How to Pay for a Carpool Ride: Wallet, Cards and Cash

Paying for a carpool ride should be the least stressful part of the trip. On ShareSpace Carpool you can choose from several payment options, and the amount is clear before you confirm. This guide explains each method, what you are actually paying for, and what happens to your money if plans change.

What you pay for

Before comparing payment methods, it helps to know what the total is made of. When you book a seat, you pay:

The ride price. This is the price per seat the driver set, which is capped to the shared cost of the trip. The driver receives the full ride price.
A small service fee. This is 10% of the ride price and supports the platform.
Any tax on that fee. Where applicable, tax applies to the service fee, not to the ride price.

You see the total before you confirm your booking, so there are no surprises. If you want to understand how the ride price is set, read carpool cost sharing explained.

Option 1: The in-app wallet

The ShareSpace wallet is a balance you keep in the app. Many riders like it because paying becomes a single tap. You add funds when it suits you, and rides are paid from that balance.

Fast checkout with no need to enter card details each time.
Refunds from cancelled paid bookings come back to your wallet.
Easy to see where your money went in your wallet history.

For more about how the wallet is protected, see our post on the secure wallet system.

Option 2: Card, Apple Pay and Google Pay

If you prefer not to keep a balance, you can pay directly at booking.

Debit or credit card. Enter your card details once and use them for future bookings.
Apple Pay. On iPhone, confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode.
Google Pay. On Android, pay with a card stored in your Google account.

Payments are processed by Stripe, a widely used payment processor. Using a wallet like Apple Pay or Google Pay is convenient because you do not need to type card numbers.

Option 3: Cash to the driver

Some drivers and riders prefer to settle the ride price in cash. That is possible on ShareSpace. If you pay the driver in cash, only the service fee is paid in the app, and you hand the ride price to the driver directly.

A few tips for paying cash smoothly:

Bring small bills, because drivers may not be able to make change.
Agree on when you will hand over the cash, at the start or end of the ride.
Make sure you both understand the amount before the ride begins, and use the in-app chat if you have questions.

Cash works well for short, regular rides between people who know each other, such as coworkers. For first-time rides, many people prefer to pay in the app so the payment is recorded.

What happens if you cancel

Plans change. If you cancel a booking that you paid for in the app, the money goes back to your wallet. From there you can use it on your next ride. This keeps things simple: you do not have to wait on a card statement to see your refund.

It is still good manners to cancel as early as possible so the driver can offer your seat to someone else. Our etiquette guide has a few tips on handling changes politely.

For drivers: getting your earnings

Drivers receive the full ride price for paid-in-app bookings, and it is added to their wallet. Drivers can withdraw wallet earnings. Withdrawals go through a manual review, and the minimum withdrawal is $50. If you are a regular driver, it helps to plan around that review so you are not caught short.

Which payment method should you choose?

Wallet: best for frequent riders who want one-tap checkout and easy refunds.
Card: best if you only ride occasionally and do not want to keep a balance.
Apple Pay or Google Pay: best for speed and convenience on your phone.
Cash: best for regular rides where you and the driver already agree on how to settle.

Try it on ShareSpace

Pick the method that suits you when you book your next ride in the ShareSpace Carpool app, available on the App Store and Google Play. New to the app? Our getting started guide walks you through your first booking.