Uber offers tons of services, including the rideshare option, UberX, and food delivery with Uber Eats.
There are offerings within Uber, like Uber Carpool for when you want to save money.
Or when you want to arrive in style, you can book Uber Black.
If that wasn’t enough, now you can manage rides for up to four people with Uber Family.
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What Is Uber Family?
Uber Family is a service Uber developed to allow family members to share a payment method, even though they have separate profiles.
That means that each individual can book their own ride but doesn’t have to pay for it themselves.
The primary owner of the family profile not only pays for the rides but also gets the receipts and can keep tabs on all the riders.
Who Can Use Uber Family?
Uber allows you to add anyone to your family profile.
Whether you’re related by blood or chosen family and close friends, this service helps you take care of everyone you love.
As long as the person who owns the main account is over 18, anyone can harness the benefits of Uber Family.
1. Kids Who Have Flown the Nest
Parents know that you never stop worrying about your kids, even after they move out of the house.
While you might not know what your young adult is up to every minute of the day, at least you can ensure their safety with Uber rides.
Because the parents’ payment information is on file, the kids won’t worry about not having enough money to pay for a ride.
They’ll be able to book a rideshare driver and get to their destination safely and without stress.
2. One-Car Families
Having just one car when you’re part of an active family can cause a lot of stress.
It’s impossible to be in two places at once, so if you’re taking one kid to soccer practice, you can use Uber Family to ensure someone else gets to their after-school job.
Instead of trying to map out the destinations and timelines, book an Uber.
This cuts down on the stress of who needs to get dropped off first and who’s going to be waiting a long time for their ride home.
3. Help Loved Ones Catch a Safe Ride
It’s possible to arrange rides for people who don’t have the Uber app or even a smartphone.
But Uber Family streamlines this process.
Instead of stopping what you’re doing and booking the ride for them yourself, they can do it through Uber Family.
This option makes everything easier on you, but also helps your loved ones.
They don’t have to worry about paying for their ride since they can use your payment information.
How to Use Uber Family
Using Uber Family is just as easy as using the Uber app for yourself.
Anyone with an Uber account can use it.
After you set up the Family Profile, as seen below, you’ll get notifications any time a family member takes a ride.
You’ll be able to see their journey in real-time, adding a layer of safety to their trips.
Your family members will bill their rides to the family account.
As the profile owner, you’ll get a copy of every receipt.
This will help you keep tabs on each family member, even if they live in another city.
How to Set Up Uber Family
The primary owner of the Uber Family account should be over 18.
Once you create an account, you can invite family members to join through the settings tab.
You’ll see an option for “Family.” Click “Set up your family” to get access to your contacts.
When you click to add a family member, they’ll get an email and text to accept the invite.
Until they accept, they’ll show up on your family profile as “pending.”
You can only invite one family member at a time, so make sure they accept quickly so you can add everyone to the profile.
You’re able to have four family members on the profile, including the primary owner.
Can People Under the Age of 18 Ride Alone With Uber Family?
No, Uber requires that anyone booking a ride is 18 or older.
Drivers could get their accounts deactivated for picking up a minor, so they won’t risk it unless an adult is accompanying the child.
Adults who try to put their kids in an Uber without staying with them could also lose their accounts.
This is mostly a safety issue.
There aren’t many places where unaccompanied minors can roam free, so it’s understandable they can’t take an Uber, either.
This rule also applies to taxis, so it’s not just Uber—it’s a legal situation.
Don’t worry though, there are plenty of other options that act as Uber for kids.
We’d suggest checking those out if you’re looking to outsource the transportation of your children.
Uber Trip Tracker for Safety
Though minors can’t ride alone in an Uber, you might want to track rides even if an adult accompanies your child.
The Uber Trip Tracker lets you see a map of rides for anyone on your family profile.
You can also get push notifications for the start of the journey so you know to track it.
The Trip Tracker follows anyone connected to your family profile, regardless of the city they’re in.
That means you can ensure your daughter gets back to her college dorm safely, even though she’s a thousand miles away.
Or you can make sure your elderly mother makes it to her doctor’s appointment across town.
Make Changes to an Uber Family Profile
Once you create a family profile, you might need to make changes.
Uber makes it simple to manage the entire profile through the app.
Can I Delete a Member on My Uber Family Profile?
Yes, you can delete members from your Uber Family profile.
Many users do this if an individual doesn’t need the shared payment method anymore.
Once you remove a family member, you can add someone else into that spot if you choose.
To delete someone from your family profile, go to the app’s settings. Click on “Family” and then “Family Profile.”
Tap on the person you want to delete, select “remove member,” and confirm when the app prompts you.
Individuals can leave family profiles on their own as well.
The process is similar—first, open the app settings, then scroll to “Family.”
Click on “Family Profile” and scroll to the bottom of the menu.
There’s a button to “Leave profile.”
Update an Uber Family Profile
You can update your Uber Family profile’s payment method by adding the card to your Wallet.
Once it’s in the app, you can select it from the Family Profile settings page.
You can even set different payment methods for each family member by adding the cards to your Wallet and then assigning them within the Family Profile.
Quick Guide: How to Get the Most Out of Uber Family
It’s simple to set up an Uber Family profile and add your family members.
But once you have everything ready, make sure you know how to get the most out of Uber Family.
Best Ways to Use Uber Family
There are many advantages to using Uber Family.
If you’re a one-car family, one adult can take the car to work while the other adult gets rides through Uber Family to run errands or pick the kids up from school.
Keep in mind that booking through Uber Family will give you access to the standard Uber vehicles.
If you have a young child that needs a car seat or booster seat, you need to bring your own.
You also have to install it yourself—the Uber driver can’t do it for you.
Since Uber Car Seat is only available in New York City, you most likely won’t get picked up in a car that already has a car seat.
Make sure you keep your children safe by providing your own.
Best Prices With Uber Family
As with other Uber ride modes, you’ll see estimated prices when you enter your destination.
The base fare of a ride can change depending on traffic, tolls, and the booking fee.
It’s also recommended that you tip your driver, and that amount is in addition to whatever the ride itself costs.
When Ubers are in high demand, your trip might cost more due to surge pricing.
This can happen during bad weather, a major event in your city, or rush hour.
There aren’t enough drivers for every passenger, so you either pay more or wait for the demand to pass.
When you create a family profile, make sure everyone knows how you feel about surge pricing so they won’t book an expensive ride if you would rather them wait.
Uber Family Payment Info
As you create your family profile, you’ll add a credit or debit card to keep on file.
Riders who usually pay for cash won’t be able to make a family profile until they add a card to their account.
To add a card to your Family Profile, first, add it to your Wallet on the app.
You can have many cards added, but Uber only charges the ones you assign to family members.
You can use one card for your entire Family Profile, or use a different card for each person.
Each time a rider completes a trip, the app sends a copy of the receipt to the main account holder’s email address.
You can change the default email address in the Family Profile preferences section.
Uber Family FAQs
By now you have a good idea of everything Uber Family has to offer.
Read on to get the answers to those lingering questions.
How Many People Can Be On One Uber Family Account?
Four people can be on the same Uber Family account, including the profile owner.
You invite individuals one at a time from your contacts list.
They’ll show as “pending” until they accept the invite.
You can’t ask another person to join the Family Profile until the pending individual joins first.
Who Can Access Payment Info on an Uber Family Account?
Only the profile owner will see any payment information.
Though their card is the one paying for all Uber Family rides, other users won’t see the details.
They’re able to charge their ride to the family account and get a receipt, but that’s all.
If you choose to share your payment information, you can show it to certain people on your profile.
In that case, they’ll be able to see your personal information, including your credit card number and billing details, so make sure you trust them.
Does Lyft provide a feature similar to Uber Family Profiles?
Lyft hasn’t officially announced any similar features, but you are welcome to use your account to request rides on behalf of friends.
However, this process isn’t as seamless as Uber Family Profile, as Lyft still suggests contacting your rider via the Lyft app to clarify that you will not be the passenger.
Only passengers of ages 18 or older are allowed to receive unaccompanied Lyft rides, regardless of who’s requesting.
Wrapping Up
Uber Family is a way to provide rides to your friends and family when you don’t have access to a car yourself.
Whether you’re a one-car family, dealing with a kid away at college, or want to help your loved ones get to their appointments, Uber Family can help.
You can pay for the rides and track each trip so you know when they arrive safely.
