You spend tons of time in the car and are always looking for ways to make the process of driving, running your gig driving business, and earning even more on the side less of an energy drain. Well, what do ya know? There are apps for that!
That’s why we put together this list of some of the best gig driver apps out there. Many will be familiar to you, while a few might give you ways you didn’t know existed to get things done faster and more easily. Check them out, and let the download marathon begin!
Here's what we cover:
Gridwise
Image source: Gridwise’s Apple App Store Previews
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Gridwise first. Gig driving has several moving parts, and there are a lot of apps that take care of one or two of them at a time. Designed for drivers by drivers, Gridwise conquers just about all the cares and concerns you have as a driver. It also offers you tons of benefits, from discounts on automotive items to insurance and other services you need to procure as an independent contractor.
What it is: gig driver assistant app
App store rating: 4.9 stars
Free version available? yes
Cost: Gridwise Plus at $9.99 per month, or discounted rate of $71.99 per year
How Gridwise works
Free version features:
- mileage tracker. Capture every deductible mile when you start tracking at the beginning of your shift. Gridwise is the best free mileage tracker app there is. (on/off toggle enabled)
- expense records. Record your deductible business expenses by category, and they will be integrated into earnings reports.
- tax reports. Generate earnings and expenses reports to use for taxes, and, with Gridwise Plus, export them to pdf format.
- insights. Find out what other drivers are earning in your area, and what times are the most fruitful with Where to Drive and When to Drive. (Additional insights available with Gridwise Plus.)
- event times. When you know where and when events are taking place in your town, it’s always easy to get a customer. Gridwise tells you what’s going on, when events start, and estimated let out times.
- weather and traffic alerts. You’ll find out right away when there’s incoming bad weather or a traffic problem that could become a major obstacle.
- marketplace. Deals and discounts for drivers, on everything from gas and car maintenance to insurance, healthcare, financial, and legal help are available in the free version. Gridwise Plus members often receive deeper discounts and additional perks.
- blog. The Gridwise blog is packed with information and ideas drivers can always use.
Gridwise Plus (paid) features:
- ad-free app. Get all the great Gridwise features, deals, and discounts without the ads.
- additional assistant power. Gridwise Plus users enjoy extra insights on earnings, where to drive, and when to drive.
- tax report export capability. Load your earnings and expenses from Gridwise directly into your tax preparation software in .csv format.
- support for serious airport drivers. Get access to 24/7 flight times, extra flight details, and alerts.
- better rates and deeper discounts. Gridwise Plus members get extra-special treatment from our partners, so they get to save even more money.
Pro tip: Gridwise is rated as one of the best apps for gig drivers – download now to see for yourself!
Gridwise Plus
Earn more and keep more. Try free for 14 days.
Plus members earn 30% more on average within their first month.
Keeper
Image source: Keeper’s Apple App Store Previews
Who doesn’t need help with taxes? Keeper will rescue you from the confusion you might experience filing taxes as an independent contractor. Designed to assist 1099 workers, Keeper is an economical way to maximize your tax write-offs and get sound tax advice, and is the best tax app for Uber drivers, Lyft drivers, and delivery drivers that we have seen.
What it is: tax write-off and tax filing help
App store rating: 4.8 stars
Free version available? no
Cost: $16 month for the annual plan and $20 month for the monthly plan (50% discount for Gridwise Plus members, plus an optional $89 fee if you use Keeper to file your tax returns)
Features:
- write-off detection. Connect your bank to Keeper and the app will scan your expenses for possible deductions.
- tax estimates. Get a preview of your estimated tax payments and possible refund information year-round.
- tax filing. For an additional fee of $89, you can file your federal and state tax returns via Keeper.
- professional tax help. Get all your questions answered with 24/7 access to tax professionals via chat.
This Gridwise post tells you why you need Keeper, lays out the details of how it works, and shows you how to get Keeper through Gridwise Tax Help.
Save 30% on a Keeper plan through Gridwise
Spotify
Image source: Spotify’s Apple App Store Previews
Music soothes the savage beast in all of us, and that’s why it’s imperative to have tunes on tap that satisfy both you and your passengers. With Spotify, you can offer your customers a chance to play deejay, or create a selection of sick playlists that fit the many moods of your music loving passengers. There are many music apps, but Spotify earned its popularity by remaining a low cost option with ease of use and infinite flexibility. It’s a favorite Uber rideshare driver app for good reason. Passengers love it too.
What it is: streaming app featuring music, podcasts, playlists, and more
App store rating: 4.8 stars
Free version available? yes, with ads
Cost: $9.99 per month for single, $12.99 per month for a couple, $15.99 per month for family (up to six accounts), and $4.99 per month for students
Features:
- listening. Stream your favorite songs, artists, albums, playlists, and podcasts.
- choice. With the premium subscription, no ads and no forced shuffle mode on mobile devices.
- high quality streams. You won’t miss a beat with up to 320 Kbps with premium subscription.
- offline downloads. Your premium subscription lets you download material so you don’t run up your data usage while you tune in.
Fun fact: You can link some navigation apps to Spotify or any other music app you use, so you can keep your maps and your tunes all on a single screen.
Swagbucks
Image source: Swagbuck’s Apple App Store Previews
Whether you’re in the middle of a slow rideshare run or waiting for the next peak delivery time to begin, there’s no reason to go without making money while you’re waiting around. Swagbucks helps you to keep the cash coming by paying you to take surveys online. It’s extremely simple, and not a scam! Earn gift cards or have the money deposited in your PayPal account or credited to a Mastercard gift card.
What it is: a portal for online surveys that pay you money
App store rating: 4.6 stars
Cost: $3.99 for Swagbucks Plus
Features:
- surveys that make you money. Swagbucks gives you surveys to complete, ads to evaluate, and even games to play and test. You get paid for your time and choose how to have your payment come to you.
- cash back deals. Get cash back on your purchases at select stores (double cash back for Swagbucks Plus members).
- instantly shipped gift cards. Join as a Swagbucks Plus member and get up to $50 in gift cards, instantly.
- rewards program. Get extra rewards by earning points, from either taking at least five surveys a month, or signing on as a Swagbucks Plus member.
Honk
Image source: Honk’s Apple App Store Previews
Roadside assistance is a must when you drive for a living. While there are many alternatives, Honk gives you immediate access to roadside help without membership fees or extra charges. You also get upfront pricing from the services that answer your call and can choose the best deal.
What it is: roadside assistance
App store rating: 4.0 stars
Cost: N/A (you pay for the services, but not for the referral)
Features:
- towing and roadside assistance. Simply tap your app to get in touch with the help you need.
- 15–30 minute ETAs, 24/7. Guaranteed early responses from Honk’s network of 108,000 service vehicles.
- upfront pricing. No negotiating needed, since you know what you’ll pay before the driver arrives.
- pay on your phone. Use your app to pay for the services and avoid the need to get cash to cover the bill.
A better deal: You can sign up for roadside assistance coverage from Gridwise for $1 per month, and get up to $100 for towing, emergency tire changes, lockouts, battery services, and fuel delivery.
Weather Underground
Image source: Weather Underground’s Apple App Store Previews
Weather apps are everywhere but few are as concise and comprehensive as Weather Underground. The app gives you a one-page view of temperatures, precipitation, wind speeds, and radar. Scroll down and get day by day and hourly forecasts. You will see sunrise and sunset times, real-feel temperatures, and a summary of everything, too.
An upgrade to the app’s premium version gives you additional features, including 15 days of forecasts and weather predictions based on activities you enjoy, such as boating or hiking. If you’re not up for another phone app, remember that Gridwise also gives you weather updates that affect your driving.
What it is: the ultimate weather app!
App store rating: 4.0 stars
Cost: $19.99 per year, $3.99 per month
Features:
- weather forecasts. See what the weather is and what it will be when you go out to drive.
- high-res radar and satellite images. A picture is the fastest way to see if you should prepare for rain, snow, or intense heat.
- hyper-local temperature maps. See how much cooler it is in different locations for your area.
- warnings about severe weather. Know when it might be a good idea to pull over or to head home to protect yourself from high winds or other nasty weather conditions.
- data from over 250,000 personal weather stations. An amalgamation of data this large gives this app a whole lot of weather forecasting power.
- proprietary forecast model. A scientifically developed forecast model created especially for this app guarantees up-to-the-minute reports and forecasts that make driving conditions more predictable.
- useful extras. Besides radar and satellite maps, Weather Underground gives you an air quality index, rise and set times for the sun and the moon, and the ability to send your current weather directly to friends and family or on social media.
Flight Stats
Image source: Flight Stats’ Apple App Store Previews
Drivers love airport runs, and some make it a constant source of business. Flight Stats is a rideshare driver app that gives you plenty of information about the status of your local airport(s) and how likely you are to do the kind of business you need in order to make more money.
What it is: flight information aggregator
Interesting thing to know: the Gridwise app provides airport arrival and departure information.
App store rating: 4.8 stars
Cost: $2.99 per month, $24.99 per month for professional version
Features (free version):
- flight tracker. See where flights are coming from and going to.
- airport conditions. Get reports on weather, construction, and other conditions at airports so you can anticipate delays or difficulties.
- airport delay maps. A heat map displays where delays are taking place in your state or country.
Standard paid account features:
- airport arrivals and departures. Use a table of flight arrivals and departures, arranged however you like, to determine your airport driving strategy.
- flight alerts. Receive alerts via email or text when flights are departing, arriving, or delayed. Use up to 25 rules per month for your alerts.
- ad-free use. No more ads to distract you. Get only the facts about airport activity, in real time.
- professional account features. The professional version allows you to use up to 250 rules for flight alerts per month, and perform historical searches by flight and airport/route for 250 flights per month.
Wave
Image source: Wave’s Apple App Store Previews
Do you have another gig besides driving that also involves contractors? You might need Wave. This app allows you to create invoices, make payments, and do your accounting. Many Wave features are free. Wave’s amazing accounting and invoicing tools are likely to knock your socks off. The paid services could also benefit you and your small business.
What it is: small business software for your side gigs
App store rating: 4.5 stars
Cost: varies according to service
Features:
- invoicing. Generate professional looking invoices and send them right away.
- online payment processing. Let your customers send payments to you by credit card, bank transfer, or Apple Pay. (Fee-based on a per transaction basis.)
- free accounting software. Keep track of your income and expenses, and stay in a state of perpetual readiness for tax time.
- mobile receipts. Scan your receipts and skip saving those pesky scraps of paper.
- payroll. Do you have staff? Let Wave handle your payroll problems, and your staff will have everything they need (additional fee required).
- experts. Get advice on payroll, accounting, and bookkeeping from professional support staff and coaches (additional fee required).
Flush
Image source: Flush’s Apple App Store Previews
This one is a must on the list of best driver gig apps. Oh, dear. How many times have you had to “go” but had no idea where you might find a place to “do your business”? Believe it or not, there’s an app that tells you where the toilets are! It’s called Flush, and once you download it, you won’t be stuck without a place to relieve yourself ever again.
What it is: restroom facilities locator
App store rating: 4.6 stars
Free version available? yes
Cost: N/A
Features:
- toilet locator. The driver’s pleas for relief are answered by a map with available toilets indicated by green pins.
- tap the map. Something that makes this one of the best gig driver apps is its simplicity. Tap the pin nearest to your location, and directions pop up to guide you there.
- ratings. Those who’ve been there before you can rate the toilet, so you can check out the quality of the facility before you go.
Usage information. You’ll be able to tell if a facility requires payment or a key, and if there is disabled access.
Looking for other great apps and resources for gig workers?
