How much a Bolt / Uber / FreeNow driver's work really costs in 2026
"I made 12 grand this month" sounds great — until you subtract the costs. The truth is that turnover isn't earnings. Between what the app shows and what actually stays in your pocket sit the commission, car rent, fuel, taxes and ZUS. We break it all down — with example numbers — so you know what you're really working for and where you can save.
Turnover isn't earnings — where the gap comes from
The app shows gross turnover — the sum of all rides. Your real earnings are only what's left after every cost. So two drivers with the same turnover can take home wildly different amounts:
- The platform commission comes off immediately — roughly ~25% (FreeNow ~20%). It's the first and biggest cut from every ride.
- Car costs (rent, or your own car's payment/servicing, plus fuel) are the second big line — and this is where drivers differ the most.
- Taxes and ZUS come at the end and depend on your settlement model (via a partner or your own DG). These are the most commonly forgotten when people count "earnings".
The three biggest costs: commission, car, fuel
These three lines swallow the lion's share of turnover. Roughly, for a full-time driver:
- App commission — ~25% of turnover. On 12,000 zł turnover that's about 3,000 zł a month. The simplest way to "lower" it: run several apps at once and catch bonuses and higher-rate rides.
- Car rent — roughly ~2,800–3,200 zł/month (about 700–800 zł/week for a hybrid on a partner license). Your own car swaps this for a payment/depreciation and servicing — which is better is covered in the rental guide.
- Fuel or energy — ~1,500–2,500 zł/month depending on mileage and car. A hybrid or EV can nearly halve this vs petrol — which is why car choice moves the result so much.
Taxes, ZUS, insurance and the small stuff
After commission and the car come the charges people forget — and they can eat another few hundred to a thousand złoty a month:
- Tax and ZUS. When settling via a partner, they come off your pay automatically. With your own DG you pay them yourself: 8.5% ryczałt on passenger-transport revenue plus ZUS and the health contribution. Details in driver taxes.
- Insurance and inspections. A passenger-transport car needs OC with a paid-transport annotation — pricier than a regular policy. With a rental it's usually included; with your own car it's your cost.
- Small things that add up. Car wash, water and snacks for riders, a mount and charger, phone and data, minor servicing. Little individually, ~300–500 zł over a month.
An example monthly breakdown
An illustrative example for a full-time driver with about 12,000 zł/month turnover (your numbers will differ — this shows proportions, not a guarantee):
| Item | Approx./month | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gross turnover | ~12,000 zł | Sum of rides in the app |
| Commission (~25%) | −3,000 zł | FreeNow ~20% |
| Car rent | −2,800–3,200 zł | ~700–800 zł/week |
| Fuel / energy | −1,500–2,500 zł | Hybrid/EV cheaper |
| Tax + ZUS | −1,600–2,200 zł | Depends on model |
| Insurance + sundries | −300–600 zł | Part included with a rental |
| Left (net) | ~1,000–2,800 zł | Depends on hours & city |
Bottom line: at full-time a large share of turnover goes to costs — so what matters isn't "how much I made" but how much was left after everything. You gain the most by cutting the two biggest costs: car/fuel (a cheaper, economical model) and "empty time" (running several apps).
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to what drivers ask about costs: