DoorDash Vs. Grubhub 2023: The Better Delivery App For Drivers

In this post, we compare DoorDash vs. Grubhub to help you decide which food delivery service suits your needs.

DoorDash and Grubhub are great companies, but which one is better for drivers or for people who want to get their food delivered?

If you’re looking to make some extra cash in this gig economy or want takeout meals delivered right to your door, then you should know about the two most prominent players in the food delivery game.

Both companies try to win over customers with low prices and fast deliveries. But who will come out on top when it comes down to it?

DoorDash Vs. Grubhub Beginnings & Overviews

DoorDash and Grubhub are two of the most popular food delivery services, both for drivers looking to make money with a gig economy job and for people wanting meals delivered right to their door.

But which one is better?

Both companies dedicate themselves to supporting local businesses while making it easier than ever for buyers to get their hands on their favorite local dishes.

DoorDash and Grubhub both have the same goal: they want people to be able to order food and get it delivered right to wherever they are.

DoorDash

You can order delivery from your favorite restaurants, pet stores, convenience stores, and grocery stores from the DoorDash app. But why should you use them?

DoorDash is a newer company in the delivery game, but over the last 9 years, it has shot up to be one of the most popular delivery services.

It was founded in January 2013, and in 2019, it took the award for the best on-demand food delivery business!

But more than that, you can use this food delivery app to easily make money o the side whenever it fits your schedule. 

Grubhub

Grubhub has been around since 2004, so it’s no wonder they are also one of the most popular food delivery services in the United States.

They have a large selection of local restaurants to choose from, and you can even filter by cuisine or dietary restrictions. Grubhub also has an excellent reputation for customer service.

Since it’s available in so many places, drives have many opportunities to use Grubhub to earn fast cash on weeknights or weekends. 

Food Delivery For Delivery Drivers

The sign-up process is very similar for DoorDash and Grubhub. Both DoorDash and Grubhub require drivers to have a valid driver’s license, undergo a screening process, and buy auto insurance if they use their car to deliver.

There are some differences in the requirements for new drivers.

Qualifications For Drivers

DoorDash

DoorDash drivers are called Dashers.

Dashers:

Must be 18 years years of age or older.
Can use any car to deliver- in select cities, a bicycle or scooter may be used depending on local laws
Need a valid driver’s license
Car insurance is needed for the car used for deliveries
Need a Social Security number (USA)
Need to consent to a background check
Have an iPhone or Android device to download and use the food delivery app from the Google Play store or the Apple store
Must complete the orientation, either in-person or online

Approval to become a Dasher can take anywhere from 3 to 10 days.

Grubhub

The driver screening process to become a Grubhub driver is very similar to the process of becoming a Dasher.

Grubhub drivers:

Must use a reliable vehicle
Must have a valid driver’s license and insurance
Must be at least 19 years old (21+ in Las Vegas)
Must have a valid State I.D., Driver’s license, or passport if using a bike
Must own an iOS 11 or higher iPhone or a 5.0 or higher Android phone, with a data plan
Need to have a checking account for direct deposit
Must agree to a background check
Must download the delivery service app

Pay Structure

The delivery pay structures for both Grubhub and DoorDash are slightly different. Different things determine the amount the drivers are paid for this side hustle.

DoorDash

DoorDash pays their Dashers as independent contractors.

They are allowed to contract with other rideshare companies.

Base Pay: Dashers earn a base pay amount for each order they deliver. The base pay depends on the time it takes to complete the order, the distance to deliver it, and how popular the order is among the other drivers.
Tips: Dasher’s get 100% of the tips on the order.
Promotions: Promotions are broken down into two categories: Peak Pay and Challenges. Peak Pay is considered the busier time of the day. Dashers make more money on deliveries during peak pay time. If a driver completes a certain amount of deliveries during a specific time (challenges), they will earn more money.

Grubhub

Grubhub drivers are also considered independent contractors and get to keep 100% of the tips on each order.

The exact amount Grubhub drivers get paid varies based on the order.

Mileage: Grubhub drivers get paid $0.22 per mile for the miles to deliver the order. The mileage includes the miles to pick up the order and the miles to the drop-off location.
Time spent on the road: Drivers also get paid for the amount of time they spend on the road picking up the order and delivering it.
Tips: In addition to the mileage and time spent on the road for each order, drivers also get 100% of the tips left on the order.
Special Offers: Like DoorDash promotions, Grubhub offers “Missions” to their drivers so they can earn extra cash. If drivers reach specific goals in a certain amount of time, they can earn in-offer bonuses and participate in fun sweepstakes.

Tip Potential

Drivers for both companies get to keep 100% of their tips, which is a huge plus. But tipping isn’t mandatory.

Both services offer the option to tip their drivers, but DoorDash makes it easier with a recommended amount for users when they order.

Customers can choose the amount, if any, they wish to tip their drivers. The drivers can see the amount of the tip on the acceptance screen. If a tip is not left, the driver may pass on the order!

How To Get Paid

DoorDash

Dashers can get paid in one of three ways- Weekly, Daily, or Instantly. Dashers who sign up for direct deposit get paid once a week, usually on Wednesday night.

Another option for Dasher is the Daily payment made to a Dasher Direct card. Dasher Direct is a prepaid Visa debit card and doesn’t require a checking account.

The last option is Instant. For $1.99, Dashers can have their earnings sent daily to a debit card (cannot be a prepaid debit card).

Grubhub

Grubhub food delivery drivers can get paid in two ways- Direct Deposit and Instant Cash Out.

Drivers who use Direct Deposit with their bank accounts get paid once a week on Thursday.

The second way is by Instant Cash Out. Drivers can cash out their earnings any time they want through the Grubhub app, with essentially no wait time. If a driver is a Chase Bank customer, the cash out is free, but there’s $.50 each for other banks.

Scheduling Your Hours

Gig economy jobs are great because you can work when you can, and you always have time for your family and personal life!

Some delivery service apps let you plan your hours in advance if you want to make deliveries as a side hustle. This is an excellent option for those who have regular schedules and do not want to worry about when they need to work each day.

Unlike Uber Eats, the two companies will let drivers work as much or as little as they want.

DoorDash

Each night at midnight, the DoorDash schedules become available. Dashers can log in and select their schedules daily. The delivery shifts fill up quickly. During busy hours, Dashers can sign in using the Dash Now option and work whenever they want.

Grubhub

The drivers have a little more control over their schedules and can sign up for specific times. This flexibility makes it easier for those who have an actual job. If you claim the blocks of delivery time, Grubhub wants you to work those times. Drivers who regularly drop the blocks can have their access restricted.

Referral Program For New Drivers

DoorDash

Dashers can raise their income by referring drivers to DoorDash. There are some conditions that the referring Dasher must meet:

The referring Dasher and referred Dasher must be in good standing on the DoorDash app.
The Dasher that is being referred can’t have been registered before as a Dasher under any name or alias.
The referred Dasher has to complete their registration and make a required amount of deliveries within 30 days of signing up.
Dashers cannot share their phone numbers or unique referral links on blogs or social media. The link can only be shared with friends, family, and personal acquaintances.
The amount paid for the referral bonus and the delivery requirements for the referred Dasher vary by city. They are also subject to change at any time.

Grubhub

Unlike DoorDash and other food delivery services, Grubhub does not regularly offer driver referrals.

In DoorDash vs. Grubhub, Grubhub will have to improve on this. I think having a great referral program is great to help other drivers get bonuses for starting a side hustle. 

Other Ways To Make Money With Your Car

If you’re looking to make some additional income with your car and do not want to work for Grubhub or DoorDash, here are some other ways that will let you use your car to earn money.

Postmates 

Postmates has its perks since it’ll likely deliver just about anything in your city. Depending on the city you live in and the store in your city, you can deliver things from the pharmacy, grocery store, liquor store, and even electronics store. More delivery options for customers means more delivery pay for you!

Instacart 

You can also apply to be a shopper or driver at Instacart. With Instacart, you can deliver groceries and have the choice of being a full-time independent contractor or just working part-time.

Uber 

If you’re looking for a way to make some extra money, using your car to drive for Uber. Uber may be the perfect solution. You can choose your hours and be a completely independent contractor, but you can choose to deliver food or drive people to and fro.

Lyft 

Another side hustle job is to drive for Lyft and earn some extra cash. Like Uber, you can be a completely independent contractor and set your hours. For Lyft, you’ll be using your car to chauffeur people around rather than food, so this may be an option if you want to avoid snacking temptations!

Amazon 

Another way to make money using your car is to deliver packages with Amazon Flex. Use your car to deliver packages for Amazon, groceries, or household items for Amazon Fresh and Prime Now, or deliver pick-up orders directly to customers with the app called Amazon Flex.

DoorDash Vs. Grubhub: For Users

During the pandemic, over the last few years, meal delivery companies have seen a boom in people wanting to order in- especially DoorDash and Grubhub!

Others include Uber Eats, Instacart, etc.- but these 2 seem to be dominating the market share for delivering meals!

DoorDash and Grubhub are easy apps that allow users to order food from their favorite restaurant. However, there are a few things that set them apart if you’re looking to use their services.

Let’s look at how DoorDash vs. Grubhub is for their users:

Location Availability 

The Grubhub and DoorDash apps show users a list of their favorite partner restaurants with all their available deals. It’s easy to see how much each offer costs, what special deals Grubhub or Doordash offers, and the restaurant’s address.

When a user clicks on one of the restaurant partners, they’re taken to a page with all their available items listed. They can see information about each item, including price, photos, and ingredients.

This is a helpful feature for those who are busy or forgetful because it allows you to place an order quickly.

Grocery Stores & Restaurant Options 

DoorDash and Grubhub partner with fast food, local, and chain restaurants. While it seems like Grubhub may have more restaurants available for ordering, it seems like that’s mostly for local eats- they still have a lot of overlap in national chains.

However, having the same chains available doesn’t mean there are the same options for each restaurant.

For example, when you look at Taco Bell on DoorDash or Grubhub, you’ll see that they have the same items with the same options, in a different order. The price may differ for each item, but you can still order precisely the same thing.

As you might expect, the estimated delivery time will differ for each restaurant. A certain wait time may affect your decision on which the food delivery apps to use.

Delivery Fee/App Costs

Most food delivery apps, including DoorDash and Grubhub, charge a service fee and delivery fee. The fees are usually different for each restaurant and can change at any time.

Before you place the order, you will be able to see the fees that are being charged. Both DoorDash and Grubhub have their fees listed on the restaurants’ menus.

DoorDash and Grubhub offer monthly subscription services that can be canceled at any time:

DashPass is a DoorDash subscription service that costs $9.99. The subscription service offers subscribers a $0 delivery fee and reduces other fees on orders of at least $12 from a DashPass eligible restaurant.

Grubhub+ is a subscription service that costs $9.99. Subscribers to Grubhub+ have $0 delivery charges and reduced service fees. The subscription includes deals from Grubhub’s partner restaurants exclusive to Grubhub+ customers.

Offerings, Deals, & Discounts

Who doesn’t want to save money wherever they can? Delivery fees can add up, and we want things to be less expensive so we can use them more often.

When you buy popular foods or from chain restaurants, you may be happy to find coupons and other savings from Grubhub or DoorDash.

When a user clicks on a restaurant partnered with DoorDash and Grubhub, they can see the special deals available from that restaurant. This includes pick-up options as well as food orders.

For example, McDonald’s may offer DoorDash users a 50% off deal for pick-up orders. This special deal may not be available on Grubhub at the same time.

Customer Service Department

DoorDash has a page dedicated to Consumer Help, where you can find many of the answers you may have. Some of the helpful items include Cancellations, Missing Orders, and Returns.

They also have a support email address and have a live chat feature to speak with someone directly about any questions or concerns.

Grubhub also has a page dedicated to Customer Service help. Some of the valuable items on their site include: Change account info, Returns, and Cancellations.

They also have a telephone number and a live chat feature so you can speak with someone directly about any questions or concerns.

Final Verdict: DrooDash Vs. Grubhub

Doordash vs. GrubHub seems to be one of the debates in the food-delivery market. Which one is better?

To decide which one is better for you as a customer, you need to look at what you’re looking for in your meal delivery service.

Both companies have a lot of hype surrounding them, and people seem to be talking about one or the other of the food delivery services all the time.

One service may not be available in your area if you do not live in major cities or may not offer specific cuisines that you want. That’s why it’s important to look at what each company has to offer in your area before making your decision.

For customers, you can download the DoorDash app and Grubhub app, and compare them side by side when ordering food. It’s that simple!

For drivers, the final DoorDash vs. Grubhub verdict may be to work for whichever food delivery service company offers more in your area. It depends on what you need in terms of scheduling, pay, and what is most convenient for you.

You can always switch it up if you’re not happy with the one you pick- nothing is set in stone!