Delivery apps are a great way for customers to easily get anything they want delivered conveniently right to their door – from groceries and liquor to fresh meals and pharmacy items. But these apps are not only important on the consumer side, they are now a large part of our gig economy. Drivers and delivery workers who work for apps have control over when and where they work and have a low investment threshold to get started. All you need is a smartphone and a vehicle to get started. Some of the best delivery apps to work for will be companies you’ve already heard of or used as a consumer.
Before deciding to work for an app, you should make sure to research the experiences of other drivers who have worked at the company. Delivery apps are notorious for forcing drivers to work with little to no rights or protections and low pay. Research from Cornell University’s Los Deliveristas/Worker’s Justice Project reports that delivery workers, which many in the city considered an essential lifeline throughout the pandemic, routinely encounter nonpayment or underpayment, unsafe working conditions, and the increased threat of violence.
Unhappy workers could result in unhappy customers. Some delivery drivers have unfortunately done some unspeakable acts to their cargo as a result of being mistreated. A new study finds eight in 10 food delivery workers admit to eating part of their customer’s order! The study also reports they have urinated near the customers house or in a bottle in the car…with your food! Yuck. So, from a customer’s perspective, you may want to know which delivery apps treat their employees right, so you don’t unknowingly experience something like this.
Looking to make some extra cash with room for independence and flexibility? StudyFinds researched the best delivery apps to work for, compiling a list of the top recommendations across 10 expert websites. If you have an experience of your own in working for a delivery app, share it with us in the comments below!
The List: Best Delivery Apps to Work For, According to Experts
1. Doordash
Doordash is one of the most recognizable names in the industry and a great place to start when deciding to start work as a delivery person. Dashers mostly deliver meals from restaurants, but the service has expanded to include groceries and convenience stores. “DoorDash is available in more than 7,000 cities in the U.S., Canada, Australia and Japan, meaning there are work opportunities even outside big cities,” writes U.S. News. “Dashers aren’t limited to working in their hometown either. They can also pick up deliveries in cities they may be visiting.”
Base pay for the app starts at around $2 to $10 or more per delivery, with the potential for much more after bonuses and tips. “DoorDash is the best delivery service app. In 2021, Second Measure found DoorDash had 55% of sales in March 2021 – more than Uber Eats and Postmates. Additionally, DoorDash offers high earnings for couriers: DoorDash drivers right now are earning $20-25 an hour,” says The RideShare Guy.
Beermoney also agrees this is the number one app to get a job with. “You can make really good money with DoorDash especially when you are in high demand as a delivery driver. DoorDash has a broad range of driver incentives, including Peak Pay during in higher pay for delivery drivers as well as Challenges.”
2. Uber Eats
Uber Eats has one of the largest scopes out of any delivery app, partnering with more than 825,000 merchants worldwide. Uber Eats also delivers for Postmates and runs on the same app as Uber’s rideshare service. “If you’re driving for Uber as well, you can use the same app to work for both services,” states BeerMoney. “Drivers receive prompts to earn more incentives, like Quest (reaching certain trip goals), Boost (multipliers during busy times), and Surge (higher pricing during busy times).”
You can work for Uber Eats in almost any major city worldwide, but opportunities for deliveries will be best in large metro areas. “Because Uber already has such a large reach, Uber Eats has delivery locations available in most U.S. cities and many other cities around the world,” writes Ridester. “This means that you have a larger potential customer base (and more earning potential).”
The RideShare Guy explains, “Whether you’re already driving for Uber or not, if you’re looking to diversify your income, Uber Eats can help with your strategy, since there may be some times during the day where fewer people are requesting trips and more people are ordering food from local restaurants.”
3. Instacart
Instacart is the main delivery service for groceries. There are two different tiers of shoppers. Full-service shoppers will shop for and deliver groceries to customers, while in-store shoppers are responsible for selecting a customer’s order and staging it for pickup. “Personal grocery shopping and delivery is another terrific way to make money if you don’t want to deliver meals,” writes Frugal Rules. “If this intrigues you, Instacart Shopper is a top choice to deliver groceries to people at home. With Instacart you can earn money as a full-service shopper by shopping for groceries and delivering them to people.”
Shoppers should be in good physical condition, capable of lifting groceries, and own a car that can transport cargo. A smartphone is also required. “It’s quick, easy, and relatively stress-free. As long as you have a car or bike that can transport groceries then you’re all set,” states Home Income Guides.
The RideShare Guy writes: “In our investigation of Instacart shopper pay, we found that Instacart shoppers can make $20 and up per hour. Making Instacart the #1 best delivery service to sign up for is Instacart’s guaranteed earnings program. With Instacart, guaranteed earnings promotions are offered in rotating regions!”
4. Shipt
Shipt shoppers tend to make about $15 to $17 an hour, with more experienced drivers making up to $22 hour. Salary will vary based on order contents and tips. “Shipt is one of the best food delivery services to work for because it allows shoppers to accept and shop for more than one order at a time,” says Millennial Money Man. “It can be a more efficient use of your time to earn more money.”
“Shipt, which provides membership-based and pay-as-you go grocery delivery, currently has over 260 stores available on their platform,” mentions Beermoney.
Shipt is a delivery and shopping service that is owned by Target. Shoppers can accept orders for groceries and other household items. “For those of you that aren’t familiar with Shipt, it’s a shopping app. Similar to Instacart, you get paid to shop for customers (usually groceries) and then deliver the order to their house/apartment,” writes The RideShare Guy. “The Shipt app makes all of this easy, showing you exactly what items to buy and routing you to the delivery address.”
5. Amazon Flex
Amazon Flex is Amazon’s contractor service that makes use of local workers close to hubs or warehouses. Besides packages, drivers deliver orders for Prime Now, AmazonFresh, and Amazon Restaurant Delivery. “Amazon delivers hundreds of millions of packages every month, and all of those packages have to get to their final destination somehow,” writes The Modest Wallet. “Amazon Flex is one of the strategies the company uses to ensure the product gets from a nearby Amazon warehouse to a local address and recipient.”
Drivers can use the app to select which shifts they want to pick up, and can see what they have to deliver and how they’ll be paid ahead of time. “While the service requires 3-6 hour time frames per shift rather than setting one’s own flexible schedule, the rewards are worth it,” speculates ScreenRant. “Using a more-orders-equals-more-money formula, having a larger vehicle will benefit Amazon Flex drivers most en route to earning anywhere from $18-25 per hour.”
This app ensures you will make the set amount for your delivery time slot: “The amount you earn for your trip blocks isn’t reduced if you finish your deliveries early. For example, if you book a 3.5 hour block for $70, you’ll earn that amount even if you complete your deliveries early (or a little late),” explains The RideShare Guy.
You might also be interested in:
- Best Food Delivery Apps
- Best Flower Delivery Companies
- Best Flower Subscription Services
- Best Meal Kit Services
Sources:
- US News
- The RideShare Guy
- BeerMoney
- Ridester
- Frugal Rules
- Home Income Guides
- Millennial Money Man
- The RideShare Guy
- The Modest Wallet
- ScreenRant
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations. This post may contain affiliate links.