Top 5 Sharing Apps

When everyone has a smartphone, it is very easy to do without a car. Whether it's work, home, airport or restaurant, sharing apps provide on-demand services to get passengers where they need to go, wherever they are, and quickly. Rideshare services are available on iOS and Android devices. Listed based on wide availability combined with quality, grab your smartphone and check out the top 4 sharing apps:

1 Uber

Uber is probably the most popular and recognized sharing app in business. It operates worldwide, with over 7 million drivers in 600 different cities. Registering for a trip is simple; your location is displayed automatically, you connect your destination and connect to an available Uber driver nearby.

If you're traveling in a group, Uber offers the option to split the fare between passengers. You have the option to choose between a regular 1-4 seat vehicle (UberX), 1-6 seat vehicle (UberXL) and various luxury options with edge-to-edge service. Uber also lets you book a ride for someone else, whether they have a smartphone or an app.

• Waiting time: Drivers are available as soon as possible and are usually just a few minutes from your location. Travel time depends on the distance to your location and the time of day.
• Price: Uber calculates the cost of a ride at a set rate, the estimated time and distance to a location, and the current ride demand in the area. In busy areas, your price may be increased, but it usually remains very competitive. It offers discounts on car sharing.
• Tip/Rating: Uber gives riders the ability to tip their driver or individual amounts and rate them on a five-star scale. In addition, drivers can also rate passengers after a ride.
• Extra charges: In addition to ride-sharing services, Uber also offers Uber Eats to deliver food from nearby eateries, Uber for Business to secure and track company rides, Uber Freight for carriers and shippers, and Uber Health to help patients get to and from hospitals. Uber also builds and tests self-driving cars.

2 Lyft

You may recognize Lyft as the ride-sharing app that once boasted hot pink mustaches on the grilles of its drivers' cars. Lyft now ranks second in terms of sales in the continental US and has begun international expansion into Canada. Lyft access is available in over 300 US cities with 1-4 passenger cars and 1-6 seater Lyft Plus vehicles.

Lyft offers an intuitive map to view available Lyft drivers and pinpoint pick-up and drop-off locations. It also shows time-saving options that direct drivers to pick-up and drop-off locations that may be within walking distance but provide easier access to the vehicle. If Lyft is intended for a group of passengers, the app allows passengers to be dropped off several times before the end of the trip.

• Waiting time: In cities where there are Lyft drivers, wait times are relatively short and rides can be easily found. Travel times vary by circumstance, but Lyft will offer commuters and drivers time-saving walking routes that bypass construction zones and other slow-moving areas.
• Price: Lyft offers upfront and competitive pricing based on route, time of day, number of drivers available, current ride demand, and any local fees or surcharges. However, it caps the premium rate at 400 percent.
• Tip/Rating: Tips for drivers are not included in the total trip cost, but a tip icon appears at the end of each trip, where users can add percentage or custom tips.
  
  
• Extra charges: Lyft sends discounts to regular users, as well as new passengers and those who have recommended Lyft to them as an incentive. The company is also developing its own self-driving car service.

3. Border

Although Curb closed briefly after being acquired by Verifone Systems, Curb operates in a similar fashion to Uber and Lyft and is expanding rapidly. It currently operates in more than 45 US cities serving 50,000 taxis and rental cars. For driver pleasure, Curb takes over rear seat control in such vehicles to give drivers control over what they view. The fare is displayed on the screen, and the driver can find restaurants and reserve a table.

Unlike many other ridesharing companies, in addition to instant service, you can also schedule delivery up to 24 hours in advance in some cities. It adds just $2 to the total cost of the ride and never charges a jump fee.

• Waiting time: If you plan your trip in advance, your Curb driver will be at the pick-up point at the specified time. Otherwise, it won't be long before your car arrives.
• Price: Limited prices are often higher than other apps, but they are also never subject to price hikes. Even though it's compatible with taxi services, you can still pay on the app instead of pulling out your wallet.
• Tip/Rating: The default hint is displayed in the lower right corner of the app display while driving. This can be changed as needed and added to the total fare at the end of the trip.
• Extra charges: Curb for Business and Curb for Concierge allow businesses and customers to book and track rides. It also includes a Curb Share option that allows you to join other riders on a similar route for a potentially cheaper ride.

4. Juno

Happy drivers are happy drivers. Juno is committed to providing the best carpooling experience by incentivizing drivers with lower fees than other carpooling services. Satisfied with their earnings, drivers are interested in providing excellent service to users. Juno limits its driver selection to existing drivers with a TLC license, high Uber and Lyft ratings, and extensive driving experience.

Juno came out later than giants like Uber and Lyft, so it's currently only available in New York. Initial discounts start at 30 percent for the first two weeks, 20 percent for the next two weeks, and 10 percent through July 2019. Juno currently only offers private rides without the option of car sharing or fare sharing.

• Waiting time: With pickups limited to New York City, Juno still offers fast, convenient service to and from destinations. Apart from the pick-up and drop-off locations, the waiting time depends on the availability of the type of trip.
  
  
• Price: The calculation of the cost of the trip differs depending on the type of car. Ride prices are determined by base fare, minimum fare, per minute fare and per mile fare. The app displays a breakdown of the cost for each user.
  
  
• Tip/Rating: Unlike other ridesharing services, Juno drivers can keep a 100% discount on tips, and drivers can rate drivers.
• Extra charges: Not everyone likes to chat while driving - Juno includes in-app features like Quiet Ride for "my time". In addition, for those who upgrade to Juno, a new feature will be released that allows you to create custom labels for your favorite places.

5. Through

Via's goal is to limit the number of cars on the road and get you where you need to go. It aims to fill as many spots as possible in popular destinations. This means that the routes are static and you usually share a ride with other people moving in the same direction. Don't worry - you can still take friends along as long as you check the number of people you're booking a trip for using the app. A car with the desired number of seats will travel to your place, and each additional person in your group will travel at half price.

Via's direct routes also mean you'll often walk a block or two to your desired pick-up location, as well as from your drop-off point. While walking may be an optional step, the service will help you save money and time spent in traffic jams and reduce your overall emissions. Via is currently available in Chicago, New York and Washington DC.

• Waiting time: Operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the average waiting time for a Via ride in your direction is 5 minutes. Direct routes mean fewer stops that won't take long.
• Price: Via boasts low flat rates ranging from $3.95 to $5.95 for shared rides instead of basing the cost on distance and time.
• Tip/Rating: Tipping is not required, but you can leave a tip as a percentage or as an individual amount. You can also rate your driver and provide feedback, which will help Via determine Driver of the Week and Customer Service awards within the company.
• Extra charges: Via offers ViaPass for frequent flyers. Passengers pay $55 for a 1-week All-Access pass for 4 trips per day all day, or $139 for a 4-week commuter pass for the same number of trips from 6 am to 9 am Monday through Friday.