Uber, Bolt, Freenow and Addison Lee: private hire compared
All four need the same licence, car and insurance. They differ on status, benefits, how you are paid and whether you rent the car from them. Here is how they compare on the things that change what you keep.
Last checked 29/09/2026.
A private hire driver licence lets you work for any operator licensed in your area. The choice between them is about what each does with the fare, and what it gives back.
Side by side
| Uber | Bolt | Freenow | Addison Lee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Status for employment rights | Worker (Supreme Court, 2021) | Worker (tribunal, 2024) | Self-employed | Worker (tribunals, 2017 and 2025) |
| Holiday pay | 12.07% added weekly | Subject to the claim | Not described | Paid on every job |
| Pension | Auto-enrolment with Uber contribution | Not described | Not described | Optional contributions on every job |
| Paid | Weekly; early cash out | Weekly, after commission | Regular payments; weekly for private hire | Weekly |
| Car | Your own or rented elsewhere | Your own or via rental partners | Your own | Rent from Addison Lee or own approved car |
| Free cover | Allianz Partner Protection | Not described | Onsi cover for black cab drivers | Rental includes motor insurance |
Status and rights
Three of the four have now been told by a court or tribunal that their drivers are workers. The Bolt ruling went furthest, counting time logged into the app rather than only time on trips, as long as the driver was not logged into a rival app. If you run several apps, a simple log of when you were online on each is worth keeping for that reason alone.
The car decides the maths
The biggest cost in private hire is the car. Renting one from Addison Lee or a rental partner turns it into a fixed weekly bill that includes insurance and servicing. Owning spreads it over years. The choice also changes which tax method suits you. Renting a PCO car: mileage rate or actual costs works through it.
VAT, since January 2026
Operators that contract with riders as principal now account for VAT on the full fare, which in practice means Uber in London and similar models. Operators outside London can still work as agents, after the Supreme Court decided in 2025 that they are not obliged to act as principal. None of this makes a driver register for VAT. The 2026 VAT change explains it.
Tax
For all four you are self-employed for tax. Turnover is the fares before commission, plus tips, bonuses and holiday pay. Commission is an expense. One return covers every operator you drove for.
Sources
Common questions
- Can I drive for Uber and Bolt at the same time?
- Yes. Private hire drivers commonly run more than one app, and your licence and insurance are not tied to one operator. Keep a record of your logged-in time on each, because worker rights claims are calculated per platform.
- Which private hire app gives holiday pay?
- Uber adds 12.07% holiday pay to earnings each week and Addison Lee says it pays holiday pay on every job. A tribunal has ruled Bolt drivers are workers, with compensation decided separately. None of it changes your tax.
About the author
Issac Davies, Founder of JoltMile
Issac Davies drives for gig apps in the UK and built JoltMile to show drivers what a shift actually pays once fuel, insurance and tax come off. Every guide here is checked against HMRC and gov.uk guidance, and is information rather than tax advice.
Track this automatically
True hourly rate · Expenses: the JoltMile app works this out from your own shifts. Your first 10 shifts are free.
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