How to use Uber without a Credit Card
A couple of days ago there was a medium post about how Uber updated their system to handle cash payments in India.
The upshot was that in four cities in India (plus Nairobi in Kenya) people can now pay cash for rides. They just choose it as a pay method, the driver takes the cash, and Uber deducts the cash from their next paycheck (if ALL their rides were cash Uber would have a problem getting their cut, but that’s not the case).
Another way to ride Uber without a credit card also reared its ugly head in the last couple of days; one that yours truly must take credit for: paying via Bitcoin.
How does it work? Let’s go, step-by-step:
The Hardest Step
Is unfortunately first… you need to get some bitcoin. The best option for this if you’re unbanked is probably a Bitcoin ATM machine or Local Bitcoins. If you have a bank, try Coinbase, Circle, or even ChangeTip. You can always even do online work for Bitcoins too!
The Easy Steps
You’re home free!
- Visit https://bitcoinbuilder.com/uber/ and enter your email address.
- Click the confirmation link in your email to sign in.
- Send as much bitcoin as you’d like to your account’s deposit address.
- Return to the site and click the “Refresh Balance” button.
- Your balance is immediately updated (no confirmations needed)!
- If you’ve deposited more than $10, you can now enter your name.
- Submit your name and you’ll then be prompted to sign in at uber.com!
The Cool Step
Now the awesome part… if you don’t already have an Uber account (you can use your existing Uber account if you do have one.) you can finally create one from that page. Without entering a pay method!
That’s because you’re getting set up as an “employee” on the Bitcoin Builder Uber Business account. And it would be pretty lame to require employees to add their own personal credit card!
Now, when you install the Uber app and sign in with your first.last@bitcoinbuilder.com “employee” account, you’ll see you have a BITCOIN BUILDER payment method! Whenever you charge a ride to it, your balance with us will be depleted. (If it gets under $10, the pay method will be deactivated until you deposit more bitcoin to your personal deposit address with us. And then complete steps 4–7 again.)
It Really Works
And it works everywhere in the world! And in all different currencies (your local currency is converted for no fee back to USD using up-to-the-second exchange rates.) People have already ridden without a credit card in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Panama, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, and the Philippines!
That’s right, even in the U.S.!
