You're probably familiar with what a mileage tracker does, but finding the best one for your gig driving can be challenging. Many apps miss the mark when addressing the specific requirements of drivers, especially when it comes to tax deductions. Let’s delve into why it’s crucial to have a reliable mileage tracker tailored for gig drivers and learn how to track mileage for taxes effectively with Gridwise, the premier app for your needs!

Reasons why mileage tracking is crucial for gig drivers

Why do you need a mileage tracker in the first place? Don’t the driving apps tell you how much you drive? In reality, the apps only record the distances you cover on trips. They miss the many miles you drive to and from your gig, and in between trips. Here are some reasons why it’s important to track all your gig-related miles.

• You need to track your tax deductible expenses. This is the number one reason why it’s so important to track your mileage accurately. The IRS rate for business mileage travel is $0.65 for 2023, and will be $0.67 for your 2024 tax year. Now, consider how many miles you put in doing rideshare and delivery work, do a bit of arithmetic, and you’ll come to a rather large sum that will become a substantial deduction from your taxable income.

• You benefit from income optimization and awareness. Here’s another wise way to use your mileage tracker app. When you keep accurate accounts of your mileage and income records, you’ll have the facts about how much money you get from your miles.

• You protect yourself from tax trouble. Reliably separating your business mileage lets you be in compliance with IRS regulations. Nobody wants to get burned by auditors out on the hunt for a bone to pick. Remember that you can deduct miles driven to and from your driving gig, as well as the miles accrued during each gig and in between them. You cannot deduct miles you drive for personal purposes, though. You need a mileage tracker that clearly differentiates between personal and business travel.

Gridwise: Your comprehensive, driver-friendly mileage tracker

Gridwise is more than a  mileage tracker app. Created by gig workers, for gig workers, Gridwise doesn’t require you to adapt a generic tracker to your specific needs. The app gives you driver-friendly features that make it simple for you to track the miles that matter.

Gridwise also has features that assist drivers by informing them about events, traffic, and weather. It will also track your earnings and show you where and when you can make the most money. 

Here’s why you’ll want to make Gridwise your comprehensive mileage tracking partner.

With Gridwise 

• you choose from three options to attain complete control over your mileage figures
• you end the nightmare of manual mileage tracking or guesstimating your gig driving mileage
• you capture the miles you drive between rideshare or delivery trips
• you get fewer disruptions because Gridwise syncs with your driving apps and tracks your earnings seamlessly

Setting up Gridwise for your gigs

Getting started is easy. Your first step, of course, is to download the Gridwise app. Once you have the app loaded on your device, there are just a few more things you’ll need to set up.

First, you’ll need to enable location and motion detection and adjust a few additional settings on your phone. 

Once you do that, you can choose from three ways to track your miles with Gridwise. Begin by deciding whether you’ll use manual or automatic tracking.

Note: Manual tracking is available in the free version. Gridwise Plus members benefit from automatic mileage tracking.

Gridwise offers a total of three options for tracking your mileage. The first two options for manual tracking are available on the free version as well as Gridwise Plus:

1. Use on/off mileage tracking. Turn mileage tracking on and off when you begin and end your shifts. From the Earnings screen, tap the tracking button, and you’ll begin recording your miles. Turn tracking off when you finish your shift, and you will stop recording miles until you enable it at the beginning of your next shift.

Pro Tip: If you’re worried that you won’t remember to turn on tracking when you start your shift, don’t be. As long as you have Gridwise running in the background, a reminder to start tracking will appear every time you drive your vehicle. If you’re not driving for business, simply decline, and be on your way to wherever else you're going.

2. Type in your mileage figures. If you want to clock your miles separately, and then add them to your records in Gridwise, simply tap the “+” button on the Earnings screen, fill in the information, and tap “Save.”

The third option, automatic tracking, is available to Gridwise Plus members only. 

3. Automatically track your mileage. This feature enables you to set up the tracker to detect when you move your vehicle, and need Gridwise to track your miles. Tracking stops once your vehicle is parked for a preset “idle” time period, which you can select and adjust. This makes accurate tracking more convenient for drivers who might not remember to turn tracking on and off during their shifts.

Wondering what happens if you make a mistake? What if you forget to turn the mileage tracker on or off? What happens if you accidentally track miles that aren’t tax deductible?

With Gridwise, you can always edit your mileage to make such adjustments. Add or delete mileage that you don’t want to include using these easy steps.

The best mileage tracker for tax purposes and more

Other mileage trackers only tell you how many miles you have driven. Because Gridwise is designed specifically for gig drivers, it enables you to track all the miles you drive for business. If you have a side gig or two that don’t involve driving apps, you can still use Gridwise to help you log all those deductible miles as well.

Gridwise Plus drivers benefit from enhanced features, but the free version of Gridwise is a powerful tool that outperforms other mileage trackers because it’s designed for gig drivers, by gig drivers!

Maximize earnings with mileage data analysis

You can use mileage figures for more than just tax deductions. Gridwise stands out as the best mileage tracking app for delivery drivers and rideshare workers alike because it provides insightful reports.

• Compare and contrast your earnings and your mileage with the apps you work with, and determine where your time is best spent.
• Optimize routes, with efficiency in mind. You could find that driving those extra miles from one side of town to the other doesn’t pay off the way you thought they might. Pro tip: Use Where to Drive and When to Drive to show you where you can find the money, and when.
• Check out the correlation between earnings and mileage on different apps to see which are the most profitable.

Here’s how to find those useful Gridwise reports:

On the main screen, tap “Earnings,” and you’ll be whisked away to a summary of earnings for the current week and year. You’ll see your gross earnings, expenses, and mileage deduction figures, by week and by day. You can also see these figures by service—i.e., all the different gigs you work with. 

Stay on top of your data and IRS information

The Gridwise app keeps accurate accounts of your mileage and income, and it pays for you to check in with it from time to time, so you’re on top of your gig driving performance and tax compliance. 

1. Review your data on a regular basis. You don’t want to let mileage get lost should you forget to add it in manually. In a similar way, you’ll want to keep an eye out for any instances where you recorded mileage for a road trip that was pure fun, and hence, not tax deductible.
2. Back up your mileage data and earnings information to a source outside of your mobile device. A telephonic catastrophe could ruin your records, and you won’t want to lose the valuable information you’re collecting with Gridwise.
3. Stay informed. Read up on IRS regulations to ensure that you’re in compliance with all the rules that are related to your mileage and other deductible expenses, as well as those involving work in the gig economy. 

Beyond the best business mileage tracking app: Get more with Gridwise

The next time someone asks you about the best mileage tracking app for DoorDash or any other gig you drive for, you’ll know to tell them about Gridwise. While you’re at it, don’t forget to tell them about all the other driver-focused features the Gridwise app offers, including

• real-time weather, traffic, airport. and events information
• earnings insights
• deals and discounts
• tax help
• insurance and affordable health care options
• money-saving connections to automotive and financial services

All these features are available when you download the free app, but when you join Gridwise Plus, the discounts get deeper and the benefits multiply!

There’s even more value to being a Gridwise driver! The Gridwise community offers support from other drivers, along with special contests and giveaways. Join our Facebook community and follow us on Instagram to connect with awesome Gridwise drivers who share your issues and interests.

More about mileage and other tax deductions for drivers:

• Avoid these mileage mistakes
• Explore options for deducting mileage and other expenses
• Choose the best mileage tracker app
• Maximize your tax deductions
• Download Gridwise today!

As an Uber driver, you want to make the most money possible, right? To accomplish that, you need a sound strategy, mapping out optimal times to find passengers. You’ll also want to be assured that those customers will pay what you need to reach your desired hourly earnings rate.

How can you figure out the best times to drive and quickly discover what peak times will work with the rest of your schedule? We get into it in this blog.

Passenger patterns: What are the best times to drive for Uber?

Surely you’ve seen the “heat map” on your Uber app. It shows the areas of town where there is supposedly the most demand for drivers. Sometimes it’s totally on the money, but at other times it doesn’t work so well. One reason might be that there’s a rush of other drivers only too willing to jump in for a chance to score the extra surge prices.

Even when the heat map is at its most torrid, it might not show you the most profitable places to drive. For instance, if there’s a huge concert, game, or festival, there will be a monstrous demand for Uber drivers. Once you race over to the site of the surges, you might also find that you’re stuck in traffic for an hour or two. This will make your trip to pick up Swifties, hockey fans, or denizens of the No Shoes Nation anything but profitable.

It always pays to factor in congestion and delays when you make your driving plans. Keep that in mind when you notice times that seem to be particularly popular with passengers. Uber’s website advises drivers to focus on weekends, rush hours, and evening hours, but these are not the only times you will find peaks in passenger demand. Here are some others.

• The weekday morning commute is always good for catching people on their way to work or caretakers bringing children to school. These will be short rides, by and large, but demand will be high and so will fares.

• Don’t miss out on weekday morning airport runs, particularly if you drive in a large metropolitan area. Business travel is still a thing, and people must be ferried to and from their flights. Hang out around hotels for departing guests and the airports themselves.

• Lunch meetings still happen on weekdays, perhaps for business, or just for fun. Some workers will want to run errands or make personal appointments on lunch breaks, so your availability will be just what the doctor ordered.

• The brunch crowd will be out in force on weekends. Cruise trendy neighborhoods or other areas where omelets, crepes, and pancakes are served up with mimosas, Bloody Mary’s, and piping hot coffee.

• During after-work and after-school commute times, as university classes change over, even short rides can keep you busy with the college crowd if you get enough of them.

• Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights are busy nights in urban areas as passengers set out to celebrate the weekend at restaurants, bars, and events.

Is passenger demand predictable?

While it’s sensible to start putting your strategy together by considering ebbs and flows in passenger activity, you need more information than these general points provide. For one thing, every rush hour isn’t the same, not every airport time-window is equally lucrative, and some events attract more passengers than others. 

You’ll also find different patterns depending on where you live. Every area has different traffic patterns, and a variety of events. For instance, you’d definitely want to know the opening and closing hours for museums and other tourist attractions in New York, but in Cleveland or Kansas City, the office and school traffic might make up more of your passenger count than tourist traffic, especially in the winter months.

This brings up another variable in passenger demand: weather, which affects Uber volume in different ways. While there may be less activity when outdoor conditions are too hot, cold, or stormy, demand for your rideshare services will soar because walking is out of the question. 

As you can see, you need more information to get a more accurate read of what’s happening in your area and when you can expect the traffic to surge. You need data from drivers who are working in the same areas at the same times you want to work. Fortunately, you can get it very easily from Gridwise!

Use Gridwise and know when to drive

Gridwise is designed for drivers, by drivers. The When to Drive feature gives you insights no other app has to offer. It shows you the volume of earnings drivers experience at various times, based on actual figures! There is no guesswork involved in these numbers. Gridwise anonymously gathers earnings figures from drivers and brings them to you, so you know the best times to drive in your specific area!

Here are the steps to using the When to Drive feature on Gridwise:

1. Download the Gridwise app.
2. Sign in, tap “Insights,” and then scroll to “When to Drive.” This shows an overview of the big earning days in your area for the current week. 

3. To get additional data on the best times to drive, tap the bar chart and you’ll see further earnings numbers for different times of the day.

Now you can choose the time frame you want to learn about. Tap in the lower right hand corner where it says “Evenings,” and you’ll arrive at the screen that offers options.

4. Select your option (the display will change) and you’ll see the information for the time period you’re most interested in.

5. Gridwise When to Drive also provides the ability to compare the best times to drive for all the different services you work for. Tap “Compare Services” on the Insights screen. This takes you to a chart that compares all the services available in your area. You can change the time intervals you want to learn about by clicking on the time shown on the lower right-hand side of the screen.

Note that there are also comments indicating trends in earnings for the services that have experienced gains and losses over the time periods specified.

Gridwise is the very best source for information about the best times to drive. Don’t miss out on this valuable resource! Download the Gridwise App and get When to Drive, along with tons of other features to boost your earnings.

Learn more about the best times to drive for Uber and other services:

• Details about the best times to drive for Uber
• The best times to drive for Uber Eats
• The best times to drive for DoorDash
• The best times to drive for Lyft

"Ultimately, the power of Uber is the six-and-a-half million earners who are on our platform and the services they provide for everybody." Those were the words of Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, as reported by Business Insider, at an appearance in Bengaluru, India, in February of this year. Khosrowshahi mirrors what many CEOs say: “Employees make the company.”

As Khosrowshahi spoke these words, the Gridwise Annual Gig Mobility Report revealed other news about gig economy trends. Uber and Uber Eats led the downward curve in gig driver earnings in 2022 and 2023. For rideshare, Uber drivers’ monthly income dropped 17.1% in the last two years. Uber Eats drivers saw a drop of 15.4%. 

For investors and analysts it’s essential to understand the importance of drivers to the success of a gig platform. We’ve all experienced having to wait twenty minutes for a rideshare or even longer for a meal to be delivered. Part of that problem is not enough drivers. If you want to understand gig drivers, the Gridwise Annual Gig Mobility Report is the best place to start. Download your copy here. 

How did Gridwise Analytics gather this information?

Gridwise markets a companion app for gig drivers: rideshare, food delivery, grocery delivery, and parcel delivery. The app gives drivers various insights into their earnings—when and where to drive, information on special events, traffic reports, weather reports, etc.—allowing them to be more efficient in their work.

In addition to helping gig drivers earn more, Gridwise captures driver information—where rides originate, where they end, time of day, driver earnings—then anonymizes and aggregates it into mobility and delivery data. These transportation analytics reflect activity across twelve gig platforms, correlating up to 98% against quarterly metrics reported by these platforms. 

For the Gridwise Annual Gig Mobility Report (AGMR), researchers interviewed 528 US-based gig drivers from November 27 through December 19, 2023. Gridwise also interviewed another 1,000 US-based gig consumers on January 19, 2024. 

Unless otherwise noted, all numbers in this blog post are from the AGMR. 

The ecosystem of gig driver platforms

We can generally divide gig platforms into four categories. 

• Rideshare. Uber and Lyft are the leaders in ridesharing, with market shares of 65% and 35%, respectively. 
• Food delivery. This market is dominated by DoorDash, with a whopping 78.6% market share. Uber Eats is second (18.7% market share), followed by Grubhub (2.7%). 
• Grocery delivery. Instacart dominates this market at 72.5%. According to a report by EMarketer, DoorDash, Uber, and Shipt make up the market’s remainder of the market. Walmart has its own proprietary gig driver delivery service called Walmart Spark. 
• Parcel delivery. Several companies share this market, including Amazon Flex (Amazon packages only), Roadie, and other smaller platforms. At various times rideshare drivers are also called upon to deliver items. One former Lyft driver reports he once delivered blueprints, car keys, industrial parts, and hair products. 

Uber is credited with founding and popularizing the gig industry with rideshare in 2012, followed quickly by Lyft. Food delivery and grocery companies promptly followed. Although rideshare grew in popularity, food and grocery delivery platforms stumbled along until the pandemic in 2020; then they skyrocketed as people quarantined in their homes. Meanwhile, rideshare took a hit. Four years later, rideshare has recovered, while food and grocery delivery continue their popularity. 

Growth of the platforms

The Uber rideshare platform saw the most significant trip bump in 2022 and 2023, with a 66.3% increase. Lyft trip numbers also increased by 52.1% in the same period. 

DoorDash experienced solid growth in food delivery, with a 34% increase during the reporting period. The platform now dominates the market with a 78.6% share. Uber Eats orders are slightly down. Their market share has shrunk to 18.7%, but food delivery is a significant part of Uber’s income. 

Gig driver preference for platforms

• Food delivery has surpassed rideshare in the last 12 months, with 76% of drivers saying they’ve worked the food delivery platforms. 
• Grocery delivery came in second, with 32.2% of drivers working these platforms in the same period.
• Rideshare came in third, with 28.8% working on these platforms. 

As many as 41% of drivers work multiple platforms, a practice called multi-apping. Drivers work platforms simultaneously or one at a time, depending on the peak hours of individual platforms. More about that later. 

If you want a closer look at the companies that employ gig drivers, get your copy of the Gridwise AGMR. Download your report today. 

Gig economy workforce earnings

Here is a review of gig drivers’ monthly earnings on the various platforms for 2022 and 2023. 

What role does tipping play for the gig economy workforce?

There is a marked difference in tipping for drivers on the different gig platforms. Food and grocery drivers earn more than 50% of their income from tips, while rideshare drivers earn only about 10% of their income this way. 

There is also a difference in tipping frequency on the various gig platforms:

• 28.3% of rideshare trips result in a tip 
• 74.5% of grocery delivery trips result in a tip
• 88.5% of food delivery trips result in a tip 

Of the drivers surveyed, 78.4% say tips matter significantly to their overall income, while 68.6% claim that tips bolster their enthusiasm and job satisfaction. 

Consumers of gig driver services are surprisingly aware of the importance tipping plays in gig driver income. Of those surveyed, 76.4% recognize that gig drivers rely heavily on tips, and 58.5% feel obligated to tip gig drivers. 

However, there is a clear difference of opinion about the amount suitable for a tip.

SOURCE: Gridwise Analytics Annual Gig Mobility Report

What has caused the drop in gig driver earnings?

While Uber drivers monthly income showed a marked decline, this isn’t true for all the platforms. Lyft rideshare and Grubhub are up 2.5% and 6.0%, respectively. We can, however, make some general observations about why earnings are down overall. 

• Oversaturation of drivers. In a previous Gridwise blog post, How Much Do Uber Drivers Make In 2024?, we reported that the ranks of Uber gig drivers swelled by 31% in 2022. This means two things:
  • More drivers are competing for rides, driving down individual earnings. You’ll often hear this referred to as an oversaturation of drivers. 
  • New drivers who are not familiar with rideshare strategies tend to make less. 
• A more savvy rideshare consumer. Passengers are getting smarter. Many have figured out that waiting fifteen minutes after the bars close or an event lets out allows surge prices to pass. Articles such as this one in The Penny Hoarder inform rideshare passengers of other techniques to save money on rideshare.
• Gig platforms are still tweaking formulas. Uber’s profit report puts pressure on the other companies running gig platforms to show black ink. Platforms will continue experimenting with how much they charge the consumer and pay gig drivers. 

Gig earnings will continue to fluctuate as these factors and others put pressure on the market. To get a better look at gig companies' earnings, have a look at the Gridwise Annual Gig Marketing Report. 

Gig economy workforce demographics

According to a study from the Pew Research Center, in 2021 more than 16% of the US population had at least experimented as a member of the gig economy workforce, either in rideshare, food delivery, or package delivery. This includes those who work just a few hours a week to full-time drivers putting in 40 to 60 hours a week. That Pew number, by the way, was compiled before Uber swelled its US driver numbers by 31% these last two years. 

More recently, Gridwise Analytics has compiled demographic information on these drivers. 

The gender breakdown of the gig economy workforce

The Gridwise Annual Gig Mobility Report breaks down gender into the four main gig platform categories. 

• Rideshare: 25% women, 72% men
• Food delivery: 40% women, 59% men 
• Grocery delivery: 43% women, 54% men
• Package delivery: 33% women, 65% men

The survey also revealed that women are twice as likely as men to be concerned about the safety of having a stranger in their car. This explains why food and grocery delivery see a higher percentage of women drivers. 

How did drivers define the commitment level to their gig job? 

• 68% considered it a side job
• 41% drove less than 10 hours a week
• 31% considered it their primary job
• 29% drove 10–30 hours a week
• 8% stated they drove more than 30 hours a week 

Longevity of the gig economy workforce

Driver churn, the term referring to the number of drivers who leave the job, is a problem for gig platforms. According to the Gridwise Annual Gig Mobility Report

• 74.8% of drivers started in the last three years
• 49.4% started in 2023
• 38% work five times a week or more 

FintechNexus.com reports that “the cost of turnover is estimated to be 0.5 to 2 times the employee’s earnings, even for a gig worker.” This is a drain on the bottom line for the gig platforms, requiring these firms to spend money and resources on recruiting drivers. 

The Gridwise Annual Gig Marketing Report is a complete look at gig drivers, their demographics and motivations. Get your free copy here. 

Other factors that contribute to those seeking gig driver work

There are also societal factors that make gig work attractive to individuals who previously worked 9-to-5 jobs. 

• The Great Resignation. The COVID-19 pandemic compelled a number of workers to re-evaluate their jobs and lifestyles. Folks quit working in droves, looking instead for jobs that offered more flexibility and freedom. Gig-driving jobs provide these things. The money may not be as good, but many people have re-prioritized their lives. 
• The aging of baby boomers. The children of baby boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials find they must care for their aging parents as they encounter the infirmities of old age. Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia are at record highs. In 2020, there were over 55 million people globally who have dementia, according to the website of Alzheimer’s Disease International. “This number will almost double every 20 years, reaching 78 million in 2030 and 139 million in 2050. Much of the increase will be in developing countries.” The children of these patients need jobs with flexibility to accommodate their caregiving activities, and gig driving offers that flexibility. 

How do drivers see their future working on a gig platform?

According to the 2023 Griwise AGMR, 45% of drivers see their commitment to gig driving as a long-term plan instead of a temporary job. Another 26% see it as a short-term remedy to their job situation. Finally, 29% say they are unsure about their work as a gig driver. 

What role does multi-apping play with drivers?

A common practice for many drivers is multi-apping, in which drivers run two or more apps simultaneously. According to the Gridwise AGMR, only 24.3% of drivers switch between apps during a working period, but there’s plenty of curiosity about this practice. Of those drivers interviewed, 41.7% have experimented with the various gig platforms in the last year. Many drivers find the information they get from the Gridwise app allows them to multi-app more efficiently. 

Gridwise Analytics has the ground truth

One of the keys to success for investing in gig platforms, especially the emerging ones, will be understanding the drivers who deliver these services, whether it’s rideshare, food delivery, package delivery, or any other service that may develop in the coming years. Successfully recruiting these drivers means having an insight into what motivates them. Gridwise Analytics, with insights into the activities of hundreds of thousands of drivers, can deliver that insight. 

Get in touch with us today to discover what we can deliver. 

Check out these articles to learn more about Gridwise Analytics:

• Read the Gridwise Annual Gig Mobility Report 
• Harnessing Gig Mobility Data and Analytics for Growth Opportunities 
• Data-Driven Strategy: How Gig Mobility Drove Fleet Efficiency in an Autonomous Vehicle Company’s Strategy
• Why We Launched Gridwise Analytics

Incentives are some of the best things about gig driving. They can make or break your success while working for any given platform because they do so much to add to earnings. DoorDash does a good job of dishing out incentives to their drivers, and in this post we’ll give you the full picture of what they can do for you.

DoorDash incentives: What they deliver

There are several types of DoorDash incentives, and they all aim to entice drivers to work for and stay loyal to the company. For the most part, DoorDash driver promos and earned incentives are much like those offered by other rideshare and delivery companies.

Some drivers complain that the offers change so often it becomes difficult to keep up with them. This video from Dasher Sarah Elizabeth outlines the latest version of DoorDash’s driver rewards program that’s under beta testing now. Low-acceptance-rate drivers might lose out on discounts and privileges that come with this program, according to this DoorDash driver.

Companies have their reasons for offering incentives, as well as the right to limit them or exclude drivers who don’t meet certain metrics. A low acceptance rate might indicate a driver isn’t doing everything possible to make DoorDash look good to its customers. On the other hand, when they want to entice drivers, the apps will dish out the dough. 

This article from Gridwise shows how aggressive companies began offering incentives in 2021 when there was a shortage of delivery drivers. Naturally, when a company has enough drivers to satisfy demand, they will be less generous about the incentives they offer to potential as well as established gig drivers. That could be why the programs change so much and so often.

The quantity and potential earnings and/or rewards available are driven by the company’s own incentive to attract and keep their drivers. They are also always mindful of how they can please their customers by maintaining a high degree of availability and reliability for DoorDash services.

A look at the individual ways DoorDash lays incentives on its Dashers will help you get a better idea of what’s available and how much extra you might be able to earn.

Peak Pay promotions and DoorDash driver challenges

These incentives are very common and easy to get: 

Peak Pay is available at certain times of day, when there is a lot of business and there are not so many drivers. The only thing you need to do to qualify is schedule time blocks when Peak Pay is in effect in your area.

The map shown below illustrates what Peak Pay promotions look like in the app:

Source: DoorDash website

You can also find incentives under the promotions tab:

Source: DoorDash website

DoorDash driver challenges

Challenges appear at random, and it’s hard to tell exactly when you will see them. The challenge might ask you to complete a certain number of deliveries within a given time frame. Receiving $20 for making five deliveries in a few hours is a common example, but the requirements and rewards vary widely.

Challenges normally pop up when you are using Dash Now, but it’s possible to be eligible for them while driving on a scheduled shift. Drivers suspect there are reasons besides demand behind DoorDash’s challenges. These might include being new to DoorDash or returning to your Dasher duties after a long absence.

At the time of this writing, DoorDash states that challenges are in a beta testing phase. They may or may not be available in your area. More will be revealed if and when DoorDash rolls out the challenge program fully.

The DoorDash new driver bonus: Guaranteed earnings

While there’s not really a DoorDash sign-up bonus, there are benefits to signing on. New Dashers can benefit from a guaranteed earnings program if they sign up to drive using a guaranteed earnings sign-up page. Driver referral codes are widely available, and may or may not appear on your sign-up page. This article from the DoorDash website explains the program in detail.

The guaranteed earnings incentive operates pretty much the way it sounds. DoorDash guarantees you will make a certain amount of money on a given number of deliveries within a certain time frame. If the money you make on those deliveries fails to meet the guaranteed amount, DoorDash will pay the difference. 

Let’s say the offer states you’ll be paid $1,500 if you make 150 deliveries in your first 30 days. If you only make $1,300 from delivering within that time frame, DoorDash will pay the $200 difference. However, if you make the same or more, you will simply keep your earnings, and DoorDash will not pay you anything in addition.

Guaranteed earnings is a very nice incentive for new drivers, and it’s also good for DoorDash. This enticement trains drivers to make as many deliveries as possible in a reasonably short period of time, helping them to set a pattern they’ll probably follow in the future.

New Dashers who use a DoorDash driver referral code might also benefit the driver that invited them to join DoorDash. If the new Dasher meets the criteria of making the full number of deliveries in a given time frame, the referring driver could receive a bonus. DoorDash states these offers change weekly, so it always pays to check the app to see what’s available near you.

Other Dasher promotions

If you don’t see a way to get a DoorDash bonus, or even if you do, there are other offers DoorDash extends to its drivers that you should know about. “Top Dasher” is one that most drivers strive to achieve. Top Dashers are drivers who maintain superlative ratings, high acceptance rates, and solid completion numbers. 

The only privilege DoorDash lists on their website is the ability to use Dash Now at any time. However, the program has, from time to time, included other perks such as priority scheduling and VIP service from Dasher support. Read this article from Gridwise to get all the details about the program and how it might benefit some drivers more than others.

Below are the current requirements to be a Top Dasher. You need to maintain these numbers every month. You’ll have your status either reinstated or removed on the second day of each month.

• customer rating of at least 4.7
• acceptance rate of at least 70%
• completion rate of at least 95%
• 100 completed deliveries during the last month
• at least 200 lifetime deliveries completed

You may wonder, as a driver for Doordash, “How do I check incentives?” The Dasher app is one of the most slick and comprehensive platforms out there. Always look to the app for whatever you need. Current offers, your ratings, and other qualifying factors for Top Dasher and the Dasher rewards program can be found on the app dashboard.

You need Gridwise! Download the app, and you’ll see how you can boost your earnings while getting a whole array of conveniences that have been designed for gig drivers, by gig drivers! Gridwise gives you all the things you need to thrive with DoorDash and all your driving gigs.

First, there was the job: how you made money to pay the bills and support your lifestyle. Then came the second job, or the part-time job, or moonlighting. Now the popular handle for that activity is the side hustle job, but many just call it the side hustle.

Then came the concept of gig work, specifically gig driving: rideshare, food delivery, and parcel delivery. All of these center around online platforms accessible through an app. But why stop at gig driving? There are side hustle apps for all sorts of money-making ventures. Many people have a group of side hustles they’ve assembled that provide them with a respectable income. An individual with a collection of side hustles has a side hustle stack (sort of like a pride of lions, a murder of crows, or a flamboyance of flamingos).

One thing remains constant, though. The Gridwise app helps you manage your side hustle stack. You can keep track of mileage, expenses, earnings, and more. Gridwise designed features to assist you in making more money, controlling expenses, and maximizing tax deductions. Every dollar you save in taxes is money in your pocket.

If you haven’t already, download the Gridwise app and learn how to be more profitable with your side hustles.

Drivers are still asking how to make $1000 per week with Uber. Well, the latest numbers are out. The good news is that it’s a very doable goal. 

The path to that kind of Uber pay rate is within the grasp of full-time or near full-time drivers working in the right markets. It hinges on your ability to strategize driving, identify the right markets, and provide the best service. It also means using the right tools, including the Gridwise companion app for gig drivers.

How much does Uber pay?

To help you get a good picture of Uber driver earnings in 2023, have a look at the below chart. It incorporates input from more than 500,000 drivers who have downloaded the Gridwise app. The aggregated and anonymized results provide one of the best pictures available to answer, How much does Uber pay? 

Uber driver earnings, 2023 

12345678PeriodGross earnings per work hour Total trips Work hours Work miles Hours required to achieve $1,000/wkEarnings for drivers performing in the 90th percentileHours required to achieve $1,000/wk at the 90th percentile2023-01$20.0411235.4768.249.9$30.7032.572023-02$21.6111235.1773.546.27$32.5330.742023-03$21.7011738.9849.946.08$33.0130.292023-04$21.6311036.8803.546.23$33.5329.822023-05$19.8410336.5802.350.40$31.5431.702023-06$18.319837.1812.554.61$29.4233.902023-07$18.4010037.1817.054.35$29.4333.982023-08$18.6810338.4840.953.53$29.0734.402023-09$19.6211139.0857.650.97$31.0032.26

All numbers are based on mean averages, source: Gridwise Analytics

These numbers represent both part-time and full-time drivers. So for example, a full-time driver earning the average Uber driver pay per hour ($19.62) would have to drive more than 50 hours to earn $1,000 a week in September 2023. 

What about the Uber driver salary of high-performing drivers?

You could, however, be a high-performing Uber driver. Column 7 represents what drivers earned who were in the 90th percentile, meaning their income was higher than 90% of drivers. These top earners are likely working in a major metropolitan market and employing a winning driving strategy. Such a driver (earning $31 per hour in September 2023) would have had to drive only slightly more than 32 hours to earn $1,000 a week.

For a closer look at Uber pay rate in 2023, check out this Gridwise blog post, How Much do Uber Drivers Make in 2023? How to Make More. 

Would you like to contribute to these numbers? It’s easy. Download the Gridwise app today.  

You can learn more about the Uber Pro program on the Uber website or from a recent Gridwise blog post, Uber Pro 2023: What Should Uber Drivers Know?

How to make $1000 per week with Uber

To achieve the goal of making $1000 per week with Uber, it's essential to establish realistic targets, track your earnings and expenses, and take advantage of available bonuses and incentives. By focusing on these key strategies, you can maximize your earning potential as an Uber driver and consistently reach your weekly income goals.

Setting Realistic Goals

Start by setting a weekly earnings target that aligns with your financial needs and the prevailing market conditions in your area. Consider factors such as the average hourly rate for Uber drivers in your region, the number of hours you're willing to work, and your overall living expenses. Establishing a realistic, yet ambitious, weekly goal will help you stay motivated and focused as you work towards your $1000 target.

Tracking Your Earnings and Expenses

Consistently monitoring your earnings, mileage, and expenses is crucial for optimizing your Uber driving strategy. Utilize the comprehensive reporting features within the Uber app or a dedicated expense tracking app to keep a close eye on your income and costs. This data will allow you to identify areas for improvement, such as optimizing your driving schedule or reducing unnecessary expenses, to maximize your take-home pay.

Leveraging Bonuses and Incentives

Take advantage of any Uber driver bonuses, promotions, or incentives available in your market. These can include surge pricing during peak demand periods, referral bonuses for recruiting new drivers, or incentives for reaching specific milestones, such as a certain number of rides or consecutive days of active driving. By strategically taking advantage of these opportunities, you can significantly boost your weekly earnings and move closer to your $1000 goal.

Steps to make $1000 a week with UberImportanceSetting Realistic GoalsEstablishing a weekly earnings target that aligns with your financial needs and local market conditions is crucial for staying motivated and focused on your $1000 goal.Tracking Your Earnings and ExpensesClosely monitoring your income, mileage, and costs allows you to identify areas for optimization and maximize your take-home pay.Leveraging Bonuses and IncentivesTaking advantage of Uber's surge pricing, referral programs, and other driver incentives can significantly boost your weekly earnings.

What factors go into an Uber driver salary?

When you look at Uber driver salary, remember that you’re not seeing a single number but rather a set of numbers that, when added up, produce what we refer to as gross earnings. Let’s look at the different factors comprising these gross earnings and how they determine your Uber pay rate. 

Average Earnings for Uber Drivers

The average uber driver earnings can vary significantly based on several factors. Factors such as the geographical location, the time of day drivers operate, and the level of demand in the area all play a crucial role in determining how much Uber drivers can make. Additionally, factors like the driver's experience and customer service skills can also influence their overall earnings potential.

Factors Affecting Uber Driver Income

There are several key factors that influence uber driver income, which drivers should be aware of to optimize their earnings. These include the local market conditions, the time of day and day of the week they choose to drive, the number of rides completed, and the driver's overall customer service and rating. Understanding how these factors determine how much uber drivers make will enable you to strategically plan your driving schedule and approach to maximize your weekly take-home pay.

FactorImpact on Uber Driver IncomeLocationEarnings can vary significantly based on the cost of living and demand for rides in a particular city or region.Time of DayDriving during peak hours, such as weekday rush hours and late nights, can result in higher earnings due to increased demand and surge pricing.Day of the WeekWeekends, particularly Friday and Saturday nights, tend to have higher demand and surge pricing, leading to increased earnings for Uber drivers.Driver ExperienceExperienced drivers who provide excellent customer service often earn more per ride and receive higher ratings, leading to more repeat business and referrals.Number of RidesThe more rides a driver completes, the higher their overall earnings, as they can take advantage of surge pricing and incentives more frequently.

Uber Base earnings

Base earnings are where it begins when computing how much do Uber drivers make. This is the root of your earnings, minus all incentives, bonuses, and tips. 

Base earnings are a combination of a per-mile rate and a per-minute rate. In some cities, you will also earn a base fee. You should know that these rates vary from one region to another. This is important to know because it can help dictate where you drive. 

Did you know the Gridwise app includes a feature called Where to Drive? It's an important part of how you can maximize your earnings and worth checking out. 

Uber Bonus earnings

If you want to know how to make 1000 in a week driving for Uber, you need to take advantage of bonus earnings. Uber gives you two different ways to earn bonuses.  

Uber Quests. Quests are typically announced on the Uber app in advance, so you can plan for them, and are often individualized to the driver. This means that not all drivers get the same Quest offering. A typical Uber Quest is that you take three consecutive rides between 7:00 am and 8:00 am on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of each week. Make sure you read the details of each offer because they can vary, and you must meet all the requirements. 

The bonus appears on your earnings when you complete the required rides. 

Uber Boost+. Uber uses Uber Boost+ to attract drivers to a specific area in anticipation of increased ride demand within a few hours. If there is a sporting event, for instance, Uber wants drivers in the area when that event lets out. A Boost+ offer is what gets those drivers there. 

A Boost+ zone is designated on your app by a distinct blue shading with a blue boundary. A typical Boost+ surcharge is $1 or $2. 

Incentive earnings

Incentive earnings lure drivers into a specific area. 

Surges. When ride demand exceeds the supply of drivers in a particular area, Uber will surge prices. A transparent orange heat overlay on the map of your Uber app designates a surge. The darker the orange, the higher the premium. 

These premiums are in the form of “multipliers.” An area with moderate demand might offer a multiplier of 1.25 or 1.50of your base fare. A multiplier of 1.25 means you earn base fare plus 25%. A multiplier of 1.50 means you earn base fare plus 50%. If demand is high enough, it's possible to see surges that increase rates by a factor of 3 or 4. We’ll discuss using surges to increase your earnings later in this blog post.  

Bonuses. Although bonuses have always been around for rideshare drivers, they became very popular as an incentive to get drivers back onto the road during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Drivers who quit over concerns about the pandemic found their email inboxes flooded with offers. They were tricky, though. What sounded like a $1,000 bonus if you completed 100 rides in a month was actually a guarantee of $1,000 in earnings. In other words, give 100 rides in January, and if you don’t earn $1,000, Uber would make up the difference. 

Uber makes other offers that guarantee actual bonuses paid beyond earnings. Always read the details and understand how the bonuses work. As with many special offers Uber makes, they are often individualized to specific drivers, so don’t be surprised if you find other drivers are presented with different offers. 

Tip earnings

Tips averaged between 11.6% and 13.1% of driver base pay in 2023. Uber passes 100% of tip earnings to drivers. Drivers can make a difference in their tips by offering top-drawer service. Want to know how to increase tips? Your first stop should be a recent Gridwise blog post, Lyft and Uber Driver Skills: 5 Ways to Improve Your Customer Service. 

Other offerings to boost your Uber driver salary

Uber has launched additional programs to boost the Uber pay rate. 

Uber Reserve. Passengers can reserve an Uber for pick-up at a specific time. According to reports, these rides pay as much as double the regular rate and are available by checking your app. You can also set your app up so that Reserve rides will flash across your screen when you're online. Drivers have a window of a few seconds in which they can accept these rides, which can appear as much as seven days in advance. 

If you read all the details about Uber Reserve rides, they may not sound like such a good deal, but Gridwise has heard anecdotal stories that lead us to think otherwise. It’s worth experimenting to see if they work for you. Learn more about Uber Reserve rides on the Uber driver website. 

Uber Pro. Uber Pro is part of Uber’s driver loyalty efforts. The program has various levels, including Blue, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond (the highest). To qualify for the Uber Pro program, drivers must meet these basic requirements:

• star rating of 4.85 or above
• acceptance rate of 85% or above
• cancellation rate of 4% or lower

Drivers receive points for each ride they give, with additional points awarded for rides with areas and times that are predesignated. Various levels offer discounts on gas and EV charging, translating into more money left in your pocket. There is also a one-time cash award if you achieve Diamond status, but that offer expired this past October 31, 2023. There’s no word on whether Uber will renew the offer. 

You can learn more about the Uber Pro program on the Uber website or from a recent Gridwise blog post, Uber Pro 2023: What Should Uber Drivers Know?

Does loyalty to Uber increase your Uber driver salary?

Although the exact details of the algorithm remain secret, Uber has long hinted that it favors drivers with high acceptance rates on the platform. The same is rumored to be true for drivers who take Uber Reserve rides or participate in the Uber Pro program. 

Other drivers feel that multi-apping is a key part of maximizing their earnings. Indeed, 31% of drivers multi-app on Uber and Lyft, according to a Gridwise blog post, Want to Improve Gig Driver Loyalty? Use Data to Stay Competitive. 

Remember that Uber has a commanding lead in the rideshare world. In September 2023 Bloomberg Second Measure reported that Uber had a 74% slice of the rideshare market. Their 2023 Q3 report to shareholders boasted a 31% increase in income from gross bookings over 2022. If you drive for Uber, chances are you will get more rides than Lyft. Drivers that multi-app often go with whatever platform they feel offers them the most profitable rides.  

If you are considering multi-apping, be sure to check out the Gridwise blog post The Art of Multi-apping: How-Tos and Strategies for Gig Drivers. More information can also be found in another post, Does Your Uber Acceptance Rate Matter?

How to make more money on Uber

Those who fall into the category of high-performing Uber drivers, at the 90th percentile of earnings, have learned strategies and tactics that allow them to earn a higher Uber driver pay per hour. What are these tactics? Let’s briefly review the most popular and effective ones.

Know your regions and their boundaries

The numbers we reviewed at the beginning of this article represent national averages. Uber driver salary in the larger metropolitan areas is higher, especially for strategic drivers. Population density and the prevalence of professional sports, concerts, and special events play into these Uber pay rate increases.

The compensation difference in markets can also vary dramatically between adjoining regions. While the per-mile rate in Los Angeles for Uber might be 80 cents a mile, the rate in the outer suburbs is often less, as much as 20 cents a mile less. The rate card is in the Uber driver app. Make sure you're familiar with it. It pays to venture into a higher-earning region if you're close to the border. 

Research drive times

Driving during peak drive times maximizes your Uber driver pay per hour, so know when things get busy in your region. The nightlife scene on Friday and Saturday nights is always good. Large towns and those with universities and colleges are also familiar with Thirsty Thursdays, the phenomenon of people starting their weekend early. Bars and restaurants are often full.  

Familiarize yourself with the shift changes of large companies. People are always looking for rides to and from work. Hospitals can be good places for rides, too, even in the middle of the night. The When to Drive feature on the Gridwise app is an excellent source of information on peak driving hours. 

Watch for surges

Surge pricing is a significant factor for increasing your Uber pay rate. In 2023, Uber drivers added 12% to over 22% to their base earnings by taking advantage of surges. Look for those orange heat overlays on your Uber driver app. 

The best tactic is to make note of where and when surges occur, allowing you to position yourself properly. Surges are often transitory, and chasing them can be counterproductive. If you have to drive a mile or two to get to a surge, it might be gone by the time you get there. You're better off positioning yourself in the middle of an area you know will likely surge. 

Surge pricing can also mean sitting in traffic, such as at concerts or sporting events. You need to weigh the wait time of bumper-to-bumper congestion versus spending your time in another area and picking up rides. Sometimes, the math doesn’t justify the surge. 

Increase your Uber pay rate with great tips

Tips account for an increase of 11% to 13% over your base pay. You should monitor your tips to ensure they fall within this range (something you can do when you download the Gridwise app). You can learn how to enhance your tip income to make even more by reading this Griwise blog post, 12 Ways Rideshare Drivers Can Earn More Tips.

Experiment, experiment, experiment

Every market is unique, and so is every driver. Occasionally, try driving at different hours, on different days, or in a different neighborhood. Sometimes, you’ll see patterns that no app would detect. Mix things up. Try something new. You’ll be amazed at what you discover. 

Use Gridwise to help record all expenses

In addition to valuable services such as where and when to drive, reports on special events, and airport arrivals, Gridwise also has the best mileage tracker for Uber drivers and an expense tracker. 

The standard mileage deduction for 2023 is 65.5 cents per mile. That means that for every 10,000 miles you drive and record through the Gridwise tracker, you can lower your taxable income by $6,550. For more information, check out a recent Gridwise blog post, 8 Strategies for Maximizing Rideshare and Delivery Tax Deductions.

Looking for more resources? Be sure to check out:

• Download the Gridwise app and start exploring it today! 
• How to Find the Best Times and Places to Drive for Uber, Lyft
• How to Make $1,000 a Week with Uber Eats
• Does Your Uber Acceptance Rate Matter
• Looking for a different gig, part-time or full time job? Check out the Gridwise Job board.

FAQ

What are the best times to drive for Uber to maximize earnings?

Peak hours for Uber typically include weekday rush hours, weekends, and late nights when demand for rides is highest. During these times, Uber often implements surge pricing, which can increase the base fare by up to 2-3 times. By strategically positioning yourself in busy areas and being responsive to surge notifications, you can capitalize on these lucrative periods and earn more per ride.

You can use Gridwise to help you pick the best times to drive.

How can Uber drivers provide outstanding customer service?

Delivering an exceptional customer experience is crucial for Uber drivers who want to maximize their earnings. Maintaining a clean and comfortable vehicle, ensuring excellent vehicle maintenance, and developing strong interpersonal skills can all contribute to higher ratings and more positive reviews from passengers. Passengers are more likely to tip well and provide positive feedback for drivers who go above and beyond to make their ride enjoyable.

What are some steps to make $1000 per week with Uber?

To achieve the goal of making $1000 per week with Uber, it's important to establish realistic targets, track your earnings and expenses, and take advantage of available bonuses and incentives. Start by setting a weekly earnings goal that aligns with your financial needs and the local market conditions in your area. Consistently monitor your earnings, mileage, and expenses to identify areas for improvement and optimize your driving strategy. Additionally, research and take advantage of any Uber driver incentives, such as surge pricing, promotions, or bonuses for reaching specific milestones, as these can significantly boost your weekly take-home pay.

How can Uber drivers expand their earning potential?

To further increase your weekly earnings with Uber, consider expanding your earning potential by driving for multiple rideshare services or offering additional services to your passengers. By signing up for and driving for other platforms like Lyft or DoorDash, you can diversify your income streams and take advantage of different demand patterns and surge pricing opportunities. Additionally, you can explore offering complementary services such as delivering food, grocery shopping, or even providing personal concierge services to your passengers, all of which can contribute to your overall weekly earnings.

What safety considerations should Uber drivers keep in mind?

As an Uber driver, your safety and the safety of your passengers are of paramount importance. Develop defensive driving techniques, such as maintaining a safe following distance, being aware of your surroundings, and anticipating potential hazards. Additionally, be prepared to handle difficult situations, such as unruly passengers or unexpected incidents, by having a clear plan of action and knowing when to contact Uber support or emergency services.

How can Uber drivers build a loyal customer base?

One of the keys to consistently earning $1000 per week with Uber is to build a loyal customer base. By providing memorable experiences for your passengers, you can encourage repeat business and positive reviews. Engage with your passengers, offer personalized amenities or recommendations, and go the extra mile to ensure their ride is comfortable and enjoyable. Leverage these positive reviews to attract new customers and maintain a strong rating, which can lead to more high-paying ride requests and a steady stream of income.

How can Uber drivers stay motivated and avoid burnout?

Driving for Uber can be a rewarding experience, but it's important to maintain a healthy work-life balance to avoid burnout and stay motivated. Set achievable goals for your weekly earnings and take regular breaks to recharge. Consider taking vacations or short trips to refresh yourself and prevent burnout. By prioritizing your well-being and maintaining a positive mindset, you can sustain your Uber driving efforts and consistently earn $1000 per week or more.

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!

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 just $14.99/month or $107.99/year

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!

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?

• Here are the five best mileage tracking apps
• Know how to find the best times and places to drive
• Find out how to make $1000 with Uber Eats here
• Here's how to make $1000 with doordash
• See why Gridwise is a favorite among gig workers in our top 5 gig worker apps comparison

According to the 2023 Gridwise Gig Mobility Report, QSRs emerged as the leaders in the delivery market, dominating the top ten restaurants for delivery. They adapted and thrived in this new normal.

Much of this growth has been a by-product of the pandemic. QSRs with delivery in their service mix did a booming business, propelled by sales to customers looking for a contact-free transaction. As the pandemic subsided and Americans learned to live with COVID-19, these same consumers continued many new habits, including food delivery. 

Those QSRs that continue to thrive do so because they take advantage of one of the powerful by-products of food delivery: the collected data. They can see the demographics of who's ordering, what they’re ordering, when they’re ordering, the ticket size, and other trends and patterns. Larger chains have already mastered much of this data implementation, but smaller chains and independents still have open opportunities. 

How does Gridwise Analytics gather this data on QSR food delivery?

Gridwise markets one of the leading companion apps for food delivery drivers. The app gives drivers insights into their earnings—when and where to drive, traffic reports, weather reports, etc.—allowing them to be more efficient in their work. In the US, more than 500,000 gig drivers use the Gridwise app, linking it to the various food delivery platforms they work with.

Gridwise Analytics segments driver data so that Gridwise can specifically break out QSR  delivery drivers and look at their activity. Gridwise captures driver information, such as where orders come from, where they’re delivered to, time of day, and driver earnings, then anonymizes and aggregates it into delivery data. This data correlates up to 98% against quarterly metrics reported by the individual platforms. This is the only study of its kind. 

QSRs dominate the delivery landscape

The 2023 Gridwise Gig Mobility Report lists the top ten restaurants in the US marketplace that are most popular for food delivery based on number of trips. Not surprisingly, QSRs dominate the list:

1. McDonald’s
2. Taco Bell
3. Starbucks
4. Chick-fil-A
5. Chipotle
6. Wendy’s
7. Wingstop
8. Panda Express
9. Burger King
10. Dunkin’

Why understanding third-party food delivery is critical to success for QSRs

Food delivery data affords owners and managers of QSRs a deep dive into their delivery customers. Insights include:

• Defining your customer base. Delivery allows QSRs to expand their customer reach beyond their physical location. Delivery data tells you how far your reach extends. This ability to attract new customers is especially important for small and independent QSRs. 
• Fine-tune the delivery menu. Delivery customers have favorites, which can differ from in-store orders. By watching delivery trends, you can optimize the delivery menu, increase orders with add-on sales, and increase profits. 
• Insights into pricing. Delivery data allows you to experiment with and gauge the results of pricing strategies and determine what the QSR customer is willing to pay for delivery services. 
• Defining marketing strategies and tactics. Delivery data uncovers new customers, allowing you to tailor your marketing and reach more people. 
• Make better staffing decisions. Gridwise Analytics provides historical data so you can make accurate staffing decisions for your QSR. What was business like last year during March Madness? What events require you to add staff? What are the busiest days of the week?
• Better inventory decisions. Again, you can look at the historical data and determine the proper inventory levels. No one likes to run out of a menu item. You miss out on sales, and customers remember those things. 

The landscape of food delivery for QSRs

Third-party food delivery accounts for an estimated $29.8 billion in revenue for restaurants in 2022. Industry projections are that by 2028, food delivery will represent $64.8 billion. 

DoorDash dominates the third-party delivery market in the US, with a 78.6% market share as of December 2023. Uber Eats commands less than a fifth of the market, at 18.7%. Grubhub has a 2.7% share. 

Despite DoorDash’s dominance of the US market, individual companies dominate specific regional markets. A 2021 report by McKinsey & Company revealed that DoorDash had about a quarter of the market in New York City, with Grubhub holding more than a third. 

Market shares fluctuate regionally all across the US. We can expect this regional share to continue to fluctuate as gig delivery companies experiment with offers and partnerships to build their market share. 

How do food delivery apps make their money?

There are as many models for making money in the food delivery business as there are companies, but here are a few main ways. 

• Commissions. The delivery companies charge each QSR a commission on the order. This ranges, usually up to 20% of the order but sometimes lower. Some QSRs pass this charge along to the customer; others don’t. It comes down to what the market will bear. 
• Charges to the end customer. The food delivery company also charges the end customer. 
• Special services. Food delivery companies also allow QSRs to post their menu on the app, sometimes for a fee. The cost often affects the ability to make changes quickly, add new items, and increase the QSR’s prominence on the app. 
• Promotions. Many major platforms have tied into third-party partners like Amazon and Disney. 

Things are constantly changing. Expect to see more partnerships and services aimed at making delivery more efficient for QSRs and more profitable for delivery companies. 

It is important for QSR executives to consult the data in their markets to determine the dominant delivery platform and develop a strong relationship with it. For that delivery platform to remain competitive in that market, it must have a strong contingent of drivers. For QSRs, available drivers mean food gets delivered quickly, which translates to happy customers. 

Gridwise Analytics offers QSRs granular data 

For QSR operators and decision-makers, the more granular the information, the better they can make calls on items such as menu offerings, pricing, marketing campaigns, and other parameters. Below are samples of the information available to QSRs. You can see what the competition is doing, look back at historical data, and see what’s happening in real time. 

Restaurant delivery efficiency, measured by speed and distance

While distance remains similar for all QSRs, the duration of the trip is longer for Burger King than it is for McDonald's by about ten minutes. This could be caused by traffic congestion, kitchen operations, or increased on-site customer demand. Since these are averages, very long trips could also skew data higher for specific QSRs. If you’re interested in optimizing your QSR performance, Gridwise can show which specific restaurants are taking longer than others within a city. While a three minute difference may not sound like a lot, QSRs must optimize operations to enhance profit margins.

QSR operators can see average delivery charges from any store and compare them against other stores and the competition. Obviously, operators want to recoup the cost of delivery in their charges to the customer. 

QSR Operators and decision-makers can also examine the smallest and largest deliveries for orders. This information can give operators greater insight into what kinds of delivery charges the market will accept. 

Map-based information

Source: Gridwise Analytics

Gridwise can also generate maps with heat overlays to reflect activity. This map example shows how your QSR matches up to the competition for pre-selected parameters. In this case, we’re looking at information on McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Burger King. The map feature can be programmed to reflect activity on specific dates and times. 

Gridwise Analytics shows the entire picture

Individual delivery companies share their data with QSRs but often charge for it and limit the data they share. In addition, their data is limited to what is available through their app. Uber Eats and DoorDash can provide data for their platform only. Gridwise Analytics provides data that crosses over, supplying a bird’s-eye view of all QSRs and all food delivery apps. 

Gridwise Analytics can also drill down for a more granular focus, looking at individual stores in a chain for location-level insights.

This option of both a micro and macro focus across all delivery platforms for QSRs is only available from Gridwise. 

Contact Gridwise Analytics for more information

Gridwise Analytics is the ground truth source for delivery data in the QSR sector. Our information is timely and accurate and can fit into your existing databases with minimal manipulation. Get in touch with us today to discover what we can deliver. 

Check out these links to learn more about Gridwise Analytics:

• Read the Gridwise Annual Gig Mobility Report 
• Harnessing Gig Mobility Data and Analytics for Growth Opportunities 
• Data-Driven Strategy: How Gig Mobility Drove Fleet Efficiency in an Autonomous Vehicle Company’s Strategy
• Why We Launched Gridwise Analytics