If you're constantly using rideshare companies to get around your city, you've probably wondered at least once if there's a way to get free rides on Uber. The good news? There is — as long as you don't mind those free rides coming as a perk of a referral program or two. As TIME recently discovered, rideshare companies like Uber often offer referral programs that come with great rewards like getting free rides and monetary credits to use towards your next ride.
If you've been following rideshare news for a while, you, like TIME, might remember the story of Blake Jareds . Last year, Jareds created his own promotional code which subsequently went viral, earning him over $50,000 in Uber credits. Unfortunately for Jareds, Uber capped off his earnings at $500 — but that doesn't mean we can't learn something from his approach, which relied pretty much entirely on other people. That's what referral programs are for, after all, right>
Since not everyone is a fan of Uber or may not have access to it in their city, here are five other rideshare company referral programs that you can get in on in addition to Uber, allowing you to score more free rides and save your cash. If you want to ensure your reach is going as far as it can, make sure you regularly read the blog or website of your rideshare company of choice, as new promotions will often be announced there.
1. Uber
According to Uber's referral program, you can score $20 in ride credit for each person you refer. Uber will give you a referral code to use, but since they can be hard to remember (hi there, series of random numbers and letters), you can actually create your own custom Uber referral codes. There also is not a cap on how much you can earn if your earnings are done through Uber-approved means, unlike Jareds who created a fake referral code.
2. Sidecar
Sidecar has a "Refer-a-Friend" promotional program, which gets you $20 for the referral. The referee has an incentive to sign up, too, earning $10 in rideshare credit when they sign on for the service. You can also partake in their Shared Rides program, which allows you to save up to 50 percent on your ride
3. GetAround
This rideshare app allows people to rent their cars out to others, so that you can get around for a more extended period of time if you need a ride for more than just a trip home from the bar. Their referral program grants both you and the buddy you bring aboard $25 in GetAround riding credit. It's a pretty sweet deal for both parties, so if you need to rent a car, check out this mobile app.
4. Viewswagen
If you're someone who likes to invest early, you'll want to get in on this offer from Viewswagen. This new company is getting started on their referral program before they launch on June 1st. During the month of May, they are offering a five percent forever referral program, which will allow you make five percent off of any advertising revenue earned by drivers who sign up with your referral code. That's right, forever!
5. Lyft
Lyft's referral program also allows both parties to get in on free riding credit, as each gets a $20 credit upon transaction. Lyft does have a lifetime referral limit of $1,500 however, so the free rides stop at a certain point. For a limited time, they are also running a promotion that allows you to refer multiple people and cash in on a bonus credit of $25 to $100.
6. Flywheel
Flywheel uses professional taxi drivers to run their service, making it a hybrid of a cab service and a rideshare program. If you want $5 off of your first ride with no questions asked or necessary referrals, you can use this special link or use the promotional code 27A8AP.
Images: Getty Images; GetAround, Sidecar, Lyft/Instagram Viewswagen, Flywheel/Twitter
