Food delivery apps have become much more mainstream in recent years, bringing in an estimated $4.3 million in revenue in 2020 alone. This market is predicted to double in the next year or two.
With the number of people ordering food online, there has been a demand for delivery drivers with apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash. It can be a great way to bring in extra income as a side hustle or full-time gig.
In this article, you’ll learn the difference between Uber Eats and DoorDash. We cover how they work, the requirements for becoming a driver, how much you can earn, pros and cons, and ultimately, which is better.
UberEats vs DoorDash: How Do They Work?
Uber Eats and DoorDash are two very similar food delivery apps in Canada. Here’s a brief overview of how each works for customers and drivers.
How Does UberEats Work?
Uber Eats is a top food delivery platform available in thousands of cities worldwide. Customers browse through restaurants in their area and can place an order to be delivered to their door.
Once the order is placed, nearby delivery drivers are notified and can accept the order. They follow in-app directions to the restaurant, pick up the order, and drop it off at the customer’s door.
Uber Eats has the option for contactless delivery or meet at the door.
How Does DoorDash Work?
Customers log into the DoorDash app and select a restaurant to order from. They pay for the food and wait for the order to arrive.
Like Uber Eats, DoorDash Dashers can accept orders placed near them. They drive to the restaurant using in-app navigation, pick up the order, and drop it off to the customer.
When the delivery is successful, Dashers can accept another delivery request.
DoorDash vs Uber Eats Driver Requirements
After signing up, these are the requirements for both DoorDash and UberEats:
How to Become a Delivery Driver with Uber Eats
If you’re delivering by car in Canada, the requirements are as follows. You must:
- Have a valid driver’s license (requirements vary by location)
- Be at least 21 years old
- Have a 2- or 4-door car that’s less than 20 years old
- Proof of vehicle insurance
- Hold proof of work eligibility
- Complete the background screening process
If you’re delivering by bike or foot in select cities, you must be at least 18 or 19 years old, depending on the province, have proof of work eligibility, and pass a background screening.
How to Become a DoorDash Driver
DoorDash drivers can deliver using a car, scooter, or bicycle. The requirements to sign up are:
- You must be 18 years or older
- You must own an iPhone or Android smartphone and install the DoorDash app
- If using a car, you must have a valid driver’s license, 1+ year of driving experience, a clean driving record, and car insurance
The requirements to become a Dasher are less stringent than Uber Eats, especially if you’re using a scooter or bike.
Uber Eats vs DoorDash Driver Pay: How Much Can You Earn?
The earn rate for the two apps is a bit different. Here’s how much you can earn as an UberEats vs DoorDash driver.
How Much Do Uber Eats Drivers Make?
Uber does not specify how much you can make as a delivery driver.
Earnings range by city, when you choose to deliver, deliveries completed, distance, and other factors.
How Much Do DoorDash Drivers Make?
Dashers earn a base pay of $2 to over $10 for each delivery they do. The actual base pay ranges based on the estimated time to complete the delivery, distance, and order desirability.
DoorDash delivery drivers make an average of $24.70 per hour in Ontario, but this rate depends on how many orders they complete, customer tips, and other factors.
Pros and Cons of Uber Eats and DoorDash
Uber Eats and DoorDash both have their pros and cons. Here are the biggest advantages and disadvantages of delivering with DoorDash and Uber Eats.
Uber Eats Pros
- You can deliver as many or as few hours as you want on your schedule
- You can deliver with a car, bicycle, or scooter
- Cash out with Instant Pay with as little as $1 with most major banks
- Keep 100% of the tips you get
Uber Eats Cons
- Earnings can vary depending on when and where you choose to deliver
- Some claim Uber to have poor customer support
DoorDash Pros
- Flexible schedule, work whenever you want
- You keep 100% of tips and delivery fees
- Earning bonuses like peak pay and challenges can boost your earnings
- You can schedule time blocks for future deliveries
DoorDash Cons
- Tips always vary based on the customer
- Base pay rates are always different depending on the distance and deliveries you accept
- You can’t work unless it is a busy time or you have scheduled a time block in advance
DoorDash vs Uber Eats: How to Earn More
DoorDash and Uber Eats offer promotions and ways you can earn more when delivering food.
Tips on Earning More With Uber Eats
There are quite a few ways you can boost your earnings with Uber Eats.
If there is a busy area in your city, try limiting your radius and only accepting orders within that zone. There will be more opportunities to complete deliveries as you’ll be close by and can accept orders immediately. You’ll save time, gas, and earn more money.
Take advantage of Surge times. During peak hours, you can earn up to 2 to 3 times more than you normally would. To find areas with Surge pricing, look for highlighted areas on the UberEats map. They will typically appear around the same areas and time each week, available in most major cities.
When you sign up to deliver with Uber Eats, you can also get a referral code to share with your friends and invite them to sign up. The exact reward amount varies by city, but it could boost your earnings.
Lastly, be extra courteous and deliver orders on time. If you do a good job and customers are satisfied, they’re more than likely to give you a tip, which you keep 100% of.
How to Earn More as a DoorDash Driver
DoorDash offers three promotions to boost your earnings:
Challenges: When Dashers complete a set number of deliveries within a certain time frame, they can earn extra money through incentives.
Peak Pay: At busy times during the day, you can earn more with Peak Pay, added to the total earnings when you accept a delivery.
Guaranteed Earnings: These are offers sent through SMS or email to Dashers. They get a pay incentive to earn at least a specific amount of money within a set number of days (not including tips).
On top of those incentives, Dashers can stack deliveries by accepting orders from restaurants near each other or delivery destinations on the same route.
DoorDash vs Uber Eats: Customer Service
Customer service is per the following:
Uber Eats Customer Service
If you need to contact customer service, go to Help in the Driver app, then navigate to the issue you’re experiencing to see the support options available. Uber offers support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for drivers through the mobile app.
DoorDash Customer Service
If there is an issue with an order, Dashers can email [email protected]. For urgent delivery issues, they can call (855) 973-1040.
DoorDash Drive Support FAQs can be found here.
Which is Better: DoorDash or UberEats?
DoorDash promises drivers an average base pay of $2 to $10+ plus 100% of any tips they receive. Meanwhile, Uber Eats earnings can vary depending on various factors, including when and where you deliver.
You can work as a delivery driver for both delivery apps simultaneously, so if you’re unsure which to choose, try out both and decide which works best for you.
FAQs
According to Bloomberg Second Measure, DoorDash and its subsidiaries earned 59% of meal delivery sales in the US, and UberEats earned 24% in May 2022. Thus, DoorDash is more popular in most cities.
Both Dashpass and Uber Eats Pass are monthly subscription services that cost $9.99/month. Dashpass allows you to get free delivery on orders over $12, and the Uber Eats Pass gets you free delivery plus 5% off on eligible orders over $15.
Uber Eats and Doordash are very similar in price, so it mainly depends on the location and what restaurant you order from. Both food delivery apps charge a delivery fee of $2 to $5 per order if you do not have Dashpass or Uber Eats Pass.
Yes, you can use both food delivery apps at the same time. In fact, Uber encourages drivers to deliver using Uber Eats in their spare time alongside their other jobs.
DoorDash and Uber Eats are very similar delivery apps. They are both user-friendly and intuitive, but both services have different delivery driver requirements along with varying locations, restaurant partners, and earnings offerings depending on where you deliver.
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