Winters in Toronto are brutal, and we're not just talking about the cold weather here. When you're unwilling to wait around in freezing temperatures for the TTC, hailing rides to and from destinations can quickly add up. 

Despite the chill Toronto has to offer us, there are now more rideshare apps at our disposal than ever before. Since Hopp made its debut earlier this year, riders now have a bit more choice besides established apps like Uber and Lyft. 

Hopp has also been getting a lot of positive reviews lately, not just from Toronto residents who claim that the rides are cheaper, but from drivers, too, who get to keep more of what they earn compared to Uber and Lyft. Hopp has a 15 per cent commission rate, compared with 25 per cent at Uber, for example. 

But as these apps compete for ridership in Toronto, there's only one question that matters: which option is the cheapest?

Keerthana Rang, Comms Lead at Uber Canada, tells blogTO that fares on this app are calculated based on a number of factors such as distance and time of the trip, date and time, destination, demand and even traffic and weather. 

In Toronto, Uber uses upfront pricing, letting riders see the exact fare before booking and drivers see their exact earnings before accepting. Other rideshare apps may use a similar approach, though pricing models can vary by platform and market.

To calculate the average price across the major ride share apps, blogTO spent four days tracking standard fares for a 5.5-kilometre ride — from Lansdowne Ave. and Dupont St. to the Eaton Centre at Yonge and Dundas — at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Hopp, Lyft, and Uber. All fares listed below reflect prices quoted in-app at the time of commute and may include surge pricing.

Here's a breakdown of what we found.

How much is an average ride at 9 a.m.? 

Hopp: $14.96
Lyft: $18.96
Uber: $20.24

How much is an average ride at 5 p.m.?

Hopp: $18.78
Lyft: $18.28
Uber: $21.49

It seems Hopp is the cheapest option to hitch a ride in the morning, averaging about five bucks less than an Uber in the right conditions. Our observations suggest this may be due to the high volume of Hopp drivers on the road at this time compared to other apps or, alternatively, a smaller customer base.

It's also worth noting that Hopp, as a relatively new app in the city, is still offering 10 per cent discounts to entice more Toronto riders, which can drive these averages even lower. 

Those looking for a ride in the evenings after work aren't going to be saving a whole lot more, as both Hopp and Lyft offer more or less the same pricing for exhausted post-work commutes, just a few dollars less than Uber. 

What's the verdict?

At the end of the day, no rideshare app is truly crowned a winner, and it all boils down to personal preference and which app is cheaper in the precise moment you need a ride.

We've heard from Toronto residents who had to wait more than ten minutes for a Hopp driver just so they could nab an $8 ride versus a more prompt Lyft, just a few dollars more. 

If you have all three apps downloaded, it certainly doesn't hurt to take a few minutes to weigh your options before packing it in and heading to your next destination.