Grab cuts fees, pledges VNĐ2.95 trillion after competition watchdog review

Grab cuts fees, pledges VNĐ2.95 trillion after competition watchdog review

Grab has proposed six measures, including fee cuts, driver compensation and support, and clearer disclosure of charges.

Drivers also sought clarity on how fares, fees and deductions were set, adjusted and communicated. — Photo baochinhphu.vn

Grab has pledged VNĐ2.95 trillion (US$113.5 million) in driver compensation, bonuses, support and passenger promotions after the Vietnam Competition Commission raised concerns over its pricing and fee policies.

The Vietnam Competition Commission said on Thursday that its preliminary review followed driver complaints in late August and mid-September 2026 over low fares and platform fees that cut into their earnings.

Drivers also sought clarity on how fares, fees and deductions were set, adjusted and communicated.

The commission reviewed Grab's policies, met drivers, consulted other ride-hailing platforms in Việt Nam and compared Grab's practices in Southeast Asia. It found a complex fee structure, with platform fees charged to passengers and flexible application fees charged to drivers.

Grab has proposed six measures, including fee cuts, driver compensation and support, and clearer disclosure of charges.

Lower fees, higher driver earnings

From November 10, Grab will reduce platform fees charged to passengers on selected short-distance GrabBike and GrabCar trips.

The application fee charged to drivers will also be cut, with the rate range reduced from 0-28.76 per cent to 0-25 per cent of the total amount paid by passengers, including fares, surcharges, platform fees and taxes.

Grab will cap its combined platform and application fees at 32 per cent of the total passenger payment, excluding taxes and fees collected on behalf of third parties.

The company's share of each trip will consequently fall from a maximum of 40.60 per cent for GrabBike and 39.81 per cent for GrabCar to between 7 and 32 per cent.

After fees and taxes, GrabBike drivers will receive 60.59-85.59 per cent of the total passenger payment, while GrabCar drivers will receive 59.68-84.31 per cent.

The minimum take-home share will rise by 8.59 percentage points for GrabBike drivers and 7.68 percentage points for GrabCar drivers, compared with the previous minimum of 52 per cent.

Grab also plans to reduce fares by 10 per cent on trips of 10km or more from February 26 to December 31, 2027, subject to the programme's conditions.

The commission said Grab had identified about 0.13 per cent of trips since 2024 in which deductions exceeded 35 per cent of revenue shared with drivers. The company attributed the cases to fluctuations in supply and demand or algorithm errors.

Grab plans to refund about VNĐ3.9 billion to drivers from November 5, with payments credited to active drivers' wallets. Former drivers will be notified by text message or email and can claim refunds by providing their bank details by November 30.

In the fourth quarter, Grab will also spend VNĐ860 billion on driver bonuses and support, VNĐ52 billion on fuel and charging costs, and VNĐ1.81 trillion on passenger promotions.

The total VNĐ2.95 trillion commitment includes revenue reductions resulting from fee adjustments.

The commission said it will continue to monitor Grab's implementation of the measures, requiring regular reports. Any suspected breaches of competition or consumer protection laws will be dealt with in accordance with regulations.

The review is part of broader efforts to improve transparency in ride-hailing services. Inspections at Grab, Be and GSM found that some additional charges were not clearly displayed, while certain paid services were selected by default.

The platforms have since been required to make charges more transparent and allow users to opt in to paid services, including trip insurance and carbon-offset contributions, before confirming a booking.

The commission has called on ride-hailing operators to review their pricing and deduction policies and ensure passengers and drivers are fully informed of the terms of each transaction. 

Bizhub