How Long Does An Uber Direct Deposit Take?
Uber is known for delivering food, things, and people fast. Its direct deposit payment service is ironically slow. How and why is this, and how long will it take to get your direct deposit?
How long does an Uber direct deposit take? An Uber direct deposit takes up to 4 business days to reach your bank account. While Uber cites the bank as the main reason for the delay, they also have a different pay cycle than many workplaces, so please bear that in mind.
Uber also uses a middleman in the form of an ACH, which can slow down your payments if it gets backed up.
How Does Uber Direct Deposit Work?
Uber takes a slightly different approach to direct deposit than most companies. Due to it being a company that employs freelancers, they have to take things payment by payment. From 4 a.m. Monday to Thursday, payments accumulate. This table will help break it down:
Day | Time | Action |
Monday | 4 a.m. local time | New payment cycle begins. |
Tuesday | Payment statement appears in email. | |
Wednesday | ||
Thursday | Cash gets paid into your bank account. | |
Friday | ||
Saturday | Not a business day for banks. | Payments are still tracked. |
Sunday | Not a business day for banks. | Payments are still tracked. |
Monday | 3:59 a.m. local time | Payment cycle ends. |
Since payment is deposited on Thursday, the only banking day left in the week is Friday. Some lucky people might get their direct deposits on Friday. But most people will have to wait until Monday or Tuesday (2–3 business days) to receive their money.
But why does Uber state that things take 4 days when most banks allow 2–3 days? This is another feature of Uber. Uber uses an automated clearing house (ACH) to do its transfers. If there is a problem at the ACH, there will be a problem with Uber’s payments.
As much as Uber wants to blame banks, there is also a middleman processing its payments. This, along with a somewhat irregular payment schedule, means that you might not get your money as quickly as you might like. You may need to wait over a week to use your funds!
Why Is My Uber Direct Deposit Late?
If you’re wondering why your Uber direct deposit is late, it may be best to take Uber’s advice to heart: it’s probably because of your bank. Banks will not do anything, including direct deposits, on weekends and banking holidays. This is why most direct deposits are late.
Some banks also have set deposit times, usually in EST, and usually in the morning. If your direct deposit happens after that time, it will make its way to your bank account the following day. Uber does not control this.
Finally, there could be problems with the ACH that manages Uber’s payments. The most common problems for the ACH are technical difficulties and backlogs. If this is the case, take comfort in knowing that you are not the only one affected.
Does Uber Have a Debit Card?
People familiar with Doordash might know that Doordash has two different Dasher cards—a basic payment card and a debit card that deposits their earnings directly to the bank. Does Uber have a similar feature? The short answer is “yes,” but it’s complicated.
The Uber card/program in question is called “Uber Instant Pay.” It is part of GoBank/Green Dot Bank. You can create a new account via GoBank, but Uber Instant Pay can also be linked to your current debit card account.
If your current debit account uses Visa or MasterCard, they can work with Uber Instant Pay without you needing to open a new account! All you need to do is enter your account information when signing up for Uber Instant Pay.
Uber Instant Pay is much faster than Uber’s usual style of payment. Note, however, that there is a small fee every time you withdraw. Use this option wisely!
Some banks may delay Uber’s Instant Pay deposits. These banks include:
- UBOC
- H&R Block
- First Citizens
- Amegy
- California Bank and Trust
- First National Bank of Omaha
- Webster Bank
- BOKF
- Silicon Valley Bank
- Northern Trust
- Bank of New York Mellon
Please log in to your Uber account and ask their support staff if you have further questions.
Bear in mind that your Uber Instant Pay is still subject to the direct deposit rules that your regular direct deposit would be. You are not, however, subject to Uber’s esoteric payment schedule. After setting up Instant Pay, you will be able to use either Uber’s GoBank card or your bank’s debit card to get paid instantly—or at least more quickly!
Conclusion
Uber may be a popular rideshare and delivery service, but its payment methods leave much to be desired. A direct deposit that should take 2–3 days often winds up taking 4 due to Uber’s use of an ACH. They cite banks for the delay, but a combination of scheduling and the use of a middleman means some Uber drivers do not get access to their funds for almost a week.
But there is still hope if you want to access your funds more quickly. Uber now has Instant Pay, a service that lets Uber drivers either set up a separate debit card for their funds or send funds to the debit card account they already have. While it’s not instant per se, it is faster and easier than Uber’s basic payment plan.