Instacart vs DoorDash (2024) – Which App Pays Drivers More?
Food delivery gigs are some of the highest paying gig jobs out there. And in the delivery world, two of the most popular companies are Instacart and DoorDash.
But, which side hustle pays more, and what's the sign up process and life on the job like?
Well, if you're having trouble deciding, don't stress. My Instacart vs DoorDash breakdown is covering everything you need to know so you can pick the right food delivery side hustle for you.
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Instacart vs DoorDash – Quick Summary
- DoorDash involves delivering food and everyday essentials whereas Instacart involves delivering groceries
- DoorDash lets you deliver with a car, bike, or scooter but Instacart requires a vehicle
- Instacart batches typically pay more than DoorDash, but you complete more DoorDash orders per hour
- DoorDash is available in more countries and cities than Instacart
- Instacart tips tend to be higher than DoorDash tips
- Instacart uses less gas and puts less wear-and-tear on vehicles than DoorDash
About Instacart
Instacart is a grocery delivery and pick-up service that allows customers to order groceries online. The company began in 2012 and has since grown into a leading grocery delivery service, operating in over 5,500 cities in the U.S. and Canada.
The main difference between working for Instacart versus DoorDash is that Instacart mostly deals with groceries and everyday essentials, not fast food and restaurant meals.
This means you're shopping for groceries, not just picking up food from a fast food joint. But if you want to get paid to shop, it's one of the most lucrative delivery gigs out there.
You also work with a wide range of stores as an Instacart Shopper. Notable partners include Aldi, Costco, CVS, Publix, Safeway, and Walmart.
And in some cities, Instacart hires full-time W2 workers. These shoppers are in-store shoppers who only assemble grocery orders in-store and never make deliveries. This role isn't as common as full-service Instacart Shoppers, which is an independent contractor position where you shop for groceries and make deliveries.
About DoorDash
DoorDash began in 2013 and is an online food ordering and delivery platform that lets people order fast food and restaurant meals to their door.
The company is also the largest food delivery service in North America, operating in over 5,500 cities and having over 50% of the food delivery market share!
Unlike Instacart, DoorDash specializes in restaurant food delivery, although you can still find grocery orders from retailers like Walmart.
But for the most part, DoorDash drivers deliver food from fast food establishments and restaurants. However, you can deliver via bike, car, scooter, and even on foot in some markets since you're delivering much smaller orders than with Instacart.
Does DoorDash Or Instacart Pay More?
Instacart pays more than DoorDash per delivery. However, an Instacart batch can easily take an hour or longer, so you complete more DoorDash deliveries per hour. This means most drivers make more with DoorDash than Instacart in a day since orders are steadier.
However, factors like tips, your market, and potential bonuses all influence how much you earn. Additionally, many gig workers use apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats for their main apps and supplement orders with high-paying Instacart batches.
Overall, DoorDash pay depends on your market, tips, the time you deliver at, and numerous other factors. Instacart is much more variable and ranges from around $14 to $25 depending on your market, tips, and if you deliver at the best times.
Instacart vs DoorDash – Driver Requirements
Because Instacart and DoorDash have different regulations, we're going over each list and comparing the differences.
Instacart Shopper Requirements
The requirements to become an Instacart Shopper include:
- Being at least 18 years old
- Being eligible to work in the United States or Canada
- Having consistent access to a vehicle
- Having access to a recent smartphone (iPhone 6s / Android 5.0 or newer)
- Being able to lift 50 lbs with or without accommodation
- Consenting to a background check
When you sign up, you also provide proof of a valid driver's license and auto insurance. Also note that as an Instacart Shopper, you have to make deliveries with a car since you're going to deliver entire grocery hauls to people's houses.
This is a significant difference to delivering for DoorDash since DoorDash drivers can deliver via bike or scooter to make money without a car. As for Instacart's background check, it looks for any major driving violations and any criminal record you might have.
DoorDash Driver Requirements
Here are the DoorDash driver requirements:
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Must own a car, scooter, or bicycle (some cities only allow cars)
- Have a valid driver’s license number
- Have a data plan on your mobile device
- Have a valid social security number (only in the U.S.)
- Consent to a background check
As mentioned, one of the main differences between DoorDash vs Instacart is that you can deliver with a bike or scooter with DoorDash. When you sign up for DoorDash, you also provide proof of a valid driver's license and insurance, just like Instacart.
Winner: DoorDash is more flexible than Instacart and lets you deliver via bike, scooter, or car.
Instacart vs DoorDash Pay
Figuring out if working for Instacart or DoorDash is better depends on driver pay. After all, you obviously want to make as much money per hour as possible so you're maximizing your monthly income.
Instacart Shopper Pay
According to salary review websites like Glassdoor and Indeed, the average Instacart Shopper pay is approximately $16 per hour.
However, other salary review sites like PayScale state Instacart Shoppers earn as much as $18.84 per hour.
Instacart states that you can make up to $25 per hour, but this is a maximum. On average, you're probably looking at around $15 to $16 per hour with Instacart, although large Instacart batches and good tips can push you past $20 quite easily.
As for how Instacart calculates pay, factors that influence how much you earn per delivery include:
- The number of items in a batch (“batches” are the name for orders)
- Delivery distance
- Location
- How difficult deliveries are
- Base pay for shoppers, which varies by market
- A “heavy fee” for heavy products
The bottom line is you can earn around $15 to $20+ per hour by working as an Instacart Shopper.
DoorDash Driver Pay
According to salary review websites like Indeed and Glassdoor, the average hourly pay is just under $17. But if you look on websites like ZipRecruiter, DoorDash driver pay is $18 per hour.
DoorDash drivers keep 100% of their tips as well, just like with Instacart. Here are the other factors DoorDash uses when calculating driver pay.
- Base pay + Promotions + Tips = Earnings
- Base pay = Time + Distance + Desirability
- Promotions = Peak Pay + Challenges
Overall, DoorDash driver pay is a bit steadier since you largely get similar orders consisting of fast food deliveries and restaurant takeout. This also means you make more with DoorDash per day than Instacart since you get way more orders.
This stability means the odds of getting massive tips is lower than Instacart, but your pay is probably a bit more stable.
Winner: The average pay for DoorDash and Instacart is very close. DoorDash provides steadier earnings but Instacart has a higher potential for large tips.
Instacart vs DoorDash – Making Deliveries
With Instacart, you're shopping for groceries and delivering them to people. This means you're doing more walking and actually have to shop. In contrast, DoorDash involves more driving around and you don't have to shop for stuff.
Instacart Deliveries
Instacart lets you go online anytime you want just by opening the app, so you don't need to schedule shifts in advance. When you open your Instacart app as a driver, you start getting batch requests for nearby orders you can accept.
Batch requests include information like:
- Estimated pay (Instacart's base pay and a potential tip)
- How many items are in the order
- Total delivery distance
- The store you're shopping at
- If you get peak pay or not
Now, Instacart actually has a few types of orders you can complete on Instacart:
- Full-Service Order: shop and deliver the groceries.
- Delivery Order: Pick up groceries and deliver them.
- Batch Order: Shop for two customers at once and then make two separate deliveries.
The delivery order is easiest since you just have to pick up the prepacked groceries and drop them off at the customer’s house. A batch order is much more difficult and confusing to get the hang of, but you get paid a lot more!
Anyway, once you accept an order, the Instacart app helps you navigate to the store you have to shop at. You mark items as “found” as you add them to your grocery cart and work through your shopping list. After checking out with your Instacart payment card, the app helps you navigate to the customer's house.
Customers usually request leaving the food at the door. Once you're done, you mark your batch as being “complete” and Instacart shows you how much money you made, including any potential tips.
Extra Reading – Instacart Shopper Tips & Tricks.
DoorDash Deliveries
With DoorDash, you can schedule delivery shifts in advance or simply open your Dasher app and begin working in a busy zone.
DoorDash highlights zones in red that are busy and zones in gray that aren't busy enough for you to work in. Once you're online, order requests pop up on your screen just like Instacart. Here's the information order requests include:
- Minimum guaranteed earnings
- Distance to travel
- Time to travel
- Completion time
- The amount of items
- The name of the restaurant/fast food place
DoorDash also has different order types like Instacart, but it mostly relates to if you pay for food with your DoorDash Red Card or if the customer prepaid for the food. Once you accept an order, the Dasher app helps you navigate to the pickup location.
From there, you probably have to wait for the food a little bit. Once you get the order, the Dasher app asks you to confirm everything is correct and that you're good to go.
A common DoorDash driver tip is to also grab extra for the customer, like additional sauces and napkins, to provide better service.
After confirming the order is right, the app helps you navigate to the customer's address for dropoff. Once you confirm the delivery is complete, DoorDash shows you how much you made for the delivery plus any tips.
Winner: Instacart Shoppers have a more in-depth shopping task and batches usually take longer, but you get paid more per batch than DoorDash. In contrast, DoorDash has speedier deliveries and is a simpler driving gig.
Instacart vs DoorDash – Getting Paid
Although the payment process for both companies are similar, you might prefer to get paid on a specific day. You might also want the option to use instant payout to receive your money faster than usual.
Instacart Payments
Instacart Shoppers get paid every Wednesday via direct deposit. Some banks can take up to three business days to deposit the money into your account.
The money you get is for your prior week of deliveries, meaning the previous Monday through Sunday. You can also use the Instant Cashout feature to withdraw earnings instantly for $0.50 per use.
DoorDash Payments
DoorDash pays out every Monday via direct deposit. Most banks take about 2-3 days to process the payment.
Many DoorDash drivers claim to see the money in their account by Wednesday night. You can cash out instantly through Fast Pay. However, unlike Instacart, DoorDash Fast Pay costs $1.99 per use.
Overall, both companies are effective ways to make quick money. And you can use the instant payment options for a small fee if you need money by tomorrow.
Winner: Both companies have similar payment schedules but Instacart has cheaper instant cash outs than DoorDash.
Instacart vs DoorDash – Driver Ratings
Most food delivery gigs assign a driver rating that's based off of scores customers give you. And, on platforms like Instacart and DoorDash, a higher rating means potentially getting more order requests and ultimately making more money.
Instacart Shopper Ratings
A low rating on Instacart can be tough to recover from. Some shoppers have basically considered themselves fired.
Even after dropping below a 4.95 star rating (out of 5), shoppers noticed a massive decrease in high-paying orders.
The reason for that is because Instacart gives dibs to the highest rated shoppers before going to the lower rated ones. If your rating is suddenly under everyone else's in your area, you can seriously miss out on the real cash.
If you’re new to Instacart, you might notice a “thumbs up, thumbs down” rating system that replaced the old one. This is a test run for Instacart at the moment to see which system is better.
To avoid dropping your rating, deliver in a timely manner, communicate clearly with the shopper, and accept batches with large tips.
DoorDash Driver Ratings
DoorDash is more lenient than Instacart when it comes to their rating system.
It has a 5 star rating interface (like Instacart), but there’s one key difference; DoorDash uses a rolling system your most recent 100 reviews average out to be your rating.
This can be much more advantageous for you in case you get a bad review here and there. Plus, DoorDash immediately rules out ratings that are related to the taste of the food, restaurant wait times, and other issues that are not related to the driver.
DoorDash also gives you some wiggle room, and you only have to maintain a 4.2 customer rating and 80% completion rate; your DoorDash acceptance rate doesn't matter either!
Winner: DoorDash has a much more lenient rating system than Instacart!
Extra Reading – The Best Apps That Pay Real Money Instantly.
Instacart vs DoorDash – Gas Usage
Instacart Shoppers generally spend less on gas than DoorDash drivers. This is because they spend more time per order in-store walking around and shopping for groceries. This also means Instacart puts less wear-and-tear on your vehicle than driving for DoorDash.
This also matters since neither gig app pays you for gas or vehicle repairs since you're an independent contractor.
The only catch is that DoorDash lets you deliver with a bike, scooter, or even on foot in some markets. In this case, DoorDash is more profitable than Instacart since you're using little or no gas.
Pro Tip: Use a mileage tracking app like Everlance to automatically track your mileage and expenses with each gig.
What Do Other Instacart & DoorDash Drivers Say?
One of the best ways to decide if working for DoorDash or Instacart is better for you is to see what other food delivery couriers think about both platforms.
In a recent Reddit thread, here's what several DoorDash and Instacart drivers are saying about each company:
- RuruSzu says: “I realized you make a lot more just doing deliveries than actually shopping. In my market during peak 5-8pm I can make 30-40 an hour on DD but with IC I’ll be lucky if I average $20 an hour.”
- ShopppeGirl says: “Do both. Put more effort towards DD and work IC as a supplement.”
- OrbedXD says: “Mornings are Instacart nights are DoorDash.”
- BustinDieber says: “Instacart by itself would mean you do a lot less driving (less gas/expenses) and a lot more walking to pick the grocery order. Good if you want the exercise. As far as money goes, IC can be good but there’s a lot of competition for orders so there’s a learning curve before you get good at grabbing the good ones. With DoorDash you get an offer and decide yes/no so it’s not depending on how fast your fingers are like with Instacart.”
- Alex26785 says: “Depends on your area. In general you'll make more doing DooDash evenings/nights and more with Instacart mornings though.”
As you can see, most of these gig workers use both apps. However, they tend to do Instacart in the morning and DoorDash in the evenings and at night.
I think this ultimately highlights the importance of testing your market and also leveraging both delivery platforms for what they're best for.
Extra Reading – The Best Times To Do DoorDash.
Pros & Cons
Instacart Pros:
- High potential for large batches and high tips
- Start working whenever you want
- You drive less than DoorDash so there's less wear-and-tear and gas costs
- Cheap instant cash outs
- Easy sign up process
- Available in U.S. and Canada
Instacart Cons:
- Slightly more volatile pay than DoorDash
- Less forgiving driver rating system
- Competition for orders is usually higher than with DoorDash
- You can't deliver with a bike or scooter
DoorDash Pros:
- You can deliver via bike, scooter, or car
- Usually more stable orders and hourly pay than Instacart
- A more forgiving driver rating system than Instacart
- Completing deliveries is easier since you're just picking up food
DoorDash Cons:
- A $1.99 Fast Pay fee
- Lower potential for high-paying orders and large tips than Instacart
- DoorDash has higher gas costs and puts more mileage on your vehicle than Instacart
Do You Make More Money With DoorDash Or Instacart?
In my experience, you can make more money with DoorDash than Instacart because you get more orders in a day. This is because the app is busier in many markets, whereas Instacart doesn't always have enough batches to go around.
That said, Instacart is one of the highest paying apps in the gig economy. So, it's worth cherry-picking high paying batches but using DoorDash as your main delivery app.
Verdict: Is Working for Instacart Better Than DoorDash?
If you have a car and would rather grocery shop than drive around town, becoming an Instacart Shopper is better than DoorDash. Plus, Instacart also has higher-paying batches and a higher potential for large tips than DoorDash, which is the main perk.
However, many food delivery couriers prefer DoorDash over Instacart because you get more order requests per hour and there isn't as much competition between drivers. Plus, if your driver rating goes down, it isn't the end of the world.
Ultimately, most people actually work for Instacart and DoorDash, and there's a few reasons it makes sense to sign up for both companies.
For one, there are Instacart waitlists and DoorDash waitlists, so if your market has a high supply of drivers, you might have to wait a while to be able to drive (so signing up ASAP and getting on the list is important.)
Additionally, being an eligible driver for both platforms gives you more choice so you can ultimately make more money.
If Instacart is slow one day or week, you can switch to DoorDash. On the flip side, you could do Instacart in the mornings and then Dash at night. Plus, you can also try similar delivery gigs, like Amazon Flex or Shipt, to keep your options open.
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