Gig Apps
The gig economy has opened up dozens of legit earning opportunities that you can leverage with your smartphone. While we ranked the highest-paying gig economy apps and the best delivery driver apps, here are a few of our overall favorites.
DoorDash
| iOS Rating | Google Play Rating |
| 4.7 with 107,067 reviews | 2.9 with 107,067 reviews |
DoorDash allows you to earn extra money by delivering restaurant take-out orders. You’ll need a car, a driver’s license, and valid insurance to become a Dasher.
With DoorDash, you do have to sign up for shifts (called dashes), and then stay online for a certain amount of time within that period.
That means you’ll have less scheduling flexibility than with Uber Eats (see below), but it also means you’ll usually have a more consistent flow of orders (because there are fewer drivers working at any given moment).
Instacart
| iOS Rating | Google Play Rating |
| 4.7 with 107,067 reviews | 2.9 with 107,067 reviews |
You can earn money by shopping for or delivering groceries with Instacart. Full-service shoppers with Instacart both shop and deliver the groceries. If you don’t have access to a car, you can be an in-store shopper only.
Similar to many gig economy apps, a big perk of working with Instacart is that you can set your own schedule. That said, peak times, such as weekends, often pay the most per hour.
Instacart shoppers get paid per order based on the time it takes to complete the order, as well as the distance (if delivering). Shoppers also get tips from customers.
Fiverr
| iOS Rating | Google Play Rating |
| 4.9 with 321,807 reviews | 4.6 with 258,675 reviews |
Fiverr is a freelance marketplace known for its wide variety of tasks offered.
What’s unique about Fiverr is that you’re the one designing the gig and posting it for others to buy. As such, you can create jobs you can fulfill entirely from your smartphone.
This could include video editing, proofreading and photo editing — among many others
To learn more, read our guide on how to make money on Fiverr, which details a step-by-step process for beginners.
Uber
| iOS Rating | Google Play Rating |
| 3.9 with 2,518,152 reviews | 4.2 with 4,320,910 reviews |
Uber gives you two ways to make money with a single app: ride-sharing as an Uber driver or delivering takeout food orders with Uber Eats. And with over 100 million active monthly customers in 900+ cities, there’s plenty of demand to keep you busy.
Being an Uber driver is the most famous side hustle in the world for a reason: Uber freelancers can earn solid money (often around $20 per hour, though the amount you earn will vary based on factors like location and demand), and you can work literally whenever you want (or wherever you want), with no need to set a schedule. Just open the app, make yourself available and then accept the gigs that are sent your way.
Uber Eats is similar to DoorDash (mentioned above) in that you can earn money by delivering food orders from local restaurants using your car, scooter or bike — or even on foot in some cities. As with being an Uber driver, you can work as little or as much as you want — whether that’s a couple of deliveries in your downtime or a full workday.
Plus, whether you drive people or deliver food, you have the ability to request instant payout for a small fee — meaning you can get paid the same day you work instead of waiting around for a deposit to hit your bank account.
Steady
| iOS Rating | Google Play Rating |
| 4.7 with 14,101 reviews | 4.4 with 28,293 reviews |
Not sure which gig economy job you want to take on? Steady aggregates local gig economy and money making opportunities for you in one app. This way, you can see what’s available and find offers customized to your availability and skills.
The app has a strong community aspect as well, where other gig workers share best practices, tips to earn more and how much they’re actually earning.
If you’re brand new to the gig economy, Steady is a good choice to lead you in the right direction. Read our Steady app review to learn about all that the app has to offer.
Rover
| iOS Rating | Google Play Rating |
| 4.9 with 291,379 reviews | 4.5 with 12,696 reviews |
Rover is a pioneer in the pet care industry when it comes to pet sitting, dog walking, doggy daycare and boarding. The app allows you to connect with local pet owners in need of these services. Walkers report getting paid up to $20 per walk, while overnight sitters can make $40.
It’s ideal for those living in a more urban area, where they can often take out multiple dogs and travel short distances. For those not living in a city, boarding can help maximize your earnings.
Rover is a money-making app that helps pet owners find qualified pet sitters and dog walkers to care for their animals. You can offer various services such as overnight pet boarding, dog walking, or doggy daycare. This is an especially great option if you have a work-from-home job.
The major perk? You can set your own rates. Rover collects a service fee of 20%. So if you charge $20 per walk, you’ll keep $16 and Rover will take the other $4. Once your services are complete, you can redeem your earnings for free via PayPal or pay $2 to receive a check in the mail.
You’ll have to pass a background check and provide references. Once approved, you can start making money fast with Rover. The platform offers 24/7 veterinary support, insurance, and you can accept as many or as few pet sitting or walking jobs as you want.
Visit Rover.com.
Gigwalk
Gigwalk is one of the more unique app-based job services. It pays people to help them gather data for market research. You don’t need a vehicle and you won’t be making deliveries or filling out surveys. Gigwalk helps companies with a range of small tasks. Many of the gigs involve going to a local business and taking pictures of how certain products are displayed or stocked.
Users can make anywhere from $3 to $100 per gig depending on the difficulty and length. Most take as few as five minutes, but others can take a few hours.
It can take a few days for your work to be approved and for you to get paid. You also have to follow the instructions carefully to make sure you understand. If you misread it, then you may not get paid, so pay close attention to all the instructions for each gig.
I am David, economist, originally from Britain, and studied in Germany and Canada. I am now living in the United States. I have a house in Ontario, but I actually never go. I wrote some books about sovereign debt, and mortgage loans. I am currently retired and dedicate most of my time to fishing. There were many topics in personal finances that have currently changed and other that I have never published before. So now in Business Finance, I found the opportunity to do so. Please let me know in the comments section which are your thoughts. Thank you and have a happy reading.
