Multi-apping vs. Single App Food Delivery - Which Pays More? How Do You Compare?

In the food delivery gig economy space, there will always be an argument about single app delivery driving vs. multiapping. Which strategy is better? Which strategy pays more? Which strategy is better long term? Those answers are very clear to the drivers that have done both. I am one of those drivers who started out doing solo apping or single apping on one delivery app then eventually moved on to multiapping. There are clear pros and cons with both strategies, but what we really want to know is which one pays more.

What Is the Single Apping Strategy?

Single apping/ Solo-apping will be the most common way a gig worker starts off doing delivery gigs. If you signed up with DoorDash as a beginner you'll be using DoorDash only. You'll only be driving to fulfill orders from a single app and having all of your income through the DoorDash delivery driver app. This would be the case driving for Uber Eats only, Grubhub only, etc. This strategy of single apping is fairly straightforward as you will just look at the orders coming in on your app such as DoorDash then accept or decline them.

What Are The Benefits of Single Apping?

The obvious answer to the pros/benefits of single apping is just using one app or relying on one app. In the grand scheme of things, using one app is the easiest to control or predict, and is the least stressful - driver safety and otherwise.

Benefits of Single/Solo Apping:

• Predictable offer types (not necessarily predictable income)
• More time to make decisions on offers
• Lesser distraction while driving as there'd be no toggling between apps
• More fluid integration with driver utility apps like Para
• Ability to maintain a high Acceptance Rate with more on-time or early deliveries
• Pay can be good if the app is your driving location is busy with a steady influx of orders
• Stacking orders on one app involves lower complexity. Lowers the stress during peak hours.
• Easier to focus on delivering a high-quality delivery experience for your customers
  

What Are The Cons of Single Apping?

When I think of solo apping or single apping, I remember that I had to rely on that one app which means my options were limited when it came to offers. When business is very slow you start to experience the drawbacks of single apping.

Cons of Single Apping:

• Hard to queue up the next set of deliveries while doing one
• Stacking orders can be harder because of the reliance on the app to send you an offer. Pay will be low if you're unable to stack or queue orders as you're stuck with that one order and its earnings until the next order shows up
• Take-home pay will be limited on slow days. Slowdowns can be demoralizing if you're expecting business on the one app
• App crashes can end your shift while driving which means lesser take-home pay that day
• You may resort to taking offers with lower pay on the slow days because you only have one app to work on
• Deactivation from the app can get expensive very quickly due to heavier reliance on one app

What Are The Benefits of Multiapping?

Ever since I started multiapping, I haven't looked back. I multiapp about 95% of the time because of the many benefits it provides me. If you use the right multiapping strategies, you'll see why it's such a good option.

Benefits of multiapping:

• Flexibility and options, you can pick and choose which offers are best for you
• You can stack multiple orders or queue orders from different apps to maximize your profits for the time spent on the road
• Stacking and queuing orders from multiple apps while heading to a delivery location can increase your earnings vs. doing one order at a time on a single app
• Integrating with driver helper tools like Para, can increase your earnings by 25% or more; as multiapping gets easier when you have critical data from all the gig apps within one app. Accept/Decline trips from multiple apps with Para.
• You have the option to turn on/off any gig app depending on the business it brings on a given day
• Your earnings are not tied into one app. If you're deactivated on one app you'll have others to use and nothing to lose
• Using the right strategies, and the correct combination of apps can earn you over 25% more every month.

What Are the Cons of Multiapping?

While multiapping may seem like a clear-cut winner compared to single apping, there are actually some cons that can stop you from multiapping or even make your shift not go well.

Cons of multiapping:

• Your customer service may tank if you're not able to keep track of what you're doing
• Your smartphone will take a beating on battery life, efficiency, and heat
• Driving can be more dangerous when multiapping if you're not stopping to look at your offers. Toggling between the apps & distracted driving can cause road accidents.
• It can be mentally taxing to switch between the apps to decide which offer is best for you. Unless you use one app that consolidates all the critical job details as Para does.
• You may make mistakes if you forget which orders you've accepted. Too many offers coming in at once from different screens can get overwhelming.
• Merchants or restaurants may not like you picking-up multiple orders at once from multiple apps
  

So What Delivery Driving Strategy Pays More?

Even with single apping and multiapping strategies each having multiple pros and cons, I still believe that multiapping is the way to go. If earning potential and lower financial risk is the primary consideration for you, multiapping largely takes care of that. If you had the ability to stack multiple orders at once and do it efficiently wouldn't you take that opportunity?

Single App Pay Example:

With Doordash if you did 3 orders that are $9.25 each in one hour that would equal to about $27.75 gross pay. This is assuming you drop off one order, then get pinged for the next order, and so on.

Multiapping Pay Example:

With Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub you do a total of 5 orders, let's say the same amount as DoorDash offered, $9.25. While picking up your DoorDash order at Marination you received an Uber Eats order for Marination as well going around the same drop-off as your DoorDash. You accept that for $9.25. You do both of those orders around the same time. You then do two other orders for DoorDash for $9.25 each as you would single apping. You queued a Grubhub order on the way when you were dropping off your second DoorDash order for $9.25. On the way to pick up your Grubhub order for $9.25, you queue up the last DoorDash order for $9.25 to drop off within the hour. You were able to do a total of 5 orders in three hours at $9.25 each. Your multiapping strategy earned you $46.25 gross pay per hour.

Wouldn't you rather multiapp if you could increase your earnings from $27.75 to $46.25 gross pay per hour? I know I would do that every time if I could. Scaling up your earnings is the only way to essentially 'promote and pay' yourself as a gig worker. Now keep in mind sometimes it may be better to single app to make more money if business from the other apps is slow or if there are other issues going on.

Screenshots explaining Driver Pay

Multiapping Is Necessary For The Long-Run

While each driving strategy has its pros and cons, in the end, I truly believe multiapping is the best solution for drivers in the long run. Multiapping gives you the best chance to multiply or stretch your earnings compared to single apping. This article goes into way more detail on why multi-apping is no longer a choice. Regardless of whether you're DoorDash + multiapping or Uber Eats + multiapping, you will start seeing the benefits once you start getting the hang of doing it.

Using The Right Tool to Multiapp Efficiently

To maximize the profits and efficiency of multiapping you will need to use the right delivery driver tools when you're delivery driving. You will need to use a mileage tracking app, an expense tracking app, and most importantly a trip prediction app. The Para app gives you most of the functions you'd ever want as a delivery driver with DoorDash, Grubhub or Uber Eats. You can earn more by multiapping with Para. The Accept/Decline feature will take most of the guesswork from you while deciding if an order is worth taking. Mitigate the risks of meeting with road accidents by having Para ON, as it helps you keep your hands on the wheels and OFF your phone. The trip prediction tool helps you earn more gig income by telling you all the info that apps like DoorDash or Uber Eats don't tell their drivers. With Para, you can stress less and earn more while using a perfect multiapping strategy.

ONE APP and ONE TAP. Accept and Decline all offers with Para

What Is The Best Driving Strategy For You?

While it's clearly obvious that multiapping is the winner when it comes to getting paid more. In the end, the driver has to make the decision for themself. If you're new to gig work you may be solo apping for a while and that is OK. Work your way to multiapping as you get more experience. However, it isn't wrong if the multiapping strategy isn't right for you. Sometimes it may be too much to handle or even sometimes in rare cases single apping may be better for you in your market. Just do what's best for you, but know that multiapping & Para are always available for you anytime.

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