Uber ended its free Uber Rewards points program on 1 November 2022 and moved customers to Uber One, a paid membership (up to $9.99 a month in the US) bundling $0 delivery fees, ride discounts and member pricing. It passed 50 million members by Q1 2026. In April 2025 the FTC sued, alleging enrollment without consent, overstated savings and a hard cancellation process.
Key takeaways
- Paid membership beat free points: Uber One grew from about 10 million members in 2022 to more than 50 million by Q1 2026.
- Analyst coverage says members make up more than half of Uber's mobility and delivery bookings and spend about three times as much.
- The FTC sued Uber in April 2025 over consent, savings claims and cancellation; 21 states and DC joined in December 2025.
- Show savings net of the fee, and make leaving as easy as joining.
- In Australia, the new subscription-trap law starts on 1 July 2027.
Timing is everything in publishing.
In Chapter Nine I did "a deep dive into Uber's brilliant modern spin on loyalty programs." Points for every ride and Eats order. Three points per dollar on premium rides. Four tiers, Blue, Gold, Platinum and Diamond, each with better perks.
Then, just as the book was going to print, Uber announced it was ending the program.
(At least I got a footnote in before the presses rolled.)
What Uber did next turned out to be a bigger lesson than the program I was praising. It's also a warning.
What the book said in 2022
Uber Rewards took the old points card and added tiers. Gold needed 1,200 points, which meant spending close to $1,000 with Uber in a program period. Platinum needed 4,000 points and came with "Price Confidence" on a regular route. Diamond needed 7,500 points and added free upgrades and premium phone support.
My point was that Uber had built "a membership within its loyalty program." It guaranteed itself a certain amount of income before it paid anything back.
I also noted, in that last-minute line, that Uber was swapping loyalty for a subscription.
What's happened since
The free Uber Rewards program ended on 1 November 2022. At that point Uber One, the paid membership, had about 10 million members.
Uber One costs up to $9.99 a month in the US. It bundles $0 delivery fees, ride discounts and member pricing across rides, food and grocery.
| Date | Uber One members |
|---|---|
| November 2022 | About 10 million |
| End of 2024 | About 30 million |
| Q2 2025 | About 36 million |
| Q1 2026 | More than 50 million |
According to analyst coverage of Uber's Q1 2026 results, members account for more than half of combined mobility and delivery bookings and spend about three times as much as non-members.
Then came the bill.
On 21 April 2025 the FTC sued Uber. It alleged Uber enrolled people in Uber One without their consent, overstated savings (advertising "$25 a month" without netting off the fee) and made it hard to cancel. In December 2025 an amended complaint, joined by 21 states and DC, alleged users could face up to 23 screens and 32 actions to cancel.
In April 2026, Bloomberg Law reported, a federal judge dismissed part of the case, including a claim over the "$0 delivery fee" representation, but let the FTC's other deception claims proceed. Remember these are allegations Uber disputes, not findings.
Why did paid membership beat free points?
A points program rewards spending after the fact. A paid membership changes behavior before the customer spends.
Once you've paid $9.99 for free delivery this month, ordering from someone else feels like wasting money you've already spent. You concentrate your spending. That's what the "three times as much" figure is telling you.
It also flips the economics. With points, the business funds the rewards. With a membership, the customer funds them, upfront, every month. That's the Member Benefits model from Chapter Two, combined with Bundled Services: one fee covering rides, food and groceries.
Is your cancellation flow on the right side of the law?
Check your sign-up, renewal and cancellation steps against the new Australian rules with the free AU Subscription Compliance Checker.
Why did it get Uber into trouble?
Because the same growth tactics that make memberships grow can also make them illegal.
"Easy to join, hard to leave" used to be a growth hack. Every extra screen in the cancellation flow saves a few members. But regulators now treat that friction as the problem itself. Amazon learned the same lesson the expensive way: read how Amazon Prime paid $2.5 billion for making cancellation hard.
The savings claim matters too. If you tell members they save $25 a month and don't subtract the fee, you're overstating the benefit. That was one of the FTC's allegations.
The Australian angle
If you run a membership in Australia, pay attention. The Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Act 2026 starts on 1 July 2027. It requires clear key terms at sign-up, ongoing notices and an easy, straightforward way to cancel (online, if customers can join online). Our guide to Australia's subscription trap laws explains what it requires, and our guide to cancellation flows shows how to save customers without trapping them.
This is general information, not legal advice. It's current as at October 2026. If your sign-up or cancellation process is complex, get advice before the new rules start.
What you can steal
- Turn your loyalty card into a paid membership. Pick one headline benefit your regulars value: free delivery, priority booking, member pricing. A cafe, a bottle shop or a mechanic can do this.
- Show savings honestly, net of the fee. "You've saved $42 this quarter after your membership fee" is more convincing than an inflated number, and it keeps you out of trouble.
- Make cancelling as easy as joining. One click or one message. If you want to offer a pause or a downgrade, offer it once, then let them go.
- Keep a free tier underneath. Occasional customers can stay on a simple points card. Paid membership is for the regulars.
- Audit your flow. Run it through the AU Subscription Compliance Checker and the churn risk checklist.
Growth that depends on friction isn't growth
If your membership numbers would drop sharply the day you made cancelling easy, you don't have a loyalty program. You have a retention problem with a lawsuit attached.
How many steps does it take to cancel your membership today? Count them.
AU Subscription Compliance CheckerCheck your sign-up and cancellation flow against the new Australian rules.Open the free tool →Frequently asked questions
When did Uber Rewards end?
Uber's free points-based Uber Rewards program ended on 1 November 2022. At the time, its paid membership, Uber One, had about 10 million members. The book went to print just as Uber announced the change, so Chapter Nine describes how the old Blue, Gold, Platinum and Diamond tiers worked and notes that Uber was moving to a subscription.
What does Uber One include?
In the US, Uber One costs up to $9.99 a month and bundles $0 delivery fees on eligible orders, discounts on rides and member pricing across rides, food and grocery. It's a bundled-services membership: one fee that covers several things a customer already buys from the same company.
What did the FTC allege against Uber?
The FTC's April 2025 complaint alleged Uber enrolled people in Uber One without their consent, overstated savings (claiming about $25 a month without netting off the fee) and made cancelling hard. The December 2025 amended complaint, joined by 21 states and DC, alleged users could face up to 23 screens and 32 actions to cancel. These are allegations, not findings.
Should a small business replace a points card with a paid membership?
Often, yes, if you have customers who buy from you frequently. A paid membership collects cash upfront and gives members a reason to concentrate their spending with you. Keep one headline benefit, price it so regular customers clearly save, and make it easy to cancel. A free card can still sit underneath for occasional customers.
Are paid memberships legal in Australia?
Yes. But the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Act 2026 adds subscription duties from 1 July 2027, including an easy way to cancel, and the Australian Consumer Law already prohibits misleading claims. Clear pricing, honest savings claims and simple cancellation are the safe design. This is general information only; get advice for your situation.
Get both books free
The Subscription Playbook (ebook + audiobook) and Feed a Starving Crowd, instantly. In Australia? Claim the free hardcover.
Robert Coorey, MBA
Robert is the author of The Subscription Playbook and Feed a Starving Crowd and a Director at BPAG Accountants in Sydney. More about Robert.
Sources
- Restaurant Dive, Uber phases out free rewards program (Aug 2022)
- The Wolf of Harcourt Street, Uber One at 50 million members (analyst newsletter, 2026)
- Uber Newsroom, Uber One Member Days 2026
- FTC, FTC takes action against Uber for deceptive billing and cancellation practices (21 Apr 2025)
- FTC, FTC and states file amended complaint against Uber (Dec 2025)
- Bloomberg Law, Uber unable to toss all of FTC's subscription cancellation suit (13 Apr 2026)
- Federal Register of Legislation, Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Act 2026
Facts and prices checked 27 October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.