Uber Phases Out Free Rewards Program to Push Paid Subscriptions
Uber is officially shutting down its free Uber Rewards loyalty program to focus entirely on its paid Uber One subscription. The transition begins this month, leaving users to pay a monthly fee if they want extra perks.
Uber is shutting down its free loyalty program, Uber Rewards, to focus entirely on its paid subscription service, Uber One. The company originally launched the free rewards program in 2018 to let riders earn points on rides and Uber Eats deliveries, but it officially closes on November 1. Customers can still earn points through the end of August and redeem them until October 31.
In place of the free tier, Uber is pushing its Uber One membership, which costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually. This subscription offers perks like 5% off eligible orders and $0 delivery fees on qualifying food and grocery purchases. To soften the transition, Uber gives existing Rewards members a free one-month trial of Uber One before the regular charges begin.
This shift means the only way for users to receive special benefits from Uber is by paying for a subscription. While frequent Uber Eats customers might easily break even on the membership cost, occasional users will likely lose out on the previous free perks. Uber does not explicitly state its reasons for the change, but the move suggests the company expects the paid subscription model to generate better financial returns than the free points system.