Quick answer: where Bolt operates it usually takes less than Uber, and a private booking takes 0%. The smart play is not picking one app. It is using the apps to meet new riders and your own page to keep the regulars.
I read the official pages and reports so you do not have to. Here is what each app really costs you, as of mid-2026.
Who takes what, country by country
Every number below is linked to its source as of mid-2026.
| App | Country | What the app takes |
|---|---|---|
| Uber | US and UK | Variable service fee with a stated target of "as close to 25% as possible" (Uber Help) |
| Uber | Netherlands | 25% service fee plus 21% VAT on the fee, so over 30% in total (FNV union white paper, June 2020 - dated) |
| Uber | Italy | 25% (Corriere della Sera, 2024) |
| Uber | Germany | Not publicly disclosed; Uber works via licensed fleet operators (Uber Germany) |
| Uber | Spain | 25% reported, not officially confirmed (TaxiGee) |
| Bolt | Netherlands | 23% (official Bolt support) |
| Bolt | UK | 15% to 20% by city (official Bolt support); new Bolt Flex plan at a flat 18% (Bolt UK blog) |
| Bolt | Germany | 25% to 30% for private-hire drivers, 13% to 30% for taxis, by city (official Bolt support) |
| Bolt | Italy | 20% at its Milan launch in June 2026 (Il Post) |
| Bolt | Spain | No official public number. We could not confirm this - check with your local authority |
| Bolt | US | Not available. Bolt does not run ride-hailing in the US; its only US presence is Hopp scooters in Washington D.C. (movingppl) |
| Free Now | UK | 18% on black cab fares, VAT included (official Free Now help center) |
| Free Now | Germany | 7% to 13% by city (official price list) |
| Your own page | Anywhere | 0%. The client pays you directly |
Bolt's global blog reports 15% to 25% by city and market (Bolt blog), and Uber's Q2 2026 figures imply a 25.4% take rate (Uber investor report). Free Now's German rates are low because it books licensed taxis there, not private cars.
What the fee actually buys you
That 15% to 30% buys a real service:
- New riders. The apps put you in front of people who need a ride right now. That demand is the most valuable thing they sell.
- Payment processing. No chasing cash, no failed transfers, receipts handled.
- Insurance during app trips. Uber's own insurance page says its commercial cover is "limited to qualifying rideshare activity facilitated through the Uber platform" (Uber). Offline, your own insurance applies, and most personal policies exclude paying passengers.
- The app itself. Navigation, dispatch, ratings, support.
What a private booking buys you (and what it does not)
A booking through your own page is a different deal:
- 0% commission. The client pays you, in cash or by bank transfer. Every dollar stays with you.
- Your own clients. You build the relationship, not the app. A regular who books you directly is yours.
- A fixed price agreed up front. No surprise re-pricing, no algorithm between you and the fare.
What you do not get: new-client discovery, platform insurance (you need your own commercial cover for paid passenger transport), and a free pass on the law. Rules differ a lot by country:
- Netherlands: you need a chauffeurskaart and a taxi licence; pre-booked rides with a price agreed up front are recognized (rijksoverheid.nl).
- UK: you need a private hire operator licence from your council, or from TfL in London (TfL).
- Italy: you need an NCC authorization from your municipality; app or website bookings are allowed.
- Germany: restricted by the PBefG: bookings must come to your registered business seat and the car must return to base between jobs (PBefG section 49).
- Spain: very hard for a solo driver. VTC licenses are capped at 1 per 30 taxi licences and companies must run at least 7 vehicles.
- US: rules vary by state and city; in New York City all for-hire work must go through a licensed base (NYC311).
Check with your local licensing authority before your first private booking; our FAQ is a starting point.
The smart play: apps for discovery, your page for repeats
This is not either/or. The apps find you strangers. Your page stops you paying for the same client twice. Once a rider knows you, they book direct and the 25% disappears.
One warning: the apps' rules on soliciting riders off-platform are strict. Uber prohibits off-platform pickups and unwanted post-trip contact; Bolt bans contacting passengers after a trip. The full breakdown is in how to turn app riders into private clients. Read it before you hand out a single card.
How to start, in 3 steps
- 1. Keep the apps that pay you best. Multi-app where it pays: in most UK cities Bolt takes less than Uber, so running both makes sense. Drop what does not earn.
- 2. Create your free DriverPage page. It takes minutes, costs nothing, and gives clients one link to book you at a price you set.
- 3. Move your existing regulars to direct bookings. The airport run you already do every Friday, the neighbor you drive to the station: give them your page. No rule stops you from serving your own clients.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bolt really cheaper than Uber?
Usually yes, where both operate. In the Netherlands Bolt is 23% versus 25%+ for Uber, in the UK 15% to 20% versus about 25%, and in Italy 20% versus 25%. Germany is the exception: Bolt can hit 30% and Uber's fee is not public.
Can I drive for both at once?
Yes. Most drivers run two or three apps and take whichever trip pays best.
Is Bolt available in the US?
No. As of mid-2026 Bolt runs no ride-hailing in the US; its only presence there is Hopp scooters in Washington D.C.
Do I keep more with Free Now?
In Germany, often yes: 7% to 13% is the lowest commission there, but it applies to licensed taxi work. In the UK Free Now charges black cabs 18%, roughly like Bolt. Elsewhere we could not confirm an official number; check with your local authority.
What about the legal rules for private rides in my country?
They differ by country and often by city. The short version: easy in the Netherlands and Italy, doable in the UK with your own operator licence, restricted in Germany, very hard in Spain, state-dependent in the US. Start with our FAQ, then check with your local licensing authority.