DoorDash vs Uber Eats – they are two of the biggest food delivery companies and platforms out there, and if you’re considering driving for them, we highly recommend you sign up for both companies!
However, if you’re wondering which company is better in the battle between DoorDash vs Uber Eats, we’ll break down what you need to know about the two companies, how they differ, and what earnings are typically like.
Just remember that you can and should sign up to work with both companies to maximize your earning potential!
DoorDash vs Uber Eats: Overview
Let’s start with the basics. Uber Eats and DoorDash are both food delivery platforms.
When you work as a delivery driver for either, you are considered an independent contractor as you complete courier services, typically delivering restaurant food to customers who ordered the food through the app.
Both apps became more popular than ever before during the pandemic shutdowns of 2020.
About DoorDash
DoorDash has been in business since 2013. Today, it has more than 390,000 partnering restaurants and retailers nationwide. It’s also available in Canada, Australia, and Japan. The platform makes deliveries in over 7,000 cities.
The company is constantly expanding and entering new delivery markets. In 2021, it started offering grocery and convenience store delivery options. You can order items like flowers, alcoholic beverages, groceries, and pet supplies in the app in some areas.
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About Uber Eats
In 2014, Uber entered the food delivery service game with Uber Eats. Over the last several years, it has grown to become the second-largest food delivery app in terms of market share. That growth was partly fueled by its acquisition of Postmates in 2020.
Today, Uber Eats supports deliveries from more than 800,000 restaurants and over 1,000 grocery stores. It’s available in over 10,000 cities globally, offering delivery services to 45 countries worldwide, making it more widely available than DoorDash.
Uber Eats specializes in restaurant delivery, but it does provide grocery delivery in select cities.
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DoorDash vs Uber Eats: How They Work
How DoorDash Works
- Scheduling work: DoorDash gives you the option to book delivery times up to one week in advance. You can also deliver on-demand with the Dash Now feature if it’s busy and there are available deliveries.
- Order screen: The DoorDash acceptance screen has more information than Uber Eats does. DoorDash will show you the expected earnings, the location of the restaurant, and where you’re delivering to. It’ll also show how far you have to travel and the expected time it will take.
- Order Acceptance/decline: The act of accepting a delivery order is easy. You simply click “Accept” when it pops up. On the other hand, declining an order is more tedious with DoorDash. You click decline, then they ask you why, making you click multiple times just to not do an order.
- Directions/instructions: DoorDash provides navigation through a third-party app to show you how to get to the pickup and drop-off locations if you need help getting there. Customers have the option to leave delivery instructions, too, which you can view in the app.
How Uber Eats Works
- Scheduling work: Uber Eats doesn’t have advanced scheduling. Instead, you can open the app at any time you want to make deliveries, with a 12-hour daily driving limit.
- Order screen: On the other hand, Uber Eats will show the restaurant, but you won’t see the address of the delivery until after you accept the order. Instead, you’ll see the cross streets, so you have a general idea of where you might be headed.
- Order Acceptance/decline: Accepting an order on Uber Eats is also straightforward. Luckily, for Uber Eats, if you decline, it’s just clicking “Decline” and moving on with your day. You don’t need to choose a reason why you are declining the order request.
- Directions/instructions: Like DoorDash, Uber Eats provides turn-by-turn navigation to help you get to your destination. It also gives customers the option to leave delivery instructions in the Uber Eats app.
DoorDash vs Uber Eats: Availability
Uber Eats has more widespread availability worldwide and partners with more restaurants and stores than DoorDash does. However, DoorDash has more than twice the market share of Uber Eats.
Here’s a closer look at the size and availability of both platforms.
DoorDash is the largest food delivery app in the US. According to Statista, DoorDash had 59% of the market share of food delivery apps in 2022, while Uber Eats accounted for 24%.
Both platforms have widespread availability in the US, but Uber Eats is more accessible worldwide, with locations in 45 countries including Puerto Rico, Brazil, Egypt, and Germany.
DoorDash vs Uber Eats: Driver Requirements
DoorDash and Uber Eats driver requirements are easy to meet. While both platforms are pretty similar in their requirements, there are a few small differences.
DoorDash Driver Requirements
Here are the requirements for DoorDash drivers:
- 18 years or older
- iPhone or Android
- Valid driver’s license
- Auto insurance
- Clean driving record
- Social Security Number
- Background check
DoorDash doesn’t have any vehicle requirements, and you can make deliveries with a scooter, bike, e-bike, or motorcycle in some areas.
Uber Eats Driver Requirements
Uber Eats’ requirements vary depending on how you choose to make deliveries.
Delivery by Car
- 19 years or older
- 2 or 4-door car
- Valid drivers license
- Social Security Number
- Background check
Delivery by Scooter
- 19 years or older
- Motorized scooter under 50cc
- Valid drivers license
- Social Security Number
- Background check
Delivery by Bicycle/Foot
- 18 years or older
- Government-issued ID
- Social Security Number
- Background check
Unlike Uber, Uber Eats doesn’t require you to have a year of driving experience to start making deliveries.
DoorDash vs Uber Eats: Pay
DoorDash and Uber Eats have similar pay models, rates, tips, and incentives.
DoorDash Earnings
In our analysis of DoorDash driver pay, base pay varies depending on a variety of factors. It is typically higher when the total distance is higher and lower when it is lower.
For example, orders that are only 1 or 2 miles in total will have a lower base pay, whereas 9-10 miles orders will have about a higher base pay. Tips always vary as well.
From experience, most people generally put a minimum tip on the order. There are also promotions called “peak pay” depending on the region you’re dashing in. Most promotions are offered during peak hours on night shifts and are added on top of base pay and tips.
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Uber Eats Earnings
For the most part, Uber Eats driver pay is similar to DoorDash pay. There is base pay that also depends on distance and time allocated. Shorter trips will garner smaller base pay. Longer trips have higher delivery fees and pay more.
Most people also tip the minimum of $1-$5 like DoorDash customers. The incentives are slightly different and have a different name called “surge pay.” This promotional pay is constantly fluctuating depending on the demand of the area.
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DoorDash vs Uber Eats: Maximizing Your Earnings
Overall, DoorDash has a higher market share of the two, giving you greater odds of receiving orders throughout your day.
However, Uber Eats is connected to the Uber app, potentially giving you more opportunities if you’re willing to take passenger trips and food orders.
Uber does have a stricter policy when it comes to hiring rideshare drivers (those who take passengers), but if you’re approved to do rideshare, you’ll be able to do Uber Eats as well.
The Uber app lets you choose if you want to do deliveries, rideshare, or both.
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DoorDash vs Uber Eats: Payment Process
When you’re comparing delivery apps, there’s more to consider than the amount of money you get paid. You also need to factor in how you get paid. Here’s a closer look at how DoorDash and Uber Eats pay their drivers.
DoorDash Payment Process
DoorDash has three payment options for drivers:
- Weekly deposits: Dashers can get paid weekly by direct deposit to their personal bank accounts.
- DasherDirect: U.S. Dashers can get instant, fee-free cashouts with DasherDirect. This is a pre-paid debit card with 2% cashback rewards on gas.
- Fast Pay: You can also cash out instantly with Fast Pay. This service is available once daily and comes with a $1.99 service fee.
Uber Eats Payment Process
Like DoorDash, UberEats gives drivers three different ways to get paid:
- Weekly deposits: Uber Eats provides free payments weekly by direct deposit.
- Uber Pro Card: Similar to DasherDirect, the Uber Pro Card lets you automatically cash out after every drive without incurring any fees. The higher your Uber Eats Pro status is, the more cashback rewards you earn at the pump, up to 10%.
- Instant Pay: Uber’s Instant Pay feature is more convenient than DoorDash’s Fast Pay. You can cash out five times daily with a $0.50 fee.
DoorDash vs Uber Eats: Driver Support
Before working with a delivery platform, you should also consider how the company supports its drivers.
Both DoorDash and Uber Eats provide impressive customer support and driver support. Here’s an overview of how DoorDash and Uber Eats assist their drivers.
DoorDash Driver Support
DoorDash provides a Dasher chat support system in its iOS and Android apps. There’s also a 24/7 phone support line. You can use the chat and phone features while you’re on the clock or off.
DoorDash’s website is also full of resources for Dashers. It has informative FAQs to help drivers with everything from setting up direct deposits to making extra money as a Dasher.
Uber Driver Support
Similar to DoorDash, Uber has 24/7 phone support for its drivers that you can access through the Uber app. The Uber website also has a Help Center filled with FAQS and guides for drivers.
Uber stands out from DoorDash for offering in-person support in some locations. If you live in a city with a Greenlight location, you can schedule an appointment for a face-to-face consultation to resolve any issues you’re having on the job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does DoorDash or Uber Eats Pay More?
After driving for both delivery companies, we’ve found that DoorDash pays drivers more based on volume and availability. My payouts have been better with DoorDash. Others have said that the pay is slightly better with Uber Eats orders, but I haven’t noticed such a difference.
The pay rate is very similar between the two, with the main difference being that DoorDash is consistently busier than Uber Eats.
Does DoorDash pay for gas?
DoorDash does not pay for gas for its drivers. However, it does have a gas rewards program, and drivers can get cashback every time they purchase gas with their Dasher Direct pre-paid debit card.
Do you get a W2 from DoorDash or Uber Eats?
DoorDash and Uber Eats drivers do not get W2 forms. Since you’re considered an independent contractor, the companies will issue you a 1099 form for tax purposes.
Do DoorDash drivers get DashPass for free?
According to DoorDash, the company offers the perk of a free DashPass membership for one month to eligible dashers, with a 50% discount in the following months.
DashPass gives you unlimited free deliveries on orders of $12 or more at restaurants, with reduced service fees.
DoorDash vs Uber Eats: Which is Best for You?
As you can see, they each have their upsides and downsides. So, it partially depends on what you prefer.
- Do you want to see the most information upfront?
- Do you want it to be easy to decline?
- Do you want to have more reliable requests?
It’s also very market-dependent. Some areas will favor one app over the other. So, you’ll have to do your own research and testing to determine which app is best for your area.
If you don’t want to do the research yourself, consider looking for local Facebook groups for each platform and see what drivers who are actively out there are saying about each app and the potential for earnings.
Overall, we recommend signing up for both. They can fill in each other’s downtimes. It’s always best to diversify if you’re able to.
By signing up for Uber Eats and DoorDash, you’re opening yourself up for more success by not eliminating any possibilities.
