NEW YORK CITY — Consumer Reports released an investigation on Tuesday revealing that Uber and Lyft riders often see different prices for the same ride when requested at the same time along the same route to the same destination. The median gap between the lowest and highest quoted fare for the same trip across tested rides was 50 percent.

The investigation recruited 174 volunteers who priced more than 40 routes across 18 states. In Austin, Texas, fares for one route ranged from $25 to $65, marking a 160 percent difference. One particular route in Kansas City, Missouri, generated 29 different prices from 55 volunteers.

Ride-hailing companies utilize dynamic pricing, which calculates prices based on rider demand, car availability, and traffic conditions. However, the price differences observed raise questions regarding whether the companies employ personalized pricing systems. Derek Kravitz, lead author of the report, stated, "We found that they have the capabilities to look at a lot of different things, namely how you interact with the app, how accurately or fast you type an address, whether or not you are going to a daycare to pick up a child."

The companies have previously denied using surveillance pricing. An Uber spokesperson stated, "The company does not personalize prices, period." The spokesperson added that price differences are due to changing real-time marketplace conditions, including demand, driver availability, traffic, and slight GPS location discrepancies.

In March, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform announced an investigation into whether ride-sharing companies use surveillance pricing. U.S. Representative James Comer of Kentucky said, "Pricing algorithms could weaponize personal data and pad company profit margins at the expense of providing transparency to consumers."

Both companies have publicly acknowledged that user data can be used to determine discounts. The organization found that nearly 11 percent of discounts on Uber and Lyft appeared to be fictitious because they were based on inflated prices. Phil Radford, chief executive officer of the organization, said, "People expect prices to change when demand spikes. What they do not expect is for two customers taking the same ride at the same time to be charged very different amounts, or to be shown discounts that may not be discounts at all."

The companies denied using fictitious pricing. An Uber spokesperson stated, "Crossed-out prices with phrases like 'Fares lower than usual' are not actual discounts, but are merely pointing out historical comparisons." Kravitz said, "A lot of companies have figured out that they do not want to personalize base pricing too much."

By the end of 2024, Uber's share of ride fares reached 42 percent, an increase from 32 percent two years prior. According to annual reports, Uber's profits increased from nearly $2.1 billion in 2019 to $7.9 billion in 2025. Lyft's financial performance shifted from a loss of $679 million in 2019 to a profit of almost $529 million in 2025.