Money
What percentage does Bolt take from drivers — and what else leaves the fare
25.08.2026 · 7 min read
Bolt's commission is typically 20–25 % of the fare, much like Uber's. If you work through a fleet partner, they may take a further 5–10 % of turnover — and the two deductions stack. After both commissions, fuel and the car rent, a 40 PLN fare most often leaves the driver 12–17 PLN.
Take one fare apart
Most of the confusion comes from drivers comparing different things: one quotes the meter, another the bank transfer, a third what was left after refuelling. Those are three different numbers.
Take a typical city fare of 40 PLN:
| Item | Amount | Remaining |
|---|---|---|
| Fare | 40.00 PLN | 40.00 PLN |
| App commission (~22 %) | −8.80 PLN | 31.20 PLN |
| Fleet commission on turnover (if any, ~8 %) | −3.20 PLN | 28.00 PLN |
| Fuel (about 8 km of trip plus approach) | −6.00 PLN | 22.00 PLN |
| Proportional share of rent | −6.00 PLN | 16.00 PLN |
Without the fleet commission the same line ends at 19.20 PLN. One contract clause changes the outcome by 20 %.
There are two commissions, not one
Everyone knows the first: the app takes 20–25 % of the fare. It is visible in the statement and cannot be avoided.
The second can stay invisible until the first settlement: some fleet partners take their own percentage of turnover, usually 5–10 %. Sometimes instead of a higher rent, which is a fair trade. Sometimes on top of it — in which case the weekly rate you were comparing told you almost nothing.
At 5,000 PLN of weekly takings that is a 250–500 PLN weekly difference, more than the usual spread in rent between fleets.
→ Fleet partners: what they are and how to choose
What commission does not touch
- Tips. They go to the driver in full — the only part of your takings nobody divides.
- Your costs. Fuel, washing and contributions come out of what is left after commission, not before it.
The second point matters more than it looks: fixed costs do not shrink in a weak week. The rent runs identically in a week of 60 fares and a week of 30.
Why the first fares of the day pay least
This follows directly from part of the cost being fixed.
The daily rent has to be covered regardless of how far you drive. So the first fares go towards clearing it, and only the later ones are earnings. Hence the rule: at full-time hours every additional hour is worth more than the first, and three days a week almost never adds up.
→ What Bolt and Uber drivers earn in Poland
What you can actually change
The app's commission is not negotiable. Three levers remain, all on your side:
- Pick a fleet with no percentage of turnover, or one where the percentage replaces a higher rent rather than supplementing it.
- Run two apps, so the same rent spreads over more fares.
- Drive in the densest demand windows — Friday evening, Saturday night, the morning peak. The commission percentage is unchanged, but less fixed cost falls on each fare.
→ Bolt or Uber — which to drive for
What to ask before signing
Do you take a percentage of turnover on top of the rent? If so, how much, and calculated on what amount?
The answer should be a clause in the contract, not a sentence in conversation. The question costs thirty seconds; the difference over a year runs into four figures.
In the ViroCars catalogue the weekly and monthly rate, deposit, mileage cap and excess are listing fields, so comparison starts from numbers rather than from a conversation.
Sources: mbpartners.pl and nova-partner.pl (commissions and earnings) · departner.pl · olx.pl (rental rates, August 2026)
Frequently asked
The app commission is usually 20–25 % of the fare, depending on city and programme. Uber is very similar — the gap between platforms is smaller than the gap between fleets.
Some do, usually 5–10 % of turnover, either on top of the rent or instead of a higher rent. The two deductions stack, so ask directly before signing.
After the app commission, any fleet commission, fuel and a proportional share of the rent, most often 12–17 PLN. The exact figure depends mainly on whether the fleet takes a percentage of turnover.
Tips generally go to the driver in full. Commission is calculated on the fare, which makes tips the only part of your takings nobody splits.
You cannot change the app's commission. You can choose a fleet that takes no percentage of turnover, and run two apps so the same rent spreads across more fares.