Whether it’s food delivery or people delivery, there are multiple apps where drivers can earn a little extra money — or even full-time wages — for dropping off all kinds of cargo. Many driving apps can pay upwards of $20 to $25 an hour when there are bonuses, promotions, and periods of peak demand.
Every app is different with its own unique functionality. Some are more suited to road-trip or long-haul driving so you can transport packages, pets, or other precious cargo. Other apps involve providing additional services, like full-service shoppers and drivers for Instacart.
Of course, some of these apps offer a better driver experience than others. Among the dozens of potential choices, we’ve narrowed it down to the top ones.
12 Best Driving Apps to Make Money
Here are the best driving apps to earn money on the road in 2024:
1. Uber & Uber Eats
Uber is a great gig because it’s a 2-in-1 app. Driving for Uber, you can switch between driving passengers for UberX (rideshare) or dropping off meals for Uber Eats.
Many drivers do Uber Eats during busy meal periods and then switch to Uber X during afternoons and off-hours.
To give passengers a lift, your vehicle will need to pass inspection. The service is free to you and there are inspection stations all over the country. In many cases, older model cars (older than 10 years) are just fine.
Wages can vary significantly based on your local market or delivery zone.
- Founded: Uber (2009), Uber Eats (2015)
- Driver Requirements: Valid driver’s license (in-state driver’s license required for Upstate NY or NYC), vehicle registration, car insurance, background check, meet the minimum age to drive in your city, and have at least one year of licensed driving experience in the U.S. (or at least 3 years if you are under 25 years old), driver profile photo, clean driving record
- Vehicle Requirements: Pass car inspection at an approved location in your city, 4-doors, 10 years old or newer (or older than 10 years if the vehicle has less than 150,000 miles)
2. DoorDash
DoorDash is the country’s largest restaurant delivery app — in terms of market share and the number of participating restaurants. Earning potential varies based on location and any current promotions.
- Founded: 2013 (previously in 2012 as Palo Alto Delivery)
- Coverage area: DoorDash is in more than 7,000 cities across all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Canada, Australia, and Japan.
- Driver Requirements: Valid driver’s license, Social Security Number, car insurance, clean driving record, background check, minimum age 18 (or 21 in certain markets).
- Vehicle Requirements: No specific vehicle requirements to deliver for DoorDash. Any car may be used to make deliveries, and in some markets, you can dash using a motorcycle, bike, e-bike, or scooter.
3. Instacart
This popular grocery shopping app is a popular way to earn extra cash on the side or for full-time work. Instacart is available in all 50 states and in Canada.
- Founded: 2012
- Average hourly wage: $13 – $25
- Driver Requirements: Must be at least 18 years old (21 or older in some markets), eligible to work in the U.S., able to lift at least 50 pounds without assistance or accommodation, and have consistent access to a newer iPhone (iOS or Android) that supports Instacart app updates.
- Vehicle Requirements: No specific vehicle requirements for full-service shoppers (drivers), only that you have one. In-store shoppers (non-drivers) are not required to have a vehicle.
Learn more:
4. Lyft
This popular rideshare app is a good part-time or full-time side hustle. Lyft goes toe to toe with Uber, its primary competitor, trying to woo drivers and passengers. Wages can vary significantly based on local market rates and any bonuses for periods of increased demand.
- Founded: 2012
- Average hourly wage: $15 – $25
- Driver Requirements: Valid driver’s license, vehicle registration, car insurance, background check, minimum age 21 (or 25 in certain markets)
- Vehicle Requirements: Pass car inspection, 4-doors, 5 seatbelts, and 2007 to 2012 or newer (depending on state or local city requirements)
5. Curb
Curb boasts a driver-first approach with the aim of paying workers a fair fare. Drivers can schedule rides in advance, nabbing high-value corporate business trips.
The app is only for professional drivers and is extremely popular among taxi drivers. Think of it as the industry response to rideshare apps. Drivers must be licensed through local city transit regulators in order to use the app.
On driver forums, Curb drivers boast wages much higher than Lyft or Uber. However, salary data reported on common job boards does reveal similar earning figures.
- Founded: 2007
- Average hourly wage: $15 – $25
- Coverage area: New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Los Angeles
- Driver Requirements: Valid driver’s license, vehicle registration, car insurance, background check, minimum age 21. In some markets, fingerprints and additional health screening may be required.
- Vehicle Requirements: The car must be registered and licensed to operate for passenger transport, owned or leased by the driver, and maintained in good condition. Taxi plates are required to give taxi rides to a passenger; these are generally acquired through the state’s Department of Transportation (DOT).
6. Amazon Flex
Amazon Flex is the eCommerce giant’s fleet of last-mile drivers who will bring your package to your doorstep. These drivers are all contract workers. Drivers sign up for a delivery shift or block in which there is an assigned number of deliveries to complete.
- Founded: Amazon.com (1994) and Amazon Flex (2015)
- Average hourly wage: $18 – $25
- Driver Requirements: Valid driver’s license, background check, minimum age 21 (or 25 in certain markets), car insurance with commercial coverage option
- Vehicle Requirements: Mid-sized vehicle or larger. Must have 4 doors.
7. Shipt
Avid Target shoppers will be familiar with this grocery delivery app. But beyond Target, Shipt partners with many other national and regional chains including Costco, Winn Dixie, Meijer, and Piggly Wiggly. Shipt drivers may also deliver for convenience stores and pharmacies.
- Founded: 2014
- Average hourly wage: $15 – $25
- Coverage area in the US: Shipt delivers from 130 retailers (multiple Target locations still count as one retailer) in over 5,000 cities
- Driver Requirements: Valid U.S. driver’s license, valid current mailing address, auto insurance, minimum 18 years old (or 21 years in some markets), ability to lift 45 pounds, knowledgeable in the selection of fresh produce, and newer smartphones (minimum iOS 10 or Android 5.1).
- Vehicle requirements: Reliable vehicle 1997 or newer.
8. Spark (Walmart)
Spark drivers make deliveries and returns for Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Home Depot. The bulk of your deliveries will probably be for Walmart though. Spark is available in all 50 states with most U.S. households within its coverage area.
- Founded: Walmart Inc. (1962), Delivery Drivers Inc (now Spark) in 1996
- Average hourly wage: $15 – $25
- Coverage area: Walmart Spark has over 17,000 pickup points and can reach 84% of U.S. households.
- Driver Requirements: Spark Driver requirements include a valid driver’s license, car insurance, background check, and minimum age of 18 (or 21 in certain markets)
- Vehicle requirements: Reliable car, van, or truck. (You cannot use motorcycles, e-bikes, or scooters.)
9. Roadie
Roadie could be a fun driving app for road trippers who want to earn extra cash. This app pays drivers to drop off anything from a lost wallet to an ice sculpture. You’ll find local gigs and long-distance ones too — with the latter paying up to $650.
- Founded: 2014
- Average hourly wage: $20 to $35
- Coverage area: The delivery zone covers 90% of all U.S. households across 50 states
- Driver Requirements: Valid driver’s license, valid car insurance, hold a Social Security Number (SSN), background check, minimum age 18 (or 21 in certain markets). Drivers must also maintain a 4-star rating within the Roadie community based on customer gig feedback.
- Vehicle Requirements: No specific car or vehicle requirements, but for some cargo a truck or delivery van may be required.
10. Gopuff
While Grubhub and DoorDash are tied to restaurants, Gopuff is more about convenience stores, gas stations, and bodegas. Common Gopuff orders might include gas station donuts (the best), a roll of paper towels, slurpees, or a late-night pint of ice cream.
- Founded: 2013
- Average hourly wage: $14 – $20
- Coverage area in the US: Gopuff delivers to more than 500 cities and locations throughout the U.S., with its coverage area continually growing.
- Driver Requirements: Valid driver’s license, vehicle registration in your name, car insurance, background check, minimum age 21 (or 25 in certain markets), ability to pass a pre-paid alcohol delivery training course (where applicable).
- Vehicle Requirements: No specific vehicle requirements but must be covered by insurance. GoPuff is also introducing bicycle and walking delivery options in some markets.
11. HopSkipDrive
HopSkipDrive is an app that connects kids needing a ride with carefully screened and vetted drivers — commonly other parents. Parents can use this service for kids aged 6 or older who need a lift. As a more specialized service, drivers can earn more through HopSkipDrive than other rideshare apps.
- Founded: 2015
- Average hourly wage: $23 – $50
- Coverage area in the US: HopSkipDrive is available in 26 metro areas throughout the US, including Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C.
- Driver Requirements: Valid driver’s license, vehicle registration, car insurance, a background check from multiple agencies (includes fingerprint screening), minimum age of 23, good driving record, and 5 years of caregiving experience.
- Vehicle Requirements: Car, van, or truck used must pass a 19-point vehicle safety inspection that expires every year or every 50,000 miles — whichever comes first. The inspection ensures the car’s safety and operability, including seat belts, door locks, bumpers, tires, windshield, muffler, and exhaust.
12. CitizenShipper
CitizenShipper is for people who like to drive. You’ll cover some serious mileage here, carrying all sorts of cargo. Dogs are commonly transported and can make for an extremely fun driving experience.
- Founded: 2008
- Earning potential: $20-$26 an hour according to DollarBreak or $6K to $10K per month for pet transports according to CitizenShipper.
- Coverage area in the US: Courier service is available in all 50 states. CitizenShipper’s fleet of contractors has covered over 100 million miles.
- Driver Requirements: Valid driver’s license, auto insurance, any applicable licenses or permits for goods being transported (driver’s responsibility to research and obtain), valid Social Security number, criminal background check, and Motor Vehicle Record (MVR).
- Vehicle Requirements: The vehicle must meet all federal DOT and state minimum safety requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What company pays you the most to drive?
Among the car apps on our list, the top-paying apps are:
- HopSkipDrive
- CitizenShipper
- Roadie
These apps can pay up to $50 per hour or $10,000 per month based on driver reviews and earning figures published by these companies.
However, you may not be able consistently to find these high-paying shifts or enough shifts to work at any of these gigs full-time. When it comes to full-time earning potential, reviews are mixed. The availability of work and pay wages will vary based on your area or delivery zone.
If you are looking for driving apps that can consistently pay enough for you to make a living, check out these apps that can pay $20 to $25 on the upper end and regularly offer 40+ hours of work every week:
- Uber and Uber Eats (doing either of these apps alone or in combination)
- Lyft
- DoorDash
- Shipt or Instacart (and other shopper-driver apps)
Who pays new drivers the most?
The new app with the best driver bonus is usually Uber, Uber Eats, or Lyft. New driver rewards vary over time. Amounts fluctuate based on driver needs and scheduled promotions.
- Uber new driver bonus: Earn up to $1,000 for signing up and making a minimum number of trips within the first 30 days.
- Uber Eats new driver bonus: Earn $50 when you sign up and make your first delivery within 30 days. At times the reward has been as high as $250, or the reward structure is tied to making a minimum number of deliveries within the first 30 days.
- Lyft new driver bonus: Earn up to $1,500 when you sign up for Lyft and give at least 200 rides within your first 30 days.
Which app will pay for my gas?
There are no driving or grocery delivery apps that will pay for your gas or reimburse your gas expenses. As an independent contractor, you’re responsible for these fees.
These apps will generally offer in-app tips and assistance to help you find the cheapest gas. This includes gas coupons, cash-back rebates on fuel, or real-time notifications for the cheapest gas.
Other helpful apps for getting the best price and tweaking your driving habits to lower your gas consumption include:
- Waze
- Google Maps (you’re not wasting mileage getting lost)
- Fuelly
- PlugShare (for EV charging stations)
Which driving apps give you rewards?
Most gig driving apps are going to give you rewards in the way of discounts for gas, oil changes, dash cams, and other needed gear to do delivery service work. Beyond that, there are some driving apps that offer unique benefits:
- Point Pickup: Drivers earn points for every delivery, as well as punctuality or working during peak demand. Points can be redeemed for cash, merchant discounts, gift cards, vacations, prepaid credit cards, or even insurance benefits (health, dental, and vision) offered through PointTrust.
- Uber: Free Pandora subscription, 22% off phone data plans, 15% off new tires or oil changes, up to 10% cash back on fuel purchases, up to 12% off EV charging stations, free Costco Gold Star membership (for the first year only), store discounts at 7-Eleven, and up to $0.25 off per gallon of gas through Upside.
- DoorDash: DoorDash drivers can get auto repair discounts through CarAdvise, real-time fuel prices through GasBuddy, up to $0.25 off per gallon of gas through Shell Fuel Rewards, 50% off Brit + Co, discounts for Zoomo e-bike, 20% off Everlance.
- Lyft: Earn cash back for gas and vehicle charging at EV and gas stations, save up to $0.32 per gallon on gas prices with Upside, discounted auto maintenance and repairs at Goodyear, up to 50% off TurboTax, discounted or free roadside assistance, 20% off purchases at Pep Boys, 4% cash back for restaurants, 15% off AT&T phone bills.
Earn More with Multiple Driving Apps
If you’d like to make some extra money using a delivery or driving app, we’ve shared 11 great options for you to consider.
But with any of these apps, even those that you could do full-time, it’s best to sign up for more than one.
This way, you can minimize your downtime, maximize your earnings, and add a little variety.
