DoorDash vs. GrubHub: Which is Better for Drivers?

Have you ever thought about starting delivery driving as a side hustle to your normal income? Or perhaps you're already doing deliveries with either DoorDash or GrubHub, but you're wondering if you could increase your earning potential? Whatever the case might be for you, considering the differences between these two massive American delivery companies is vital to ensure you're getting a fair rate for your deliveries. As such, today, we're considering the main pros and cons of DoorDash vs. GrubHub ' and answering the key question: is GrubHub or DoorDash better for drivers?

DOORDASH VS. GRUBHUB: WHICH IS LARGER?

Before we consider who pays more, DoorDash or GrubHub, we should first outline the comparative scale of each platform. Indeed, the number of orders you'll receive for deliveries depends on the number of people using your chosen platform. And, let's face it; there's no point getting $50 per hour if you only get one delivery offer a week!

How Does the Market Share of DoorDash and GrubHub Compare?

Fortunately, both DoorDash and GrubHub are big players in the American home delivery market. DoorDash is undeniably the larger of the two, with an estimated 59% share of the home delivery market. As such, if you're choosing based on the number of orders, DoorDash is evidently the most popular app.

By comparison, GrubHub is substantially smaller. Estimates vary for the total market share of GrubHub alone, with some predicting that GrubHub holds around 36% of the total US delivery market while others are much less generous, predicting just 14%. As such, it's often unclear to see just how much market share GrubHub holds, and this fluctuates rapidly. So, it's worth being cautious before signing up to GrubHub, as the number of deliveries could potentially be around four times fewer than for DoorDash.

With that being said, you don't necessarily need to choose one or the other alone. Indeed, it's perfectly possible to work with both GrubHub and DoorDash to pick up the most lucrative delivery deals. However, this can pose a challenge since flitting between the two apps can easily get tiring; fortunately, with tools such as Para, multiapping is now a breeze ' as we'll discuss later.

Are Both DoorDash and GrubHub Widely Available?

Before we finish our basic comparison, we would be remiss not to mention the level of support for each delivery app. DoorDash is available in all fifty US states, but GrubHub is usually more limited to just a handful of the biggest.

However, in terms of the number of restaurants on each delivery app's books, these are roughly comparable. GrubHub supports over 320,000 restaurants, while DoorDash is only marginally more versatile with around 340,000 restaurants.

Though DoorDash has a larger market share, it likely works with larger restaurants than GrubHub, which may be more likely to work with smaller local food establishments with lower demand. You may want to consider this as part of your final decision; larger restaurants may be easier to streamline for deliveries, but smaller restaurants and facilities may have a friendlier atmosphere.

GRUBHUB VS. DOORDASH FOR DRIVERS

As a delivery driver, it's vital to do your research carefully to ensure you've partnered with a delivery team that can provide effective, fair, and well-compensated deliveries.

What are the Main Driver Requirements for DoorDash vs. GrubHub?

There's no point doing your research into DoorDash vs. GrubHub only to find that the app isn't necessarily suitable for your deliveries.

Generally speaking, DoorDash is more versatile when it comes to driver requirements than GrubHub. For example, DoorDash only requires its Dashers to be 18 years of age, but GrubHub requires drivers to be at least 19. Otherwise, DoorDash and GrubHub are largely comparable; both require auto insurance, a valid driver's license, a background check, and a smartphone.

Who Pays More: DoorDash or GrubHub?

It's not always clear whether DoorDash or GrubHub pays more since the exact payments are made in different formats and based on different metrics. However, we can consider expected hourly rates as part of this decision to determine who pays more: DoorDash or GrubHub?

Average DoorDash earnings vary substantially. Most people report around $15 income per hour gross, although that doesn't account for gas ' which is only becoming more expensive. However, other estimates assume that DoorDashers can make up to $25 per hour annually, so this is definitely a highly variable statistic, while other Dashers can be as lucky as making just $10 per hour.

The pay for GrubHub, by contrast, tends to be a lot more stable. Estimates for GrubHub payments per hour range between $12 and $20 per hour for delivery drivers. This is generally a lot less generous than Para, but the GrubHub payment structure ' as we'll discuss ' is much more stable. So, if you're looking for a more reliable average payment, GrubHub might be the app for you.

However, just because DoorDash pays highly variable hourly rates doesn't mean you can't optimize your earnings. It's possible to drastically increase the odds of getting good hourly rates ' in excess of $30 per hour ' by integrating Para's DoorDash driver helper app.

How are Payments Made on DoorDash vs. GrubHub

To give a clear overview of which is better, DoorDash vs. GrubHub, we need to consider how payments are made on each of the platforms. Of the two, GrubHub's payment structure is simpler to understand generally than DoorDash's.

With GrubHub, drivers are paid based on the number of miles for deliveries. The GrubHub payment is based on four key metrics:

• Mileage per order
• Time spent on the road per order
• Tips received from the customer
• Special offers and sweepstake wins

By comparison, DoorDash's payment system is much more variable and is not always as simple to estimate since pay is largely related to the value of the order rather than the distance and time spent delivering. The three metrics influencing DoorDash pay include:

• Base pay, usually ranging between $2 and $10
• Promotional pay or bonuses
• Tips received from the customer

The two main similarities shared by GrubHub and DoorDash are tips and special offers/promotions. However, the main payment for DoorDash and GrubHub differ. DoorDash's main 'base pay' is usually determined on order value and distance; however, DoorDash does now provide its drivers a 10% reimbursement for fuel costs, owing to the rising cost of gas. Meanwhile, GrubHub's payments are mainly determined by the amount you've worked and your expenses rather than the value of the order.

As such, it's safe to say that GrubHub payments may be fairer for delivery drivers. However, GrubHub's delivery system may be unfeasibly expensive for customers ordering a small order, such as a cake or sandwich from a local bakery. This factor may contribute to there being more orders for DoorDash than GrubHub at one time.

Another notable benefit of the DoorDash system is its promotions, such as the DoorDash Peak Pay promotion. Promotions allow drivers to earn more on top of their base pay or tips. This bonus structure is similar to GrubHub's special offers, but promotions are often more reliable. Contrastingly, GrubHub's special offers are usually 'missions' and sweepstakes rather than a direct payment boost.

Can I Keep All Tips Earned Through DoorDash and GrubHub?

Regardless of which delivery company you choose, it's important to note that tips usually bolster the value of home deliveries. And, without these, you may struggle to make a good, reliable income. For example, it's easily possible to earn $500 per week through home deliveries. But, to do so, you need to be sure you're getting paid for your tips.

Fortunately, both GrubHub and DoorDash are highly praised for their driver reimbursements ' although it is notable that DoorDash was involved with a lawsuit in 2019 for not always giving drivers 100% of tips. This lawsuit resulted in DoorDash changing its policies. DoorDash was also penalized with a $2.5 million fine.

Nowadays, both DoorDash and GrubHub give 100% of tips to their drivers; as such, the apps are on equal footing with tip structures. However, we should give some credit here to GrubHub for its honesty from the get-go.

MAKING THE MOST OF GRUBHUB AND DOORDASH WITH PARA

Both DoorDash and GrubHub offer plenty of benefits. Even though DoorDash holds a larger market share, that doesn't necessarily mean it's the optimal delivery platform for you to use. However, both also have drawbacks ' indeed, as explained in further detail on the Para drivers page, DoorDash limited payout information, while GrubHub provides limited mileage details.

Both of these factors can be severely detrimental to your delivery efforts. However, as a delivery driver, you deserve to know how much you're likely to earn per hour. And with this in mind, the Para app specializes in offering enhanced visibility and tip transparency for its drivers.

Key Features of Para for GrubHub And/Or DoorDash

Some of the key features of the Para app for DoorDash and GrubHub drivers include the following. Integrating these features into your deliveries may help you optimize your earnings and come away with more from your delivery driving efforts overall.

• 'Food ready by' time estimates
• Total mileage and mileage trackers
• Dollars per mile estimates
• Earnings trackers
• Full items list ' is it a large or small order?
• House or apartment destination
• Total tip value and tip transparency
• Estimated total payout
• Block sellers or customers you've had a bad experience with in the past

In addition to the above excellent features, it's also worth noting that the Para app makes multi-apping a breeze. Through multiapping, drivers can take on orders from multiple delivery apps at once. In turn, you can potentially complete two or three deliveries during a single round trip rather than just one ' providing a massive boost to your income potential.

Does Para Really Work?

There's an old saying: if it's too good to be true, it probably is. And it's certainly easy to think this might apply to the Para app, too ' but in reality, the opposite is true. The Para app is a highly effective and reliable tool for bolstering delivery visibility. Moreover, the app is continually developing with exciting new features, ensuring users get the best possible results.

But don't just take our word for it. Past customers often also have excellent experiences with the Para app, including the following testimonials from the Para Google Play page.

'I'm definitely loving Para. It has helped me so much with what orders to take and not take. Thank you for making this app. As a single mom I need all my money and this app shows me. I don't kill my car as fast with miles anymore. I don't have to guess what my real payout will be. It's amazing.' ' Alix Freeman

'Beautiful! I absolutely love how 100% honest these guys are and the work that they do to help us out! They are quick to answer questions and honest with their response. Definitely some of the best developers out there! Thank you so much Para team!' ' Ariana Rose

'I love this app! It allows me to see what each delivery offers and make better choices on which opportunities I select.' ' Lori Houston

FINAL THOUGHTS

Both GrubHub and DoorDash offer pros and cons as far as deliveries go; typically, GrubHub offers lower payments but greater stability in hourly rates, while DoorDash offers more variable rates with greater extremes. This can make deciding between the two hard, in many cases.

However, why should you have to settle for one or the other? With the Para personal dispatch tool, you can know before taking on multiple jobs at once, streamlining your delivery efficiency. In turn, this could lead to far greater sales for your time overall.

Delivery driving can be an excellent side hustle, or it's even a full-time job for some. However, to get the most from your deliveries, it's vital to ensure you've got the best solutions to earn more gig work and ensure you're getting a good hourly rate. After all, it's not uncommon to earn as little as $10 per hour through GrubHub or DoorDash as standard. But, with Para, you can reliably boost your average income to well over the $30 per hour mark ' far more appealing!