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With all of the food delivery app options out there, it can be hard to determine which is the best food delivery service to work for as a driver. Which delivery app pays the best? Which one’s the easiest to sign up for?
Well, we did the digging so you don’t have to. At The Rideshare Guy, we’ve been covering rideshare and delivery apps since 2015. Not only do we talk to drivers and couriers on the ground, we’ve done the work ourselves! Many of our contributors are either drivers, couriers – or both.
Specifically, we chose the following food delivery service apps based on three criteria:
- Driver pay
- Flexibility
- Tipping potential
These are the three main things delivery drivers care about the most! For example, with Instacart, drivers have told us they follow a simple strategy (which we share below) to earn more, they can drive almost any time during the day/week and get requests, and tipping potential is huge (people now more than ever want to avoid grocery shopping themselves). For these reasons, Instacart is our number 1 best food delivery service to work for.
Below, you’ll find our list of the best food delivery services to work for, all vetted by drivers and couriers we’ve personally talked to, and deliveries we’ve done ourselves. And if you’re still not convinced to try a delivery job, watch our recent video to learn why now is the time to get into delivery:
You can earn $150-200 a day by following our strategies below. We recommend signing up for multiple delivery apps to maximize your opportunity and earnings.
Keep reading and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to get tips and tricks for making the most money as a delivery driver – delivered straight to your inbox.
10 Best Food Delivery Services To Work For in 2021
- Instacart
- DoorDash
- Postmates
- Caviar
- Grubhub
- Eaze (California couriers only)
- Uber Eats
- Amazon Flex
- GoPuff
- Point Pickup
1.) Instacart
Instacart is our favorite way to make money.
In our investigation of Instacart shopper pay, we found that Instacart shoppers can make $20 and up per hour.
With Instacart, you’ll spend your time delivering groceries instead of restaurant meals. Order requests come through on the app and when you accept one, you’ll be able to head to the store and start shopping for the customer’s items so they can be delivered.
Watch our 2021 Instacart Shopper review here:
Since you shop and deliver orders, each order will take longer, but this also means you’ll likely earn more per order than you would with another one of the best delivery apps like GrubHub or DoorDash. Instacart is a great way to make $100 fast, which is why it’s one of the best food delivery services to work for.
Requirements to work for Instacart:
- At least 18 years old
- Eligible to work in the United States
- Consistent access to a vehicle
- Consistent access to and be able to effectively use a recent smartphone (iPhone 6s / Android 5.0 or newer)
- Ability to lift 50 lbs with or without accommodation
Locations available: Instacart is available nationwide.
2.) DoorDash
DoorDash is the second best delivery service app out there due to demand. In 2021, Second Measure found DoorDash had 56% of sales in January 2021 – more than Uber Eats and Postmates. Additionally, DoorDash offers high earnings for couriers: DoorDash drivers right now are earning $20-25 an hour.
Instacart only beats out DoorDash because Instacart offers more delivery opportunities throughout the week. You can be busy on Instacart at almost any time of the day or week, whereas DoorDash demand increases at night and on the weekends (i.e. when most people order out).
DoorDash is one of the best delivery apps to work for because it pays a minimum rate per delivery and lets you keep all your tips. This means if your pay per delivery is below their threshold, DoorDash will make up the difference.
Holly S. is a DoorDash driver and Rideshare Guy reader near Thornton, Colorado who recently signed up for DoorDash but is already earning $25/hr on average with the app. Holly says: “I work full-time from 8-5 and used to drive for Lyft on weekends making $300 – $500 per week but due to COVID-19, I paused driving for Lyft to protect my family at home,” Holly said. “I signed up for DoorDash last month and took me less than 2 hours to get approved and ready to get on the road.”
How to Use the DoorDash Driver App, Guide and Tutorial for New Dashers in 2021:
Best advice for DoorDash drivers right now
Holly is still a newer DoorDash driver herself, but she still had some great advice that anyone can apply right now. The key to Holly earning $25/hr with DoorDash boils down to taking advantage of bonus opportunities and driving in different zones.
“I drive on Fridays and Saturdays only for about 4-5 hours per night,” she shared. “I usually wait for DoorDash to offer a bonus of $3 or more per delivery.” -Holly
Friday and Saturday nights are often busy times on the app so DoorDash may offer an extra bonus to entice drivers to go online. Holly has been able to earn as much as a $6 bonus per order when she drives on weekends.
This means she earns the DoorDash base pay + the customer tip + $6 for every order completed. Another tip Holly shared was to watch your acceptance rate:
“I have a very high acceptance rate which means I can drive in other zones (cities/areas) where DoorDash may be paying higher bonuses. If your acceptance rate falls below a certain threshold, you will be locked into driving only in your home zone.”
Typically drivers are paid weekly but you can cash out your earnings, you can use what they call ‘Fast Pay’ and set up an instant withdrawal for a $1.99 fee.
This is how DoorDash driver pay is calculated, which is why Holly tries to work during busy times that offer promotions:
Requirements to work for DoorDash:
- 18 or older
- Any car, scooter, or bicycle (in select cities)
- Driver’s license number
- Social security number (only in United States)
- Final Step: consent to a background check
GrubHub vs DoorDash
Wondering which company pays better: GrubHub or DoorDash? Grubhub drivers can earn $12-13 an hour, although the more proficient you become at driving, the more you can earn. Compare this to DoorDash, where you can make closer to $20 per hour.
Grubhub’s base salary for drivers is currently $4 per order, but it does vary on the market you drive in. The earnings are also based on the mileage and time it takes you to pick up an order from a restaurant and drop it off at a customer’s house.
DoorDash driver pay is calculated as follows: base pay + promotions + tips = earnings. Base pay ranges from $2-10 depending on the following factors: time, distance, desirability. Deliveries that are less popular with Dashers, for instance, will have a higher base pay.
DoorDash promotions give drivers an opportunity to earn more but aren’t guaranteed for every order. When it’s busy, peak pay could be in effect, which means you’ll earn more money on each delivery.
Tips with DoorDash are the same as GrubHub: you get to keep 100% of the tip a customer leaves.
Locations available: DoorDash is available nationwide.
3.) Postmates
Postmates is one of the best delivery services to work for. Postmates was launched in San Francisco over 9 years ago and has grown into one of the best delivery apps to work for drivers and customers. Like many of these other delivery apps, Postmates also allows you to deliver orders by bike as well.
Orders from Postmates often range from restaurant meals to groceries, alcohol and more. From our Postmates driver review and pay experience, Postmates couriers can make around $20 an hour.
Advice for getting bigger tips with food delivery apps
If you want to get bigger tips, it’s not really boiled down to a science since you can’t control who tips and how much they decide to tip. However, you can test out different strategies and practice improving your level of customer service in an effort to get more tips.
“Make sure to use your hot bags and make sure your customers see your badge when you deliver,” Postmates driver Ronald recommends. “Also smile and greet the customer by name and ask how they’re doing.”
Requirements to work for Postmates:
- 18 years of age or older
- Ability to drive around food (this also means scooters and, in some cities, by foot)
- Social Security Number
- Background check after you set up a Postmates profile
Locations available: Postmates is available nationwide.
4.) Caviar
During our Caviar driver experience, we found Caviar drivers can make $20 per hour.
However, Caviar is not as widely available as other delivery apps – meaning your earnings could potentially be a lot less if people in your city don’t know about it. Maybe it’s time to make some cards or social media posts, share your invite to sign up with Caviar – and generate demand?
What makes Caviar one of the best delivery apps to work for is the potential to expand and partner with more restaurants in different areas. The pay structure is similar to DoorDash, where drivers can see an estimated pay rate before accepting the order.
This consists of the driver base pay, any peak pay bonuses, and a customer tip. One main difference with this app is that you’re given order numbers instead of telling the restaurant you’re there to pick up a specific meal.
Drivers can choose to get paid out instantly after each delivery and track earnings with Cash App.
Requirements to work for Caviar:
- 18 years of age or older
- Any car, scooter or bicycle in select cities
- Driver’s license number
- Social Security Number (in the US)
- Consent to a background check
Locations available: Caviar is available in major metropolitan areas nationwide.
5.) Grubhub
From talking to Grubhub couriers, we’ve found Grubhub drivers make on average around $11 an hour.
On occasion, Grubhub offers an hourly guarantee for drivers during certain times of the day. You can deliver with a car or a bike, and GrubHub is generally big on pushing drivers to schedule their shifts out in advance, even though you can still drive whenever it’s convenient for you.
Requirements to work for Grubhub:
- Car (or bike in select areas)
- Valid driver’s license and auto insurance for drivers
- Valid state I.D. or driver’s license for bike riders
- Smartphone
Locations available: Grubhub is available nationwide.
6.) Eaze
Eaze is a marijuana delivery company that hires drivers who are paid hourly. Eaze is currently only available and hiring in California.
When we delivered weed with Eaze, we found drivers could make around $15 and up, which makes it one of the best delivery apps to work for.
Drivers are not employees of Eaze, but they aren’t necessarily independent contractors either. Some companies supply drivers for Eaze so when you apply you may have to go through one of these options.
Here’s what their terms of service state: “You acknowledge and agree that you are not an employee or independent contractor of Eaze and that you are solely a licensee of the Driver Platform. Your employment or independent contractor agreement with Your Retailer shall govern the terms and conditions of your employment or contract work.”
Eaze drivers tend to make around $15 – $18 per hour and are also able to keep 100% of their tips.
Requirements to work for Eaze:
- Drivers are hired and employed by independent licensed retailers. In order to use Eaze’s driver app, retailer drivers need an iPhone 5 (or newer) or an Android (3 years old or newer).
- Regulations require that all retailer drivers be 21+ years of age, and have a valid driver’s license, registration, and auto insurance.
Locations available: Eaze is only available in California.
7.) Uber Eats
Uber Eats is most definitely one of the best food delivery services to work for. When I’m out delivering, I treat Uber Eats as a separate animal, and it’s definitely one of the best delivery apps to work for.
Watch our 6 Tips for New Uber Eats Drivers in 2021 to learn more:
Blake M. is a driver and RSG reader in Omaha, Nebraska who delivers for both Uber Eats and Grubhub. Driving for more than one delivery app is a smart move because there are so many options out there. Plus it can help improve your chances of getting a delivery order quickly. If one app is not busy, just switch to the other one.
“A big part of my strategy on the road is to be close to restaurants that generally lead to decent tips,” Blake says. “Uber is obviously very difficult with that since we don’t see the entire pay upfront. Still, I’ve found with Uber, avoiding fast food as much as possible can lead to better tips.”
Blake says he looks for bigger payouts that will be well worth his time. While delivery drivers can’t control which order requests they get, you can control which areas you drive in.
Apps like UberEats and Grubhub track your location when you’re logged in so they can send you orders at restaurants that are nearby.
If you don’t want to do fast food orders, you may want to drive away from certain fast-food restaurants in your area to minimize your chances of getting an order request from there.
Best time to drive for Uber Eats
With food delivery apps, some of the best times to work are often during meal times – especially dinner so evenings can be pretty profitable. Blake says he’s gotten lucky during the last few Sundays working through dinner time because he’s gotten some high-paying orders and tips.
“The biggest thing I would suggest is to know your market and know what works for you,” he added. “There’s no secret to doing this. If you are patient and get lucky with some orders, there’s obviously some money to be made.”
Staying Safe
In light of COVID-19, Blake said he’s definitely been washing his hands more and taking 2 showers per day when he’s delivering. Contactless deliveries are helping as well along with the fact that many of the restaurants in his area have curbside pickup or drive-thru only.
Read more about becoming an Uber Eats driver here and sign up to work for Uber Eats here.
Uber Eats is one of the best food delivery apps to work for because it’s one of the best paying delivery jobs. The best earnings opportunities I’ve found while being an Uber Eats driver are through pursuing incentives like Quest and Boost.
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.
Requirements to work for Uber Eats:
Car delivery
- Meet the minimum age to drive in your city
- Have a 2-door or 4-door car
- Have a valid driver’s license and vehicle insurance under your name
- Have at least one year of driving experience
Scooter delivery
- Be at least 19 years old
- Have a motorized scooter under 50cc
- Have a valid driver’s license and vehicle insurance under your name
- When signing up, be sure to choose Deliver with a Scooter under transportation method
Bike delivery
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have a government-issued ID
- When signing up, be sure to choose Deliver with a Bike under transportation method
Locations available: Uber Eats is available nationwide.
8.) Amazon Flex
Right now, it’s an absolute must to try to sign up for Amazon Flex. In our review of driving for Amazon Flex, we found drivers could make $18 to 25 per hour with Amazon Flex. That’s incredible – and chances are there is plenty of work to go around right now!
Judging by how busy Amazon is, there should be plenty of ongoing opportunities but they do have a wait list as well.
Amazon.com orders are picked up from a delivery station and then delivered directly to customers home. Drivers typically have a 3-6 hour delivery block.
Delivering for Amazon restaurants and Amazon Fresh are also options as well. Drivers can expect to earn around $18 – $25 per hour.
Requirements to work for Amazon Flex:
- Live in a city where Flex operates
- Be 21 or older
- Have a valid US driver’s license and Social Security Number
- Mid-size or larger vehicle
- Have an iPhone or Android smartphone
Locations available: Amazon Flex is available in over 50 cities nationwide.
9.) GoPuff
GoPuff hires driver-partners to deliver items like snacks, medicine, drinks, and more. Think of GoPuff as basically a mobile convenience store.
GoPuff drivers can make around $14 per hour but there are also bonuses available for longer shifts.
How it works is you’ll report to your local GoPuff warehouse location and wait for orders to deliver. Customers must sign off when you deliver their order so no leaving items at the door like with Amazon Flex.
Learn more about GoPuff at our GoPuff Driver review here.
Requirements to work for GoPuff:
- Be at least 21 years old
- Have a valid U.S. driver’s license
- Vehicle insurance and registration
- Own a smartphone
- Be willing and able to pass a pre-paid alcohol delivery training course (where applicable)
Locations available: GoPuff is available nationwide.
10.) Point Pickup
Point Pickup is a delivery system on the East Coast that allows for same-day delivery of items ordered by customers. It’s similar to Instacart, but you can schedule a shift and also start driving whenever you want.
The majority of delivery requests involve picking up from orders from Walmart or delivering items that have been ordered online.
Requirements to work for Point Pickup:
- Valid driver’s license
- Be 18 years of age
- Bank account
- Social security number
- Vehicle year 2000 or newer
Locations available: Point Pickup is available on the East Coast.
3 Honorable Mentions
11.) Saucey
Saucey is an alcohol delivery service that can bring liquor straight to your door. The app is available for both Android and Apple devices. Saucey is the DoorDash of alcohol delivery apps and one of the most popular options available to anyone looking to drink responsibly at home.
Read more about Saucey at our Saucey review.
According to Indeed, Saucey drivers make $15 per hour delivering with Saucey, although according to the LA Times, drivers in Los Angeles make less (around $7 an hour).
Requirements to work for Saucey and become a Saucey courier:
- 21 and up (you’re delivering alcohol!)
- Valid driver’s license
- No DUIs in the past 5 years
- Smartphone
12.) Shipt
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.
The Shipt app makes all of this easy, showing you exactly what items to buy and routing you to the delivery address.
Shipt was acquired by Target in 2017, so a lot of shopping will take place at Target stores. They’ve also partnered with a number of other grocery chains, which adds some variation to the shopping experience.
View our article on Shipt pay here.
Drivers we’ve interviewed say Shipt pays $15-17 an hour, with veteran Shipt shoppers earning $22/hour.
Requirements to work for Shipt and become a Shipt shopper:
- At least 18 years old.
- Valid current mailing address.
- Valid U.S. driver’s license and auto insurance.
- A reliable vehicle (1997 or newer).
- Knowledge of produce selection.
- Ability to lift 45 pounds.
- Smartphone – iPhone (iOS 10 or newer) or Android (5.1 or newer).
13.) Favor
Favor is a delivery app that offers deliveries for almost anything, including food, groceries, dry cleaning, etc. Favor calls themselves “personal assistants”, not delivery drivers.
As of now, Favor is only available in Texas.
Drivers for Favor say they earn $9 per hour, so you will want to combine Favor with other delivery apps listed here in order to boost your hourly pay.
Requirements to work for Favor and become a Favor personal assistant:
- 18 years old
- Clean record
- Smartphone
Why start delivering now?
It’s never been a better time to drive for delivery companies right now. People are becoming more accustomed to ordering online, it’s pretty cheap for customers, and for drivers, it’s a no brainer to drive for delivery when rideshare is slow.
Right now, because of the coronavirus and lack of demand for Uber and Lyft drivers, it’s never been a better time to drive for delivery. Drivers are making hundreds of dollars per week, but you’ll want to sign up sooner rather than later to get started.
Which service is the best food delivery app to work for?
- Best Paying Delivery App: DoorDash or Postmates
- Best Grocery Delivery App: Instacart
- Best ‘Stuff’ Delivery App: Postmates
- Best Higher End Delivery App: Caviar
- Best Weed Delivery App: Eaze
- Best Alcohol Delivery App: Saucey
- Best Easy-to-Start Delivery App: Uber Eats
By now, I think it’s safe to say that we’ve officially entered the age of the on-demand economy.
While I prefer working for certain apps and tend to avoid others, I know that each app offers unique advantages and disadvantages, so I try to keep an open mind and always evaluate the opportunities presented to me.
My experience in the rideshare and delivery industry has taught me that no two days of driving are the same. One day DoorDash might be jumping and Postmates is dead. Another day Uber Eats might be offering an incentive that’s too good to pass up. That’s why there’s not just one best delivery app to work for.
It’s in my best interest to go online with a number of the apps I’m signed up with and then make informed decisions about which order requests I’d like to fulfill.
Keep in mind that local conditions, pay and other factors vary from one market to the next and my favorite delivery apps might not be the same as those of another driver.
Every market is different, so we recommend you sign up for all delivery companies in your city to see which one is the busiest and most profitable for you!
Final words
Overall, given the pros and cons listed above, it’s clear that there’s no one size fit all app when it comes to delivering food, packages, snacks, and household items in the gig economy.
My favorite thing about delivering for multiple shopping apps is that I have options. Delivery apps are a great option to have when Uber or Lyft are slow, and delivering also enables people who have children they need to bring along to still work in the gig economy.
If you don’t want to deliver restaurant meals, you can try delivering packages for Amazon Flex or groceries with Instacart.
It probably won’t hurt to sign up for a few of these apps, that way you can test out the features for yourself and see how much you’re able to earn in your market.
Do you have more questions about choosing the best delivery app to work for? Do you drive for any delivery companies? Let us know in the comments below!
FAQs for the Best Food Delivery Services
Which delivery app pays the most?
Instacart is one of the highest paying delivery apps out there, with drivers making $20 an hour on average.
To earn more with Instacart, be sure to look for bigger orders (which usually means a better tip) and shop at stores you’re familiar with.
Don’t like grocery shopping? DoorDash or Postmates are excellent choices for delivery apps that pay the most. DoorDash drivers earn between $20-25 an hour. Postmates couriers can earn around $20 an hour.
How do the best delivery apps compare to each other?
However, you should always sign up for both to see which company is more popular with shoppers, and which ones pay more. Instacart shoppers can earn $20 an hour and up.
For food delivery services, some of the big names include Uber Eats, DoorDash, Postmates and Caviar. Uber Eats is probably among the most well known, but from couriers we’ve talked to, DoorDash and Postmates currently pay drivers better than Uber Eats.
For a higher end experience, there’s Caviar. However, you may be less busy delivering for Caviar since it tends to cater to more expensive restaurants, so sign up for all of the above to make sure you’re constantly busy while you’re ‘on app’.
What’s the best food delivery app to work for?
What skills do you need for delivery driver jobs?
Not a ton! If you’re driving for grocery delivery services like Instacart or Shipt, you will want to be familiar with the layout of local grocery stores. As drivers have told us, the quicker you can find items and get out, the more you will earn hourly!
You will also want to be familiar with the layout of your city as a delivery driver. If you know the easy places to park, know your city streets well, know how to get around traffic diversions and the like, the faster you will be able to deliver. This will also increase your per-hour earnings.
Can you drive for multiple services?
Yes, absolutely! We break down how to drive for multiple delivery apps here.
What’s a good delivery service to work for in Nevada?
Kristin in Nevada drives for Instacart, Grub and Dumpling in Carson City, NV and has found that combining multiple delivery apps is key to earning more money!
In Nevada, she says Instacart is among the most popular, following by Grubhub and Postmates. Kristin says “Now using both platforms (Instacart and Grubhub) I am able to average $15 to $20 per hour and sometimes more.”
In addition, Kristin uses Dumpling, a grocery delivery business platform, to increase her earnings and set her own rates. Learn more about driving for delivery in Nevada here.
Ready to get started? Sign up for the top 3 below!
Then check out more of the best gig jobs and check out the best cash back apps if you want to save some money.
