Gett Is Playing Serious Hardball to Win Drivers From Uber The Tel Aviv-based car-hailing technology is offering Uber drivers $500 to switch companies.

By Catherine Clifford

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Updated at 4:30 p.m. ET with comments from Uber.

Tel Aviv-based ridesharing company GetTaxi, which operates as Gett in the U.S., knows that to win in the transportation space, it has to be laser-focused on one primary competitor. Today, it announced an aggressive move to woo drivers away from Uber.

The company said it will give Uber drivers $500 to switch companies, and give new drivers a $500 bonus when they complete their first 20 jobs. Drivers will also earn $500 for every friend they pull into the Gett fold.

The car-hailing service says it will also pay double what Uber pays its drivers -- 70 cents a minute after tax and commission for sedan drivers -- and let them keep 100 percent of tips. Comparisons like this get tricky: Uber's rates start at 40 cents a minute but the company also pays drivers a per-mile starting rate at $2.15.

Gett boasts that drivers working 40 hours a week would make six figures on average, and as much as $110,000 including tips. Uber has said that drivers in New York can make more than $90,000, but hasn't said how many hours it would take to earn that salary.

Related: Wait For Perfect or Charge Forward? Lessons From Lyft's Controversial NYC Launch.

Uber wasn't phased by Gett's announcement, brushing it off as as overhyped marketing, and standing firm behind its offer for drivers. "Uber IS the best economic opportunity for NYC drivers," said spokesperson Natalia Montalvo.

Last month, the ridesharing leader promised that every one of its drivers in New York City would make $5,000 per month for the rest of the year if they meet certain commitments. Gett, meanwhile, assured that its drivers earn a minimum salary of $6,000 a month.

Gett is not as well known a name as Uber in the U.S., but the ride-hailing tech company is more established internationally. GetTaxi operates in 24 cities in the world, including major global hubs such as Moscow and London.

This is not the first time Gett has made an aggressive move to win over Uber customers. In early September, Gett rolled out a promotion to take passengers between any two points in New York City's central borough of Manhattan for a flat $10. Depending on where you are going in Manhattan, that can be a tremendous savings compared to other car and driver alternatives.

Related: Look Out, Uber: A Ride-Sharing Service in NYC Is Peddling $10 Flat Rates

And while Gett seems hellbent on taking on Uber, this is still a bit of David and Goliath story. San Francisco-based Uber has raised $1.5 billion in venture capital, drowning out the -- still admittedly impressive -- $207 million that Gett will have raised if it's next $150 million round comes through as expected.

"Drivers are key to our business, they're our partners and we want to improve their quality of life," says Ron Srebro, CEO of Gett, in a written statement. "Happier drivers make for happier Gett customers and improve everyone's experience."

Srebro may in fact care about his company's drivers, but it's also a mighty pretty cover for what's likely to be a brutal battle between his company and Uber in coming years.

Related: Finland's Capital Wants to Do Away With Car Ownership

Wavy Line
Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

Editor's Pick

She's Been Coding Since Age 7 and Presented Her Life-Saving App to Tim Cook Last Year. Now 17, She's on Track to Solve Even Bigger Problems.
Lock
I Helped Grow 4 Unicorns Over 10 Years That Generated $18 Billion in Online Revenues. Here's What I've Learned.
Lock
Want to Break Bad Habits and Supercharge Your Business? Use This Technique.
Lock
Don't Have Any Clients But Need Customer Testimonials? Follow These 3 Tricks To Boost Your Rep.
Why Are Some Wines More Expensive Than Others? A Top Winemaker Gives a Full-Bodied Explanation.

Related Topics

Growing a Business

Subscribers Exclusive Event: Discover How These 2 Founders Turned Their Side Hustle into a Million-Dollar Lifestyle Brand

Learn how you can transform your personal brand into a thriving business empire with co-founders of The Skinny Confidential

Devices

Take Your Social Media Earning Potential Sky-High With This $79.97 Quadcopter

Get this beginner-friendly drone for a great price for Father's Day.

Growing a Business

The Best Way to Run a Business Meeting

All too often, meetings run longer than they should and fail to keep attendees engaged. Here's how to run a meeting the right way.

Fundraising

Working Remote? These Are the Biggest Dos and Don'ts of Video Conferencing

As more and more businesses go remote, these are ways to be more effective and efficient on conference calls.

Health & Wellness

Sleep Better, Snore Less, and Stay Cool with This Tech-Packed Pillow, Now $49.99

Let technology help you sleep better with this 8-in-1 cooling pillow.

Growing a Business

Entrepreneur+ Subscribers-Only Call | June 8: Discover How These 2 Founders Turned Their Side Hustle into a Million-Dollar Lifestyle Brand

Learn how you can transform your personal brand into a thriving business empire with co-founders of The Skinny Confidential