Doordash is a delivery service that allows customers to place orders for food from local restaurants through the company’s smartphone app. As a Doordash driver, contractors must be able to deliver food to customers in a specific location while keeping records of each delivery, including how many are completed each day, the total mileage driven, and any time spent in transit. There are no education requirements, but all drivers must have a valid U.S. driver’s license and a reliable vehicle with insurance.
Doordash drivers also deliver things like flowers, dry cleaning, and other items, depending on the specific market where these services are available. All Doordash drivers must maintain their vehicle and keep it clean. They must be able to talk to customers if they have questions and work with them to arrange deliveries.
While Doordash doesn’t pay a salary, the average hourly rate is approximately $22.6 per hour. Drivers get paid based on the number of deliveries they complete, and base rates range from $2 to $10 per delivery in addition to 100% of the tips they receive from customers. As a Doordash driver, you’ll mostly work in your car traveling from the pickup point to the customer’s address.
Since it’s a contract job, many drivers have the flexibility to choose as much or as little work as they want to do every day. Here are some other jobs that are similar to Doordash.
1. Instacart: Shopping for and Delivering Groceries to Customers
As an Instacart shopper, you’ll pick up groceries for customers based on the orders they place through the app. Like Doordash, you must be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver’s license to work for Instacart as well as a reliable vehicle. Shoppers are independent contractors and there is no prior educational experience required.
However, you must be able to clearly read instructions and locate the exact products in a grocery store as ordered by customers. This job is done both in a vehicle (while delivering the groceries) and in retail settings like major grocery store chains and convenience stores. The average pay for an Instacart shopper is approximately $11 to $25 per hour, but that amount can be higher or lower based on the market and the size of the order.
Larger or more complicated orders tend to pay more, and shoppers also receive tips in addition to the base rate. Shoppers can work as much or as little as they want. However, you must choose your schedule at least a week in advance, while Doordash allows you to choose your schedule daily and based on your current availability.
Pay is commission-based, which means that Instacart shoppers earn more based on the total dollar amount of the order that customers place. If you accept an assignment to shop for two different orders from the same store, you may shop for them both at the same time, which could help you earn more money in a shorter amount of time.
2. Uber Eats: Virtual Meal Delivery
Uber Eats is a competitor of Doordash and the job involves picking up meals ordered through the app and delivering them to customers. The two companies are very similar, but there are a few distinct differences, too. The requirements to work as an Uber Eats driver is very similar to Doordash, yet Uber Eats drivers can earn an average of $41,175 annually versus Doordash’s average of $36,565.
Both apps do offer various bonuses and incentives to drivers, and earnings vary based on the dollar amount of the tips you receive from customers. The base pay for Uber Eats drivers depends on the mileage driven and the time spent on delivery, so rates do vary per order or location. The work environment is exactly the same, which means you’ll mostly be waiting at restaurants to receive orders and spend a lot of time in your car delivering them.
Drivers also receive a trip supplement if the time and distance required to deliver the order is larger/longer than what Uber Eats accounted for in the base pay. Drivers may also earn more during busy times and certain promotions that could increase the base rate. You will see the amount of your base rate before you accept an order, and you should make at least that amount or more.
All Uber Eats drivers keep 100% of tip money, which is the same as Doordash. Both apps also offer direct deposit or instant cash-out options requested through the app. With Uber Eats, you may request a cash out any time, but Doordash requires that you complete at least 25 deliveries before instant cash out is available.
3. Caviar: A High-End Version of Doordash
Caviar was recently acquired by Doordash in 2019, which means that Doordash drivers can deliver for both companies, offering opportunities to earn more income. This smaller food delivery service focuses on delivering meals to customers from upscale, high-end restaurants, unlike Doordash, which typically delivers food from fast food or smaller, more casual restaurants. By partnering exclusively with high-end establishments, Caviar drivers can fill orders more efficiently, offering you a chance to earn a higher rate.
This delivery app pays up to $25 per hour, with an average hourly rate of $16 not including tips. The job requirements are practically identical to Doordash (i.e. must be at least 18 years old with a valid driver’s license and a reliable vehicle). Caviar drivers can request payment after each delivery through a debit card that is attached to the driver’s account.
Otherwise, pay is directly deposited weekly. As a Caviar driver, you’re able to work your own schedule, which means you’ll enjoy the same flexibility that most other driver apps provide. You’ll work as an independent contractor, which means you are responsible for things like gas, vehicle maintenance, and paying taxes on your earned income.
While the app is quite popular, it’s still not available in many markets, so your opportunity to work as a Caviar driver will vary.
4. Drizly: Delivery Driving, But Make it Snacks and Alcohol
If you’re interested in being a delivery driver but you’re not keen on delivering meals, give the Drizly app a try. This app focuses on delivering things like alcohol and late-night snacks instead of food from local restaurants. All Drizly drivers must be at least 18 or 21 years old, and age requirements vary depending on your local laws.
Otherwise, the job requirements are pretty much in-line with Doordash. However, there is a major difference between the models of these two apps. With Drizly, you will work at one store at a time, and for one single retailer during each shift.
You’ll only need to drive back and forth from that one store and your customers’ locations. The store that you work at can vary between each shift and your income will be based on the store you’re working at. The average hourly rate for Drizly drivers is $13 per hour, which doesn’t include tips.
The default tip amount is 10% in the app, but customers can change that amount to be higher or lower. The option for cash tips is also available, so your mileage may vary. Pay is deposited weekly, and you are able to schedule your hours up to one week in advance if you choose.
Unlike powerhouses like Doordash and Uber Eats, Drizly is currently only available in major markets like Atlanta, GA, Austin, TX, Chicago, IL, New York, NY, and a few others.
5. Amazon Flex: Deliver Packages Instead of Food
For those who prefer to deliver actual goods instead of food, Amazon Flex is a great alternative. The Amazon Flex service offers you the opportunity to work as an independent contractor rather than a direct employee of Amazon. You must be at least 21 years old to deliver for Amazon Flex, and you must have a mid-sized or larger vehicle (like an SUV, van, or truck with a covered bed), so there’s room for plenty of packages of all sizes.
As a driver, you will collect packages from an Amazon warehouse near you and deliver them to customers. You can choose the shifts you work, but they don’t always need drivers. Demand also depends on your specific location.
If you do work as an Amazon Flex driver, you can schedule your hours a week in advance. Most drivers do not receive tips, and there’s nowhere for customers to enter one through the app unless the order is specifically eligible for a tip. However, most drivers for Amazon Flex can make from $18 to $25 per hour, which is much higher than most standard delivery driver apps pay.
Amazon also offers peak pay rates for drivers if you work during busy order times like the holidays. The app pays you twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays and deposits the money directly into your bank account. Any deliveries with eligible tips are deposited within one to two days of delivery.
Currently, Amazon Flex is available in over 50 cities in the United States with limited spots for new drivers available. You can download the app and let them know that you’re interested in becoming a driver to be alerted whenever the app becomes available where you live.
6. Grubhub: Another Doordash Competitor
Grubhub is yet another app that’s extremely similar to Doordash and is currently available in over 4,000 cities and partners with over 300,000 restaurants nationwide. You must be at least 19 years old to drive for Grubhub, while Doordash’s minimum age requirement is 18. You may be allowed to deliver food for Grubhub using your scooter, bike, or motorcycle in some locations.
Otherwise, you must have access to a reliable vehicle in order to work for the app. Grubhub uses its own specific pay model that calculates a number of factors including the mileage per order, any tips you receive (you get to keep 100% of all tips in addition to your total pay), time spent on the road, and special offers. Drivers can complete “missions”, which are ways to earn extra cash by reaching goals within a set amount of time.
You may also earn in-offer bonuses and participate in sweepstakes hosted by the app. According to Grubhub, drivers can earn up to $30 per hour. If you work during peak times, like on the weekends or during late hours, you may also earn additional bonuses, too.
Drivers get paid weekly, and you can set your own schedule. Pay is made via direct deposit on Thursdays, or you can request an instant cash-out, which is free of charge for Chase Bank members, and $0.50 per transaction for drivers with accounts at other banks. The app’s block scheduling plan allows you to set your schedule in “blocks” of different time slots.
The app claims this prevents having too many drivers on the road at once, and it guarantees that you’ll get deliveries within your desired timeframe of availability. You must reserve blocks only during the hours that you can actually complete deliveries. If Grubhub notices that drivers are dropping too many previously reserved blocks within 72 hours of the start time, they may restrict your access to scheduling.
Premier drivers get early access to blocks, and you’re able to schedule as many blocks as are available, so you can earn more.
7. Shipt: Try Your Hand at Shopping
A Shipt Shopper position is very similar to an Instacart Shopper position. You’ll perform on-demand retail and grocery shopping for customers, then deliver their orders directly to their homes. Shipt directs shoppers to the nearest store to help increase your ability to earn, and your efficiency.
This gig job is now available in more than 5,000 cities across the United States, but they don’t currently work with as many retailers as Instacart does. Shipt currently partners with approximately 125 companies, with Target and Costco being some of their largest and most widely recognized retail partners. All Shipt Shoppers must be 18 years old, have a vehicle that’s at least a 1997 model or newer, be able to lift at least 40 pounds, and have valid insurance, a valid driver’s license, and a valid current mailing address.
Shoppers must also have an iPhone (iOS 10 or newer) or an Android phone (5.1 or newer). You can choose your schedule which includes any time you want to work between the hours of 8 AM and 10 PM, 7 days a week. Shipt distributes pay to shoppers weekly and shoppers/delivery drivers may schedule their hours in advance, with the option to work as much or as little as you want.
Shipt sometimes offers special promotions for drivers, like increasing your earnings per hour after you complete 100 deliveries. You’ll also receive a free Shipt membership once you reach this milestone. Shoppers get paid each time they shop, and Shipt claims that experienced shoppers can make between $16 to $22 per hour.
One thing that makes Shipt stand out is that it offers a customized program called Shipt Shopper Perks, which includes special discounts for prescriptions, insurance, and more. You only pay for the specific perks that you choose to enroll in. As you deliver more shops, you also get more rewards including gift cards, swag, and more. Shipt encourages customers to tip, and all Shipt Shoppers receive 100% of each tip they receive.
Sources:
- Help.doordash.com
- Climbtheladder.com
- Frugalrules.com
- Gobankingrates.com
- Ridester.com
- Bestreferraldriver.com
- Amazon.com
- Driver.grubhub.com
- Shipt.com