On a $50 Uber ride, a tip of 10 to 20 percent works out to $5 to $10: $5 is 10 percent, $7.50 is 15 percent and $10 is 20 percent. Tipping is optional, so the amount is up to you and depends on how the ride went.
Where in that range to land
Tip toward the higher end if the driver drove smoothly, was friendly, kept the car clean, helped with luggage or handled a special request. Around $7.50 suits a good ride with nothing unusual. If the ride was uncomfortable or the driver was unprofessional, a smaller tip or none is fair, and Uber lets you rate the trip separately.
Weather and difficult conditions matter too. A driver who gets you home safely through heavy rain or a snowy night has earned a bit more than on a quiet dry afternoon. A short, simple ride can reasonably get the lower figure.
When surge changes the math
Base the tip on the total fare shown in the app, not on the usual price. If surge pushes that $50 ride to $60, 15 percent is $9 and 20 percent is $12. When the result lands on an awkward number like $10.25, rounding to $10 or $11 is the easy choice.
A quick way to do it in your head: move the decimal one place left to get 10 percent, then add half of that for 15 percent. On $50 that is $5, then $7.50. On $60 it is $6, then $9.
Adding the tip in the app or in cash
Riders can add a tip in the Uber app after the trip, and Uber has said that tips go to the driver in full. Cash is also an option if you prefer to hand it over in person. Check the app’s help section for the current rules on how long after a ride you can still add a tip.
If you are budgeting a trip, count the tip as part of the total. The Uber estimate calculator gives a fare range to start from, and you can add your usual percentage on top. To see how a metered ride compares, try the taxi fare estimator. Taxi riders tip on the fare as well, so the same arithmetic applies.