Best delivery app to work for in Canada

With many delivery app options available for gig drivers in Canada, it may be challenging to pick the one that not only pays you better, but also offers great customer support, flexibility in scheduling shifts, and exclusive perks for maintaining a top-rated status.

We’ve evaluated different aspects of Uber Eats, DoorDash, SkipTheDishes, and Instacart, making it easier for you to choose the best delivery app to work for.

Which food delivery service pays the most

We’ve published the self-reported earnings of delivery drivers in Canada that are with Uber Eats, DoorDash, SkipTheDishes and Instacart. We discovered that Instacart Shoppers earn the highest—earning between $49,000 to $72,000 per year. However, these numbers will vary depending on the location and time you offer delivery services.

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Which food delivery app is the best to work for

When choosing the best delivery app to work for, it boils down to your individual preferences. If you want to schedule shifts in advance, you could work with DoorDash or SkipTheDishes. If you’re looking for pay transparency before accepting or rejecting an order, Uber Eats may be your go-to option. If you enjoy shopping and delivering quality products to customers, you could sign up with Instacart.

As a delivery driver, you’re not restricted to working for a single platform. You can sign up with multiple apps to increase your chances of receiving more orders and boost your earning potential.

Uber Eats

Here, we’ll look at a few different factors of Uber Eats to give you a good understanding about working for this delivery service company. 

Market size

Uber Eats is available in over 400 locations in Canada. 

Registration process

You will need to create your Uber Eats’ driver profile and pass a background check. The approval process usually takes around one to two weeks.
Different provinces may have different vehicle and driver’s license requirements. Find out which documents you will need here. 

Pay

As an Uber Eats’ driver, your annual salary may range between $43,950 and $51,740 per year, or $17.00 to $22.50 per hour. 

The Uber Eats’ pay model includes base fare, 100% tips, trip supplements, and bonus earned during peak times. Your earnings are deposited to your account on a weekly basis. The app maintains transparency regarding how much you’d earn on delivering an order, and you can accept or decline the request accordingly.

Ratings

Your ratings are visible after you have secured a minimum of ten ratings from customers or restaurants. Once you complete more orders, your overall rating is calculated using your last one hundred ratings.

User-friendly interface

The app is easy to use and provides you with a hassle-free delivery experience. If you lose connection during your shift, the app still allows you to complete your orders. You’ll be notified when you are in a busy location, so you can decide whether to stay there and wait for an order or continue exploring other areas.

Driver support

You can contact Uber Eats’ support via message or call. They are responsive and available 24/7 to resolve your issues. You can even share images or screenshots with the support agent for quicker resolutions.

Tax filing support

Uber Eats sends annual and monthly tax summary reports to its delivery drivers. These reports provide an overview of your gross earnings, tips, mileage, and eligible expenses which can be used to claim tax deductions.

Scheduling

Unlike the classic Uber app, the Uber Eats app currently doesn’t allow you to pre-schedule orders. However, this feature will be available soon for delivery drivers.

If you deliver orders during the busy lunch (12 p.m. to 2 p.m.) and dinner hours (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.), you’ll be able to accept more orders and work towards the Uber Pro rewards program. Being available during weekends can also boost your earnings and get you more orders.

Other drivers’ feedback

If you’re looking to earn some extra money or have your own flexible work schedule, joining Uber Eats can be a good option. Some of the common challenges reported by drivers in a Reddit thread are long wait times at restaurants, or not getting back-to-back orders.

DoorDash

We know that people like to use DoorDash to order, but what is it like to be a delivery driver for the company? Let’s take a look!

Market size

DoorDash is available in over 80 locations in Canada. 

Registration process

The registration process for DoorDash is pretty quick, and you can be approved as a Dasher within a couple of days. All you need to do is create a profile, pass a background check, and provide the required documents. In addition, you must comply with the vehicle requirements before you begin your Dasher journey.

Pay

As a Dasher, you can earn between $40,463 to $62,400 per year on average. Your average hourly rate would be between $15.00 to $25.00.

The DoorDash’s pay model includes base pay, 100% tips, and additional money earned through promotions, like Peak Pay, Delivery Streaks, and Challenges. Your Dasher earnings are deposited into your bank account weekly. However, if you prefer to cash out daily, you can opt for Fast Pay for an additional fee of $1.99.

Ratings

You can be a Top Dasher of the month and have access to their special perks and rewards. If you’re on a roll, and meet Top Dasher requirements, you will unlock VIP agent support and the Dash Anytime feature, which provides flexibility and allows you to schedule your shifts in advance.

User-friendly interface

The DoorDash app is easy to browse and keeps technical distractions at bay. Once you have delivered your order, you can instantly see how much a customer tipped you. It also gives you a sneak peek of the areas with high demand, so you can fulfill more orders with minimal waiting times.

Driver support

The Dasher support is available 24/7 and can be contacted via email or call. Their response time for the majority of phone calls is about two minutes, while for emails, it is about 24 hours. You can also submit your request on the Merchant Portal and seek quick solutions for your issues.

Tax filing support

DoorDash doesn’t offer any tax summary reports or tax advice to its delivery drivers. So, you must track your gross income, tips, business mileage, and expenses incurred in lieu of your Dasher services, and use them when filing your return.

Scheduling

With the Early Access Scheduling program offered by DoorDash, eligible Dashers can see their schedule six days in advance. If you meet either of these criteria, you can enjoy the perks of pre-scheduling:

• A minimum of 4.6 rating from customers, 95% completion rate, and delivering at least five orders at specified timelines.
• A minimum of 4.6 rating from customers, 95% completion rate, and completion of over 500 deliveries on DoorDash.

Other driver’s feedback

Many people who work for DoorDash love the flexible schedule and that there are no minimum hour requirements. However, some drivers mentioned that wait times between orders may be long. It’s also important to keep reviews high to get the scheduling perks.

SkipTheDishes

SkipThe Dishes has quickly become a popular food delivery app. Let’s look at what it means to work as a delivery driver for this emerging app.

Market size

SkipTheDishes is available in nearly 175 locations in Canada. 

Registration process

SkipTheDishes has a hassle-free registration process. It has collaborated with Sterling Talent Solutions, Kennect API, and Talentwise to conduct background checks for new drivers.

Once you’ve submitted the required documents and passed a background check (processing time of up to 14business days), you’ll receive an email from the team regarding the next steps. However, if you don’t hear back from them within a week, you may call or email to find out your application status.

Pay

The average annual earnings for SkipTheDishes’ drivers range between $36,000 and $58,000. On an hourly basis, you can roughly make between $15.00 and $23.50.

Your earnings will consist of transit pay, 100% tips, reimbursements (if applicable), and any promotions or incentives available in your location. You will also receive a complete breakdown of earnings after you have delivered an order. You will receive weekly direct deposits to your bank account. However, if you wish to make more frequent transfers, you can opt for their Fast Cash feature for an additional fee of $1.99.

Ratings

Under Skip’s top-up promotion plan, drivers with at least an 80% acceptance rate on the last ten orders receive a guaranteed minimum pay. A higher acceptance rate, your vehicle type, and the distance from the pickup point make you eligible for their Fast Track Offer Matching program, which helps you receive orders quickly.

User-friendly interface

The app’s user interface is nice and easy to navigate. If you encounter any glitches, you can try a couple of things, such as logging out and logging back in the app, updating the app, and restarting your phone. Android users must have at least OS 8 version to be able to use the app. If you are an iPhone user, you must have at least iOS 12 version.

Driver support

For any live order-related queries, you can contact customer support via chat. For any other queries, you can either send an email or call the support line.

Tax filing support

The platform provides your annual gross income report, which does not cover any deductions or other tax advice. So, you must track your mileage and other business expenses, which can then be used to reduce your taxes payable.

Scheduling

To schedule your shifts, you should select a preferred area or delivery zone by tapping on the ‘Availability’ tab. If you have selected two or more zones, you can go to Settings > Scheduling Preferences to turn “on” or “off” a specific zone. You can even update or delete a zone depending on your preferences.

The scheduling tab lets you select your working hours for the week. You can also opt for its “Available All Day” feature to work the most hours possible. 

Other driver’s feedback

Completing more orders can increase your earnings. However, keeping up the momentum can be challenging if your zone is saturated with other delivery drivers.

It may be time-consuming to get your application approved if you’re located in a busy area, like the Greater Toronto Area. And sometimes, your earnings report may not include wait time reimbursements.

Instacart

Instacart has a few different options for gig workers: a full-service shopper or an in-store shopper. Let’s have a look at different aspects of the platform.

Market size

Instacart is currently available in all ten provinces. Some places where Instacart is most prevalent include Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Mississauga, Halifax, and Montreal. 

Registration process

The processing time for the application and your background check can be up to two weeks. Once that is completed, it doesn’t take long for your application to be approved. However, if there are already too many shoppers in your area, you may be put on the waiting list rather than being immediately approved. You will be notified when they need more shoppers.

Pay

The average annual earnings of Instacart shoppers are between $49,000 and $72,000. You can earn around $19.00 to $21.50 per hour. Starting September 2024, full-service shoppers in BC will earn a minimum wage rate of $20.88 per hour along with other benefits. You can read this article for further insights.

Instacart’s pay model includes the amount earned per batch, 100% tips, and extra money earned through promotions. Full-service shoppers get paid for every batch they complete. Your earnings get transferred every week, and you can even cash them out within two hours of fulfilling a batch. In-store shoppers receive an hourly wage rate as per their offer letter.

Ratings

The platform continues to provide recognition to its shoppers through different reward programs and incentives. Eligible shoppers can access their Gold Cart, Platinum Cart and Diamond Cart rewards. 

User-friendly interface

You can find all your batch-related information, including your estimated earnings, in your shopper app, and can decide whether to accept or reject it. The app’s interactive map enables you to easily find products and make your shopping experience efficient. For any batch-related queries, the app allows you to quickly chat with your customer and make any necessary replacements. 

Driver support

You can receive shopper support by signing in to your profile. Their support team is available 24/7 via chat and strives to provide a quick response to your queries.

Tax filing support

Instacart issues its shoppers a T4A slip in February every year. This slip includes your net income excluding any commission or fees Instacart charges. You can check the kilometres driven between the grocery store and the destination on the app. However, you may consider contacting a tax consultant for tax advice.

Scheduling

You can select your working hours as per your availability. To increase your earning potential and make things efficient, Instacart allows you to accept multiple orders at the same time.

Other drivers’ feedback

Instacart’s minimum wage rate model gives in-store shoppers peace of mind and assurance that their time is valued. As an in-store shopper, you can work up to 29 hours per week. It can be challenging for full-service shoppers to receive batch requests in saturated areas, or if they cannot maintain their minimum rating.