Pros & Cons
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- Available in dozens of U.S.
- cities, 63 countries worldwide.
- Quickly summon a driver to your location.
- Seamlessly pay from your phone.
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- Must use cash for tipping.
- Tricky surge pricing.
When traveling to a distant city, or some place that relies more on private cars than public transit (I'm looking at you, Michigan), Uber is your best friend. With it, you can summon a driver to your location to take you wherever you need to go. Uber even makes it possible to find a car with a children's seat, or one that is wheelchair accessible. Uber is one of the best Android apps, a friend to travelers, and an Editors' Choice winner.
Uber is available as a free download from Google Play, and I had no trouble installing the app on my Nexus 5 ( at Amazon) . Set up is easy, and you can create a new account without meddling with usernames or passwords by linking your account to Facebook. Entering a payment option is also straightforward: You can scan your card with your phone's camera, enter the information manually, or link Uber with your PayPal account.
On the Road Again
I go into much-greater depth in my review of Uber for the iPhone (Free at Apple.com) . But here's the gist: You fire up the app, select where you want a car to pick you up, and then request a ride. When a driver accepts your request, you are whisked off to your destination. When you arrive, you hop out of the car and the payment is taken care of by Uber.
This is the same model offered by competitor Lyft , though Lyft allows you to tip the driver directly through the app. If you want to leave a tip with Uber, you'll have to use cash. But this isn't the only area in which the two services differ: Uber is available in 63 countries and in nearly 200 North American cities. Lyft has a comparable roster of American cities, but it remains a strictly domestic operation.
Uber also lets you order different kinds of rides. You can get a regular driver, a larger vehicle, or a luxury car, and you can even carpool to save money. Children's car seats and wheelchair-accessible vehicles are also excellent Uber options. In New York, your options are even more extensive, with Uber supporting couriers and food delivery. Lyft has only three options, including its normal car service, ride sharing, and luxury rides.
The biggest complaints I hear about Uber have to do with its surge pricing. This is when Uber applies a multiplier to your bill depending on the time of day and location. As a passenger, you don't know when surge pricing will begin or end. However, Uber has made it clearer when surge pricing affects you, and it includes a handy integrated fare calculator, too.
It's important to remember that with Uber (and Lyft), you're not guaranteed an actual cab driver. Most city cab drivers operate within a regulated and established business, while car-service apps have carved a strange niche for themselves, sidestepping that regulation. It's also important to remember that Uber does not consider its drivers to be employees, and that drivers are only compensated by a percentage of the fare you pay and don't get all the benefits available to actual employees. Lyft operates in a similar manner.
Revved Up
I have personal misgivings with Uber, and the company's behavior in public has frequently left something to be desired. But the app and service are undeniably excellent. Uber has loads of options simply not available in any other car-service app, including the ability to request a vehicle with a child's car seat or a wheelchair-accessible car. It's also available just about anywhere you happen to be. Misgivings aside, Uber is the PCMag Editors' Choice for Android car-service apps.Best Android App Picks
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