30% Cheaper and Growing Fast: New Obi Research Reveals Empower's Surge in New York City

A new report from Obi analyzed 7,876,228 associated ride offers and reveals growing consumer demand for cheaper rideshare alternatives in New York City

NEW YORK, May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The upstart rideshare service Empower is undercutting industry leaders Uber and Lyft on pricing by an average of nearly 30%, according to a new report from Obi, the global real-time aggregator for rideshare prices.

The report, "Empower Takes On New York: Rideshare Wars are Heating Up in America's Largest City," analyzed 7,876,228 associated ride offers as well as receipt data, taken from within the Obi app in New York City. The findings suggest that NYC riders are increasingly prioritizing lower fares and predictable pricing as rideshare costs continue to rise.

"New York riders are clearly searching for alternatives as rideshare prices continue climbing," said Ashwini Anburajan, CEO at Obi. "The data shows Empower has tapped into two frustrations simultaneously: riders feel they're paying too much, and drivers feel they're earning too little."

Empower, which uses a driver subscription model instead of a commission structure, is currently operating without a Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) license in New York City and faces mounting regulatory scrutiny. NYC officials have alleged the company is operating illegally and is avoiding fees and surcharges required of licensed operators. Yet it continues to grow in popularity in New York within the Obi app, rising from 21% of weekly ride requests in January to 40% by the end of March – in turn surpassing both Uber and Lyft within the Obi app ecosystem.

Obi's analysis suggests those avoided fees may contribute significantly to Empower's pricing advantage: Currently, the average Empower ride in New York is roughly $32 per trip, compared to $40-46 for Uber, Lyft, and yellow cab hailing app Curb.

Additional findings in the report include:

• Empower riders take the longest trips on average – more than 7 miles per ride – while still paying significantly less per mile than competing services. 
• Empower drivers keep a larger share of fares, with Obi's receipt analysis showing drivers retain roughly 94% of fare and tip revenue (before any subscription costs) compared to about 82% on Uber and Lyft.
• Pickup times remain competitive, with Empower averaging just 9 seconds slower than Uber despite being substantially cheaper. 
• Consumer loyalty is strengthening, with 70–80% of daily Empower users appearing to be repeat riders by the end of Q1. 

The report also includes sentiment survey data from Empower riders in NYC who were identified through Obi's rider records. Nearly 80% said lower prices were the primary reason they switched platforms, while 71% said the city should allow services like Empower to operate even without a TLC license. 44% said they were unaware that it was operating illegally. Overall, 80% said they were satisfied with the Empower service.

"Whether Empower survives its legal challenges or not, the underlying consumer behavior is clear," said Anburajan. "Riders are demonstrating strong demand for lower-cost rideshare options, especially in a high-cost urban market like New York."

Download the full report at rideobi.com/empower

ABOUT OBI

Obi is a global real-time aggregator that compares millions of pricing and pick-up (ETA) data points, providing consumers and businesses with actionable insights. The free Obi app allows riders to compare all the major rideshare providers, taxis and black cars instantly. With over 1,500,000 users, the Obi app is available in over 175 countries, providing global price transparency for riders. The app is available for free download on iOS and Android at rideobi.com.

SOURCE Obi