The gig mobility industry is facing new challenges in 2025, as consumer prices continue to rise while consumers push back against fare increases. At the same time, driver wages are stagnating, with utilization rates struggling to increase, leading to greater reliance on tipping as a key driver of earnings as platforms seek profitability.
These dynamics are creating challenges for platforms, drivers, merchants, and consumers alike. However, amid these headwinds, opportunities are emerging for gig platforms and industry participants to leverage data to optimize efficiency and improve earnings across the ecosystem.
That’s why the gig economy remains a critical pillar of urban mobility and last-mile logistics, with shifts in driver earnings, work habits, and consumer sentiment reaffirming a changing marketplace, according to Gridwise Analytics’ Annual Gig Mobility Report 2025.
Key takeaways:
- Gig drivers saw hourly earnings decline.
- Median rideshare prices increased 7.2% in 2024, bringing the median fare to $15.99. However, 72.3% of surveyed riders say they will reduce or stop using rideshare if prices rise again, signaling a potential demand slowdown.
- Food and grocery delivery drivers also experienced a decline in hourly earnings across most major platforms.
- Retail is becoming a larger part of on-demand delivery.
- Drivers are seeing shrinking wages and an increasing reliance on tips, particularly in food and grocery delivery.
“2025 is a pivotal year for the gig mobility space,” says Ryan Green, CEO at Gridwise. “Drivers are looking to maximize earnings per hour. Meanwhile, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of pricing dynamics, putting pressure on platforms to find efficiencies. It will be interesting to see how gig platforms leverage data to minimize driver downtime and improve marketplace efficiency—ensuring that consumers aren’t forced to pay more while drivers still earn more over time.”
