The gig economy provides flexible opportunities to make money using your own car, bike, time or skills. Instead of a 9 to 5 job, you can choose when, where and how often to work through on-demand apps. From rideshare driving with Uber to grocery delivery with Instacart, gig apps continue disrupting traditional work models with promise of strong incomes.
To help you identify and optimize earnings through the best gig apps, I have compiled every critical detail as a gig worker myself for the past three years and editor at GigWorker.com for the last year. Whether you want to earn supplemental income or even replace a full-time job, this guide will equip you to maximize work in the gig economy.
The Massive Scale of Gig Apps Today
The flexibility and income potential drawing millions to gig work helps explain rocketing market growth. Gig economy market size hit $204 billion in 2020 globally and some estimates see it growing to over $455 billion by 2023 as more professionals freelance by choice or necessity.
Beyond impressive market size, downloads of popular gig apps also showcase rising participation rates. For example, DoorDash boasted 39 million users and 2 million Dashers by late 2021. Uber also hit 118 million monthly active users last year on growing global demand for ride hailing and delivery.
Gig app growth projections remain bullish in light of trends like labor shortages forcing professionals into freelancing. Now let‘s see exactly how you can cash in on this demand by picking the highest paying gig jobs.
Choosing Between Top Gig Apps
All gig apps aim to make signing up fast and getting paid seamless. Yet average incomes vary quite a bit depending on whether you provide rideshare driving, grocery delivery, handyman services and more.
When selecting the best gig apps for your needs, start by considering these key factors:
Your Schedule and Lifestyle
- Flexible hours – Uber, DoorDash and most delivery apps allow setting your own schedule. You choose when and how much to work. Amazon Flex asks drivers to commit to delivery blocks.
- Supplemental or full-time income – Driving for Uber works well full-time but may overwhelm on top of an existing job. Turning on Turo or Rover apps takes little effort for supplemental earnings.
- On demand tasks or manager approval – Food delivery apps send offer notifications you can immediately accept. Rideshare driving may require manager approval in some regions during onboarding.
Skill Sets & Interests
- Driving – Leverage your car and love of driving with apps like Uber, Lyft and DoorDash.
- Physical abilities – Delivery and rideshare jobs require the ability to lift packages, navigate stairs/tight spaces and help passengers. Amazon Flex details the average weight and size for packages you would deliver.
- Pets – Rover taps into demand for pet sitting, walking and boarding with a far easier signup than Wag or Care.
- Handyperson skills – Taskers bid on furniture assembly, home improvement projects and errands posted by locals needing help.
Income Potential of Top Gig Apps
Gig app pay varies based on factors like location, demand spikes and incentives. Yet analyzing average hourly earnings helps narrow suitable options.
| Gig App | Avg Hourly Wage | Payment Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Uber | Up to $31/hour | Instantly after ride |
| Lyft | Up to $30/hour | Instantly after ride |
| DoorDash | $15-25/hour | Daily |
| Instacart | $15-25/hour | Weekly |
| Amazon Flex | $18-25/hour | Twice weekly |
| TaskRabbit | Set own rates | Weekly |
| Rover | Set own rates | 2 days after service |
Data sources: Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart, Amazon Flex , TaskRabbit , Rover
Next let‘s break down the pay structure and requirements to earn with the most lucrative gig apps.
How Do Gig Apps Compare?
Rideshare Apps
Uber
The rideshare leader pairs drivers with passengers through a seamless mobile app. Average hourly earnings range from $17 to $31 per hour depending on your location and when you drive. Uber takes a cut from every fare.
You get paid per mile and minute driven on completed trips. Surge pricing during high demand leads to higher fares. Uber also shows expected earnings for trip requests so you can accept or decline.
Signing up to drive for Uber only takes a few days but requires:
- Submitting license, insurance and vehicle details
- Passing a robust background check
- Finishing an online training course
Uber continues innovating on the technology side to improve efficiency. Upfront rider destinations allow drivers to skip unprofitable trips while Uber Comfort provides premium features for passengers willing to pay more.
Lyft
Lyft matches Uber in rider demand, driver pay and signup convenience. Hourly earnings also sit between $17 and $31 per hour depending on if you catch prime surge pricing windows. Lyft takes a cut of each fare with drivers earning based on time and mileage per ride.
Lyft requires similar eligibility steps as Uber:
- Valid license and insurance
- At least 5 years driving experience
- Vehicle inspection
Lyft amps up the competition through programs like Lyft XL for large vehicle riders and Lyft Lux for premium cars. Many drivers run both apps to maximize earnings with a wider net.
Delivery Gig Apps
DoorDash
America‘s largest food delivery app lets Dashers earn $15-25 per hour across over 7,000 cities by picking up and dropping off orders from popular restaurants. DoorDash boasts around 75% market share in food delivery apps.
You earn per order through:
- Base pay from DoorDash
- 100% of your tips
- Promotions like Peak Pay for working busy times
Signing up takes just minutes by providing your:
- Valid license
- Social security number
- Proof of eligibility to work
- Background check
DoorDash removes the headache of calling in takeout orders yourself. Dashers also skip interacting with busy kitchen staff by marking pickup through the app.
Instacart
Instacart lets you earn $15-25 per hour shopping for groceries and household essentials or focus solely on delivering orders. Instacart personal shoppers browse aisles and deliver exactly what customers requested.
Shoppers get paid by:
- Per order commission
- 100% of tips
- Promotions like surge pricing
You‘ll need to provide basic personal details like:
- Proof you can lift 40+ pounds
- Social security number
- Proof of insurance (for drivers)
An end-to-end app experience makes fulfilling grocery orders simple, especially with supermarket floorplans guiding you to exact items.
Amazon Flex
Ecommerce giant Amazon built its own delivery app to support one and two day Prime shipping. Amazon Flex drivers earn between $18 and $25 per hour ensuring packages arrive on time by picking up items from fulfillment centers and dropping off orders.
Pay is structured based on reserved delivery blocks. You can expect to earn around:
- $54 for a 3 hour block
- $72 to $144 for a 4 to 6 hour block
Amazon Flex works best if you have:
- A reliable vehicle
- An iPhone or Android smartphone
- The ability to lift up to 49 pounds
The app provides turn-by-turn navigation to routes of between 5 to 45 stops. Leveraging Amazon logistics and warehouses removes wasted downtime.
Part-Time to Full-Time: Optimizing Gig Income Strategies
Jumping into gig work, you may initially supplement a full-time job with apps like Instacart or Rover for extra money. But optimizing strategies can help you ramp up to earn a reliable full-time income through apps like Uber and Lyft alone.
Experienced gig workers emphasize a few key tips for maximizing profits:
Choose Peak Days & Times
The best times to drive for Uber and Lyft align with weekday commuting hours and late nights on weekends. For delivery apps, rush periods for takeout result in spikes.
Learn Profitable Locations
Hangout near business parks right before lunch and airports when flights arrive. Positioning yourself where demand concentrates prevents wasting time driving far for pickups.
Take Advantage of Promotions
Keep an eye out for boosted Peak Pay windows from DoorDash and consecutive ride streak challenges on Uber. Hitting thresholds triggers nice bonus payouts.
Provide Exceptional Service
Experienced drivers caution against getting too comfortable. Continue opening doors, offering chargers, keeping your car spotless and maintaining friendly conversation with passengers and customers. This leads to great reviews and higher tips.
What‘s the Future of Gig Economy Work?
While the convenience of apps like Uber transformed transportation and delivery expectations today, the future roadmap aims higher.
Demand continues rising for services like Instacart and DoorDash. But increasingly tech innovations also hope to improve gig worker protections through benefits and higher pay rates more comparable to W2 employee averages.
Trends to watch include:
Direct employment models – Platforms like DoorDash and Lyft currently classify workers as independent contractors. But legislator pressure and lawsuits may force reclassification as actual employees entitled to minimum wages, healthcare and other benefits.
Portable benefits packages – Fintech apps are launching to help gig workers earn benefits like paid time off portable across apps. Doe for example lets Uber drivers invest unused wages into vacation savings funds.
EV incentives – Electric vehicles earn rideshare drivers additional income through bonuses, airport queue priority and rider offsets of charging expenses. Uber committed to spend $800 million on EV-related initiatives for drivers by 2025.
While debates continue on balancing flexible work arrangements with improved security, the scale and forecast growth of gig apps ensures this sector remains a lucrative option for those looking to supplement or fully replace the traditional workplace.
Finding Your Best Gig App Fit
Every gig app ultimately solves a unique market need, whether ride hailing, grocery delivery or pet sitting. The right fit depends entirely on your lifestyle, location and skills. Optimizing starts with honestly assessing your abilities and availability before prioritizing convenience and income.
DoorDash offers the ultimate flexibility for students content with unpredictable wages. Dog walking through Rover syncs perfectly with a retiree seeking minimal obligations. Meanwhile, Uber provides full-time stability for those able to provide hundreds of rides consistently in busier urban areas.
This comprehensive guide explored each popular app and key considerations when selecting between them. The booming gig economy guarantees increasing opportunities to align this flexible work with your exact needs. Now discover which option resonates best to succeed on your own terms!
