When you’re already heading out for a drink or a dinner with friends, spending more on your rideshare app isn’t ideal.
With the Freebird app, you can make your ride to your destination and back more affordable by earning cash back on Uber and Lyft.
As Lyft and Uber rides become common alternatives to designated drivers, Freebird prioritizes affordability and safety.
The mobile app allows users to earn when they request an eligible ride, and partnered bars and restaurants can become preferred destinations for customers.
In this article, we’ll walk you through how the Freebird app works, how you can start earning, and what promo codes you can use to sign up.
If you’re a restaurant or bar owner, stay through the end to learn how you can also take advantage of the app.
How Does the Freebird App Work?
Freebird connects directly with your Uber and Lyft accounts.
Because these rideshare platforms are fully integrated into the Freebird app, a ride through this third-party platform will get you the same rideshare experience you’re used to at the same real-time rates, which you can efficiently compare on the single platform.
The only difference is, you’ll begin to earn cash back — or rack up points that can be traded in for cash — every time you take a ride.
Earning Cash Rewards
When you scroll down on the homepage of the Freebird app, you’ll notice a handful of recommended restaurants and bars are listed with a cash-back offer.
These are partner establishments that work with Freebird to maximize your in-app earnings.
Requesting a ride to one of these special destinations will allow you to earn back exactly what you spent on your Uber or Lyft ride up to the value of the cash-back offer.
However, to get a cash-back reward, you also must purchase something from the location — no minimum required — with whatever credit card is linked to your Freebird account (we’ll later show you how to link your card).
This prevents users from earning immediate cash when their real destination is actually the store next door or a competing restaurant down the street.
Despite this extra step, cash-back rewards are the best type of earnings that Freebird offers.
This is because they represent a direct cash value, typically around $4 to $5, which is enough to cover the majority, if not all of an UberPool or Lyft Shared Saver trip.
The direct cash value also means you’ll be able to cash out at any time through your app’s “Balance & Transfers” tab.
Earning Rewards Points
The simpler way to earn money on Freebird is gaining points to trade in for cash.
Uber and Lyft rides to pretty much any location — whether you’re headed to the grocery store, your workplace, your friend’s house, or your own house — will get you 250 points per ride.
No purchases beyond your ride are required.
Every time you hit 5,000 points (approximately 20 rides), you can trade in your points on the “Balance & Transfers” tab to receive a $10 reward from Freebird.
If you depend on Uber or Lyft for your daily commute, you could easily earn $10 at least once every two weeks.
Once in a while, you may even see special promotion cards appear on your home screen offering bonus points (or even bonus cash) when you complete an action such as riding to your preset home address or riding in a specific time frame.
Freebird Promo Codes for New Users
Like many modern apps designed for the gig economy, Freebird offers plenty of coupon codes to entice new users to join their platform.
Here’s a list of promo codes that were active at the time of publishing, which you can redeem as a sign-up bonus today:
- k15f1 for a total of $10 cash back after your first two rides.
- z77cc for a total of $10 cash back after your first two rides.
- SUN19 for a total of $15 cash back after your first three rides.
- MMORE for a total of $15 cash back after your first three rides.
It’s important to note codes taken from coupon code listing sites such as CouponBirds and RetailMeNot, like the ones listed above, may only be effective for a limited time.
If you don’t want to test promo codes until you find one that works for you, a better route to take is asking a friend or family member for their Freebird invite code.
Freebird’s referral program enables any new user to get $5 cash back on each of your first two rides for a total of $10 cash.
In return, your acquaintance will receive a $10 cash referral bonus as soon as you take your first ride.
This mutually beneficial offer is always available and reliable.
Your referrer just needs to select their “Invite & Get Cash” tab on the Freebird app to share their promo code with you.
To apply your Freebird promo code, simply download the app, connect your Lyft or Uber account, and submit your promo code when prompted.
If you miss the prompt, you can always tap on your menu, select the “Promo Codes” section, and enter the code there.
Setting Up Your Freebird Account
Once you’ve connected your Uber or Lyft accounts to your Freebird app, we recommend personalizing your account by heading to the following sections:
- “Profile” tab: This tab allows you to edit your name, email, and notification settings. In addition, it allows you to personalize the recommendations you receive from the Freebird app by selecting your preferred cuisines and types of bars.
- “Linked Cards” tab: In this section, you can link your payment method from a long list of financial institutions by tapping “Link Card” and following all prompts to complete the connection through Plaid. This is absolutely necessary when completing a cash-back offer, as your linked credit card history will provide proof of your transactions at participating locations.
- “Balance & Transfers” tab: Once you have any amount of cash available in your Freebird account, you can select “Cash Out” to link your debit card. This allows funds to directly transfer to your associated bank account.
How Restaurants and Bars Can Use Freebird
The benefits of Freebird extend to the restaurants and bars that partner with the platform.
In a sense, Freebird acts as a highly effective loyalty program, rewarding users after every visit they make to a participating cash back location.
The company’s website also states that Freebird users tend to spend more than average when they’re being treated to a ride to your location.
This generally makes up for revenue you spend — about $2 per customer — maintaining your presence on the Freebird app. As a partner, you can track these earnings and expenses through your personal portal.
On the marketing side, partnering with Freebird demonstrates your commitment to your customers’ safety.
It also protects your own liability by reducing drunk driving, and it literally puts you on the Freebird map.
With Freebird growing their user base every day, you’re sure to get some traction by joining the platform.
When you’re ready to connect with a Freebird team member about joining, simply head to the Freebird Partners page and complete the form.
Freebird App Review: Is It Worth It?
After testing out the Freebird app for ourselves, we found the platform is definitely worth it.
Unlike many cash-back apps, which often only allow you to earn just a few cents for every transaction, Freebird makes it surprisingly easy to earn cash-back and rewards points thanks to their business model.
Frequent Uber and Lyft users can easily earn at least $10 back every month.
If you’re looking to save money on rideshare, Freebird actually offers a better deal than the Uber app’s native Uber Rewards program, which requires you to spend between $167 to $500 (depending on which products you request) before you can receive a mere $5 in Uber Cash.
A cash-back bonus for a single ride on Freebird plus a food or drink purchased at your destination can get you the same amount of cash. And, you can spend it anywhere.
Even better, the convenience factor you get from using the Uber and Lyft apps is still there.
With the Freebird app, you can complete your requests using the same steps, whether you’re on an Android or iPhone.
Frequently Asked Questions
After you’ve signed up for your Freebird account, you can start earning free money on existing purchases you may have made.
Here are a few frequently asked questions to help you learn more about the Freebird app:
How do I switch between Uber and Lyft when requesting through Freebird?
To switch between platforms, open your Freebird app menu and tap your “Selected Ride” tab and then tap the “Ride with Uber” or “Ride with Lyft” button to switch.
You may need to connect your second account if you haven’t already.
Do I still need to tip my driver when making a Freebird ride request?
Yes. Continuing to practice Uber and Lyft tipping conventions is always recommended, since your drivers are still providing the same service, regardless of where you submitted your request from.
You can tip your Lyft driver directly through the Freebird app.
To tip your Uber driver, you’ll have to go to your “My Trips” tab, select the Freebird ride from your trip history, and select “Add a Tip.”
Can I use my Uber or Lyft credits when requesting on Freebird?
You cannot select Uber and Lyft credits as payment methods through the Freebird app.
However, if you request an Uber ride through Freebird, Uber will automatically use your Uber credits before taking money from your credit card or debit card.
Make Your Nights Out Affordable
When you want to go out with friends without breaking the bank, using the Freebird app to find a cash-back destination will keep your wallet happy.
Then, at the end of the night, you can get a safe ride home while racking up points you can trade in for cash later.
If you’re already an Uber or Lyft user, there’s really no reason not to use Freebird when it will help you earn and cost you absolutely nothing.
