Waymo is now in the subscription business, and the perks look familiar.
The company announced Waymo Premier, an invite-only membership targeting its most frequent riders. For $29.99 a month, members get priority pickups, 10 percent cash back on every trip, early access when Waymo opens in new cities, and up to five free cancellations per month. The program launches in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, with more markets to follow as Waymo expands.
The more telling detail is the priority pickup perk. That only means something if other riders are waiting longer — which suggests Waymo has enough demand in these cities that scarcity is now a real variable to manage. For a company that spent years pitching itself as a safer, calmer alternative to traditional ride-hail, it is now running the same two-tier dynamics that make Uber and Lyft frustrating to use without a subscription.
Uber One launched in 2021. Lyft Pink has been around even longer. Waymo Premier is not a new idea — it is a sign that the robotaxi novelty phase is over and the loyalty-mechanics grind has begun.