DoorDash vs Uber Eats: Which One Pays More? (2024 Data!)
When it comes to food delivery apps, DoorDash and Uber Eats are two of the leading companies, with each one being available in thousands of cities.
But choosing the right app to use in the DoorDash vs Uber Eats debate can be difficult since both apps are so similar. So, how do you know which side hustle is right for you?
Well, after testing out both gig apps and interviewing other delivery drivers, I think I've found the answer. And my Uber Eats vs Doordash breakdown is covering how these apps works, differences in pay, and how to ultimately decide which app is worth using.
Uber Eats vs DoorDash Pay
In my experience, DoorDash pays slightly more than Uber Eats per order. However, Uber Eats is usually busier, so I make more money with it overall. Ultimately, how much you earn with DoorDash or Uber Eats largely depends on your market, tips, and when you deliver.
In other words, DoorDash has a higher hourly rate than Uber Eats but isn't always as busy. However, every market is different, and driver promotions and tips can make a massive difference in how much you earn.
For example, with Uber Eats, I make anywhere from $15-$25 an hour. If I receive consistent orders, it's generally around $20/hour.
As for DoorDash, it never seems busy enough in Toronto to have the same volume of orders that I receive with Uber Eats. However, I make slightly more per delivery.
For example, the last three deliveries I made for DoorDash paid me about $22, and they took one hour to complete.
Also note: Both DoorDash and Uber Eats let drivers keep 100% of all their tips. And both apps often have surge pricing or driver challenges you can complete to earn extra cash.
Personally, I like to run both apps simultaneously and I accept all my DoorDash orders if Uber Eats is slow. My advice is to sign up for DoorDash to see if there's enough demand in your area and to also keep Uber Eats in your back pocket.
About DoorDash
DoorDash is the leading food delivery service in North America, and it's currently available in over 5,500 cities. It lets customers order their favorite meals and essentials from local restaurants and grocery stores.
As a DoorDash driver, you get paid to pick up and deliver food and everyday essentials to customers. And, more recently, the platform has a package delivery component where Dashers can deliver UPS, FedEX, and USPS packages to people.
Signing up to deliver is free, and you can also deliver via bike, car, and scooter.
Overall, DoorDash is a flexible, fun side hustle that's great for making money in the gig economy. And busy cities and states are some of the best places to DoorDash since order volume is high.
About Uber Eats
Uber Eats is another leading food delivery app that lets you make money by delivering food, alcohol, groceries, and everyday essentials to people in your city.
The platform is also available in over 6,000 cities across 45+ countries. This is one main difference between Uber Eats and DoorDash since Uber is far more globally available.
Like DoorDash, you can also make money delivering via bike, car, scooter, and on foot. And Uber Eats is also quite flexible, letting you deliver on your own schedule.
Signing up is also free, and Uber Eats is a very effective way to earn quick money in your spare time and without any prior delivery experience.
DoorDash vs Uber Eats – Feature Comparison
Now that you know differences in Uber Eats vs DoorDash pay for drivers, I want to cover some other important considerations you should make when picking the right gig app to use.
Specifically, I'm going to compare:
- DoorDash vs Uber Eats driver requirements
- Payment models
- How deliveries work for drivers
- How scheduling works for drivers
- How you get paid
- Customer and driver support
- Where the apps are available
DoorDash vs Uber Eats – Driver Requirements
One of the most important factors in choosing between DoorDash or Uber Eats are the sign up requirements. After all, if you can't apply to one company, your choice is pretty clear!
Uber Eats Driver Requirements
Becoming an Uber Eats driver is fairly simple if you already drive for Uber because all you have to do is accept Uber Eats delivery terms to be eligible to receive food delivery requests.
If you aren't an Uber driver, you have to make an account and then begin filling out your application to complete the signup process.
There are a few critical requirements that you should be aware of if you want to drive for Uber Eats. The requirements include:
- Being 19 years of age or older
- Possessing a valid driver's license
- Having car insurance and at least one year of driving experience
- You must drive a vehicle with 2 or 4 doors
- Your vehicle can't be older than 1998
Note, these are just general requirements that are true of most countries/states, but there can be variance. For example, in Canada, you need to be 21 years or older to drive Uber, so keep this in mind and check the Uber website for a country-specific list of requirements.
Also note that in the United States you only have to be 18 to deliver food by bike with Uber Eats, but you still need to provide some sort of government ID.
DoorDash Driver Requirements
To start the process to drive with DoorDash, you just need to download the app and begin the registration process. However, as with Uber Eats, there are plenty of rules and requirements to take note of.
Most countries and states require DoorDash drivers to be 18 years or older, although various places will require drivers to be 21 years or older. Again, check your specific region to find the requirements.
DoorDash also requires that you:
- Pass a background check (no DUI, assault, reckless driving, driving with an expired/suspended license, or a few other offenses within the last 7 years).
- Are eligible to work in the country you are applying for.
- Don't have more than 3 minor driving violations (like speeding) within the last 3 years.
- Provide proof of a valid license and insurance.
- Have at least one year of driving experience.
Note that DoorDash is much more lenient on which vehicles or bikes are acceptable; if it runs, you are good to go.
Also note that some DoorDash drivers complete everything online, so your orientation might be done that way depending on where you live. But some markets have an in-person orientation for first time DoorDash drivers.
DoorDash vs Uber Eats – Pay Models
Here's a breakdown of the payment models each delivery app uses so you understand more about your hourly pay.
Uber Eats Pay Formula
Uber Eats uses the following factors and forumla to calculate your pay:
- Base fare
- Trip supplement which can boost trip pay to account for things like distance or delivery difficulty
- Driver promotions
- Tips (you keep 100% of all tips)
Promotions can include new driver sign up bonuses but also boosted pay during surge periods when the app is busy. Surge and boosts are one of the best ways to increase your hourly pay, so try to deliver when it's busy.
DoorDash Driver Pay Formula
DoorDash pays drivers with a similar payment model to Uber Eats, but it's slightly more transparent about its base fares:
- Base pay (which ranges from $2 to $10)
- Driver promotions (like peak pay or new driver bonuses)
- Challenges
- Tips (you keep 100% of all tips)
Challenges are a new feature that can pay drivers bonuses for completing a certain number of deliveries in a certain amount of time.
Additionally, DoorDash is now testing out an Earn by Time mode in select markets. This mode pays drivers a fixed hourly rate that varies depending on their market instead of paying per delivery.
Earn by Time still lets drivers cancel or decline one order per hour. And the fact it pays you a fixed rate is useful if you want steady pay.
Winner: DoorDash is more transparent than Uber Eats about its payment model. The new Earn by Time mode is also a massive difference.
DoorDash vs Uber Eats – Making Deliveries
Knowing how each delivery app works is also an important consideration when choosing to work for DoorDash or Uber Eats.
Thankfully, both apps have a similar delivery process. Order requests pop up in your driver app that outline information like:
- The minimum amount the order pays (before potential tips)
- Delivery distance
- The restaurant or store you're delivering from
- How many items you're delivering
There's no minimum DoorDash or Uber Eats acceptance rate. So, you can decline as many orders as you want and only accept the high-paying ones.
In fact, this is a common Uber Eats hack and DoorDash trick for drivers to make more money. And I like that both apps let you decline orders that aren't worth the gas money.
Once you accept an order, both driver apps help you navigate to the pickup location. You then mark the order as “picked up” within the app and use the app to navigate to the drop-off location.
Both DoorDash and Uber Eats support contactless delivery, so you usually leave food outside of people's houses and then mark the delivery as being complete after taking a photo of the food at the door. Sometimes, you hand-off food to customers. But both apps are almost identical in terms of how you complete deliveries.
DoorDash vs Uber Eats – Scheduling
Another significant difference between Uber Eats and DoorDash is how you schedule your shifts and actually start making money.
For example, one difference between DoorDash and Uber Eats is that DoorDash lets you schedule yourself for a Dash, so you can choose specific times you work at.
In busy cities with a lot of couriers, this means you can guarantee some work for yourself. So, DoorDash does a better job than Uber Eats at making sure drivers get orders and make more money.
In contrast, gigs like Uber Eats work on a first-come, first-serve basis. So, you simply go online and begin accepting orders whenever you want.
The downside is you have to compete with more drivers. But Uber Eats let you work anytime, whereas DoorDash can prevent Dashers from going online in busy zones.
DoorDash vs Uber Eats – Getting Paid
Both Uber Eats and DoorDash are similar in terms of when and how they pay drivers:
- DoorDash: Drivers get paid every week through direct deposit for deliveries completed between the previous Monday to Sunday. You can cash out instantly through Fast Pay but pay a $1.99 fee.
- Uber Eats: You also get paid each week with direct deposit for the deliveries you completed the previous week. You can also withdraw earnings immediately with Instant Pay for a $0.50 fee.
It's worth noting both payments can take a few days to process, so you normally get your funds around Wednesday or Thursday. Ultimately, Uber Eats has a slight edge here with a cheaper instant cash out fee, but it's pretty small.
DoorDash vs Uber Eats – Customer & Driver Support
Both Uber Eats and DoorDash offer pretty comprehensive customer service and generally side with customers in disputes. For example, if you order food with either app and don't receive everything you ordered, it's very easy to get a refund by issuing a complaint in the app.
Driver support is also available with both gigs. You can contact phone support if you're having trouble picking up an order or have issues with deliveries.
Plus, if a customer is unreachable for delivery, you can cancel the order after enough time passes without getting deactivated.
In reality, DoorDash or Uber Eats deactivation for drivers is quite uncommon unless you break some major rules.
DoorDash vs Uber Eats – Market Availability
One final consideration in the Uber Eats vs DoorDash debate is market availability. And this is one area where Uber Eats is far superior to jobs like DoorDash.
DoorDash is only available in North America, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand. But the platform is only popular in North America and is still growing internationally.
In contrast, Uber Eats is available in 45+ countries and is more globally popular. So, it's likely that Uber Eats is the best choice in your market.
Extra Reading – How To Make $1,000 A Week With Uber Eats.
What Do Other Delivery Drivers Think?
In my opinion, DoorDash is better than Uber Eats since it tends to pay more per hour on average. In fact, when we tested out DoorDash, we earned $14 to $18 per hour on average. However, Uber Eats is still worth using since it's busy in many markets.
But one of the best ways to tell if a side gig is worth it or not is to see what other drivers think. So, I interviewed my friend Grant who works as a bike courier for both DoorDash and Uber Eats.
Grant told me: “Uber Eats has more orders in my market. However, DoorDash seems to have higher surge pay and is a bit better many days.”
Both apps also have decent UI, but Uber Eats has their own GPS, while DoorDash relies on Google Maps. And while DoorDash also lets you stack orders, but I seem to get more stack order requests with Uber Eats than I do with DoorDash.”
As you can see, Grant makes more per hour with DoorDash but stacks both apps to make as much money as possible.
And most drivers I know multi-app with both apps to get as many orders as possible. So, once again, it's worth testing DoorDash and Uber Eats to see which one works best for you.
DoorDash Pros & Cons
DoorDash Pros:
- DoorDash pays more than Uber Eats on average according to our testing and experience
- Slightly easier driver and vehicle requirements than Uber Eats
- You can schedule shifts or simple Dash Now to start working
DoorDash Cons:
- Not as globally available as Uber Eats
- You can't always deliver if there are too many drivers on the road
- Higher Fast Pay fee than Uber Eats
Uber Eats Pros & Cons
Uber Eats Pros:
- You can drive for Uber Eats if you already drive for Uber
- Available in over 6,000 cities in dozens of countries
- You can work whenever you want
- Cheaper instant pay feature than DoorDash
Uber Eats Cons:
- Driver and vehicle requirements are a bit tougher than DoorDash
- Uber Eats is less busy than DoorDash in many U.S. markets
Uber Eats Or DoorDash Driver? – Which Gig Is Best?
I think it's best to sign up for both companies to test what works best in your market.
But, if you're wondering which company to start with, here's a bit more info to help you pick a winner in the DoorDash driver vs Uber Eats driver decision.
I think DoorDash is better than Uber Eats if:
- You want to earn slightly more per hour
- You like the idea of scheduling shifts
- You don't really care about cashing out with Fast Pay too often
In contrast, I think working for Uber Eats is better than DoorDash if:
- You already drive for Uber
- Uber Eats is the only company in your market, which is common outside of North America
- You want to use Instant Pay frequently
- You don't care about scheduling
At the end of the day, if you're looking for a delivery gig that lets you make extra money each month on your own schedule, both companies are worth working for.
Really, scheduling and the order stacking system are the two major differences. If you want a real answer for DoorDash vs Uber Eats pay and what's best, you have to test both apps in your specific area to find out how much you can make!
Extra Reading – How Much Can You Make A Week With DoorDash?
Frequently Asked Questions
Does DoorDash Or Uber Eats Pay More?
How much you earn with either DoorDash or Uber Eats greatly depends on your market. There's no real way to say which app pays more unless you test out both of them in the same city.
It's important to note that your market and any tips you receive from customers plays a massive role in how much you make per hour.
Plus, you have to work efficiently. This means following some Uber Eats tips and tricks like driving at the best times, working on customer service, and knowing which parts of town to deliver in.
The same goes for DoorDash. If you want to make the most money on DoorDash, you need to deliver at the best times, work for tips, and try to deliver as quickly as possible.
It's also worth noting it's difficult to make a living off DoorDash or Uber Eats, so think of these as high-paying side hustles and not full-time jobs.
Extra Reading – The Best DoorDash Hacks To Make More Money.
Is DoorDash Or Uber Eats Better To Work For?
This largely comes down to preference and how the apps perform in your specific city. Many drivers use both DoorDash and Uber Eats at once to maximize how many order requests they get, and this is an effective way to boost your overall hourly earnings as a delivery courier.
Grant found more success with Uber Eats than DoorDash in Toronto, but he still uses and enjoys both delivery apps.
What Are Some Good DoorDash & Uber Eats Alternatives?
DoorDash and Uber Eats are two of the best apps to multi-app with since they're similar and are both busy in many markets.
However, mixing in other delivery apps is a good way to test what pays the most and to get more orders. Some of my favorite alternatives include:
- Instacart: The leading grocery delivery gig in North America.
- Grubhub: Another popular food delivery app that's similar to Uber Eats and DoorDash.
- Shipt: This delivery gig like Instacart also lets you deliver groceries for money.
- Amazon Flex: Earn up to $25 per hour by delivering packages for Amazon.
- Walmart Spark: This gig pays you to shop for Walmart products and then deliver them to customers.
Ultimately, there are plenty of high-paying apps in the delivery space you can take advantage of. And plenty of them let you make money with your bike, car, scooter, or even by walking!
Extra Reading – How To Earn $500 A Week Doing DoorDash.
What Expenses Do Both Gigs Have?
Another important thing to consider with both delivery jobs is your expenses. For both Uber Eats and DoorDash, these include:
- Gas
- Vehicle depreciation
- Potential tolls or tickets if you make a mistake
Working as a bike courier is the best way to limit your expenses, although this isn't viable in every area.
At the very least, use a mileage tracking app like Everlance if you drive to track your total mileage. You might be able to claim some as a deduction when filing taxes to save some money.
You can also use different reward apps, like Pogo and Upside, to save money on gas so you keep more money in your pocket.
Extra Reading – Does DoorDash Pay You For Gas?
Final Thoughts
I hope my DoorDash vs Uber Eats review helps you understand how these delivery apps work and which one is right for you.
Again, testing out both apps is important to finding out what pays the most in your market. And most delivery drivers I know multi-app with quite a few apps.
So, don't be afraid to test out Shipt or DoorDash, or to sign up for Uber Eats and Grubhub. In time, you'll find the combination of real money-making apps that's best for you.
Catch you guys in the next one!
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