Are you a rideshare driver looking to make passive income? Look no further than Vugo.
Many people looking for extra money have found that becoming a rideshare driver has been beneficial.
Companies like Uber and Lyft will allow you to supplement your income while continuing your life as normal.
If you own a car and have some spare time, this is an excellent opportunity for you.
However, one of the most persistent issues with being a rideshare driver is the low pay.
Over the years, Uber and Lyft have been chastised for paying their drivers a pittance on an average hourly basis.
With Vugo, this will no longer be the case.
What Is Vugo?
Since 2015, Vugo, a Minneapolis-based startup co-founded by Robert Flessner and James Bellefeuille, has aided Uber and Lyft drivers boost their earnings.
Vugo is a rideshare advertising platform that drivers can install inside and on the rooftop of their vehicles.
This allows drivers to earn more money through ad revenue.
Vugo is a way for businesses to get more bang for their buck with their advertising dollars while also ensuring that rideshare drivers are compensated fairly.
This is an excellent way to either promote your local business or supplement your income.
How Does Vugo Work for Drivers?
Vugo is a tablet-based platform that allows drivers to display advertisements like McDonald’s to passengers.
Through this, drivers can earn 60% of Vugo’s ad revenue along with their earnings from rideshare fares.
Bringing advertisers to the customer makes earning money for rideshare drivers easier than ever before.
James Bellefeuille, a co-founder of Vugo, used to work as a part-time Uber driver and was aware of the low pay.
This inspired James to create Vugo, which led to teaming up with co-founders Rob Flessner and Eugene Kurdzesau to make it a reality.
Can You Advertise as an Uber Driver?
With Vugo, you can now advertise as an Uber or Lyft driver.
Vugo wants every rideshare driver to get paid for what they are worth, and their platform is the way to do it.
How Much Money Can You Make With Vugo?
Vugo claims that full-time rideshare drivers can earn as much as $50 to $200 per month.
Breaking it down, this is reportedly $25 per 1,000 impressions on any given campaign.
While it is a great way to earn passive income — drivers truly don’t have to do anything to make money — earnings again can be highly inconsistent if no campaigns are available in your market.
It should also be noted that a large amount of riders have called the platform “extremely annoying.”
Instead of getting to relax in rideshare vehicles that are known for comfort, they’re being blatantly marketed to.
The platform also supports tips for drivers, but with Uber tipping is available in-app and customers unlikely to submit their payment information on a public tablet instead, you may not find Vugo worth the trouble.
How Do You Get Paid With Vugo?
Vugo drivers are compensated based on the number of impressions they generate, which is the number of times someone sees an advertisement.
The driver receives $25 for every 1000 impressions, which adds up to an extra $100 to $300 per month when driving full-time.
Is Vugo available in all cities?
Vugo is only available in select United States markets, which are not openly listed on the website, though it’s known that the company targeted major cities first.
Most drivers must fill in the application form and wait to see if they’re selected.
However, the rideshare advertising platform has long been banned in Chicago, Illinois, where exterior and interior advertisements are not allowed on rideshare vehicles.
Vugo was once able to overturn a ban in New York City, but a recent ruling has made its advertising platform once again illegal in NYC rideshare cars.
Vugo is not the only rideshare advertising platform available to Uber and Lyft drivers.
You can also benefit from other companies like Wrapify, Carvertise, and Firefly that have the same goal in mind as Vugo—to put extra cash in your pockets.
Vugo vs. Wrapify
Wrapify is an ad platform that allows you to advertise a business with your car.
Wrapify, unlike Vugo, does not have ads from a tablet in your car or the rooftop.
Instead, a removable sign that wraps around your vehicle will advertise a brand.
The Wrapify app tracks the location and hours spent driving.
Wrapify calculates how visible the ad is based on this data and pays the driver accordingly.
According to Wrapify, between commuting and running errands, the average driver spends 100 minutes per day on the road.
Time on the road costs money, but Wrapify ensures you make that money back and then some.
Wrapify pays you according to the amount of wrapping your car has.
You will earn the least amount of money, $84–$140 per month, if a Wrapify panel advertisement is installed on the side of your car.
Wrapping your car’s doors and back is a partial level of Wrapifying your ride.
The average monthly salary for this level is $196–$280.
But, if you would like to wrap your entire vehicle with an advertisement, you can earn an average of $264–$452 per month.
So, if you were to opt-in for the full deal, you could earn more than on Vugo.
Vugo vs. Carvertise
Another advertising platform similar to Vugo is Carvertise, the direct competitor to Wrapify.
This company also wraps advertisements around drivers’ cars, turning them into moving billboards.
For the duration of the campaign, the company will wrap and unwrap your car and pay you monthly earnings.
However, Carvertise’s payment formula is different from Wrapify’s.
Wrapify varies the amount based on the number of miles you drive.
But Carvertise pays a set amount per month.
As long as you drive 30 miles a day and have a clean driving record, you can continue your Carvertise journey.
In comparison to Wrapify, one disadvantage of Carvertise is that some customers have complained about their cars being damaged during the removal process.
Aside from that, the two businesses are nearly identical.
Much like Wrapify, this company allows business owners to promote their businesses through car advertisements.
Choose from the top 200 markets in the country to begin advertising your business.
Then select the type of driver you’d like to promote your business with, whether it’s for Uber, Grubhub, or if the drivers interact with passengers.
After that, decide how many vehicles you want to advertise your business and what type of wrap you want.
You have the option of requesting a full wrap, an advanced partial wrap, or a partial wrap.
Then you’ll be able to officially launch your campaign.
Vugo vs. Firefly
The most similar competitor to Vugo on this list has to be Firefly.
Both provide an additional revenue stream for drivers through ads on the tops of rideshare vehicles.
But Firefly also places ads on the tops of taxis.
In less than an hour, you can get a screen installed on the roof of your car to display location-based content.
This way, brands can engage with customers in the biggest cities in the United States, like New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Firefly is on a mission to put money in rideshare drivers’ pockets while bringing useful content to the streets of our cities.
Both companies have similar goals, but Vugo can get closer with their in-car tablets, which can help increase revenue.
Vugo remains an effortless way to earn, but there are other passenger entertainment options that you can choose from to provide more value to your riders — and perhaps inspire more tips.
Learn about three of the companies that are helping you make money with snacks and ads below.
1. Play Octopus
Play Octopus is a platform that allows passengers to play games and even win cash prizes straight from a tablet that’s installed to the back of your car.
As riders play games, they’re shown ads and encouraged to tip you in between, but it takes a little bit of the commercialization away by putting the focus on the entertainment, rather than the ads.
Much like Vugo, Play Octopus offers the tablet installation for free, as long as you give at least 100 rides per month.
Once it’s installed, you’ll earn points for every trip and every game played and can earn as much as $100 per month.
2. Cargo Box
Cargo Box isn’t exactly entertainment in the traditional sense, but it does keep riders busy and satisfied by allowing users to buy snacks, drinks, and even beauty products during their ride.
Passengers can actually “purchase” for free through the Cargo app, thanks to companies looking to promote products through samples.
For every purchase (including the free ones), you get $1 and 25% of sales.
You can even earn from sales bonuses and tips.
Cargo Box is one of the more practical extra earnings accessories for rideshare drivers.
Not only do riders appreciate snacks for their commute, but the company is actually directly partnered with Uber, which means free Cargo Box installations are actually encouraged.
Drivers will make an average of $130 per month with this product.
3. Surf
Surf functions much like Play Octopus, but instead of games, riders can watch premium videos, listen to music, and discover local businesses for free.
It’s a more expansive passenger entertainment system that’s free for drivers to get installed and for riders to use.
Surf also reduces the amount of ads that feel invasive, as the content is actually what’s being promoted, much like how promoted YouTube videos or Yelp listings can still be beneficial to users.
According to Surf, drivers can make as much as $200 per month with this system, which can also help your riders relax and enjoy the ride.
How To Sign Up for Vugo
Begin your Vugo journey, whether you want to supplement your income or promote your local business.
If you choose to rideshare with Vugo, you can keep doing what you’ve been doing while earning up to $300 more per month.
Just visit the Vugo website and click the “Drive With Us” button to apply to be a Vuo driver.
You will be prompted to complete an application.
If you want to advertise your brand, you can gain more exposure and see the analytical improvements too.
If you’d like to advertise a brand or agency, go to the Vugo website and click the “request media kit” button in the top-right corner.
You’ll be asked for your information in a pop-up window.
Whichever you choose, you can be sure you are making the right decision.
Wrapping Up
While Vugo may be a bit controversial among riders and city regulators, it still presents a great opportunity for rideshare drivers to get extra money to supplement their monthly income.
By installing this platform, you can bring personalized ads that help you earn into your car, so every ride is worth a bit more.
