How much can you make from DoorDash? That’s the number one question if you’re thinking about signing up. DoorDash drivers are paid per order so that you can experience a wide range of pay, and there are also several ways to boost your DoorDash pay.
We talked with current DoorDash drivers to find out how much this side hustle pays and hacks for earning more than the average driver. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about DoorDash pay!
Table of Contents
- What is DoorDash?
- About DoorDash Driver Pay
- How Much Can You Make From Doordash in a Day?
- Weekly & Monthly Doordash Driver Pay
- How Are Doordash Drivers Paid?
- DoorDash Driver Expenses
- How To Get Started With Doordash
- How To Make the Most Money With Doordash (Tips From Real Drivers!)
- How Much Can You Make With Doordash & Is Doordash Worth It?
- FAQs
What is DoorDash?
Click here to begin the sign-up process.
Here are the requirements to become a DoorDash driver:
- Must be 18 or older
- Have access to a car, scooter, or bicycle in some cities
- Have a driver’s license
- Have auto insurance
- Social Security number if delivering in the U.S.
- Consent to a criminal background check
- Have had no major driving violations in the past 7 years
The requirements are nearly identical to other services like Instacart and Shipt.
DoorDash asks that you fill out a short application that asks for your zip code, name, date of birth, driver’s license information, email address, and vehicle type.
Once you’ve filled out the application to sign up, DoorDash will review your information and approve you in 3-5 days on average. They notify you via email or in the DoorDash app.
Make money on your own schedule
DoorDash Drivers can drive whenever they have spare time, and you can cash out instantly with Fast Pay.
How To Make the Most Money With Doordash (Tips From Real Drivers!)
After asking real drivers how much you can make with DoorDash, we also asked for tips, hacks, and advice for new drivers. They’ve given us some excellent advice that we’re sharing below:
- Take advantage of incentives and promotions. With Peak Pay and Challenges, you have a couple of opportunities to increase your driver pay. These are during the busiest times or when there aren’t enough drivers to fulfill every order.
- Accept more than one order at a time. Brand new drivers might want to get a few orders under their belt before trying this hack, but batched orders help you optimize your time.
- Make yourself available during peak hours. Being available during the busiest times is huge, and the busiest times for DoorDash are during the afternoon lunch rush, dinner hours, late hours on Friday and Saturday nights, major sporting events, big televised events, and holidays. This varies based on location, so test things out to find the best hours in your area.
- Avoid small orders. Bigger orders = larger tips and base pay. But declining all small orders means you might be missing out on DoorDash jobs and pay altogether.
- Fit deliveries into your schedule. Every successful driver we spoke to said that you have to make it part of your daily routine. You can take a delivery or two on your way home from work, after a dinner with your spouse, before picking your kids up from school, and so on.
- Track your mileage from the beginning. At tax time, you can take a mileage deduction to account for gas and the wear and tear on your car. To get the most, you need to take an accurate deduction. We recommend using an app like Everlance to start tracking.
- Drive for multiple services. Because you’re an independent contractor, there are no rules preventing you from working for Instacart, Grubhub, Uber Eats, and so on. You can toggle between a couple of apps to pick the best orders.
How Much Can You Make With Doordash & Is Doordash Worth It?
Doordash drivers are paid for each order they complete, so there is no average daily, weekly, or monthly range. It also depends on how much time you have to deliver!
If you have a car and want a flexible and low-commitment side hustle, DoorDash pays well compared to alternatives like online surveys or online tutoring. For many people, DoorDash is very worth the time!
But if you want more options, read Best Side Jobs to Make Extra Money for even more choices.
FAQs
DoorDash driver pay isn’t standardized because DoorDash uses a formula to pay drivers based on each order they complete. Your pay depends on how many drivers are available, distance, difficulty, and desirability.
It entirely depends on how often you’re able to deliver, the types of orders you take, and the demand for drivers.
DoorDash Disclaimer: Actual earnings may differ and depend on factors like number of deliveries completed, time of day, location, and expenses. Hourly pay is calculated using average Dasher payouts while on a delivery (from the time you accept an order until the time you drop it off) over a 90 day period and includes compensation from peak pay, tips, and other incentives.
- Earning more on certain types of orders (ex. alcohol): Earn more per order as compared to restaurant orders. Actual earnings may differ and depend on factors like number of deliveries you accept and complete, time of day, location, and any costs. Hourly pay is calculated using average Dasher payouts while on a delivery (from the time you accept an order until the time you drop it off) over a 90-day period and includes compensation from tips, peak pay, and other incentives.
- Get paid instantly (DasherDirect): Subject to approval
- Cash out daily (Fast Pay): Fees apply
- Start dashing today: Subject to background check and availability
- Dash anytime: Subject to availability