Better Stock for Growth in 2026: Uber vs. DoorDash

Uber and DoorDash: Comparing Two Industry Leaders

Uber Technologies (NYSE: UBER) is recognized as the largest ride-hailing platform globally, but its reach extends into areas such as food delivery and freight logistics. The company is positioning itself at the forefront of the autonomous vehicle movement, which could dramatically reshape its operations in the coming years.

DoorDash (NASDAQ: DASH), meanwhile, is the leading last-mile delivery network in the United States, connecting consumers with food and retail products from a vast array of businesses. While Uber has diversified into multiple sectors, DoorDash has concentrated on refining its primary delivery service.

Both Uber and DoorDash are experiencing robust growth and offer significant long-term prospects. But which company stands out as the better investment choice for 2026?

Why Uber Stands Out

With a monthly user base exceeding 200 million, Uber has already achieved remarkable scale. Its next wave of expansion is expected to come from autonomous ride-hailing and delivery. Uber has partnered with over 20 organizations working on self-driving technology, including Alphabet's Waymo, which currently completes more than 450,000 paid autonomous rides each week.

The shift to autonomy could have a transformative impact. In 2025, Uber reported an all-time high of $193.4 billion in gross bookings, encompassing rides, food deliveries, and freight. Of this, $85.4 billion was paid out to the 9.7 million drivers on its platform, representing the largest share of gross bookings.

After accounting for other expenses, such as payments to restaurants, Uber's revenue for 2025 stood at $52 billion. The company’s adjusted (non-GAAP) profit reached $5.2 billion, illustrating that only a fraction of gross bookings translates into actual profit.

By integrating autonomous vehicles, Uber could retain a much larger portion of the funds currently paid to drivers, increasing both revenue and profit without needing to expand its customer base.

Additionally, self-driving vehicles can be dispatched wherever demand arises, enhancing network efficiency. Their ability to operate continuously could also lead to higher booking volumes than what is possible with human drivers.

DoorDash’s Growth Story

DoorDash commands over 60% of the U.S. food delivery market, making it the clear leader. In recent years, it has expanded internationally, now operating in more than 40 countries and delivering not just meals, but also groceries and retail items.

Like Uber, DoorDash is investing in autonomous technology to lower costs. In 2025, the company processed $102 billion in gross order volume, with $20 billion paid to drivers. To address this, DoorDash introduced a self-driving robot named Dot, which currently operates in Phoenix, Arizona, and is designed for small-scale urban deliveries without human involvement.

DoorDash also entered into a partnership with Serve Robotics (NASDAQ: SERV), which has deployed 2,000 delivery robots across several U.S. cities. This collaboration allows DoorDash to fulfill some orders using robots instead of human couriers where feasible.

2025 was a standout year for DoorDash, with revenue hitting a record $13.7 billion—a 28% increase from the previous year, outpacing the 24% growth seen in 2024. Net income under GAAP reached $935 million, a staggering 660% jump. Excluding one-time and non-cash items, adjusted EBITDA soared to $2.7 billion, marking a significant turnaround for a company that previously prioritized growth over profitability.

Which Stock Is the Better Buy?

While DoorDash’s rapid revenue growth and surging profits are noteworthy, Uber’s broader business model offers greater potential to benefit from autonomous technology. Uber’s spending on drivers was more than four times that of DoorDash last year, suggesting it has more to gain from automation.

Uber’s CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, envisions the move to self-driving vehicles as a multi-trillion-dollar opportunity for the company, potentially driving substantial gains for shareholders.

From a valuation perspective, Uber appears more attractively priced. DoorDash trades at a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 5.4, while Uber’s P/S ratio is just 3.2, making it a more affordable option for investors.

Given Uber’s larger addressable market and lower valuation, it emerges as the more compelling investment at this time.

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