30+ Best Gig Apps (2023) ' the Best App-Based Jobs to Make Extra Cash
Have you been looking for a new way to earn a generous side hustle income? In many cases, finding those optimal side hustle solutions can seem like a challenge. And, as a dedicated driver helper app ourselves, this is something we understand better than most. With this thought in mind, today, we're taking a look at some of the thirty best gig apps in 2023 that are excellent options to help you earn a little extra cash on the side.
30 BEST GIG APPS TO MAKE EXTRA CASH AS A SIDE HUSTLE
If you're ready to begin your new journey of side hustling to make some extra cash on the side, you're in good company! We've come up with some key ideas and suggestions as follows to help make your decision a little bit easier.
The Best Meal Delivery Apps
#1 GrubHub
After the recent announcement that GrubHub and Amazon have now entered a partnership, it's safe to say that the future is looking bright for GrubHub drivers. With new orders and hopefully more generous tips on the horizon, becoming a GrubHub delivery driver is one option we strongly recommend!
#2 UberEats
UberEats holds around 32% (just shy of a third) of the total US food delivery market. As such, while it doesn't have quite the same exciting new endorsement by Amazon as GrubHub, it's irrefutably an excellent app to consider as a delivery driver.
#3 PostMates
It's not quite as well-known as GrubHub and UberEats, but PostMates is an excellent option to consider for those wanting delivery driver work. The average hourly rate for food delivery drivers through PostMates is approximately $18 per hour.
#4 JustEat
As one of the founding members of the food delivery niche, Just Eat handles over one billion orders annually, based on 2021 data. It has an impressive geographical reach across the US and internationally, which further supports the brand's overall growth and success. JustEat is the parent company of GrubHub, the latter of which is arguably more highly used in the US.
#5 Caviar
Caviar might be less widely used than some of the other apps on this list, but that's predominantly due to its metropolitan nature. You won't find many Caviar restaurants or drivers out in the sticks ' but if you live in a city, it could be a decent food delivery app to consider driving for.
#6 Para ' Gig Drivers Earn More
As a final meal delivery app that you absolutely need to try, we strongly recommend giving our Para driver utility tools a try. Indeed, we've made the app with every Para driver in mind, implementing numerous features that can help grow your meal delivery and rideshare income. Plus, with loads of excellent resources available on our Para gig drivers' blog, you can be confident of finding excellent new information that can help take your delivery driving to the next level.
Para's goal is simple: building a better gig economy. It aims to ensure that gig drivers and food delivery drivers receive the rights they deserve. After all, you deserve to know what you'll be paid and set your own working patterns; as such, Para is here to support this.
Some of the many different features available for gig drivers through the Para app (mainly for UberEats and GrubHub) include:
- Auto decline offers
- Exactly drop-off addresses
- Total mileage estimates
- Dollar-per-mile estimates
- Total drive times
- Food ready by times
- Restaurant and customer flagging
- House vs. apartment data
The Paraverse also includes ParaWorks - which is a new way for drivers to find and accept new types of high-paying (pays up to $50/hr) scheduled & on-demand job opportunities to reduce downtime between jobs and make their workdays much more profitable!
ParaWorks community has fulfilled partner opportunities ranging from item and food delivery to merchandising to courier driving, making it one of the best gig apps in the industry right now. Just sign-up with ParaWorks and make that extra cash today!
The Best Food and Drink Delivery Apps
#7 Instacart
As one of the most popular grocery delivery apps, it's unsurprising that Instacart is so wildly successful. Indeed, this excellent food delivery app has around 120,000 personal shoppers already on its books, making it a great option for people to consider if they're looking for a new way to earn a little income on the side.
#8 Shipt
Offering a direct-to-home local food delivery and grocery delivery service, Shipt Is excellent for those wanting a relatively stable income, with most Shipt delivery drivers getting around $19 per hour on average for their time.
#9 Fresh Direct
With a name like Fresh Direct, it doesn't take a PhD to work out what this excellent food delivery app offers. As one of the leading food tech and food delivery companies, especially in the northeastern states, Fresh Direct is an excellent option for those living in metropolitan areas.
#10 Our Harvest
Not all customers necessarily want grocery store pickups ' which is where the Our Harvest app comes in. Our Harvest connects customers with local farmers' markets; it's a highly popular delivery app for those wanting fresh, premium food. The only drawback from a work perspective is that Our Harvest drivers aren't given a tip directly through the app itself, which differs from most other food delivery platforms.
The Best Ridesharing Apps
#11 Uber
It's perhaps not surprising that Uber leads the list in terms of the best ridesharing apps. Indeed, as one of the brands that originally created the concept of commercial ridesharing, Uber is highly trusted by many customers around the world. It's a great app to work for, too. And, even better still, the Para gig driver app can also support Uber Drivers in streamlining their drives! So, let's face it: Uber is a ridesharing giant for a reason.
#12 Lyft
Another highly popular ridesharing app for drivers and customers alike is Lyft. It's generally got a slightly more casual, more relaxed tone than Uber. This fact is slowly winning Lyft an increasingly large customer base accordingly. Lift was also the team to lead the driver tipping system, so that's a nice touch.
#13 Ola
One of the most notable traits of the Ola ridesharing app is that it offers a little something for everyone. Indeed, the Ola app has countless types of drivers on its books, ensuring customers can choose the type of car they want. This is great for drivers, too, since it means you won't have to worry so much about whether your customer is happy with your vehicle!
#14 Bridj
If you're looking to make the most of your driving time, joining the Bridj app for group travel could be an excellent option to consider. Bridj also offers free training and turn-by-turn navigation as part of its systems, so this is always welcome.
#15 Via
It's not as big or as well known as some other popular ridesharing brands, but it's highly notable for its determination to reduce carbon footprints by streamlining routes. Furthermore, drivers also receive an exceptionally generous $400 sign-up bonus, which is well worth considering.
The Best 'Odd Jobs' Apps
#16 GigWalk
Making odd jobs pay is easy with the GigWalk app. Simply put, GigWalk connects gig workers with local businesses needing simple contract work, such as mobile app testing or mystery shopping. It's a simple app to use but is incredibly effective for anyone wanting a few simple 'odd jobs' for a little extra side income.
#17 Field Agent
With numerous jobs on offer at any one time, each offering a slightly different pay structure, Field Agent could be a great option to consider. The map function allows you to directly search for local jobs, which you'll then have a couple of hours to complete as needed.
#18 Ibotta
If you're looking to buy new items, did you know you can get paid with the Ibotta app? Simply buy your favorite products and receive cash back on the purchase ' it's a great way to earn money for buying the things you love already!
#19 TaskRabbit
TaskRabbit is one of the largest and most popular platforms online for getting paid for gigs that involve everyday chores. Gig workers tend to earn high pay by doing tasks such as cleaning, moving items, assembling furniture, picking up orders from a store, yard work, etc.
#20 Neighbor
Neighbor allows people to make extra money by renting out their unused spaces as storage or parking - turn the space you already have into cash.
The Best Freelancing Apps
#21 Freelancer
With a massive community of international buyers, Freelancer is an excellent go-to destination for those wanting to share their skills with freelancing. With moderate fees of either $5 or 10% (whichever is higher, admittedly), the app is affordable and a good option for many people.
#22 Fiverr
Getting started with the Fiverr app is a little harder than some other freelancing sites. However, with a massive online community and excellent advertisements, it's a great place to find top-quality freelance work.
#23 PeoplePerHour
Perhaps one of the biggest selling points of the PeoplePerHour app is that it features an excellent AI system which helps pair clients and freelancers. As such, if you've had difficulty getting started with freelancing, PeoplePerHour could be a good app to consider.
#24 LinkedIn
If you're looking to get freelance gig work, you'd be surprised how effective a well-optimized LinkedIn profile can be. So, be sure to put in a little time to ensure your LinkedIn profile is at the top of its game ' you'll be glad you did! After all, around over 300 people find a new job role through LinkedIn every hour!
#25 Upwork
Upwork is one of the best-known apps, but the fact that you have to pay to place bids on gigs lets it down a little. Still, some excellent high-value earning opportunities can be found here if you can absorb the initial cost of bidding.
The Best Survey Apps
#26 Survey Junkie
Offering direct PayPal payments for every $10 earned, Survey Junkie is a great app if you've been looking to make a little side income. Plus, with numerous topics covered, there's plenty to love.
#27 Google Opinion Rewards
Few brands are as well-recognized as Google, so it's no surprise that Google Opinion Rewards is one of our top picks. You can earn around $1 per survey, making it an excellent way to make a nice little side hustle income.
#28 YouGov
YouGov offers an excellent rate of pay for its surveys, making it easily possible to make an acceptable $10 per hour income or so just by answering a few questions in your spare time.
#29 Swagbucks
As well as being an excellent 'odd jobs' sort of site, Swagbucks also allows you to earn money for surveys. Some of their survey income is surprisingly generous, so it's more than possible to make around $10 per hour equivalent if you choose the right surveys.
#30 UserTesting
It's not a survey site specifically, but user testing nevertheless pays its members for sharing their opinions on different products, making it an excellent alternative to consider. Plus, you can easily make the equivalent of around $20 per hour, so it's a great opportunity.
BEFORE YOU START SIDE HUSTLING
At this point, we've listed some genuinely amazing apps that can help you earn money through your side hustles. However, before you get started with any of these excellent apps, we'd recommend considering the following points to help ensure you get the most from your new efforts.
#1 Remember: Your Time Is Valuable!
One of the first tips we can give to people just getting started with gig apps is to remember that your time is valuable. Indeed, in many cases, people treat gig work as an 'optional extra.'
Unfortunately, this mindset of considering gig work a bonus as opposed to a job in its own right can leave many people out of pocket. As such, we strongly advise anyone working in the gig economy to always consider the value of their time. After all, your time has value, and you should never be left earning less with gig work just because it's a 'side hustle.' Calculate your predicted hourly income and stick with this to decide on the right solutions.
#2 Use Specialist Gig Worker Support Apps to Boost your Earnings and Management
Working with gig apps offers countless benefits, but it's always worth considering that this can be somewhat tricky to manage. Since most gig apps pay on a piece rate, it's also hard sometimes to estimate how much you're making per hour ' further complicating your efforts to put a value on your time.
So, what's the answer here? One of the best options you could consider is integrating a gig worker or delivery driver app into your routine.
These specialist tools are designed to help you earn more gig work. By streamlining your gig work management and offering simple strategies to help you earn more, driver apps are exceptionally valuable.
Plus, some apps can help connect you with the best opportunities in your area. For example, the Para app helps you decide on the most effective orders to accept and which to decline. In turn, these apps can further support your efforts to find effective, valuable jobs and gigs to take on.
#3 Set Goals and Aims
One of the main limitations of working as a gig worker is motivation. Indeed, when motivation begins to get difficult to find, getting up and working is tough. As such, setting goals and aims to achieve is a vital part of effective gig work management; this helps keep you plowing ahead, even when things start to feel tough. After all, while it can often feel hard to find the motivation to keep going, having something to work towards can be a great way to start with this.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you've been looking to earn a little extra side income, there are numerous options you could consider. Of course, choosing between these often isn't easy; however, there's nothing to say you have to just choose one or the other, so make sure that you look for any options that could be worthwhile. And don't forget: we strongly believe that it's valuable to work on multiple apps at once. So if you're unsure where to turn, why not try a few different options and see which one works best for you?