Rideshare shift simulator
Lyft work simulator
Play a few minutes as a new Lyft driver. Every fee, payout delay and sign-up rule comes from Lyft’s real data where we have it, and everything else is labelled.
- 17.5% cut (typical)
- Paid after 7 d
- Min payout $6.75
- 3–6 minutes
How this simulation works
Each game is one of ten templates for a kind of work, filled with this platform’s real data where we have it. Anything we don’t know is either the typical value for its platform type or a plain assumption, and is labelled so below. Demand, job volume and luck are simulated.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Platform cutLyft publishes no single percentage ("Service fee varies by ride"), so the game uses the median cut of 17 ride platforms: 17.5%. | 17.5% | Typical for type |
| Days before money can be withdrawnPublished: "Weekly, or instant with Express Pay" | 7 d | Platform data |
| Minimum payoutPublished: "$6.75 for Express Pay, $5 in New York, standard deposit minimum unconfirmed" | $6.75 | Platform data |
| Rider fare per mile, before surge | $0.95 | Assumed |
| Rider fare per minute | $0.2 | Assumed |
| Fuel and wear per mileThe IRS 2025 rate of $0.70 a mile also counts depreciation. | $0.35 | Assumed |
| Length of each shift | 150 min | Assumed |
| Average wait for a request (normal zone) | 11 min | Assumed |
| Real-world benchmark (for comparison only)Most California drivers made about $11-16 per hour after waiting time and car costs (LAO, 2020) | $11–16/hr | Typical for type |
A simplified simulation based on Lyft’s published rules, for learning only. It is not an earnings promise: real results depend on your skills, location, demand and Lyft’s current rules.