7 Best Delivery Apps To Make Money [2025]: Get Paid To Drive

Food delivery apps and services are popular with people hungry for both takeout and extra income around the country, and we'll always recommend delivering food as a side hustle. According to recent government data, food delivery drivers earn as much as $22.70 per hour on average depending on their location, and yet other reports indicate that top drivers on certain apps can earn more than $30 an hour.

As a food deliver driver, you can choose your hours and keep 100% of tips, making this a great way to earn cash on your terms. To make more money, working for multiple delivery apps is the way to go. DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart are just a few platforms to check out. Whether you stick with food delivery services or branch out to other delivery driver apps to make money, it's smart to install and get set up with a few different services.

Whether you're looking for a side hustle or a full-time delivery business, we'll go over the best delivery apps to make money, including how much you might earn with each, how to maximize your profits, and what to expect when you start driving. 

Featured delivery apps to make money

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DoorDash

• Be your own boss and set your own hours
• Keep 100% of the delivery fee plus any tips or boosts
• Just pick up the food, drop it off and get paid!

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Sign up today

Uber Eats

• Earn money with your car, bike, or even a scooter in some cities!
• Make your own schedule and be your own boss
• You can access your earnings up to 6X per day with Instant Pay
• (Additional terms and conditions apply)

Sign up today

Compare the best delivery apps to make money

To compile this list, we've compared over a dozen platforms and apps to find some of the best food delivery services to work for. We've also included some non-food delivery services, if you don't want your car to smell like someone else's next meal or just want to diversify your earnings.

Uber Eats

• Potential earnings (hourly): $15.38-$21.63 per hour (source: Glassdoor)
• Potential earnings (annually): $32,000-$45,000 annually (source: Glassdoor)

Uber Eats is the second-largest food delivery service in the U.S. Wages for users who drive with Uber Eats consist of base pay for each trip, tips, bonuses, and incentives. We recommend Uber Eats Pro as one of the best food delivery services to work for if you're a prospective college student wanting to make money delivering because you can get full tuition coverage from Arizona State University Online through a partnership between the two when you deliver with Uber Eats.

Uber Eats drivers earn a flat fee for every order dropped off, plus a per-mile rate for the distance between the restaurant and the customer's location. Drivers in some cities may also be paid a per-minute rate based on the time it takes to complete the trip, including wait time.

Typically payment is via weekly direct deposits to your bank account. You can also cash out with Instant Pay right after a delivery is paid. However, there is a $1.25 fee for each cashout, and you're limited to six cashouts per day. This fee can be avoided if you have an Uber Pro Card, which gives you free automatic payouts on every trip.

Visit Uber Eats | Read our full Uber Eats review

Earn Money Making Deliveries

• Earn money with your car, bike, or even a scooter in some cities!
• Make your own schedule and be your own boss
• You can access your earnings up to 6X per day with Instant Pay
• (Additional terms and conditions apply)

Sign Up To Deliver With Uber Eats

DoorDash

• Potential earnings (hourly): $18.75-$27.40 per hour (source: Glassdoor)
• Potential earnings (annually): $38,000-$57,000 per year (source: Glassdoor)

DoorDash is like a combination of Uber Eats and Instacart, with many Dashers averaging roughly $18 to $27 per hour, according to Glassdoor, with a median of roughly $23. However, you could earn more or less. While the company is mainly known as a restaurant delivery service, it also offers a Shop & Deliver service, where Dashers shop for and deliver groceries.

We like that DoorDash offers so many perks and discounts through partnerships with different companies. For example, Dashers can get discounts on TurboTax Self-Employed services, credits for car maintenance with CarAdvise, or access to dental and vision plans through Stride. If you sign up for DasherDirect, you'll also get Wellness Perks by Avibra, which includes free accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) and life insurance coverage, and 24/7 access to well-being advisors. If you incur an injury while driving for DoorDash, you may be eligible for disability payments and medical expense coverage.

DoorDash pay consists of base pay, tips, and promotions like Peak Pay and Challenges that can help you make more with additional incentives.¹ <p class="">Actual earnings may differ and depend on factors like number of deliveries you accept and complete, time of day, location, and any costs. Hourly pay is calculated using average Dasher payouts while on a delivery (from the time you accept an order until the time you drop it off) over a 90 day period and includes compensation from tips, peak pay, and other incentives.<br></p> Payments are made weekly through direct deposit. 

Visit DoorDash | Read our full DoorDash review or learn about other apps like DoorDash to make money

Get Paid to Make Deliveries

DoorDash Benefits

• Be your own boss and set your own hours
• Keep 100% of the delivery fee plus any tips or boosts
• Just pick up the food, drop it off and get paid!

Visit DoorDash

Instacart

• Potential earnings (hourly): $14.42-$18.27 per hour (source: Glassdoor)
• Potential earnings (annually): $30,000-$38,000 annually (source: Glassdoor)

Some people hate grocery shopping or just don't have time for it. If you become an Instacart shopper, you could get paid to deliver groceries for people like this. This is one of the best grocery delivery services you can work for, and it's also an excellent choice for non-drivers and people without cars. Instacart offers two shopper roles: full-service and in-store. 

In-store shoppers are part-time Instacart employees who work in designated stores to shop for and stage orders. As an in-store shopper, you earn an hourly wage and can select scheduled shifts.

Full-service Instacart shoppers are independent contractors who select items from a grocery list and deliver them to customers. As a full-service shopper, you set your own hours and pick which batches you want to shop. You're paid a base amount per "batch" order based on the order size, driving distance, and the time required for shopping and delivery. Since full-service shoppers are also delivering groceries, you'll need a vehicle and car insurance coverage.

Instacart isn't always the highest-paying grocery delivery service, according to driver reports, but it does offer high order volumes and flexibility in how you earn.

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Read our full Instacart review

Amazon Flex

• Potential earnings (hourly): $16.83-$23.56 per hour (source: Glassdoor)
• Potential earnings (annually): $35,000-$49,000 annually (source: Glassdoor)

Amazon Flex is one of the best package-delivery apps we've found because it offers block scheduling, which is rare for delivery apps. This app lets you deliver packages for Amazon on your schedule, including Amazon.com orders, Amazon store orders, grocery and household items orders from Prime Now or Amazon Fresh, and instant offers in some locations. With other delivery apps, you're at the mercy of demand. You earn based on how many opportunities are available at any given moment, and if it's a slow day or you're competing with other drivers, it can be hard to get the hours you need. However, what we love about Amazon Flex is that you can schedule a block that fits your needs, making it easier for Amazon Flex drivers to earn more hours consistently.

According to the official Amazon Flex website, the platform pays between $18 and $25 per hour on average, depending on the location, length of deliveries, tips, and other factors. For programs with no tips, the amount listed is your guaranteed pay, no matter how short or long the block lasts. If there is a range, the lower cost is the guaranteed pay from Amazon. For example, if a two-hour block has a pay range of $36 to $50, Amazon will pay you $36, but you can earn more through tips.

While you'll need personal auto insurance to be an Amazon Flex driver, drivers are also covered under Amazon's Commercial Auto Insurance Policy at no cost. However, note that if you bring a human or pet passenger, they will not be covered under the insurance policy if something happens.

Grubhub

• Potential earnings (hourly): $16.35-$23.56 per hour (source: Glassdoor)
• Potential earnings (annually): $34,000-$49,000 annually (source: Glassdoor)

Grubhub holds less of the food delivery market than Uber Eats and DoorDash, but it still handles hundreds of thousands of daily orders. And in some locations, you might find it to be the most productive delivery app (some Reddit users have reported this app being their favorite and most lucrative). The reason we included Grubhub on this list, though, is that it takes a unique approach to ensuring your safety as a delivery driver or biker. In addition to its in-app safety reporting feature, Rapid SOS, which is a somewhat more robust version of a 911 connection tool, Grubhub also partners with Nextbase to give its drivers discounts on dash cams.

Dash cams automatically record your driving, providing video evidence of situations that feel less-than-safe and protecting you against ambiguity in the event of an incident where you need to prove your innocence. While having a dash cam as a delivery driver won't necessarily make you less prone to danger, criminals can be less likely to target vehicles equipped with these. Plus, keeping a dash cam in your vehicle can come in handy if you have to file an insurance claim. Grubhub also offers a slew of safety tutorials, safety pauses, discrimination and harassment reporting, and more.

Grubhub pays you a set amount for each delivery plus bonuses and 100% of any tips you earn. Drivers for Grubhub are categorized into three levels: Partner, Pro, and Premier. These statuses determine your eligibility for perks like block scheduling and priority deliveries. If things are running slow on a day that you've picked up a scheduled block, Grubhub will pay a guaranteed minimum rate for your area. Block scheduling and guaranteed minimums are pretty rare for delivery driving apps, so it's no small thing for Grubhub to have both. You need a car or bike, a valid driver's license, auto insurance if you're driving, and a smartphone to deliver for Grubhub.

Shipt

• Potential earnings (hourly): $15.38-$22.12 per hour (source: Glassdoor)
• Potential earnings (annually): $32,000-$46,000 annually (source: Glassdoor)

Shipt is a membership-based grocery delivery service that hires independent contractors to shop for and deliver customer orders from retailers like Target, CVS, Walgreens, and Hy-Vee. Shipt guarantees that every job pays at least $16 per hour, a perk and rate that sets it apart from other food and grocery delivery services. The amount you earn per Shipt job includes base or offer pay, tips, and applicable bonuses. Payments are deposited directly every Friday, but you can access Instant Pay via Stripe for a 1% fee.

Shipt offers its shoppers perks and discounts on things like tax preparation services, auto insurance, gas savings programs, healthcare, well-being programs, and pet insurance. Plus, you get a free Shipt membership yourself.

Though Shipt's average pay is higher than that of other high-paying delivery apps, its service areas aren't as extensive. Consider whether Shipt is a good opportunity for you based on its popularity in your area. To become a Shipt shopper, you must be at least 18, be able to lift 50 pounds, and have a valid mailing address, a U.S. driver's license, auto insurance, and a reliable four-door vehicle.

Read our full Shipt review

Postmates

• Potential earnings (hourly): $18.27-$26.44 per hour (source: Glassdoor)
• Potential earnings (annually): $38,000-$55,000 annually (source: Glassdoor)

Founded in 2011, Postmates was purchased by Uber in 2020. Drivers who use Uber Eats now make the deliveries for the service, so if you want to deliver for Postmates, you'll have to sign up with Uber Eats.

Besides earning a flat fee for every order you pick up, drivers who use Postmates/Uber Eats also receive a per-mile rate for the distance between the restaurant and the customer location. Drivers in some cities may also be paid a per-minute rate based on the time that's expected for you to complete the trip, including wait time. Postmates offers a wide range of delivery options, including by bicycle or on foot, which may be good news for you if you're in a walkable city.

To qualify as a driver with Postmates/Uber Eats, you must be at least 19 years old, have a reliable car and valid driver's license, and pass a background screening. The benefit of driving with Postmates is that you may have access to more deliveries because you would be driving with both Postmates and Uber Eats. 

Read our full Postmates review

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Delivery apps that didn't make our list

While we included many of the best paying delivery apps on our list, there were a few that didn't quite make the cut. 

Delivery.com

One company being Delivery.com, which is known for fast food and laundry deliveries. It is often criticized for its limited availability in certain regions, which can restrict access for many potential users. We didn't like that their site had no information for drivers; it only had an application form. We recommend choosing a delivery app company that has clear driver expectations listed up front, as well as benefits and perks.

EatStreet

Another company that didn't make the list is EatStreet for similar reasons. The driving app is not as big as Uber Eats or DoorDash, which means local customers do not rely on it. Like Delivery.com, we couldn't locate delivery job information on their website, which leads us to believe there is low delivery driver support and little to zero perks.

Caviar

Another delivery app we didn't choose is Caviar, which is part of DoorDash. When you sign up for one, you can accept deliveries from both. When customers order from Caviar, they're selecting from a curated list of restaurants. Caviar tends to cater to higher-end restaurants, so these deliveries could result in better tips. The signup process, requirements, pay structure, and perks are the same as with DoorDash. While we can appreciate that Caviar might give you opportunities for higher-end restaurants, it may be more rewarding if it were separate from DoorDash and provided a wider range of delivery options.

How to choose the best driving app to make money

When researching how to make money from delivery apps, you'll notice that delivery services have commonalities to how drivers are paid and the incentives they receive. Most delivery services offer flexible scheduling, weekly pay, and incentives for you to earn more money. Plus, they all let you keep 100% of your tips.

But there are some differences. Here are a few factors where delivery apps may differ that you should pay attention to:

• Fees for instant cashouts: Most delivery apps let you instantly cash out your earnings right after you earn them. But fees are usually involved — they range from $0.50 to $1.99 per transaction.
• Requirements for training or background checks: Some delivery apps require you to take and pass specific training courses. They may also require a driving record and criminal background check before you are eligible to drive for them.
• Insurance coverage: As independent contractors, drivers are responsible for their own health insurance, so it's an added perk when companies like DoorDash provide options for healthcare coverage for their drivers.
• Discounts available: Some delivery apps offer discounts on gas and car maintenance, which can be beneficial because drivers are responsible for those expenses.

How to make more money with food delivery services

• Keep your finances organized. As an independent contractor, you'll need to pay quarterly taxes, and there are certain expenses you can deduct to reduce your overall tax burden. 
• Make sure you're insured. If you deliver by car, you'll need an auto insurance policy. And because you'll be driving for business, you'll need to either choose one of the best car insurance companies that offer a rideshare endorsement or purchase commercial car insurance.
• Earn rewards on gas. Because you'll be driving a lot, you might want to get one of the best gas credit cards so you can earn rewards.
• Work for multiple services. Many delivery drivers choose to work for more than one of the best food delivery apps. Deliveries could be slow on one app while another is offering a bonus, so getting on board with more than one company could make it easier to potentially earn $100 a day on a consistent basis.
• Work peak hours or drive to larger cities. All of these delivery apps offer flexible scheduling, but if you want to make the most per hour, you will need to work the hours and locations with the most opportunities. If a busy city or college town is 30 to 60 minutes away, it might be worth the drive if you plan to work peak hours.
• Provide great customer service. People tend to tip more generously when ordering delivery, and it's possible to earn more by providing above-average service. Be prompt, follow instructions, and if you're providing no-contact delivery, follow up with a text to ensure the customer received their items.

Side hustles to try while you wait for food

If you've ever gone to pick up your food order at a restaurant and found yourself next to a delivery driver who was also hanging around waiting for a customer's order, you already know that there can be a good deal of downtime with food delivery services and apps. There's no getting around this sometimes, but you can make the most of your time. If you're just going to entertain yourself with your phone anyway, we suggest installing some apps to make money while you wait around.

Freecash

Freecash is one of our favorite apps to make money because it's easy to use and offers a ton of different ways to earn cash. Even if you've only got a minute or two to spare, you might be able to make a quick buck with Freecash by playing games, answering surveys, watching ads, downloading apps, or completing other tasks. It doesn't require any skill or strategy, so you can knock out tasks even if your brain is fried from making deliveries.

Freecash offers an Android app you can download on Google Play, or you can access it from your web broswer if you've got an iPhone or can't use Google Play.

Visit Freecash | Read our full Freecash review

Solitaire Cash

Rather than paying you just to play games and download apps, Solitaire Cash pays you when you win. This one is better for those of you who love to compete, because you'll enter tournaments against other real players for a chance to win cash. It's real money you're competing for, but we should note that you also have to pay real money to play cash tournaments. Maybe you want to put a little bit of the tips you earn from delivering food toward this — you only need a minimum of $1 to enter.

Solitaire Cash is available for both iOS and Android devices, and we've found it to be better for quick games because you have five minutes to finish the game. Many restaurants will keep you waiting at least that long for takeout pickups, especially if you get there a little early,

Visit Solitaire Cash | Read our full Solitaire Cash review

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Bottom line

Delivery apps are one of the best side hustles to make money on your own schedule. You can choose to deliver restaurant orders for customers or shop and deliver groceries.

However, the best delivery driver apps to make money are those that let you deliver both restaurant and grocery orders, like DoorDash and Grubhub. The driver app you can earn the most with depends on your area. If you're close to a college, DoorDash and UberEats might be best for you, or maybe Postmates if the college is in a big city. If you're in a family-centered suburb, Amazon Flex could be a better choice.