An Uber driver has been robbed at knifepoint and handcuffed to a steering wheel by a masked man on Queensland's Gold Coast.

Queensland police said the 39-year-old woman from Carrara was parked on the side of Marine Parade at Biggera Waters, when the man got into the front passenger seat of her car about 8:45pm on Saturday.

The man threatened the woman with a knife and made her drive him to Harbour Town, but while driving he made her stop on the side of the road and demanded money.

He then handcuffed her to the steering wheel while he searched the car for more cash.

Police said the robber released the woman from the handcuffs a short time later before making her continue driving until he got out of the car at a seafood shop at Labrador.

An Uber spokesman said the incident had not occurred during a booked fare, but the company had reached out to the driver to check on her wellbeing and offer support.

"Public reports and our own review indicate that this incident did not occur on the Uber app, however we are always ready to help the police if needed," he said.

The robber was last seen walking across a playground in the area but a subsequent search failed to find him.

Police have described the man as Caucasian, in his early 20s with a fair complexion, and have appealed for anyone with information about the robbery to contact police.

The woman suffered minor bruising as a result of the handcuffing but was otherwise unhurt.