GigU Launches Profit Calculator to Combat Gig Economy's "Transparency Crisis" and Boost Drivers' Business Acumen

News provided by

GigU

Aug 21, 2025, 08:10 ET


This first-of-its-kind, web-based business tool calculates true earnings minus expenses to help drivers for DoorDash, GrubHub, Lyft and Uber platforms make smarter decisions and optimize their business results

SAN FRANCISCO and RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- GigU, the driver empowerment mobile app that has been downloaded by nearly 1,000,000 gig drivers to help them optimize their profits, today announced the launch of its new GigU Profit Calculator tool – a free, web-based resource designed to give drivers the financial transparency that major gig platforms systematically withhold.

Most gig drivers focus exclusively on gross earnings – the revenue number displayed in their apps – without accounting for the substantial business expenses that dramatically reduce their actual take-home profit. Gas, insurance, maintenance, and wear-and-tear costs can easily consume 25-40% of gross earnings, yet platforms provide no tools to help drivers understand these hidden expenses.

To watch a brief YouTube video overview of the GigU Profit Calculator, click here.

"Drivers think that revenue is what they're actually getting paid, like a salary, which isn't true," explains Pedro Inada, GigU co-founder. "They're running a business with real costs, and without understanding those costs; they can't make smart decisions about which trips to accept or how many hours they need to work to reach their financial goals."

The new GigU Profit Calculator, compatible with Android and iOS devices, addresses this fundamental education gap by walking drivers through a simple, three-minute process that transforms their understanding from "I made $300 today" to "I earned $223 in actual profit after all business expenses – and here's exactly what I need to do tomorrow to hit my daily profit target."

The launch comes following explosive new research from Columbia Business School Professor Len Sherman released last month that exposes how Uber alone extracts $3.9 billion annually from U.S. drivers through what he terms "algorithmic manipulation" disguised as "upfront pricing."

Sherman's analysis of over 24,000 trips reveals that only 22% of 2024 rides were priced using traditional distance-and-time metrics, compared to 86% in 2019.

Gig Earnings Decline - When "Busy" Doesn't Mean "Profitable":

While gig platforms tout driver "opportunities," the economic reality tells a different story.

GridWise Analytics reports that driver earnings have plummeted more than 20% since 2022, with DoorDash drivers now earning just $12.23 per hour and Uber Eats drivers making $14.96 per hour – which is often below minimum wage when vehicle costs are factored in.

The GigU Profit Calculator allows drivers to input their work patterns, vehicle costs, and profit goals to understand exactly how much they need to earn per hour and per mile to achieve their financial targets. The tool then integrates with GigU's proprietary "Cherry Picker" feature within the GigU app, which uses color-coded trip analysis to help drivers increase their daily profits by up to 30%.

Gig Industry Expert Endorsement:

GigU's new profit calculator has earned praise from leading gig-economy advocate Sergio Avedian, a former senior finance executive turned rideshare driver who helped found The Rideshare Guy.

"Too many drivers are essentially working for free because they don't understand their true costs and GigU's new tool is the best I have tried. It's an absolute must-have tool for gig drivers," said Avedian.

Why Platforms Fight Transparency:

"When a respected academic researcher studying platform economics identifies your transparency mission as a threat to exploitative business models, you know you're fighting the right fight," said Luiz Gustavo Neves, CEO and a founder of GigU. "Professor Sherman's research provides the 'smoking-gun' evidence that algorithmic opacity isn't just unfair – it's a systematic wealth extraction from working people. This has created a transparency crisis for gig workers."

The timing aligns with growing regulatory momentum across multiple states. Chicago's City Council is advancing a $21.51 minimum hourly rate for drivers, Oregon has enacted comprehensive protections including guaranteed minimum pay, and Wisconsin lawmakers are debating similar measures as part of a national awakening to platform exploitation.

GigU's Complete Driver Empowerment:

While the GigU Profit Calculator serves as an educational entry point, GigU's full mobile app (now available for Android) provides drivers with additional tools to maximize earnings and enhance safety:

  • Cherry Picker: Color-coded trip analysis: green for profitable rides, yellow for acceptable options, and red for trips to avoid because they don't meet drivers' profit goals

  • Shortcut to Map: Instant Google Maps access showing pickup/drop-off locations for strategic route planning in advance once drivers accept ride offers

  • Voice Notifications: Hands-free trip alerts to minimize driver distraction and increase safety

  • Trip History Analysis: Data on which offers were most profitable for pattern recognition

  • Ride Offer Screenshots: Automatic documentation of platform promises for payments

Proven Results from Brazil's Massive Gig Economy Lab:

GigU's effectiveness in Brazil led to legal challenges from Uber, which the company countered with its own complaint to CADE, Brazil's antitrust authority. In February 2025 following a GigU complaint, CADE launched an investigation into Uber's business practices, including a four-year audit of operations to uncover potentially exploitative practices designed to minimize driver earnings.

"We built GigU by eating with drivers, listening to them, and understanding their daily challenges since 2017," said Inada. "Our approach transforms smartphones into intelligent business tools that level the playing field with big tech platforms by adding transparency and more profits"

The latest GigU app launched late last year has already demonstrated remarkable growth with nearly 1,000,000 downloads, 300,000 active users, and 90,000 paying subscribers. In Brazil, where the app launched first, GigU is currently the most popular vehicle app for gig workers on Google Play.

Addressing the Information Asymmetry Crisis:

Sherman's research reveals why transparency matters: "Knowing the price one party is willing to buy or sell at before negotiating the price with the other side gives the market-maker a big advantage," he wrote. In essence, platforms know what riders will pay before negotiating with drivers, while keeping both sides in the dark about true economics.

The GigU Profit Calculator directly addresses this information asymmetry by giving drivers the tools to understand their true business metrics – transforming them from algorithm-dependent contractors into smarter, more informed business operators.

"This isn't just about building a better app," said Neves. "It's about building a more equitable future of work where technology empowers workers rather than exploiting them. Every driver deserves to know if their work is profitable before accepting it."

Availability and Access:

"Drivers can access the free GigU Profit Calculator immediately at www.gigu.app for all drivers using web browsers on any device. The full GigU mobile app is now available for Android devices via Google Play, with a free 15-day trial for new users. After the trial period, it costs drivers $6.95/month.

About GigU:

GigU empowers gig-economy workers to take control of their earnings, safety, and financial future through innovative technology that levels the playing field with big tech platforms. Born from direct engagement and face-to-face interactions with drivers in Brazil, GigU transforms smartphones into intelligent earnings optimization tools, helping ride-share and delivery drivers increase their daily profit by 25-30% while providing enhanced safety features. The company has raised nearly $4 million in seed funding to support its U.S. expansion. For more information, visit www.gigu.app

Media Contact:

Chris Knight

U.S. Editorial and PR Director for GigU

(415) 786-9226

[email protected]

Additional Resources:

Media Contact

Chris Knight, Divino Group, 1 4157869226, [email protected], www.divinogroup.net

SOURCE GigU