How To Make More Money With Doordash

DoorDash vs. Uber Eats: Which Earns More Cash?

Requirements
Signing Up
Deliveries
Earnings
Payment
Tips
Which To Choose

Delivery man bringing food to a customer.

South_agency / Getty Images

Side hustles such as delivering food and groceries have grown in popularity as a good way to make a little extra money. Startup costs are minimal if you already have a smartphone and a car. And in some areas, you may even be able to make deliveries on foot, by scooter or bike.

The pandemic caused a shift in the way people buy, making it possible to turn a side hustle into a full-time job. Uber Eats and DoorDash, two of the top platforms are busier than ever. Both make it fast and easy to sign up for deliveries but the setup and way they work can be a little different.

The good news is, you can work with both companies to maximize your earnings potential. All you need is a little information on how to make each work best for you. Here is a DoorDash vs. Uber Eats breakdown that compares how each app functions.

DoorDash vs. Uber Eats: Requirements

The first thing to go over is who can sign up to deliver with Doordash or Uber Eats. Check out the following information:

Requirements	DoorDash	Uber Eats
Minimum age for car deliveries	18	-United States of America: 19 -Canada: 21
Type of car	No restrictions	-Must be 20 years old or newer -Two or four-door vehicles allowed
License	Valid driver's license	Valid driver's license
Driving	-Car insurance required -Clean driving record -One year of driving experience	-Car insurance required -One year of driving experience
Bike or scooter allowed?	Bikes, scooters. motorcycles and walking deliveries allowed in select cities	-Bikes, motos and scooters allowed in select cities -Two-wheel deliveries allowed for 18-year-olds or older -Transport cannot travel over 30 mph
Other	Must pass a background check	Must pass a background check

Best of all, you can toggle between your form of transportation; these are known as Dash Types. If it's a nice day out, just change your app's settings to scooter or moto and switch back to car mode when you're ready. The only drawback is the background check. If you've had convictions or serious accidents in the last few years, your application to become a DoorDash driver may be denied or your account may be suspended.

Verdict:

When comparing DoorDash vs. Uber Eats for accessibility, DoorDash wins. It has fewer requirements for drivers. There are no vehicle restrictions and depending on the city you're located in, you can make deliveries using your car, scooter, bike or perhaps even walk.

How To Qualify As a Driver

If you qualify for either or both of the services, you can easily sign up online or by downloading the mobile app. You might as well download the app already since it will handle everything when you finally get to work.

DoorDash driver app: App Store | Google Play
Uber Eats driver app: App Store | Google Play

How To Sign Up as a DoorDash Driver

Here's how to sign up as a DoorDash driver:

Apply online or through the mobile app
Provide your driver's license number
U.S. Dashers must provide their Social Security number
Consent to the background check
Wait for the background check to clear
Finish setting up your account and adding your delivery type

How To Sign Up as an UberEats Driver

Here's the process for signing up as an Uber Eats driver:

Apply online or through the mobile app
Upload a photo of your driver's license
Provide insurance information
Provide your Social Security number
Consent to the background check
Wait for the background check to clear

Verdict:

DoorDash is slightly easier to sign up for since you don't have to upload photos of your ID or provide insurance information.

Making Deliveries with Uber Eats or DoorDash

Once your background check is approved, you are ready to get started. Make sure your vehicle is gassed up, you have an ID and a credit card–in case you need extra gas–and your phone is fully charged.

Go Online

Turn the app on and let it start notifying you of available deliveries. Both apps will show you what's available in your area based on your location. Both companies may suggest busy times or popular areas nearby, which may be paying delivery bonuses to drivers.

Accept

When you see something you like, tap to accept the order and following the app's instructions. When you get started, all you have to do is go and pick up the order. Customers pay directly so you don't have to worry about checking out or making payments.

Payment-Required Deliveries

DoorDash will mail you a credit card known as a Red Card after you complete the first delivery that you can use to pay for orders. You can choose to activate it and expand the types of deliveries you do or continue making simple deliveries that don't require you to pay for orders at pickup. Some Dashers prefer to stick with deliveries that don't require payments using the Red Card to save time at pick up and get more deliveries done.

Following the Steps

Both apps make it easy to complete deliveries. You may even be asked if you'd like to accept a second order, typically from the same pickup location. Known as a stacked delivery, it's a good way to make money faster, since you'll get paid for two deliveries but have only one neighboring or same-restaurant or store pickup. Don't worry, simply follow the map's directions and check off or swipe the steps as you go. They may be:

You've arrived at the restaurant or merchandise location
You have the order(s) in hand
You have completed the delivery to the customer

Some deliveries may ask you to scan the item you've picked up, or take a photo of the order in the location you were asked to leave it, such as the front door. The process is designed to be as simple as guess-free as possible. If you get stuck along the way, both apps allow you to call or chat with customer support to get guidance if you can't find an address or a customer isn't answering the door.

Shift Scheduling

DoorDash has a unique feature Uber Eats doesn't provide. You can qualify for early-access scheduling to lock in peak hours up to six days in advance. This means you have priority over drop-in DoorDashers during the blocks you've selected. To qualify:

Complete at least 95% of your deliveries, have a Customer Rating of at least 4.6 and complete at least five deliveries since the previous Friday
Have a history of 500 completed deliveries or more, a completion rating of 95% and a Customer Rating of at least 4.6

Here's more on how the two services compare:

Requirements	DoorDash	Uber Eats
Flexibility	-Dash Now -Schedule time blocks	On-demand only
Prepaid card	Red Card	Not available
Stacked deliveries	Yes	Yes
Gear required	No, although you'll receive a free insulated carry bag and face mask in the mail. You can buy other items in the DoorDash store.	No, although there is a swag store with merchandise available.

If you'd like to run your side gig as a professional business, DoorDash may be the better option. You can expand the types of deliveries you do by activating the company Red Card for purchases, schedule priority shifts and look sharp in your coordinating red face mask and thermal delivery bag.

Verdict:

To rate DoorDash vs. Uber Eats, Uber Eats is great for an easy but no-frills experience. You won't get any free gear to get started as you would with DoorDash, but the platform works fairly seamlessly.

How Much Money Can You Make?

Both platforms will pay you a combination of time–including waiting time at a restaurant–and mileage. You also have access to small bonuses during peak periods.

The real earnings can be made from tips. It's not unusual to accept a delivery for $5 and receive a $10 customer tip. Here is how each app works.

DoorDash Base Pay and Tips

The base pay range for a DoorDash delivery is $2 to $10. You'll see a base pay before you accept the order so you know the minimum you'll make. The base pay may be higher after you complete the delivery if the waiting time was longer.

Customers can leave a tip when they order the food and after. In most cases, the pay you see before you accept the order may already include a tip. But you may still have a chance to get an additional tip after the food is delivered. Tips are all yours to keep. When you accept an order, you know you'll at least get paid the amount you saw before you tapped to accept the delivery.

Uber Eats Base Pay and Tips

As with DoorDash, base pay is a combination of mileage and time spent on delivery plus any bonuses. You'll see the amount of the delivery before you accept and can rest assured you'll make at least the amount you agreed to. Uber doesn't provide a range, but driver forums discuss a similar range to DoorDash.

A customer can leave you a tip when they are ordering or after you deliver. Uber Eats also lets you keep 100% of your tip money. Tips may take a while to show after you complete your delivery but can be found on the daily summary page on the app.

Verdict:

It's a tie when it comes to which app makes you money. They both have similar base pay and it's up to the customer to decide on the tip, which is 100% yours.

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Options for Getting Paid

Both apps give you options when it's time to get paid. Here's how each service works:

Uber Eats

There are two ways to cash your earnings out:

Set up direct deposit. Earnings are closed out early Monday at 4 a.m., processed for payment on Wednesday and deposited into your account on Thursdays.
Request Instant Cash Out: An Instant Cash Out can be done any time during the week and sends the funds to your linked debit card or bank account by tapping on cash out in the app. It may still take up to three days to see the funds, depending on the bank. You can order up to five per day, but each comes with a 50-cent fee.

DoorDash

Like Uber Eats, you have two ways to collect your earnings.

Set up direct deposit. Weekly earnings are closed out and direct deposited into your linked account on Mondays. You'll probably see the funds on Wednesday.
Request Fast Pay: Link a debit card to get paid anytime before direct deposit day. However, you must qualify for the service first by completing at least 25 deliveries. There is also an initial seven-day processing delay and each Fast Pay request costs $1.99.

Verdict:

When comparing DoorDash vs. Uber Eats for payments, Uber Eats wins. Getting paid is easier and cheaper if you don't want to wait for the weekly direct deposit.

How To Make More Money on DoorDash and Uber Eats

To make the most of your precious time there are a few hacks you can try to bump up your earnings:

Tips To Earn More As a Delivery Driver:

Work during peak periods: You'll typically earn a bonus amount, which may be between $3 and $10 extra dollars per delivery. Peak periods may be late nights, weekdays at lunchtime or weekend evenings. The app will often notify you when it's short on drivers and it's busy.

Be choosy: Time is of the essence, pick deliveries that are quick to complete. You may make more money doing two or three short deliveries than one longer-distance one, even it pays an extra dollar or two. You'll also improve the odds of getting tips from more than one person if you can do more deliveries faster.

Accept stacked orders: Let Uber Eats or DoorDash organize your schedule by accepting multiple pickups and drop-offs in one order. You'll make more in delivery fees and raise the odds of more tips.

Add small touches of service: Provide customers with extra napkins or mints from the restaurant pick-up location. Be friendly when you drop off the order. Send them a text if the customer didn't object to the delivery instructions letting them know you've left their items at the door as requested and wish them a great day. Small, personal details could help you earn a bigger tip.

Take a partner: Having someone who can stay in the car while you make the delivery so you don't have to find parking or who can help you navigate while you drive can help the process run faster and smoother.

DoorDash vs. Uber Eats: Which One Is Better?

To wrap it up, both delivery services have a lot going for them. To choose the one that's better for you, a little research may be a good idea or try both out to decide. Uber Eats is simple and user-friendly. DoorDash can be as well but has more flexible features such as scheduling and fewer delivery vehicle restrictions.

Final Take

You may find that one delivery app is busier in your area than the other. You may even decide to do both, picking and choosing each service's peak periods for the best pay. That's the beauty of a side hustle — you have options. Be creative and make the options work for you.

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Cynthia Paez Bowman is a personal finance writer with degrees from American University in international business and journalism. Besides writing about personal finance, she writes about real estate, interior design and architecture. Her work has been featured in MSN, Brex, Freshome, MyMove, Emirates' Open Skies magazine and more.