How to Settle Bolt and Uber Drivers in Poland: Payouts, Cash, Commission and VAT

Driver settlements are the most time-consuming part of running a Bolt and Uber fleet in Poland. Every week you download reports, combine them per driver, account for cash, commission, car rent, fines and advances, then transfer the money and send a clear statement. This guide gives you the process, a worked example and the usual pitfalls.

Why getting settlements right matters

Settlements are not a formality. They drive driver trust, retention and the profitability of the whole fleet. A mistake of a few hundred zloty becomes an argument, and an argument becomes a driver leaving and a car standing idle. Whether you run three cars or thirty, you need a repeatable, transparent process.

The money flow in the partner model looks like this:

1. The passenger pays for the ride, in cash or by card.
2. The platform (Bolt, Uber) deducts its commission and pays the remainder to the fleet partner.
3. The partner calculates their share, deducts costs and pays the driver what is due.

In practice you add tips, bonuses, adjustments, cash, fines, advances and car rent on top.

Step 1: download the platform reports

Each platform provides reports in its own format.

Uber

The partner dashboard offers a weekly statement. It typically includes gross earnings (fare and surge), Uber’s service fee, tips, bonuses and promotions, adjustments and refunds, and the amount paid to the partner.

Bolt

Bolt reports have a similar structure but different column names: gross ride income, Bolt commission, weekly bonuses, cash collected by the driver and the amount to settle.

If a driver works on several apps (including FreeNow), you need to pull each report and combine the data per person. This is where most of the time disappears.

Step 2: check the platform commission

The platform commission is already deducted in the report: the amount shown as paid to the partner is net of it. You do not need to recalculate it, but you should verify it, because adjustments, cancelled-ride fees and damage charges can change the final figure.

As a rough guide, Uber’s service fee is usually around 20 to 25% and Bolt’s ranges from 15 to 25%. Exact rates depend on the city, your contract and loyalty programmes, so check your own agreement.

Step 3: calculate the partner’s share

You agree a revenue-split model with each driver. Three common ones:

• Percentage of income after platform commission: for example the partner keeps 15 to 25%. It is flexible and feels fair, but harder to calculate.
• Fixed weekly amount: car rental with servicing, for example 400 to 600 PLN. Simpler, but less attractive to drivers in a weak week.
• Hybrid: a fixed car fee plus a small percentage.

The best model depends on your strategy. Whichever you choose, put it in writing in the driver agreement.

Step 4: deductions (rent, advances, fines, cash)

From the amount due to the driver, subtract everything agreed in the contract:

• Car rent, if the driver uses your vehicle.
• Advances paid during the week for fuel or day-to-day costs.
• Fines (mandaty) for traffic offences, and charges for damage.
• Cash the driver collected from passengers. The driver already holds that money, so it is deducted from the transfer.
• Other costs in the contract: car wash, fluids, small repairs.

Most disputes start here: no central register of advances, lost receipts, or deductions nobody agreed.

Step 5: a weekly example

An illustrative example (made-up figures, just to show the logic):

The driver should receive every line, not just the final number.

What about VAT?

VAT treatment depends on your tax status, whether you are VAT-registered and the contract with each driver. Agree it with your Polish accountant beforehand. A common mistake is calculating the partner commission on gross instead of net amounts, or the other way round. TwojaFlota calculates VAT automatically from the settings you define, but you and your accountant must decide those settings.

Step 6: documents

The paperwork depends on how you work with the driver:

• B2B driver: issues you an invoice for their services.
• Civil-law contract (umowa zlecenie): you settle against a bill (rachunek) and need to consider ZUS contributions and tax advances.
• Employment contract (umowa o pracę): full payroll, PIT-11 and ZUS.

Whatever the form, archive every settlement.

Step 7: the transfer

• Set a fixed payout day and stick to it; predictability builds trust.
• Put the period in the transfer title, for example “Settlement 19-25.05.2026”.
• Send the statement (PDF or link) together with the payment.
• Keep a register of all transfers: date, amount, driver, period.

With 10 drivers on two platforms that is 20 reports, 10 calculations and 10 transfers, every week. Doing it manually typically takes several hours.

Common mistakes

1. Forgetting cash: the driver collected 300 PLN and the partner transferred the full amount.
2. Missing platform adjustments: a ride was cancelled after the fact.
3. No register of advances: the driver says he never took one.
4. Mixing gross and net when calculating commission.
5. Late payouts because there is no schedule.

Spreadsheet or automation?

A spreadsheet works fine at the start. But every new platform and driver raises the risk of a formula error and the weekly job grows. Automation removes the copy-and-paste: reports are imported, rates are applied per driver, deductions live in one register and the statement is generated in a click.

TwojaFlota for settlements

TwojaFlota imports Bolt, Uber and FreeNow reports, calculates payouts (cash, commission, car rent, VAT), sends drivers PDF statements and prepares a bank transfer file. The interface and support are in Polish and English. It costs 200 PLN net per month or 1,200 PLN net per year (plus 23% VAT), with unlimited cars and drivers and 30 days free without a card.

Visit the home page to learn more or try it free. If you are just starting out, read how to become a Bolt and Uber fleet partner, and for the economics see what a fleet partner earns.

FAQ

How often should I pay drivers?

Weekly is the most common, on the same day each week, based on the platform’s weekly report.

Should cash be deducted from the transfer?

Yes. If a passenger paid in cash, the driver already has that money, so it is deducted from the amount you transfer.

Can I run settlements in Excel?

You can while the fleet is small. Beyond about ten drivers on several platforms, errors and time costs grow quickly.

What should I do about VAT?

It depends on your tax status and the driver contract. Agree the approach with a Polish accountant, then set it up in your software.