Shipt Shopper vs. DoorDash: Which is Best for Drivers?

Delivery app jobs are one of the best ways to earn money on your own schedule. You can get started relatively quickly without any prior experience or a degree.

Shipt and DoorDash are two perfect examples. Both gigs are flexible, pay well, and are readily available.

However, there are key differences in pay and how these side gigs work. Our Shipt vs. DoorDash breakdown covers the features side hustlers must know before signing up.

DoorDash vs. Shipt Shopper

Shipt Shopper and DoorDash are two of the best food delivery services to work for. However, there are several differences that you should know about in order to pick the right delivery app gig.

What is DoorDash?

DoorDash is the leading on-demand food delivery service in North America.

As a DoorDash driver, you deliver fast food and meals from local restaurants to people using your car, bike, or scooter. 

It’s a flexible side gig. Plus, because of its popularity, DoorDash also provides steady work in large markets.

What is Shipt Shopper?

Shipt is a grocery delivery service that operates in the United States. It’s one of Instacart’s main competitors.

The main difference between Shipt and DoorDash is that Shipt Shoppers are personal shoppers that offer same-day delivery. 

This means they assemble grocery orders, check out, and complete the delivery. Dashers simply pick up food for deliveries.

If you don’t want to deliver groceries, you can deliver packages via its new Shipt Driver platform.

Requirements and Availability

Because Shipt and DoorDash vary in terms of the types of deliveries you make, there are several differences between driver and vehicle requirements.

DoorDash is generally easier to sign up for than Shipt. The platform’s driver requirements include:

• Being 18 or older
• Having a functioning car, bike, or scooter
• Passing a background check
• Having a driver’s license and social security number

You simply complete a driver application online and consent to a background check. Then, you can usually start delivering within a week or two.

DoorDash is available in over 5,500 cities across North America.

Shipt has similar requirements to DoorDash, but there’s a vehicle requirement of 1997 or newer. 

Additionally, you can’t deliver via bike or scooter because you’re delivering groceries.

Other Shipt Shopper requirements include:

• Being 18 or older
• Having a driver’s license
• Being able to lift 45 pounds unassisted
• Passing a background check

When signing up, Shipt asks several questions relating to problem-solving skills. You also submit a video response to several questions so Shipt can see how you communicate.

Shipt is available in over 5,000 cities in the United States.

Winner: DoorDash has easier driver requirements and is available in more markets.

How the Apps Work

With the DoorDash driver app, order requests appear when you’re online to work. These requests outline the following:

• Restaurant name
• Number of items in order
• Delivery distance
• Pickup and dropoff location
• Minimum DoorDash driver pay (doesn’t include potential tips)

You can decline as many orders as you want if the pay isn’t high enough. When you accept an order, the DoorDash app helps you navigate to the pickup location and customer’s address. 

Once you mark the delivery as complete, you get paid.

As for the Shipt driver app, it displays a list of open orders you can accept. This allows you to get more upfront selection. Orders include information like:

• The grocery store
• Estimated pay
• A delivery dropoff time requirement and a time estimate
• The number of items

Once you claim an order, Shipt’s app shows you a shopping list of all the items in the order. This list is organized by categories, like fruits and vegetables or frozen food, so it’s easier to shop aisle-by-aisle for products.

You take a photo of product barcodes once you find them and mark them as “found” within the app. After you collect every item, you pay with your Shipt Shopper card and use the app to navigate to the customer’s address.

One major advantage is that Shipt lists several orders, so you can pick the highest-paying opportunities. The trade-off is that Shipt orders take longer than DoorDash orders.

Winner: Shipt’s app gives you more control over the orders you accept, but DoorDash’s app is much simpler when it comes to delivering orders to customers.

DoorDash vs. Shipt Shopper: Scheduling

Working for delivery apps is a terrific opportunity to start earning money on your own schedule. Both DoorDash and Shipt let you schedule shifts, so you control when you work.

With DoorDash, you have two options for choosing shifts:

• Dash Now: Tap the “Dash Now” button to begin working immediately. You can use this feature if the zone you’re in is busy enough for more drivers to go online.
• Schedule A Dash: This allows you to schedule Dashes up to five days in advance.

DoorDash doesn’t let you choose your exact start and end times when you schedule shifts. Instead, the schedule tab displays a list of available days and times you can go online.

Shipt’s scheduling feature is similar to DoorDash. You select different zones you want to shop in. Then, the app displays a list of one-hour delivery windows you can add to your schedule. 

Once you add the delivery windows, you can view a list of open grocery orders and claim the ones you want.

Winner: Shipt’s scheduling is more flexible than what DoorDash offers, but DoorDash is superior because you can also go online whenever you want if the market is busy enough.

Driver Ratings

Delivery app jobs like Instacart Shopper and Uber Eats let customers rate their delivery drivers based on the level of service provided. Shipt and DoorDash use the same rating system, but there are some differences worth noting.

With DoorDash, customers rate you between one and five stars after a delivery. Your home-delivery driver rating is a rolling average of your last 100 deliveries.

You must maintain a 4.2 customer rating or higher to remain a driver.

Shipt customers also rate you between one and five stars after a delivery. Your shopper rating is a rolling average of your previous 50 orders.

Maintaining a high Shipt Shopper rating is critical since shoppers with higher ratings get more order offers. So, the lower your Shipt Shopper rating, the less money you make since you don’t have as many opportunities.

Winner: DoorDash driver ratings don’t impact your earnings as much as Shipt Shopper ratings.

How and When You’re Paid

DoorDash pays drivers every week on Sunday via direct deposit for the orders they completed between the previous Monday through Sunday. 

This usually means money reaches your bank account by Tuesday or Wednesday.

If you need your earnings faster, DoorDash lets you cash out instantly with Fast Pay for a $1.99 fee.

Shipt uses a similar schedule and pays shoppers every Friday through direct deposit for deliveries completed between the previous Monday through Sunday. 

You can also use Shipt Instant Pay once per day for $0.50.

Read our guide on other jobs that pay the same day to find additional opportunities to get paid as soon as possible.

Winner: Shipt has more affordable instant pay than DoorDash.

Does Shipt or DoorDash Pay More?

DoorDash driver compensation depends on numerous factors, including tips. In comparison, Shipt driver pay is up to $20 per hour or more. 

After you complete 100 deliveries for Shipt Shopper, your earnings increase to a potential of $22 an hour.

Both gigs let drivers keep 100 percent of their tips.

Overall, your actual earnings depend on a number of factors. These include how busy your market is, customer tips, your shopping speed, and some luck.

However DoorDash is more usually more popular. Plus, driving during the best DoorDash times, like lunch and dinner, can increase your earnings.

In contrast, if you have a lower Shipt Shopper rating, you might not find many orders in your claim tab. 

This is why many gig drivers use DoorDash as their main app and then use apps like Instacart and Shipt on the side.

Both delivery platforms offer promotional pay if you work during busier times or complete a certain number of food deliveries in a given time.

Winner: Shipt can pay more, but DoorDash often has steadier orders.

Is Delivering for Shipt Worth it?

Delivering for Shipt is worth it if you know your way around a grocery store and want to earn $15 to $22 per hour delivering groceries. 

It’s also a great job if you want to put fewer miles on your car since most of the job is spent shopping instead of driving.

Is Delivering for DoorDash Worth it?

DoorDash is one of the most flexible and high-paying delivery gigs out there. Plus, you can deliver with a bike, car, or scooter, so it’s an accessible way to make money as a delivery person.

Since DoorDash has a variety of items you can deliver, working for the service is typically worth your effort.

Read our guide on apps like DoorDash to find suitable alternatives to earn money in your spare time.

Can You Work for DoorDash and Shipt at the Same Time? 

It is possible to work for DoorDash and Shipt simultaneously. In fact, many delivery couriers “double-app” to maximize how many orders they get.

However, you need to time your orders right for this to work when making food deliveries. Shipt orders have a dropoff time requirement, and being late can lower your shopper rating. 

Your best bet is to mostly use DoorDash. Then, you can schedule yourself for Shipt when DoorDash is slower, like in the mornings or just after lunch.

Pros and Cons

Picking a winner between Shipt vs. DoorDash can be difficult. When choosing your next gig, it’s helpful to consider a list of pros and cons so you can find the best fit.

DoorDash Pros:

• High order volume since DoorDash is popular
• Vehicle flexibility
• Easy sign-up requirements
• No-contact delivery is available

DoorDash Cons:

• You put more mileage on your car with DoorDash

Read our DoorDash Driver review to learn more.

Shipt Pros:

• You have more control over the orders you claim
• Large grocery orders have the potential for large tips
• No-contact delivery is available
• Low instant pay fees

Shipt Cons:

• A low Shipt Shopper rating lowers your income potential
• Shipt isn’t as busy as DoorDash in many markets

Read our review of Shipt Shopper to learn more.

Which is Better: DoorDash or Shipt?

For most gig workers, DoorDash is superior to Shipt because it’s a busier app that pays more and lets you deliver with multiple types of vehicles. Plus, signing up is faster.

Shipt Shopper is still a high-paying gig, but it’s best to use DoorDash first and supplement your income with Shipt if DoorDash is slow.

Bottom Line

If you want a flexible way to make extra money, choosing to deliver for DoorDash or Shipt is a smart move. 

Just remember that customer service and being on time are important when it comes to maintaining a high driver rating, surpassing minimum payment guarantees, and receiving more tips. 

Additionally, since you’re an independent contractor, make sure you track expenses like gas and vehicle repairs so that you know how much you’re really making.

What’s most important to you in a side hustle?

*Earning more on certain types of orders (ex. alcohol): Earn more per order as compared to restaurant orders. Actual earnings may differ and depend on factors like number of deliveries you accept and complete, time of day, location, and any costs. Hourly pay is calculated using average Dasher payouts while on a delivery (from the time you accept an order until the time you drop it off) over a 90 day period and includes compensation from tips, peak pay, and other incentives.

*Get paid instantly (DasherDirect): Subject to approval

*Cash out daily (Fast Pay): Fees apply

*Start Dashing today: Subject to background check and availability

*Dash anytime: Subject to availability