Working for a delivery service is one of the best ways to drive around and make extra money. The confines of an office or your workspace might seem overwhelming, especially if you dislike staying indoors.
To help you decide whether a delivery gig is right for you, we’ve covered some of the most popular delivery services, the earning potential of delivery side hustles, and the pros and cons of every company.
Types of Delivery Side Hustles
Let’s look at some of the best types of delivery apps and services you can work for:
- Food Delivery Driver: Working for a food delivery service is a popular side hustle that requires people to handle restaurant-prepared food and deliver it quickly.
- Groceries and Stationery Delivery: A grocery delivery side hustle will require you to deliver groceries and stationery on short notice, also including shopping in some cases.
- Package Delivery Services: Package delivery drivers work for shipment companies like Amazon, FedEx, UPS, USPS, or Blue Dart to handle a variety of items.
What You’ll Need to Do Delivery Side Hustles
Every delivery app has several requirements when it comes to hiring drivers since you’ll have to pass a screening test. Here is a brief overview of what you’ll need to pass these tests and take up a delivery job:
- Valid Driver’s License:You have to have a valid driver’s license to get hired, which will be cross-checked during the registration process.
- Working Vehicle: Owning a working vehicle (usually a bike, bicycle, or car), is the next major prerequisite. Some delivery apps like Uber Eats allow you to deliver on foot, but others might not have the same feature.
- Pass a Background Check: You need to have a clean driving record to get hired. Having a history of overspeeding, not stopping at a red light or other traffic rule violations might disqualify you from the screening test.
- Knowledge of City Roads: You need to be thorough with the shortcuts and roads in your city. That’s because most food delivery apps offer customers a minimum time guarantee that must be fulfilled or the delivery fee is waived (usually being taken out of the driver’s paycheck.)
- Time Management Skills: The demand for delivery services will be higher than normal during festivals and holidays; great time management skills will help you complete multiple orders on time.
- Communication Skills: Having great customer service skills is a key to success since you’ll be able to communicate with customers more effectively and handle problems better.
How Much Can You Make as a Delivery Driver
The average hourly pay that delivery drivers receive is around $18, according to Indeed. Delivery services usually offer a bonus (called peak pay by some apps) based on the number of orders completed or miles driven. Customer tips play an important role in determining how much you’ll be paid since they’re added to the base pay you’ll receive from the company.
Some delivery apps even offer to reimburse costs for fuel or maintenance of the vehicle once you’ve become a partner and completed several orders. But, considering the uncertainty in earnings and the expenses, it’s better to deliver food or packages as a side hustle rather than your main job.
Top 4 Places to Find Delivery Side Hustles
Now, let’s take a look at some of the best places where you can find delivery jobs:
1. Uber Eats
Uber Eats drivers don’t necessarily need a bike to land the gig since scooters, bicycles, and on-foot deliveries are also permitted.
You can see how much you’ll be paid per delivery through the Uber Eats drive app, including the service charge, which allows you to choose orders that are convenient to complete.
Pros
- No Minimum Hours: You can set your status to active on the app whenever you have spare time to work.
- Automatic Payment: Your earnings will be automatically credited to your bank account at a frequency of your choosing.
Cons
- No Payment Guarantee: Uber doesn’t offer a guaranteed base pay, which means you won’t be paid unless you complete an order, which will earn you $3.50 on average.
- Strict Security Measures: From time to time, you’ll need to perform facial recognition through the Uber Eats app to confirm your identity.
2. Doordash
Doordash is among the most popular food delivery services in the world, being used by 15 million people worldwide who order food from restaurants as well as groceries.
Some orders require the driver to become a full-service shopper and pick out items for the customer, adding a new responsibility that other delivery jobs might not have.
Pros
- Guaranteed Base Pay: Doordash gives drivers a guaranteed base pay of $2 per order and lets you have up to 100% tips.
- Rewards System: The Doordash cashback system allows you to claim fuel, groceries, and other items through eligible merchants once you’ve accumulated a sufficient amount of points.
Cons
- Driving for Free: After delivering the order, you’ll have to drive to the hot zones (where a lot of popular restaurants are) without any orders to take you there which significantly increases fuel and maintenance costs, depending on where you’re delivering.
- Lack of Incentive: There is a massive lack of incentives, as you’ll barely have any promotions or pay increases after the initial promotion upon completing 35 orders. Being a top Dasher also seems like a futile achievement since there are hardly any perks to the title.
3. Instacart
Instacart is one of the world’s largest and most popular grocery delivery service, available throughout the United States. While you’ll be delivering groceries primarily, you also have the chance to work as an in-store shopper.
In either case, you’ll be working as an independent contractor, which takes away the company’s burden of paying for insurance and other perks. Instacart’s full-service shoppers can withdraw their money every two hours once they have completed five batches of orders.
Pros
- Vehicle Not Mandatory: You don’t need a vehicle to work for Instacart since you’ll be able to work as an in-store shopper if you so choose.
- Personalized Rewards: Instacart offers reward points for every order, which can be used for cash back while purchasing gas and reduces maintenance costs for drivers.
Cons
- Minimum Hours Required: In-store shoppers have to work for at least 29 hours per week, while delivery drivers can work on their schedule.
- Lack of Contact Options: Driver support is restricted to email since the contact number provided by Instacart usually doesn’t work.
4. Amazon Flex
As an Amazon Flex driver, you’ll have to deliver packages instead of food. The only constraint is that you need a reliable vehicle, like a truck or a car with four doors, as bikes, bicycles, and scooters are not allowed.
With Amazon, you’ll be earning a per-hour rate and will be paid weekly on the day of your choosing.
Pros
- Follow Your Own Schedule: You have the freedom to work your own hours as an Amazon delivery driver, but you’ll need to set the schedule beforehand on the app.
- Better Pay Than Competition: The pay is better than other delivery services, which increases the scope of earning as you get paid between $15-25 per hour.
Cons
- Buggy App: The Amazon Flex app is quite challenging to use, and a lot of drivers have complained about the various bugs and glitches they face regularly.
- No Bikes: Having a car is a non-negotiable and two-wheelers are not allowed, leaving people who don’t own or can’t afford a car with no choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Mileage and Insurance Provided by Delivery Companies?
Unfortunately, not all companies provide vehicular insurance or reimburse drivers for mileage since they are hired as independent contractors. Big food delivery businesses utilize the freelancer model to avoid having to spend extra on their drivers.
Who is a Food Delivery Job For?
A food delivery job is meant for someone who’s patient with customers, excellent at understanding directions in case of deliveries to obscure locations, and efficient with their time management to succeed at this job when it gets hectic.
Wrapping Up
Signing up with the best food delivery apps we’ve discussed above can be a great side hustle if you’re someone who could use the extra cash to boost your main income. Most delivery services pay you an average of $15-20 per hour, with perks like cashback on gas purchases or groceries.
Remember to take into consideration the rates the food delivery app offers and their minimum work hours to determine if it’s a good fit for you.
If you liked this article, let us know what you found most helpful in the comments. Feel free to share it with a friend or family member who would be interested in a delivery job to earn more money.
Other Side Hustles to Consider
Below are some other side hustles you should consider if you liked reading about the best delivery jobs:
- Places to Sell Used Bikes: Do you pride yourself on your knowledge of bikes, and start a resale business? Click here to find out where to sell used bikes.
- Best Outdoor Jobs: For people who don’t want to work out of an office or home, here are the best outdoor jobs that you can take up.
- Passive Side Hustles: Would you rather make money while asleep, at the gym, or at your other job? These passive side hustles are what you’re looking for!
