12 Apps Like DoorDash to Make Money (2024)
Other food delivery apps like DoorDash can give you flexibility and money. When hungry customers place food orders, you can pick up the orders and deliver them to their doorstep.
So if you want to make money on your terms, you can sign up for any of these apps. However, if you don’t know much about DoorDash, let me give you a brief description of the app.
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What Is DoorDash?
DoorDash is one of the best food delivery apps in North America. The app was launched in 2013 and now serves more than 5,000 cities across the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Japan.
With over 20 million users placing food orders through DoorDash, you can deliver food as a side hustle to earn money.
Delivery drivers on the app are known as Dashers. The minimum age to become a dasher is 18 years old – also, you must own either a car, scooter, or bicycle.
Once you’re accepted to deliver food, delivery gigs in your vicinity will be sent to the DoorDash app on your smartphone from time to time.
After every successful delivery, you can earn $19 to $25 per hour. The cool thing is that every customer tip you get goes into your pocket.
If you always wanted flexibility, you can work for DoorDash in your spare time to amplify your income. Become a Dasher for DoorDash
Do You Want Other Ways To Make Money? Try These:
- Branded Surveys: Answer online surveys on your phone and earn $50+ per month.
- Mistplay: You can make about $40 per month by playing games on this app.
- KashKick: Play games, answer surveys, and complete other offers to earn cash.
Best Paying Delivery Service To Work For
DoorDash is a great delivery app but in case you want to try similar apps that pay well, here are some of the delivery apps you can work for:
1. Uber Eats
Uber Eats is a very popular food delivery app that is owned by the technology giant, Uber. So Uber launched Uber Eats in 2014 – and so far the app is used by people in more than 6,000 cities across 45 countries worldwide.
Uber Eats is second to DoorDash in terms of popularity – this, therefore, makes it an ideal app to consider.
How Uber Eats Works
How Uber Eats works is very simple – when a hungry customer orders food via the app, a notification will be sent to you and you have the liberty to either accept or reject the offer.
If you accept the offer, your duty as a delivery driver is to go to the restaurant to pick up the food and get it delivered to the customer.
To qualify as a delivery driver, you must be 18 years or older. You must also have a car, bicycle, or scooter, as well as a valid driver’s license.
Note that requirements may differ depending on the country or state you live in.
How Much You Make With Uber Eats
The hourly rate ranges from $8 to $12 for delivering food with Uber Eats. You also get 100% customer tips. The pay is reasonable but when compared to DoorDash, it’s low.
All the same, if you want to receive high pay, you have to deliver food during peak hours – usually from 7 am to 9 am and 6 pm to 9 pm. If you’re interested, you can download the app on your smartphone, both Android and iOS today.
2. Instacart
Instacart is a grocery delivery app that serves more than 6,000 cities across the U.S., and Canada. The app was launched in 2012 to help make grocery shopping easy. For apps like DoorDash to make money, Instacart is one of them.
How Instacart Works
You can become an In-Store Shopper or a Full-Service Shopper for Instacart to make money. As an in-store shopper, you will be at any of the partner stores of Instacart.
So when orders are placed by customers, you will have to prepare the groceries and get them ready for pickup.
Alternatively, if you choose to work as a full-service shopper, you will have to visit the stores, shop for the groceries, and get them delivered to the doorsteps of customers. Instacart has over 4,000 partner stores you can shop at. A few of them are;
- Fred Meyer
- Wegmans
- Food Lion
- Albertson’s
- Costco.
If you want to deliver groceries for Instacart, you can sign up now. However, make sure you are 18 years already, and also have a U.S. work permit.
How Much You Make With Instacart
You can make an average of $1,000 per week as an Instacart shopper. The app pays between $15 and $20 per hour.
Shoppers also get the chance to keep 100% of tips they receive from customers. Practically, full-service shoppers earn more than in-store shoppers.
Moreover, delivering groceries during peak hours and on weekends can amplify your earnings.
3. Shipt
Shipt is also used for grocery shopping – so you can deliver groceries to customers to earn extra money in your spare time.
Shipt is available in the U.S. only, it works in more than 5,000 cities. The app was acquired by Target in 2017, 3 years after its launch.
How Shipt Works
Shipt pays you commissions when you deliver groceries to its customers. After signing up as a shopper, you shall get notified of delivery gigs in your environs at any time.
You can then browse through to accept the gig that works for you(Shipt will show you the distance to be covered and the potential earnings for each delivery gig).
Here are a few requirements to meet in order to work as a Shipt Shopper:
- Minimum age of 18 years.
- Own a car.
- Have auto insurance.
- Have a valid driver’s license.
How Much You Make With Shipt
As a Shipt shopper, you shall receive a $5 flat fee for every delivery you complete. Also, 7.5% of the cost of the grocery will be added to your money.
For instance, groceries that cost $150 will fetch you a flat fee of $5 – plus $11.25. Moreover, you keep 100% of the tips you receive from customers.
4. Caviar
Caviar is a San Francisco-based food delivery app that is very similar to DoorDash. Ironically, Caviar is owned by DoorDash, so there is no difference in their operations.
If you live in the U.S., you can work as a delivery driver for Caviar to make money, tips, and promotions.
How Caviar Works
You must be 21 years or older, pass a background check, own a car, scooter, or bike, have a valid driver’s license, and have auto insurance before you can get accepted by Caviar.
After signing up for Caviar to become a dasher, you shall receive delivery gigs from orders that have been placed by customers in your area.
If you accept a gig, you have to go to the restaurant or store to pick up the food or grocery and deliver it to the customer. Once the delivery is complete, confirm it on the app and get paid.
How Much You Make With Caviar
Expect between $15 and $25 per hour. If you want to earn around $25 after every delivery, try to work during peak hours and also on weekends.
But apart from the hourly pay, you get promotions and 100% of tips from customers. Money earned with Caviar can be withdrawn via PayPal.
5. Postmates
There are many drivers who earn good money by delivering food and groceries to people who make orders via the Postmates app.
Thus, you can get your share of the pie if you register to become a delivery driver for Postmates. The app is owned by Uber, and it works just like DoorDash. Postmates serves cities across the U.S. only.
How Postmates Works
When hungry customer order food via Postmates, you shall receive a notification to pick up the food at the restaurant and get it delivered to the customer.
Not only food, groceries as well. Once delivery is complete, you get paid. In order to work for Postmates as a delivery driver, you should be at least 18 years old.
Again, you should have a car, scooter, or bike, a valid driver’s license, and a reliable smartphone.
How Much You Make With Postmates
Postmates pays delivery drivers between $10 and $30 per hour. So you can expect an average of about $1,500 per week if you complete enough deliveries.
The good thing is that you also get to keep all the tips you receive from customers. Postmates pays well, so if you deliver during peak hours – you could be making some cool money.
6. Grubhub
Grubhub is another food delivery app that was launched in 2004 – so it’s more than a decade. The app works in over 4,000 cities across the U.S. delivering food to hungry customers within a few minutes of placing an order.
How Grubhub Works
If you’re already 19 years or older, and you have a bike, car, or scooter, then you can work for Grubhub as a delivery driver.
Whenever delivery gigs are available in your neighborhood, the Grubhub app on your smartphone will send you a notification. It will be up to you to either take or reject the gig.
If you take the gig, you have to pick up the food and deliver it to the doorstep of the customer, and you get paid for the job done.
How Much You Make With Grubhub
The majority of Grubhub drivers say they earn an average of $14 per hour. All the same, expect between $10 and $20 per hour.
If you want to earn closer to the $20 amount, you have to deliver food during the peak hours of the day. And also, you keep 100% of the tips you get from customers.
Money earned with Grubhub can be cashed out instantly to your Chase bank account at a zero charge. However, if your account is with a different bank, you shall pay a $0.50 transfer fee.
7. Amazon Flex
The e-commerce giant – Amazon, owns Amazon Flex. The app was launched in 2015 by Amazon to serve its customers.
Delivery drivers who work for Amazon Flex deliver packages that have been ordered from Amazon.com, Amazon Prime Now, Amazon Fresh, Store Orders, and Instant Offers.
How Amazon Flex Works
After you have been accepted as a delivery driver by Amazon Flex, you have to open the app to see delivery blocks that are near you.
The good thing is that for each block – you will see the potential earnings, delivery distance, and estimated time to complete the delivery.
So you can ignore the bad gigs. However, if you want to work for Amazon Flex, you should meet some requirements:
- Be at least 21 years old.
- Own a car; a 4-door mid-size sedan.
- Have a valid driver’s license.
How Much You Make With Amazon Flex
According to ZipRecruiter, the average pay is $20 per hour for delivery drivers at Amazon Flex. Even so, expect between $18 and $25 per hour.
Your earning will vary depending on the time you make a delivery(peak hours pay more), the cost of products, the distance you cover to complete a delivery, etc.
Don’t also forget that Amazon Flex allows its drivers to keep 100% of customers’ tips.
8. Favor
You can work for Favor as an independent contractor to deliver food to its customers. Favor is a food delivery app that was launched in 2013.
The app is based in Austin, Texas, and serves many cities across the U.S. You can fetch some cool money by working for Favor.
How Favor Works
You’re called a personal assistant if you choose to deliver food for Favor. Favor gives flexibility to its personal assistants, so when you get accepted by the company, you can work on your own terms – in your spare time.
Hungry customers order food, tacos, coffee, and groceries via the app – thus, you have to go and pick up the food, and get it delivered to them.
To get accepted by Favor, you must have a car, scooter, or bike, and be at least 18 years old with no criminal history. Let’s look at how much money you can earn with Favor.
How Much You Make With Favor
You can expect to earn an hourly rate of $12 to $18. Also, for every delivery you complete, you receive a percentage of the fee, and you keep 100% of the tips you get from customers. Furthermore, you shall get extra money as an incentive if you deliver food on time.
9. Roadie
Roadie is another app like DoorDash you can use to make money. It is a peer-to-peer gig delivery company that pays drivers to send parcels to people. If you have a car, you can join Roadie to deliver parcels in your city.
Roadie was founded in 2014 – it has its headquarters in Atlanta Georgia, and it’s owned by United Parcel Service. One good thing is that the app works in all 50 states across the U.S.
How Roadie Works
You have to be at least 18 years old, own a car or pickup truck, have a valid driver’s license, auto insurance, and social security, and also pass a background check before you can work for Roadie.
The company will then put you on its list to match you with parcels that are to be sent to people in your area. In your spare time, you can pick up parcels, and deliver them to earn money.
How Much You Make With Roadie
Roadie pays its drivers $15 to $60 per trip for deliveries in their vicinity, but for long-haul deliveries, it pays up to $650 per trip.
Roadie also allows its drivers to keep 100% of the tips they get. If you want to amplify your earnings as a driver for Roadie, try to deliver several parcels in a single trip.
10. Saucey
Saucey is a Los Angeles-based alcohol delivery service that was launched in 2013. The app pays delivery drivers to deliver alcohol to customers.
If you have a pickup truck, you can join Saucey to make money in your spare time.
How Saucey Works
Because you will be dealing with alcohol, you have to be 21 years or older before you can work as a delivery driver for Saucey.
Moreover, you should have a clean driving record, car insurance, and a valid U.S. driver’s license. Once you’re accepted by Saucey, you can deliver alcohol products from brands like Budweiser, Casamigos, Vodka, and Johnnie Walker.
Nevertheless, you have to be okay with driving at night since deliveries can be done at midnight.
How Much You Make With Saucey
According to Indeed, Saucey pays delivery drivers an average of $18 per hour. But expect between $9 and $27 per hour.
Delivery time and location can both affect how much you shall earn with Saucey. Also, drivers get tips from customers.
11. Cornershop
You can become a shopper for Cornershop to help deliver groceries to customers anytime they place a grocery order.
Cornershop is mainly used for grocery delivery just like Instacart – and also, how it works is very similar to DoorDash.
Cornershop is owned by Uber, and it serves more than 1,000 cities across the U.S. and Canada. If you have a car, you can deliver groceries with Cornershop to make extra money.
How Cornershop Works
You must have a car, bike, or scooter, must be 19 years or older, and have a U.S. driver’s license in order to get approved by Cornershop.
After that, you can download the app on your Android or iPhone to browse for delivery gigs in your vicinity at any time.
How Much You Make With Cornershop
The average rate is $16.83 per hour, according to Indeed. But the minimum and maximum amount you can make per hour are $8 and $25 respectively.
Delivery drivers or shoppers also keep 100% of the tips they get from customers.
12. Gopuff
Gopuff is another food and grocery delivery app similar to DoorDash. The app is available in the U.S., Spain, France, and the U.K., serving over 650 cities.
If you crave work flexibility, working for Gopuff as a delivery driver will give you exactly that.
How Gopuff Works
When hungry customers order food via the Gopuff app, you can accept to pick up the food from the restaurant and deliver it to their doorsteps.
Once delivery is complete, you shall get paid instantly. The good thing about Gopuff is that you can be picky with delivery gigs – if you’re busy, you can ignore gigs that will be sent to you.
So if you are already 21 years old, you own a car, have auto insurance, and a valid driver’s license – you can start making deliveries with Gopuff.
How Much You Make With Gopuff
Delivery drivers make about $15 per hour on average with Gopuff. They also keep 100% tips given to them by customers. To maximize your earnings, you have to work during peak hours and on weekends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to some of the questions people ask about gig economy apps:
1. What are the tips to make more money with gig economy apps?
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Accept Only High Paying Delivery Gigs
Almost all the gig economy apps attach the potential earnings to each delivery gig available at a particular moment, so you have to pick those that pay high money. Always look for delivery gigs that can fetch you not less than $1 per mile. This way, you can earn more per delivery.
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Monitor Your Expenses
To make more money with gig economy apps, you have to manage your driving expenses very cautiously. One thing about gig economy apps is that when you work as a delivery driver, you’re an independent contractor, hence you pay for gas, parking, tickets, etc.
Therefore, you have to watch your expenses with a close eye. Always monitor your car’s mileage, the cost of maintenance and gas, and also make sure you prepare tax returns to make it easy to claim the miles that you drive. This way you can decrease your income tax.
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Save Money Consistently
You have to save a good percentage of the money you make with these gig economy apps. Have you heard of GetUpside? You can use GetUpside to get cashback anytime you buy gas for your car. After that, you can use Acorns to invest your spare change. You can build a solid investment portfolio with as little as $3 per month even if you have no investing knowledge.
2. What apps are better than DoorDash?
Grubhub and Amazon Flex are better than DoorDash in terms of gross earnings per trip. Also, if you like to shop and deliver groceries, Shipt, Instacart, and Cornershop pay well.
3. What are the top 3 food delivery apps?
DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Postmates sit on top of the food delivery industry. Customers of these apps are always happy because delivery drivers deliver food on time. Moreover, delivery drivers receive good hourly pay.
4. Can dashers write off gas?
Yes, dashers of DoorDash can write off gas because they work as independent contractors, not employees – and since gas, repair, and mileage are all regarded as expenses, they can get the Federal reimbursement mileage of $0.56 per mile.
However, to make this possible they must consider the expenses as a deduction. Other things that dashers can write off on taxes are health insurance, tolls, parking, inspections, and many more.
Manuelo is an entrepreneur and a personal finance nerd. He is the founder of Dollars And Freedom. An expert in side hustles, online gigs, and everything about making money. His works have been featured on major financial publications, like Business Insider, GoBankingRates, Investopedia, Entrepreneur, and more. When he’s not busy with his blog or writing for others, you’ll catch him hanging out with loved ones or reading books on stoicism and self-development.
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