We’ve all been there. It’s a Saturday afternoon, you’ve got three bags of groceries, a cake for your best friend’s party, and it’s starting to rain. You open your ride-hailing app, and you’re hit with a price that makes your eyes water in a way that no umbrella can stop.
Just as the fates giveth and taketh away, hailing a ride can feel like spinning a lottery wheel at times. What should be a quick ride becomes a plague upon your bank account thanks to the eternally nebulous (but somehow always expensive) workings of various proprietary dynamic pricing systems.
It’s moments like these that make us wonder: isn’t there a better way? While ridesharing apps have definitely changed the way we move, they aren’t always the most wallet-friendly option — especially when you have a day full of errands.
If you’ve been on the fence about whether to stick to the back seat or get behind the wheel, let’s break down the real costs and benefits of car rental (and carsharing!) versus ridesharing.
The Ridesharing Reality
Don’t get me wrong, I love the convenience of tapping a button and having a car appear. For a quick, one-way trip to the CBD where parking is a nightmare? Ridesharing is perfect. You don’t have to worry about the route, the traffic, or finding a lot.
But the costs stack up fast. If you’re just going to work, it’s one fare. But if you’re running errands — say, picking up the kids, stopping by the dry cleaners, and then heading to dinner — you’re paying a "flag-down" base fare for every single leg of that journey. And that’s not even counting the dreaded surge pricing that hits exactly when everyone else wants to go home too.
The Carsharing Alternative
This is where modern car rental apps like GetGo shine. Unlike traditional car rental where you have to commit to a full day or a weekend, car rental apps let you book a vehicle for just the hours you need.
It bridges the gap between owning a car and hailing one. You get the privacy of your own space (hello, jamming to your own playlist!) and the freedom to make as many stops as you want without worrying about re-booking a ride. Plus, you can leave your heavy shopping bags in the boot while you grab lunch — something you definitely can’t do with a ridehailing app.
The Price Showdown
Let’s get down to the numbers. To make this a fair fight, let’s look at a typical "busy Saturday" scenario.
The Mission: You need to run errands for 3 hours, covering a total distance of 30km.
- Stop 1: Travelling from home to the shopping mall.
- Stop 2: Travelling from the mall to visit your parents
- Stop 3: Travelling from parents’ place to back home.
I’ve crunched the numbers by comparing fees across popular ridehailing apps, car rental companies in Singapore, and GetGo for a typical day out. All prices used reflect non-peak pricing in heartland locations. Here’s how the costs compare:
Note: Prices are estimates based on observed market rates as of 6th December, 2025. Rideshare costs fluctuate heavily based on demand and weather.
As you can see, carsharing can actually save you a decent chunk of change. You aren't paying a new base fare every time you get back in the car, and you’re immune to sudden price spikes if it starts raining.
If you need to check the math yourself, always remember that GetGo has a handy-dandy fee calculator, so you can plan your drives ahead of time.
Of course, the savings don't have to end just there. With extra goodies like our newly-launched DrivePlus program, theres always a new way to save a few extra bucks with GetGo, too.
When to choose which?
So, who wins? Well, it depends on your day.
Stick to Ridesharing if:
- You’re heading to a place with insane parking rates (like the CBD on a weekday).
- You plan on having a drink.
- It’s a simple, one-way trip, and you don’t want the hassle of driving.
Rent a car with GetGo if:
- You have multiple stops to make.
- You’re carrying bulky items (groceries, strollers, sports gear).
- You want to save money on longer, multi-leg trips.
- You just miss the feeling of driving and want some privacy.
The verdict
While ridesharing has its place, it doesn’t have to be the default for every trip. If you value the freedom to move at your own pace and want to keep your costs predictable, taking the wheel yourself is often the smarter choice. And if you’re really looking to make the most out of your dollar, renting a car with GetGo ensures that you’ll only pay for what you use.
Next time you’re staring at a "High Fare" notification on your phone, remember that there’s probably a GetGo car parked just around the corner, ready to get you where you need for less.
See you on the road,
Amanda 💙
