles, with average fares of $7-$12.
– Longer rides tend to cost significantly more with UberX due to per mile charges, while Bird pricing caps keep costs lower for distances up to around 5 miles.
– During peak demand times, Uber surge pricing can make UberX 2-3X more expensive than normal while Bird pricing remains stable.
– Uber offers luxury and premium services like Black and SUV at higher price points for those wanting an upgraded experience.
While Uber offers greater flexibility and options, Bird is generally the more budget friendly choice for shorter rides of 1-3 miles in most cities. For longer trips or premium service, Uber pricing becomes more competitive depending on the specifics of the ride. Being aware of each services’ pricing models helps consumers make informed choices to meet transportation needs at the best value.