Platform Income Utils

Bolt vs InDrive

Comparing driver commissions since Uber left Nigeria — see which platform keeps you more per ride.

📍 Which platform are you comparing from?

💰 Gross fares (monthly)

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💱 Currency

Bolt's Nigeria commission is company-confirmed (20% Lagos / 21% Abuja, stated to press). InDrive's isn't a fixed rate by design — fares are negotiated per trip — so its figure here is modeled from public reporting, not an official number. Confirm your actual rate in your own driver app.

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Bolt vs InDrive: Why Drivers Are Comparing Now

Uber shut down operations in Nigeria (and Uganda) in September 2026 as part of a global restructuring. For drivers and riders who built their routine around Uber, Bolt and InDrive are the two platforms absorbing that demand — and for the first time, many are actually comparing the two head-to-head instead of just picking whichever app they already had installed.

The two platforms work differently. Bolt sets the fare like Uber did, and has confirmed its Nigeria commission on record: 20% in Lagos, 21% in Abuja (statement to BusinessDay NG, Feb 2026) — though some drivers dispute this, saying the effective cut is higher once fees stack. InDrive instead lets riders and drivers negotiate the fare directly, with no fixed platform-wide commission; its Nigeria country director says the cut runs roughly half of what competitors charge, which this page models as ~12%.

💡 A Lower Commission Isn't Automatically a Higher Payout

It's tempting to read "InDrive takes less" as "InDrive pays more" — but that's not guaranteed. Because InDrive fares are negotiated per ride rather than platform-set, your actual earnings depend heavily on your ability to negotiate a fair price with each rider, local demand, and how many other drivers are competing for the same trip. A driver who negotiates poorly on InDrive can still end up with less in their pocket than a Bolt driver getting a higher, but fixed and predictable, fare.

In practice, most experienced drivers in markets where both operate run both apps side by side (multi-apping) rather than picking one exclusively — taking whichever ride pays better in the moment.

Who This Comparison Is For

This tool is built for Nigerian drivers deciding where to focus their time after Uber's exit, drivers already on Bolt wondering if InDrive is worth adding, and InDrive drivers curious whether Bolt's fixed pricing would net them more on a typical week. It's also useful for riders trying to understand why fares and driver availability have shifted since September 2026.

How To Use This Comparison

Step 1: Pick your current platform — Bolt or InDrive.
Step 2: Enter your monthly gross fares — what riders pay before any platform commission.
Step 3: Choose your currency — defaults to NGN, since this comparison is built around the Nigerian market.
Step 4: Review the comparison — see your estimated take-home on each platform and the gap between them.

Frequently Asked Questions

QDoes Bolt or InDrive take a bigger cut from drivers?

In Nigeria, Bolt has confirmed 20% commission in Lagos and 21% in Abuja (company statement to BusinessDay NG). InDrive has no fixed commission — fares are negotiated between rider and driver — but its country director says the cut runs roughly half of competitors' ~20-25%, which this page models as ~12%. Because InDrive's rate is negotiated rather than fixed, a lower modeled percentage doesn't automatically mean a higher final payout on any single trip.

QWhy did I start seeing InDrive and Bolt instead of Uber?

Uber exited Nigeria (and Uganda) in September 2026 as part of a global restructuring. Bolt and InDrive are the two platforms picking up that demand in the Nigerian market, which is why many former Uber drivers and riders are comparing the two for the first time.

QIs InDrive's commission rate confirmed or an estimate?

Bolt's figure is confirmed — the company told BusinessDay NG on record that it charges 20% in Lagos and 21% in Abuja (some drivers dispute the effective rate is higher once fees stack). InDrive's is not a fixed rate by design: its fares are negotiated per trip, so there is no single commission to confirm. The ~12% shown for InDrive is a modeled figure based on its country director's public comments, not an official published rate.

More Help for Rideshare Drivers

To track your mileage deduction as a Bolt or InDrive driver — including Nigeria's FIRS reference rate — try the Mileage Deduction Calculator for InDrive. To compare fees across every gig platform, not just these two, use the full Platform Fees Comparison tool. For your exact take-home after fees on a single platform, try the Take-Home Pay Calculator.

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