Why does Uber charge different fares for the same trip on different phones? Company reveals the reason

A recent viral post on social media has reignited concerns among Uber users about the fare disparity when booking rides from different devices. Sudhir, a regular Uber user, shared his experience on X (formerly known as Twitter), where he noticed a significant price difference for the same trip on his phone and his daughter’s phone.

In his post, Sudhir wrote, “Same pickup point, destination, and time but two different phones get two different rates. It happens with me as I always get higher rates on my Uber compared to my daughter’s phone. So, most of the time, I request her to book my Uber. Does this happen with you also? What is the hack?”

Users React to Pricing Discrepancies

The post quickly gained traction, with over 6,97,000 views, as many users echoed similar experiences. Some users pointed out the possibility of a pricing algorithm based on the type of device used. One commented, "Yes, that happens with me too. Sometimes the difference is not much, but it can even be more than Rs 30-50. Trust technology to play with your wallet.”

Another user speculated that the fare differences could be linked to how often a person uses the app for certain routes: "Algorithm at play. If the Uber app has understood that you take a cab for a particular route often, it’ll start hiking the fare."

Sudhir’s post also included a photo showing two phones with different fare amounts for the same ride. The price on the Android phone was Rs 290.79, while the fare on the iPhone was Rs 342.47. This sparked further discussions on social media, with some attributing the difference to device-specific pricing models. One user even joked, "UBER is peaking into your SMS for bank account balance it seems."


Uber was quick to respond, clarifying that there are various factors that can lead to different fares for the same trip. "Hi there, multiple differences in these two rides impact the prices. The pick-up point, ETA, and drop-off point on these requests vary, which will cause different fares. Uber does not personalise trip pricing based on a rider’s cell phone manufacturer," the company explained.

While Uber insists that the device itself does not influence the pricing, users remain divided. Some believe that Uber might be charging higher fares for iPhone users compared to Android users, while others speculate that the differences could be attributed to Uber's dynamic pricing model, which fluctuates based on real-time factors like traffic and demand.

Not an Isolated Incident

This is not the first time such issues have been raised. Last week, Niraali Parekh, Founder-Creative Director of Bokap Designs, shared a similar post about fare discrepancies between Android and iPhone devices. Additionally, Zepto, the e-commerce platform, was also accused of charging more for iPhone users in the past, sparking a broader conversation about price disparities across apps based on device type.

As of now, it remains unclear if Uber plans to make any changes to its pricing model, but the debate about whether Android and iPhone users are treated differently on the platform continues to gain attention.