DoorDash Driver Review: How Much Money Can You Make?

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Pedal to the metal this summer. Make money on your time when you sign up to be a Dasher. Sign up to be a Dasher and start delivering with DoorDash. Make money moves your way.

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DoorDash Driver
5.0

Earn extra money for your short-term or long-term dreams with DoorDash. As a Dasher, you can be your own boss and enjoy the flexibility of choosing when, where, and how much you earn. All you need is a mode of transportation and a smartphone to start making money. It’s that simple.

Start Earning

Looking for a new way to bring home the bacon? Well, you are not alone. Out of all of the gig economy jobs that I've reviewed, I am impressed by the earning potential of food delivery gigs.

This is mainly because I don't want to get my hands dirty, babysit, or drive people around in my car — that's why I like the idea of getting paid to deliver food.

Today, you can start delivering food today and earn gig income with DoorDash by becoming a “Dasher.”

Is becoming a Dasher the best side hustle for you?

I'll explain the basics, how much you can earn with DoorDash, and how it compares to other food delivery apps.

How does DoorDash work?

You probably know by now about the best food delivery apps and restaurants now deliver food to people's doors. In fact, we rated it as one of the top driving apps to make money.

Highest paying?
Delivery Jobs

DoorDash provides more stable hourly pay but has lower earning potential. Instacart has higher earning potential but you must book your schedule in advance. Most gig workers sign up for both to maximize their earning potential.

Become a DoorDash Dasher Become an Instacart Shopper

You can make money by delivering breakfast, lunch, dinner and more from restaurants right to people's doorstep with DoorDash.

DoorDash launched in San Francisco and has since expanded to so many markets:

  • DoorDash is available in over 4,000 cities and towns across all 50 U.S. states. This includes Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico!.
  • DoorDash is available in over 80 cities and towns across Canada.
  • DoorDash is now also available in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, with more Australian cities coming soon.
doordash review

DoorDash is probably available near you so you can deliver your food from hundreds of great local restaurants in your area in 45 minutes or less.

Want to know if DoorDash is available in your area so you can start dashing and earning?

Click the link below and signup today to find out!

Signup to Deliver with DoorDash

How much do DoorDash drivers typically make?

I'm not here to waste your time. You may be wondering:

“Can you make 200 a day with DoorDash?”

“Can you make 300 fast with DoorDash?”

“Can you make 400 a week with DoorDash?”

“Can you make 500 a week with DoorDash?”

“Can you make 1000 a week with DoorDash?”

DoorDash Driver Sign Up

Let's get right into the figures to determine if this delivery company is right for you. I'm sure you saw earlier that I mentioned that you can earn money in the gig economy by delivering food with DoorDash.

The amount of money you can make by delivering food with DoorDash can depend on various factors such as the region you work in, the time of day, the demand for delivery services, and the distance of the delivery.

Additionally, DoorDash may offer different pay structures and incentives to their delivery drivers, so it's best to check directly with DoorDash for the most accurate and up-to-date information on their payment policies and bonuses like guaranteed earning incentives.

Guaranteed Earnings Incentives are available for select new Dashers in specific areas. These incentives ensure that you’ll receive at least the guaranteed amount if you complete the required number of deliveries in the specified timeframe. Guaranteed earnings are not an added bonus, but rather a commitment that you’ll earn at least the amount listed (or more, if you earn more during the promotional period!).

You can also make money by referring new drivers and getting a referral bonus.

How do I refer other Dashers?

You can refer your friends and family to dash through the Dasher app. On the Dash tab there is a Refer friends banner at the top of the screen that shows how much money you will receive if the person you refer completes certain delivery requirements.

Click the banner to see these delivery requirements for your area, as well as how much money the referree would earn by completing these requirements.

You can click on SMS Invites to send a SMS, Facebook, Twitter or Email invite.

doordash driver referral
doordash driver referral

Referral bonuses are automatically added to the weekly pay of the referred Dasher and the referring Dasher.

Bonuses will ordinarily appear in each Dasher's paycheck for the week following the week in which the referred Dasher has satisfied all Qualifying Conditions.

Is it worth being a DoorDash driver?

The answer is different for everyone. If you live a low cost of living area then you can definitely be a DoorDash driver and earn enough money to pay your rent and all other living expenses.

However, don't expect to become super rich by being a deliver driver. Think of it as a way to increase your earning potential by adding a new income source. If you're already working full time, you can deliver on the side and earn some good money.

Overall, it is a decent way to earn some money on the side compared to other gig economy apps.

It's really easy to get started and is a no-brainer for those who want some extra income:

  • Get activated: Give them your info and they'll do a background check to get you on your way.
  • Get ready: Pick up the basics of Dashing, some gear, and the iOS or Android app.
  • Get paid: Turn on the app, accept some orders, and start bringing home the bacon.

When do Dashers get paid?

Dashers get paid on a weekly basis for all deliveries completed between Monday – Sunday of the previous week (ending Sunday at midnight PST).

Payments are transferred at that time directly to your bank account through Direct Deposit, and usually take 2-3 days to show up in your bank account, so payments will appear by Wednesday night.

Dasher Fast Pay in the United States

Fast Pay gives Dashers the ability to cash out their earnings daily for a small fee of $1.99. This means that Dashers can receive their earnings on demand through DoorDash, rather than waiting for their weekly direct deposit or using a third party service.

Note that you must have a debit card – not a prepaid card – to use the Fast Pay service.

What's delivery like?

Many Dashers say DoorDash deliveries are fast, easy, and fun.

Whenever and wherever you want (in over 4000 cities and towns), you can log on to your Dasher app to be offered delivery opportunities near your location.  If you are offered a delivery opportunity, you will see where it is and what you'll make, and you can choose to accept it or reject it.

After you accept a delivery, completing it will generally consist of 4 steps, all of which are clearly outlined in your Dasher app:

  1. Head to the restaurant. You can tap Navigate to get instructions on how to get to the restaurant. This will open into a Third Party Map service you selected as your preference in your Settings. In order to help pick up the order quickly, some restaurants may have pickup instructions. Take a look before you head inside so you know what to do!
  2. Head inside to collect the the order. Once you enter the restaurant, you will be able to swipe right at the bottom of your app to confirm arrival. For some orders, you’ll need to pay for the food with your Red Card. For many others, you’ll simply grab the food and go. Your Dasher app will advise what to do: pay with Red Card or pick up items without payment. When you have the order, the Dasher app will prompt you to check off the items listed on the app and swipe right once again to confirm.
  3. Head to the customer. You can tap Navigate to get instructions on how to get to the customer. Once you arrive you may be prompted to swipe you arrived. Customers may have a delivery preference and will provide delivery instructions. Take a look before you head towards the customer's address so you know what to do!
  4. Confirm Delivery. Once you’ve delivered the food, swipe right one last time to confirm delivery. Congratulations! Your app will now start searching for your next delivery opportunity.

How to download the Dasher app

A lot of people wonder what is the “DoorDash driver login” or “become a dasher login” or “where to sign up to be a Door Dasher”?

The Dasher app is available for both the iPhone and Android phones.

iPhone (iOS):
  1. Open the App Store
  2. Search for DoorDash Dasher
  3. Touch the app
  4. Tap Get
  5. Enter your Apple ID or use Touch/Face ID if prompted
  6. Go to the home screen and look for the Dasher app to start setting up your Dasher profile.
  7. Accepting important permissions:
  • Accepting location services lets the app direct you to pickup and drop-off locations
  • Accepting text and push notifications lets the app send you order notifications
  • Accepting camera access lets you upload your banking information in order to get paid
Android:
  1. Open the Play Store
  2. Search for Dasher DoorDash
  3. Touch the app
  4. Tap Install
  5. Tap Accept
  6. Tap Open
  7. Go to the home screen and look for the Dasher app to start setting up your Dasher profile.
  8. Accepting important permissions:
  • Accepting location services lets the app direct you to pickup and drop-off locations
  • Accepting text and push notifications lets the app send you order notifications
  • Accepting camera access lets you upload your banking information in order to get paid
Tips:
  • Check Dasher app requirements in your App Store or Google Play Store to ensure you have a compatible device. 
  • If your download fails, check that your phone has enough free storage (and erase some apps. photos, or videos to create storage space).
  • If your download stalls, turn off your wifi and then turn it back on. This is usually related to a weak internet connection.
  • If your iPhone needs to “Trust” the app before using follow the instructions below:
    • Go to Settings > General > Device Management
    • Tap “Palo Alto Delivery Inc.”
    • Tap Trust “Palo Alto Delivery Inc.”
    • Go to the home screen and click the Dasher app to start setting up your Dasher profile!

DoorDash Driver Reviews

DoorDash Driver Sign Up

Finally, here are some real and raw DoorDash driver reviews:

“Dashing is a vacation. It might pay for our wedding, it might send us to the Bahamas, who knows. We’ll figure it out when we get there.”

– Sean & Krystina

“You can’t really beat the freedom. Money when you want it is pretty dang convenient. And it’s consistent.”

– Johnny

“I love Dashing. It’s a lot of fun going to different restaurants. Some of them, I don’t even know that there’s this little hole in the wall until I get an order from them.”

– Alex

What do you say? Do you want to become a DoorDash Dasher? Click below so you can arrive at the DoorDash.com dasher signup and start earning.

DoorDash Driver
5.0

Earn extra money for your short-term or long-term dreams with DoorDash. As a Dasher, you can be your own boss and enjoy the flexibility of choosing when, where, and how much you earn. All you need is a mode of transportation and a smartphone to start making money. It’s that simple.

Start Earning

About the author

Brian Meiggs
Hi, I'm Brian Meiggs! A personal finance expert, entrepreneur, and the founder of My Millennial Guide. My drive is to help others unlock the wealth of freedom and pave the path to financial success. With my bachelor's degree in finance, I help millennials follow the smart money in order to increase their earning potential and start building wealth for the future. I write regularly about side hustles, investing, and general personal finance topics aimed to help anyone earn more, pay off debt, and reach financial freedom. I have been quoted in major publications including Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, NASDAQ, Discover, GoDaddy, BiggerPockets, Fox News, Debt.com, Quick Sprout, Money Geek, MSN Money and many more!