Best Delivery Driver Apps to Work for (Where to Earn the Most)

If you're looking for work in your area that does not require much customer interaction, deliver driving might be perfect. I spend a couple of years delivering food and I still look back on it fondly; it was hard work, but I could put my headphones in and listen to podcasts throughout the whole shift. 

Nowadays, I do paid market research to make extra cash, because working from home fits my schedule better. But for those who want to start delivery driving, I have put together my list of the best apps to work for. 

Grubhub (food)

Despite lower peak earnings, Grubhub is better for drivers than DoorDash and Uber Eats. This is largely because the company is now owned by the Dutch company Just Eat, who are committed to providing better working conditions for their drivers/riders (in their European subsidiaries they actually employ drivers rather than making them work as freelancers, but this is not the case in the US). 

On a slow day, they will contribute to your earnings (despite you being a freelancer), so that you can meet your minimum guaranteed rate. They also allow you to withdraw your earnings weekly, and they provide "Missions" as a way to make bonus money during busy periods. 

DoorDash (food and groceries)

DoorDash might appeal more to you as they are, out of all of these delivery apps, by far the most "hands off" with drivers. You can get started incredibly quickly, you can pick and choose the jobs you want, and (at least based on my own experience) there is effectively zero micromanagement. 

However, as there are such a range of jobs on DoorDash, you also need to be more careful about setting your own rules. Here are just a few I had: Do no accept less than $1/mile jobs, avoid dropping off to universities and hospitals (very time-consuming to find the correct office/room), and be careful with stacked orders. 

Uber Eats (food and groceries)

Uber Eats is also a good option, and somewhere between the two above, with slightly more oversight than DoorDash, but not quite the same level of support you get with Grubhub.

As a general rule, I found Uber Eats was slightly more competitive for work as they took orders from fewer restaurants, but their clientele seemed on average more wealthy, or at least seemed that way and often paid better tips. 

Instacart (groceries)

You cannot ride with Instacart, you need a car, which makes it slightly less accessible than the jobs listed above. But in most ways, the sign-up process is identical to the food delivery apps.

With Instacart, you get sent a grocery list and an address for each job. If you accept, you need to shop for the groceries yourself, rather than simply picking up a bag, then deliver them. 

The pay is at least as good as with food delivery apps, and you aren't constantly racing against the clock to stay profitably. However, you need to interact with the customer and actually do the grocery shopping yourself, which will be a turn-off for some of you. 

Amazon Flex (goods)

Working for Amazon Flex involves an actual interview process, and you will be required to drive a mid-sized vehicle at least. You also have far less independence, and will have to work through the entire block you have been scheduled for. 

I therefore would not recommend Amazon Flex to anyone looking for casual work. However, if you want something closer to a traditional full-time job, Amazon Flex is a great app to work for. The pay is great for delivery, the work is very consistent, and the hours are (usually) sociable. 

 

Walmart Spark (groceries)

Walmart Spark is grocery delivering but, as you would expect, exclusively for Walmart. Really, they should hire their drivers as employees rather than contracted freelancers, but that is a separate argument. 

What I really like about Walmart Spark is that you have very little wasted time compared to the other jobs on this list. You aren't waiting for food to be cooked, or finding a place to park. Most of the time, it is a very fluid process of going to Walmart, picking up the order, and driving to the customer. 

Another advantage compared to the other jobs on the list is that Walmart Spark is very widely available, and might be your only option if you live in the suburbs or more rurally. 

goPuff (groceries & medication)

goPuff is okay, but I have it down at the bottom because the company is only available in a select number of cities and because the pay has become less consistent in the last few years. At least anecdotally, I have heard from many goPuff drivers who claim to be making far less per hour now. 

This is similar to other grocery delivery apps, except you always return to one central location per city, and besides groceries you might also be delivering medication. 

Best delivery driving jobs overview

Here is a recap of my recommendations on which delivery apps to work for.