Most drivers appreciate that owning a vehicle can be costly, particularly in recent months with the increasing cost of living. Fortunately, you can maximize the potential value of your vehicle with apps that pay you to drive. These platforms can provide a great side hustle that allows you to use your vehicle in your spare time to earn some extra money.
1. Instacart
If you enjoy both driving and shopping, Instacart could be a good fit for you. The role of an Instacart Shopper involves shopping for people’s groceries and then delivering them to their door. The average pay for Shoppers typically ranges from $15 to $25 per hour and you can keep 100% of your tips.
Of course, your earnings will depend on your speed of completing batches of orders. You need to collect everything from the grocery stores before you can deliver them. So, you’ll need to quickly familiarize yourself with the layout of grocery stores in your area to speed up your fulfillment times. However, even if you’re not particularly used to grocery shopping, you will quickly find your pace and can develop a decent hourly rate.
2. DoorDash
DoorDash remains one of the most popular food delivery platforms. It is widely available in cities across the U.S. and approximately 20 million consumers use the app every month.
DoorDash food delivery service allows customers to order food from local restaurants and orders are pushed to logged-in drivers. However, you can choose which orders you’ll accept and when you want to work.
Top Delivery Gig
DoorDash – Make Extra Money as a Delivery Driver
Working as a delivery driver for DoorDash is a great way to make extra money. Set your own hours and work as much or as little as you choose, and start making money very quickly.
- Available in over 7,000 cities
- Be your own boss
- Start accepting deliveries right away
- Know how much you’ll earn before accepting an order
- Use any car (no vehicle requirements)
To become a Dasher, you need to be 18 or older, have your own transportation, and if driving, you’ll need a valid driver’s license with relevant car insurance. You also need to pass a background check. Dashers make an average of $25 per hour and you can keep all the tips. You can maximize your income potential by accepting food deliveries within a specific area or those offering the best compensation.
3. Shipt
Shipt is similar to Instacart as you need to shop and deliver groceries for customers. Shipt is actually the main competitor for Instacart and it is available across thousands of cities across the U.S.
As with many apps that pay you to drive, you need to be 18 plus to sign up for Shipt and you need access to a reliable vehicle to complete your deliveries. Shipt specifies that vehicles need to be a 1997 model or newer and you need to show that you have a valid driver’s license and current car insurance.
As with Instacart, you will need to pay for your vehicle expenses including gas, but you can keep 100% of your tips. The typical earnings are $15 per hour, but this increases to an average of $22 per hour including customer tips, once you can make a decent number of deliveries per shift. You can make money driving for Shipt, choose your own hours, and pick which gigs you’d like to handle.
4. Lyft
Most of us are familiar with Lyft, but this app could be a good way to earn extra money to drive. You will need to download the app and pass a background check before you can start accepting jobs driving passengers to their destinations.
However, you need to carefully check the stringent Lyft driver requirements before you start the application process. In addition to having a suitable vehicle with car insurance and a valid driver’s license, you need to pass a DMV check showing a track record of driving safely. If you’ve had four or more moving violations or one major moving violation over the last three years, or a DUI or serious driving-related conviction in the past seven years, your application will be declined.
Lyft pays weekly, but if you pay a small fee, you can have instant payment. The average hourly rate is $15 to $22, depending on the times of day, days of the week and the demand in your city.
5. Uber
Uber is considered the original ridesharing app and it is the main competitor of Lyft. The driver and vehicle requirements are similar to Lyft, as you need to pass the driver screening, and background check before you can start accepting jobs.
Once approved, you can pick the driving jobs based on your preferred location and other factors. However, keep an eye out for bonuses that you can earn during special times when there is a greater demand for the service or Uber is running a challenge.
Uber drivers earn similar hourly rates to Lyft, but there is no reason why you cannot sign up for both companies to see which one works best for you.
6. Uber Eats
If you prefer not to carry passengers, you could consider delivering food and Uber Eats is one of the most popular food delivery apps. Uber Eats is available in more than 6,000 cities around the world and you can accept gigs with any reliable vehicle, whether you’re driving a car, riding a bike or a scooter. Delivering food for Uber Eats is a flexible gig, as you can pick and choose deliveries according to your schedule and geographic area.
To become an Uber Eats worker, you need to have a smartphone, be aged 19 or older and have access to reliable transportation. You need to pass a background check, but once accepted, you can immediately start to earn money delivering food. The average hourly rate for this food delivery gig is $16 to $24, depending on a number of factors, but you can keep all your customer tips, which can boost your hourly earnings. You can receive your pay weekly or have instant cash-out direct deposit for a small processing fee.
7. Grubhub
Grubhub is another food delivery service similar to Uber Eats, but you’ll deliver food and everyday essentials. Like with Uber Eats, you can deliver by car, bike or scooter and you can keep 100% of your tips. The average hourly rate is $15, but the timing of your deliveries and the market will have a great influence on your potential earnings.
Grubhub is partnered with more than 100,000 restaurants and retailers. However, while other food delivery apps allow you to pick jobs where you want to be or already are, Grubhub makes you choose your delivery zone and you can only deliver food and other items in this selected zone.
You need to be 19 plus, pass a background check and have a valid driver’s license to start accepting jobs. The average pay is $12 per hour, but you can keep 100% of your tips. Pay is weekly, but if you need immediate funds, this is possible with a small fee.
8. Cornershop
Cornershop may not be as popular as DoorDash or other driving apps, but it is very similar to Instacart. So, if you like the idea of shopping and delivering grocery orders within your area, it could be a good choice for you.
Depending on the demand during your shift and the tips you receive, you can earn $12 to $20 per hour. Just bear in mind that Cornershop is one of the younger delivery platforms, as it has only been operating since 2015. However, it is part of the Uber group and it is continuing to grow. So, if you’re looking for a backup app to earn money as you drive, Cornershop could be a good driving app option to fill in the gaps when the main apps are a little slow.
9. Moving Apps
Almost everyone can appreciate that moving is a pain, but if you don’t mind some heavy lifting along with driving, you could try some of the popular moving apps. These moving apps allow you to earn money driving and are typically designed for those who have a pickup or larger vehicle that can carry bulky items or furniture.
The three top moving apps are Dolly, Lugg and Bellhops. There is the potential to earn up to $30 per hour, but some such as Lugg lets you apply as a helper if you don’t have access to a truck. Just bear in mind that helpers earn less than vehicle owners.
You could also find gigs on TaskRabbit, where moving jobs are quite common and you may not necessarily need to have a pickup or truck. You can earn money driving for these moving apps, set your own hourly rate and pick the contracts that you want to work. You may also have some luck checking out Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace for local jobs.
10. CitizenShipper
If you would prefer more flexibility for your driving jobs, consider CitizenShipper. This platform allows you to make money delivering packages to new homes. This includes household items, equipment and even pets.
Pet delivery is fairly niche, but this is an essential service for those who adopt a pet from another state or city. If you love spending time with animals, this could be a nice way to help someone out and earn some cash on the side.
CitizenShipper is one of the best apps that pay you to drive, as other delivery gigs offer $1,000 or more. If you want the higher-paying gigs, you’ll need to prepare for a road trip, but if you’re already heading in that general direction, picking up a gig can be a good way to cover your fuel costs.
One of the attractive things about this platform is the simple sign-up. You just need to provide your driver’s license information and contact details. If you want to go the extra mile and specialize in pet transportation, you could get USDA certification.
11. Hopskipdrive
Hopskipdrive is another specialized driving platform. Essentially, this is a child transportation network. It operates predominantly in the Western U.S., but you may be able to help families in your local city or area.
Since the driving jobs involve interacting with children, the requirements are quite stringent. Hopskipdrive has a serious vetting procedure and you need to agree to fingerprinting and a multi-agency background check. You also need to be 23 or older with a minimum of five years of caregiving experience. A good driving experience record and a four-door vehicle less than 10 years old are also required.
However, if you can meet all of these requirements, you can access one of the highest-paying driving jobs around. You can earn up to $32 per hour, set your own schedule and there is the potential to earn bonuses.
12. Amazon Flex
These days, you can buy almost anything on Amazon and as an Amazon Flex driver, you’ll be responsible for collecting packages from the Amazon fulfillment center in your area and delivering them to customers. You can schedule yourself for a block of delivery time, allowing the flexibility to fit around your other commitments. Amazon Flex drivers earn an hourly rate of $15 to $19 guaranteed, but it is possible to earn up to $25 per hour. Very few apps offer a rate guarantee, which makes delivering packages for Amazon Flex such an attractive gig. Even if you have a slow day, you can still earn a solid wage getting through your deliveries.
Amazon.com delivery drivers need a mid-sized, 4-door sedan, covered bed truck or van to deliver packages, but Prime drivers need any safe vehicle. If you’re looking for reassurance of consistent earnings, you may want to consider Amazon Flex.
13. GoPuff
GoPuff is similar to Amazon Flex, as you’ll be collecting parcels from warehouses or logistic centers and delivering them to customers to make money. Your typical deliveries will be food items, alcohol and household essentials.
However, GoPuff is obviously not as widely recognized as Amazon. Currently, its delivery services are only available in approximately 1,000 cities, so it may not be possible in your location. Additionally, since it is a lower-profile app, the potential earnings are lower than Amazon Flex. The typical average hourly rate for GoPuff delivery drivers is $9 to $15. While this makes GoPuff not as lucrative as some of the other options on this list, if you’re on a waitlist, it may be worth giving it a try.
14. P2P Delivery Apps
One of the more niche ways to make money driving is P2P delivery apps. These apps have jobs that involve delivering parcels or packages to other people, which may include long-haul deliveries. If you enjoy getting out on the open road rather than being stuck in your home city, these apps could provide the solution.
Some of the more popular P2P delivery apps include Roadie, where independent drivers can earn up to $650 for road trips and up to $60 for local deliveries. The specific fee depends on how far you need to travel and the size of the package. However, you do have control over which jobs you accept and you’ll receive step-by-step instructions. Roadie does not have minimum vehicle standards, but you need a valid driver’s license and be aged 18 plus. You’ll be paid weekly or you can pay a small fee to cash out instantly.
If you have a box truck, van or pickup, you could try becoming one of GoShare’s delivery drivers. Again, your earnings depend on the delivery itself and whether you live in a small town or a busy delivery area. Weekly earnings estimates on GoShare are anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars to $1,200 plus.
15. Safe Driving Apps
Finally, if you don’t like the idea of delivering items or carrying passengers, you could consider safe driving apps that pay you to drive. The idea of these apps is to encourage safer driving, but they can be a nice way to earn some extra cash just for being on the road.
A good example is OnMyWay, which automatically activates when you’re driving faster than 10 miles per hour. You can make $0.05 per mile, so you’ll make $5 when you drive 100 miles. Although this isn’t the pay you can get with the other apps on this list, if you have a long commute or tend to drive longer distances anyway, you’ll be earning money for nothing.
Another option that encourages you to drive safely while earning money is Safe 2 Save. This is a less popular driving app, but you’ll earn points provided that you remain undistracted as you’re driving. So, if you don’t use your phone when you’re in motion, you’ll earn points. The catch is that you tend to get rewarded in coupons rather than cash. But, if you tend to eat out or shop at major chains, you could get coupons that will save you money on your everyday spending.
Final Thoughts
If you want to offset the costs of having a vehicle or create a driving side hustle, there are plenty of apps that pay you to drive. Whether you choose just one or sign up for several driving apps, there is decent potential to increase your monthly income.
The barrier to entry for most of the apps is low and there are often plenty of delivery gigs and opportunities for work. Just be aware that as we touched on during the article, some of the driving apps have more stringent requirements compared to others. So, if you have an older vehicle or have a spotty driving record, you may have difficulty getting accepted.
However, once you’re accepted, provided that you keep track of your expenses and income, you can create a decent gig or side hustle driving that can fit around your current job or other commitments, and make the most use of your vehicle.
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