Reviews

DoorDash Driver Review – Is This Side Hustle Right For You?

If you are looking for a side-hustle, you might be thinking that DoorDash is for you. However, you want to know how much money you can actually make and if it’s worth it. You also want to know how it compares to other applications. This DoorDash driver review will go over all of that for you, so keep reading to get the full scoop on DoorDash! 

doordash-review

What To Know About DoorDash

DoorDash is a food delivery platform that allows you to use their app to deliver food. To become a driver, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Be at least 18 years old.
  • Have a smartphone to download and use the app.
  • Have a valid driver’s license, insurance, and a good driving record (if you decide to use a car).
  • Pass a background check.

You can deliver by car, and specific locations allow delivery by bike, scooter, and walking. You also get a free insulated delivery bag and a prepaid DoorDash card when you become a driver.

To sign up, visit the DoorDash website or upload the app and click “Become a Dasher” Then, create your free account and verify your identity.

DoorDash is available in over 4,000 cities in the U.S., Canada, and Australia.

The Pros Of Being A DoorDash Driver

There are many pros to being a driver for DoorDash. Read on for more details.  

It’s Easy

DoorDash is a super simple way to make money. You don’t need a ton of qualifications, and once you are approved, you can start working. All you need to do is pick up food and deliver it, so you don’t need a ton of skills, and you can listen to music while you do it!

Higher Pay Than Other Applications

In comparison to other applications, like Postmates, DoorDash typically pays more. Their base pay is higher, and most people are making between $15-$25 an hour. The payment will depend on your location, though. Some places in the U.S., like Manhattan, pay their DoorDash Dashers a lot more.  

Quick Pay

Unlike a typical job, you don’t have to wait two weeks to get paid. DoorDash pays its drivers every week. Also, they do have an instant payment option if you need your money sooner. It is important to note that you can only use the instant payment option once a day. Also, DoorDash charges you $1.99 every time you use this feature. 

“Busy Pay” Period

Like other food-delivery apps, DoorDash has a “busy pay” period where you get paid more for delivering during that time. You also get paid during times when there is more traffic. Overall, DoorDash’s payment model reflects when deliveries are further or more difficult. Difficult deliveries also take into account a long wait time at a restaurant. 

Flexibility

Working for DoorDash is more flexible than working a regular job. You don’t have to work a certain amount of hours like you would with a steady job. You also get to make your own hours. And you get to decide if you want to accept or reject any order. When you don’t want to do an order for someone that you know is unlikely to tip, this option comes in handy.

Top “Dashers” Get Perks

When you become a DoorDasher driver, you have to schedule what times you want to work, which limits when you can work. However, when you become a top “Dasher”, you can work whenever you want by clicking “Dash Now.” Top “Dashers” also get priority in setting their hours. Therefore, the longer you work for DoorDash, the more perks you get, and the more money you can make. 

doordash-driver-review

Extra Pay

DoorDash also pays Dashers for other achievements, such as making 30 deliveries in 30 days and referring others to become drivers. Therefore, they give you different ways to add to your standard pay.

More Reliability Than Other Apps

DoorDash, unlike some apps, is pickier with what drivers they accept. Depending on your location, there can be a waitlist for you to become a driver. Therefore, the application itself isn’t overly saturated. Thus, once you set your hours, it is almost guaranteed you will have deliveries during that time. There are other apps where you can end up going online and not have deliveries for hours and hours.

Payment Display Before Accepting a Job

With DoorDash, the app displays how much you will get paid before accepting a job. This is one of the best perks. Some apps, like Postmates, won’t tell you how much you make until after the order is delivered, so you can end up doing deliveries where you don’t get paid much.

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DoorDash’s method gives you more control over what deliveries you choose to accept, and ultimately, your pay. 

Get Started As A DoorDash Driver Sign up to be a DoorDash Driver and see how much money you can earn! GET STARTED NOW

The Cons Of Being A DoorDash Driver

While there are some excellent pros to being a DoorDasher, you also have to consider the cons before deciding that this is the side-hustle for you.

Expenses And Risks Associated With Drivetime

One major con associated with any delivery app is that you are going to increase mileage and wear and tear on your car. You may end up needing to get repairs more often or replace your tires more frequently. Additionally, you have to pay for gas more often. However, since you are covering 100% of your business costs while being considered a 1099 independent contractor, you can usually write off these types of expenses on your taxes.

Speak to a tax accountant about this, but you can expect to fully or partially deduct the following:

  • Mileage
  • Tolls
  • Parking Fees
  • Cell Phone Usage
  • Car Insurance
  • Car Maintenance
  • Repairs
  • Car Loan Interest
  • Registration Fees
  • Car Depreciation

Even though you can deduct these expenses on your taxes, paying upfront expenses can be a con for many that don’t have the cash to pay for these expenses. However, if you do well on DoorDash, the pay can far outweigh the costs for expenses such as gas. 

Also, safety is another risk you need to consider. You will be driving more than usual, which could increase the risk of an accident, especially if you live in a high-traffic area. 

Not Always Able To Get Hours

If you are getting into DoorDash for the flexibility of hours, this app is a lot more limited than other applications if you aren’t a top Dasher. During busy times, it can be hard to get hours since DoorDash limits the amount of people that can work during certain timeframes. Sometimes, you’ll only be able to set hours for 30 minutes a day. Therefore, you are going to be limited in how much money you can make initially. 

Fewer Tips

While DoorDash does give drivers tips, they aren’t as well known for their tips as Postmates, so you may end up relying on base pay more often. 

Bad Support

DoorDash support is lacking. It is hard to get a hold of anyone if you are having an issue. And if something goes wrong with the application, such as a crash, you only get compensated $1. That is also the case even if you spend hours doing a delivery. You don’t get paid per hour or per order, just $1 per problem. DoorDash could be better about providing support for their Dashers.

The Application

The main issue with the application is that the in-app map sometimes has problems loading. This isn’t the case with other food delivery applications. 

Review System

DoorDash has a rating system for its drivers. While the review system can allow you to get better orders and more deliveries eventually, it also creates more stress around the job. Your ratings can drop by choosing not to accept a request, accepting an order and not finishing the delivery, and customers rating you poorly. The rating system does put more pressure to deliver the food quickly. It also takes out a lot of the leisure that is typically associated with this type of side-hustle when using other apps, like Postmates.

DoorDash Driver Alternative App Options

Regarding payment, DoorDash is one of the best if you live in a big city. The base pay can be quite high. Some people also prefer that you can set your schedule and generally be guaranteed deliveries during that time frame. This method is in contrast to going on whenever and waiting around for deliveries, like with Postmates. However, Postmates typically tips better, and there are generally more people using the app. It depends on where you are, though. While more people using Postmates can be a good thing, it can also be a bad thing when there is too much competition with other drivers for orders. Both Postmates and DoorDash offer instant pay, but DoorDash charges a higher fee for using this feature. 

DoorDash is generally better for people who want a more serious side-hustle where they can work their way up to making more money (aka becoming a top Dasher). But if you want something extremely flexible where you can go on whenever you want, and without having to stress about being rated, then you are better off with Postmates.

With that said, I would highly recommend that you try to get hired with as many food-delivery apps as possible so that when one is slow, you can use another one. That way, you’ll stay busy and make more money. Other food-delivery apps include UberEats and GrubHub. There’s also grocery delivery apps, like Shipt and Instacart, that you can also consider. I won’t say these are necessarily better, but it doesn’t hurt to have multiple options. 

Is Being A DoorDash Driver Worth It?

If you want to make easy money and set your own hours, then yes, it is worth it. If you become a top Dasher and are diligent with it, you can make up to $1000 a week, working six days a week. However, if you hate driving and don’t want to put wear and tear on your car and pay for the upfront expenses mentioned earlier, then no, it won’t be worth it to you.

work-for-doordash

However, the amount of money you can make, if you are diligent, can significantly outweigh the costs, especially during times when gas is cheap. 

Also, if you live in a big city, DoorDash is definitely worth looking into as the base pay is typically a lot higher than in smaller, suburban areas. 

Get Started As A DoorDash Driver Sign up to be a DoorDash Driver and see how much money you can earn! GET STARTED NOW

The Bottom Line: Being A DoorDash Driver

While DoorDash does require a bit more persistence and consistency to start making more money, once you achieve top Dasher status, you will have a lot more flexibility and perks that other drivers don’t. Therefore, your ability to make more money can increase over time. Overall, if you want an easy side-hustle that has the potential for decent pay, DoorDash is an excellent option for that. You can also pair this with being a driver for other applications. Just remember that you will have expenses, but if you talk to a tax accountant, you can work on writing those expenses off!. Now, go sign up to DoorDash!

Overall Rating: 4.25 out of 5

Kevin Martin

Kevin is an ambitious entrepreneur that is obsessed with all things related to finance. From a young age, Kevin has always been involved with side hustles ranging from online selling to freelance work. Over the years, Kevin graduated from side hustles and started launching multiple online and offline businesses. Kevin is a serial entrepreneur who loves starting new businesses and exploring all things related to business and finance. He is constantly looking for new ways to save money, invest money, and create income streams.

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