Uber Statistics (2024) - Australia vs Global Statistics

Report Highlights:

There are approximately 4.4 million Uber users in Australia.
The company made a gross profit of $785 million in 2018.
Uber is estimated to be around 20% cheaper than taxis.
The market share of Uber in Australia is 79%.

When Uber was launched in Australia in 2012, there were mixed feelings. Consumers and potential drivers for the ridesharing app saw it as a benefit. Established taxis, however, saw Uber as a threat. Nearly a decade later, though, the ridesharing app is thriving.

Needless to say, over the last 8 years, Uber has gone through numerous changes in terms of consumers, profits, and more. As a result, there are quite a number of statistics to dive into as far as the ridesharing app is concerned.

More statistics: Tipping statistics.

Uber Statistics in Australia

Uber Australia is fully entrenched with Australian consumers and economy. This has resulted in profits as well as compensations levied against Uber.

In 2018, total revenue for Uber Australia Holdings had a total revenue of $935 million.
The company made a gross profit of $785 million, paying just $8.5 million in company tax.
Uber is currently facing a compensation class action suit from taxi drivers worth $500 million.

Uber Consumer Statistics in Australia

It is undeniable that Uber has become more popular among the Australian population. However, usage increases haven’t been uniform. Various age demographics have experienced differing spikes in how and how often they use the Uber app.

Around 4.3 million Australians over the age of 14 use Uber.
The percentage of users has doubled from 10.6% in 2016 to 20.8% in 2018.
The app is popular with 35 – 49 year olds, with the number of users increasing by 142%.
Users in the 25 – 34 year range have increased by 73%.
75% more users between the ages of 18 and 24 are using Uber.
At 25.7%, Western Australians used Uber most of all.
In 2016, 86.69% of drivers had a 5 star rating.
64% of consumers ended their trip at least 800m away from well-frequented transport hubs.

Demographic	Increase by Numbers	Increase by Percentage
14 – 17	141,000	253%
18 – 24	408,000	75%
25 – 34	537,000	73%
35 – 49	717,000	142%
50 – 64	325,000	138%
65+	119,000	112%

Uber Driver Statistics in Australia

As a greater number of drivers have been signing up with Uber, there has been increased interest in these individuals. This includes how many drivers there are, what they are getting paid, and what their working experiences are like.

There are 62,000 Uber drivers in Australia.
In 2016, 79% of drivers had a 5 star rating.
The average driver earns $31.75 an hour.
60% of drivers work for Uber to boost their income.
60% of drivers enjoy the flexible working hours.
31% are trying to pay off debts.
35% of drivers enjoy the experience.
85% of drivers have experienced a pay decrease.
70% are unhappy with the high expenses involved with driving for Uber.
74% of drivers are concerned with the high commissions associated with Uber.
62% of the drivers are not paid enough to save for super or leave
17% of drivers have experienced some form of harassment.

Economic Impact of Uber for Australians

One of the reasons that so many consumers have turned to Uber is due to the lower costs associated with the rideshare services. Thus, it is imperative to determine how much Uber is saving consumers on average.

The minimum fare with Uber is $7.50, with a $1.10 distance fee, and time fare of 30c/minute.
Uber is estimated to be around 20% cheaper than other private transportation options.
Riders in Brisbane saved the most at around 26.09%
Riders in Sydney were able to save 20.93% in costs.
Riders in Melbourne saved the least at 15.01%.
On average, Uber saves consumers $81 million a year.
In 2016, Sydney had the highest rate per km at $1.45.
The rate per km for Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane was $1.15.
Every customer is charged $1.10, including GST, by the Australian government for the use of a rideshare ride.

Uber vs. Taxis

For the longest time, taxis dominated the private transportation industry. The introduction of Uber, however, skewed the sector in favor of rideshare apps. While Uber is popular, loyalty towards taxis continue to exist, particularly in specific areas of Australia.

In 2016, there were an estimated 68,152 taxi drivers in Australia.
In 2019, 21.5% of Australians used taxis.
From 2017 – 2019, the usage of taxis declined by 3.7 percentage points.
7% of Western Australians favored Uber over the 23.3% who used taxis.
23% of South Australians were more likely to use taxis, compared to the 16% of riders who used Uber.
The average fare for a taxi in Sydney was $28.38 compared to Uber fare of $22.44.
The average taxi fare was cheapest in Melbourne at $27.18.
On average taxi fare was around $27.49, while Uber fare cost $22.41.
Typically, taxis became cheaper when the Uber surge rate hits 1.6 times the regular price.
In Sydney, Melbourne, and Hobart, taxis were more affordable when the surge rate was 1.4.
In Adelaide, taxis were cheaper with a surge rate of 1.5 and in Perth it was 1.6.
In Brisbane, taxis were only cheaper once the surge rate hit 18.
The average Uber driver works for 19 hours per week, while taxi drivers work around 45.6 hours a week.
The average waiting time for Uber was 4.28 minutes, while the waiting time for taxis was 7.47 minutes.
Unlike with Uber, 60% to 77% of taxis still rely on cash transactions.
34% of taxi drivers work in New South Wales.
Just 1.7% of taxi drivers work in ACT.

Uber vs. Other Ridesharing Apps

While Uber may have been one of the first rideshare apps on the market, it is no longer a monolith. Rather, numerous other rideshare apps have appeared over the years, creating a greater level of competition for Uber.

93% of Australians over the age of 18 use Uber.
Ola garnered 20% of users.
Didi was the least popular, with 14% of users opting for the ridesharing app.
92% of Ola riders used Uber as well.
84% of Didi riders also used Uber.
Didi is approximately 10% cheaper than Uber.
At $11.46, the minimum fare of Sheba is higher than Uber, but the company’s target audience is women.
Uber had the highest customer satisfaction ranking at 88%.
Ola had a 72% customer satisfaction rating, while Didi had 75%.
Didi is more popular with 18 – 29 year old males.
A majority of Ola customers are 30 – 49 year old men.

Global Uber Statistics

Uber has become a global phenomenon. Despite local differences, much of the revenue and profits are consolidated in its parent company.

Uber is valued at $75.5 billion.
Uber is 5 times more valuable than ridesharing app competitor Lyft.
The valuation of Uber did drop from $120 billion.
Uber lost $375 million in sales of $11.3 billion in 2018.

There is no denying that Uber has commandeered the private transportation industry in Australia within a fairly short period of time. During this period, the ridesharing app has asserted itself as a top competitor for taxis, although it isn’t the main option throughout Australia.

Uber has cornered the market by providing consumers with a more affordable means of transportation that is also easier to hail. In particular, the app has been especially popular with consumers new to the market as well as the aging population.

Despite its stronghold, the future of Uber may not be as stable as the past has proven. New rideshare apps and continued loyalty to taxis may prove to be an obstacle for the company. Nevertheless, its position in the Australian market does show that it will take quite a bit of effort to topple the ridesharing app. An increase in consumers and profits continue to keep Uber on top.