The gig economy isn’t a trend anymore. It’s how over 70 million Americans earn money.
Some of them drive for Uber between shifts. Others deliver groceries on weekends. A few have built six-figure freelance businesses from their spare bedroom. The gig economy covers all of it — and the range between “barely worth the petrol” and “genuinely life-changing income” is enormous.
That range is the problem. With dozens of gig apps competing for your time, choosing the wrong one means earning $8 an hour after expenses while the person next door clears $40 on a different platform doing similar work.
This guide ranks 30+ gig economy jobs and apps by what they actually pay after you account for expenses, time, and effort. I’ve organised them by category so you can jump straight to what fits your skills and situation. No fluff, no filler, just honest numbers and clear recommendations.
But first — one thing I need to share.
First — This Is Important
Gig apps are flexible and accessible, but they share one fundamental limitation: your income stops the moment you stop working. There’s no compounding, no passive element, and no asset being built.
That’s why alongside any gig work, I’d encourage you to look at something that creates recurring income. The model I use personally is building simple two-page websites that show in Google for local businesses. Each site generates $500 to $1,500 per month — income that keeps coming whether I’m working gigs or not.
Go here to see the exact system I use
Now let’s rank the gig apps.
Delivery Gig Jobs
The biggest category in the gig economy. If you have a car, bike, or scooter, delivery apps offer the fastest path to earning.
1. DoorDash
DoorDash commands the largest market share of any food delivery app in the US, which means more orders, more consistently. You pick up food from restaurants and deliver to customers, earning a base pay plus tips.
Net earnings after expenses: $15 to $22 per hour during peak times. Off-peak can drop to $10 to $14.
Best for: People in suburban and urban areas with high restaurant density.
The honest take: DoorDash is the default delivery gig for good reason — the volume of orders is unmatched. But your net hourly rate drops significantly once you factor in petrol, vehicle wear, and self-employment tax. Peak hours (lunch 11am-1pm, dinner 5pm-9pm) are where the real money is. Avoid slow Tuesday afternoons.
2. Uber Eats
Similar model to DoorDash but with the added option of combining food delivery with Uber rideshare driving if you want to maximise your time. Uber Eats tends to have slightly lower base pay than DoorDash but can win during surge pricing events.
Net earnings after expenses: $12 to $20 per hour.
Best for: People who already drive for Uber and want to add delivery between ride requests.
3. Instacart
Instacart is grocery shopping and delivery rather than restaurant food. You shop for customers’ grocery lists at stores like Costco, Kroger, and Aldi, then deliver to their home. Orders tend to be higher-value than food delivery, and tips on grocery runs are often more generous.
Net earnings after expenses: $14 to $25 per hour including tips.
Best for: People who enjoy shopping and have a car with decent boot space. The physical component (walking store aisles, carrying bags) makes this more active than sitting in a car waiting for food orders.
4. Amazon Flex
Deliver Amazon packages using your own vehicle. Amazon Flex pays a guaranteed hourly rate ($18 to $25) rather than per-delivery, which removes some of the income variability. Delivery blocks are 3 to 5 hours long, and you sign up for specific time slots.
Net earnings after expenses: $15 to $22 per hour.
Best for: People who prefer predictable pay over the variable earnings of food delivery. The downside is that blocks fill up quickly in popular areas — you’re competing with other drivers for available shifts.
5. Gopuff
Gopuff delivers convenience store items (snacks, drinks, household goods) from their own warehouses. Drivers earn per delivery plus tips, and since deliveries are often short-distance from a nearby warehouse, the time-per-delivery can be faster than restaurant pickups.
Net earnings after expenses: $13 to $20 per hour.
Best for: People near Gopuff warehouse locations who want quick, short deliveries.
6. Grubhub / Spark (Walmart)
Grubhub is another food delivery option competing with DoorDash and Uber Eats. Spark handles Walmart grocery and general merchandise deliveries. Both are worth having installed as backup apps for when your primary delivery platform is slow.
Why they matter: Multi-apping (running two or three delivery apps simultaneously and accepting the best-paying orders from each) is how the highest earners in delivery maximise their hourly rate.
Rideshare Gig Jobs
7. Uber
The original gig economy app. Drive passengers from A to B, earn per trip plus tips. Surge pricing during high-demand periods (Friday/Saturday nights, events, airport runs) can push hourly rates significantly above base.
Net earnings after expenses: $15 to $30 per hour depending on location and timing. Top earners work strategically around events and surge periods.
Best for: People with a qualifying vehicle who enjoy driving and social interaction.
Key consideration: Vehicle depreciation is the hidden cost most drivers underestimate. You’re putting serious miles on your car, which affects its long-term value.
8. Lyft
Direct competitor to Uber with a similar model. In most markets, Lyft pays slightly less per ride but has lower commission rates in some areas. Many drivers run both apps simultaneously.
Net earnings after expenses: $13 to $25 per hour.
Best for: Drivers already on Uber who want a second platform to fill gaps between rides.
Task and Service Gig Jobs
These require physical presence and often specific skills, but they pay significantly more per hour than delivery or rideshare.
9. TaskRabbit
TaskRabbit connects you with people who need help with furniture assembly, moving, cleaning, handyman work, yard maintenance, and general odd jobs. You set your own rates and choose which tasks to accept.
Net earnings after expenses: $20 to $50 per hour for general tasks. Elite taskers in specialised categories (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) can command $50 to $80 per hour.
Best for: Handy people who enjoy variety. TaskRabbit is the highest-paying gig app on this list for skilled workers.
10. Thumbtack
Similar to TaskRabbit but focused on connecting service professionals with homeowners. Thumbtack covers categories from photography and personal training to home improvement and cleaning. You pay for leads rather than a commission on completed work.
Net earnings after expenses: $25 to $75 per hour depending on service and skill level.
Best for: People with an established skill who want to find local clients without building their own marketing.
11. Handy
Handy specialises in home cleaning and handyman services. Bookings are recurring (weekly or biweekly cleaning clients), which creates more predictable income than one-off task platforms.
Net earnings after expenses: $17 to $25 per hour for cleaning. Higher for handyman services.
Best for: People willing to do physical cleaning work who want consistent, repeat bookings.
12. Rover
Pet sitting, dog walking, boarding, and drop-in visits. Rover is the dominant platform for pet services, and the per-visit rates are solid — especially for overnight boarding ($30 to $75 per night) and recurring dog walking ($15 to $25 per walk).
Net earnings after expenses: Highly variable. Regular dog walkers earn $300 to $1,500 per month. Pet sitters with repeat clients can earn more.
Best for: Animal lovers with flexible daytime schedules.
13. Care.com
Care.com covers babysitting, senior care, pet care, housekeeping, and tutoring. The pay rates for childcare and senior care are substantially higher than most gig app work — $15 to $25 per hour for babysitting, higher for specialised care.
Net earnings after expenses: $15 to $30 per hour depending on care type.
Best for: People with caregiving experience or patience for working with children and elderly clients.
Freelance Gig Jobs (Remote)
These are the highest-paying gig economy jobs but require specific skills. All are fully remote.
14. Upwork
The largest freelance marketplace, covering writing, design, development, marketing, consulting, and dozens of other categories. Upwork operates on a bidding system — you send proposals for projects that match your skills, and clients choose who to hire.
Net earnings after expenses: $20 to $100+ per hour depending on skill and experience. Beginners start lower; specialists command premium rates.
Best for: Anyone with a marketable skill who wants remote, project-based work.
15. Fiverr
Similar to Upwork but structured around “gigs” — fixed-price services you list and buyers purchase. Fiverr is better for defined, repeatable services (logo design, video editing, voiceovers) rather than open-ended projects.
Net earnings after expenses: $10 to $75 per hour. Fiverr takes 20% of every order.
Best for: Creative freelancers and people with specific, productisable skills. For a deeper breakdown, see my guide on how to make money on Fiverr.
16. Toptal
The premium freelance platform. Toptal accepts only the top 3% of applicants in software development, design, finance, and product management. If you qualify, the pay rates are exceptional — $75 to $200+ per hour with enterprise clients.
Net earnings after expenses: $75 to $200+ per hour.
Best for: Senior professionals with proven expertise. Not suitable for beginners. Read my full Toptal review for details on the screening process.
Shift-Based Gig Apps
These connect you with traditional employer shifts (hospitality, warehousing, events) on a flexible, on-demand basis.
17. Instawork
Instawork fills shifts in hospitality, food service, warehousing, and events. You browse available shifts in your area, accept the ones that fit your schedule, and get paid directly. No fees or commissions deducted from your pay.
Net earnings: $15 to $25 per hour depending on shift type and location. Some shifts include tips.
Best for: People with hospitality or warehouse experience who want shift flexibility without committing to an employer.
18. Wonolo
Similar to Instawork, Wonolo posts same-day and short-notice shifts in warehousing, general labour, food production, and events. You keep 100% of your earnings.
Net earnings: $12 to $22 per hour.
19. Jobble
Jobble aggregates gig opportunities across restaurants, events, delivery, and general labour. The variety is wider than Instawork or Wonolo, though individual shift quality varies more.
Net earnings: $12 to $20 per hour depending on the gig.
Passive and Asset-Based Gig Jobs
These let you earn from assets you already own — no active work required once set up.
20. Turo
Rent your car out when you’re not using it. Turo is essentially Airbnb for cars. Owners list their vehicles, set pricing, and earn when renters book. Popular, well-maintained cars in desirable locations can earn $500 to $1,500+ per month.
Best for: People with a second vehicle or those who don’t use their car daily.
21. Neighbor
Rent out unused storage space — a spare room, garage, parking spot, or even a closet. Neighbor connects you with people who need affordable storage. Earnings range from $50 to $400+ per month depending on space size and location.
Best for: Homeowners or renters with unused space.
22. Getaround
Another car-sharing platform similar to Turo. Getaround uses a keyless entry system (via a device installed in your car) so renters can access the vehicle without meeting you in person — making it more passive than Turo.
Best for: People in urban areas where car-sharing demand is high.
Niche and Specialised Gig Apps
23. UserTesting
Get paid to test websites and apps. You record your screen while completing tasks and share your thoughts out loud. Sessions take 15 to 60 minutes and pay $4 to $120 depending on complexity.
Net earnings: $50 to $200 per month with regular use.
For more on this, see my guide on getting paid to test websites.
24. Respondent / User Interviews
Participate in paid research studies, interviews, and focus groups. These pay significantly more than surveys — typically $50 to $200 per session for 30 to 90 minutes of your time.
Best for: People with specific professional experience or demographic profiles that researchers target. Check my guide on best focus group sites that pay.
25. Field Agent / Gigwalk
Complete simple tasks in physical locations — take photos of retail displays, verify product placement, mystery shop. Tasks pay $3 to $25 each and take 5 to 30 minutes.
Best for: People who are already out running errands and want to pick up micro-gigs along the way.
Earnings Comparison: All Gig Categories at a Glance
| Category | Apps | Net Hourly Rate | Vehicle Needed? | Skill Required? | Passive Potential |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Delivery | DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub | $12–$22/hr | Yes | No | None |
| Grocery Delivery | Instacart, Spark | $14–$25/hr | Yes | No | None |
| Package Delivery | Amazon Flex, Gopuff | $15–$22/hr | Yes | No | None |
| Rideshare | Uber, Lyft | $15–$30/hr | Yes | No | None |
| Task/Handyman | TaskRabbit, Thumbtack | $20–$80/hr | Sometimes | Some | None |
| Pet Services | Rover, Care.com | $15–$30/hr | Sometimes | No | None |
| Freelance | Upwork, Fiverr, Toptal | $20–$200/hr | No | Yes | None |
| Shift Work | Instawork, Wonolo | $12–$25/hr | Sometimes | Some | None |
| Car/Space Rental | Turo, Neighbor, Getaround | $50–$1,500/mo | N/A | No | High |
| Research/Testing | UserTesting, Respondent | $50–$200/session | No | No | None |
How to Maximise Gig Economy Earnings
The difference between earning $10 per hour and $30 per hour on gig apps often comes down to strategy, not effort.
Multi-app for delivery and rideshare. Run DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart simultaneously. Accept the highest-paying order from whichever app offers it. This alone can increase your effective hourly rate by 30-50% compared to relying on a single app.
Work peak hours ruthlessly. Lunch (11am-1pm) and dinner (5pm-9pm) for delivery. Friday and Saturday nights for rideshare. Event days for TaskRabbit. The hourly rate difference between peak and off-peak can be double.
Track your actual net earnings. Gross pay means nothing if you’re spending $15 per hour on petrol and vehicle maintenance. Track mileage (the 2026 IRS standard deduction is 67 cents per mile), fuel costs, and phone data usage. Your true hourly rate after expenses is the only number that matters.
Stack gig categories. Drive rideshare Friday night. Do TaskRabbit on Saturday. Rent your car on Turo Sunday through Thursday. List your spare room on Neighbor year-round. Diversification protects against any single app having a slow week.
Set an income floor, not a ceiling. Decide the minimum hourly rate you’ll accept. If a delivery order works out to $6 per hour after expenses, decline it. Gig apps profit when you accept every order indiscriminately. Your profitability depends on selectivity.
For a broader perspective on income strategies beyond gig work, my best side hustles guide ranks options by long-term earning potential, and my side hustle database covers 60+ ways to earn filtered by your situation.
The Tax Reality of Gig Work
This is the section most gig economy guides skip, and it’s the one that costs you the most money.
As a gig worker, you’re self-employed. That means you owe self-employment tax (15.3% for Social Security and Medicare) on top of your regular income tax. If you earn $20,000 from gig work, roughly $3,060 goes to self-employment tax alone — before income tax.
Set aside 25-30% of your gross gig earnings for taxes. Open a separate savings account and transfer tax money after every payout. Filing quarterly estimated taxes avoids a painful lump-sum bill in April.
The silver lining: gig workers can deduct business expenses. Mileage (67 cents per mile in 2026), phone bills (business-use percentage), car maintenance, insulated delivery bags, and even your phone mount are all deductible. Track everything from day one.
I’m not a tax professional, so consult one if you’re earning significant gig income. But the 25-30% rule will keep you out of trouble.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the highest-paying gig economy app?
For skilled workers, TaskRabbit pays the most — elite taskers earn $50 to $80 per hour for assembly, moving, and handyman work. For remote freelancers, Toptal pays $75 to $200+ per hour but only accepts the top 3% of applicants. For general gig workers without specialised skills, Instacart and Amazon Flex tend to offer the best net hourly rates among delivery apps.
Can you make a full-time living from gig apps?
Yes, but it requires strategic multi-apping and treating gig work like a business rather than casual side income. Full-time gig workers typically earn $30,000 to $60,000 annually. Top earners who combine multiple platforms, work peak hours, and track expenses carefully can push past $70,000. However, remember that gig income comes without benefits, paid time off, or retirement contributions — costs you’d need to cover yourself.
Which gig app should I start with?
If you have a car: DoorDash is the easiest first step with the most consistent order volume. If you don’t: TaskRabbit or Upwork, depending on whether you prefer physical tasks or remote work. If you want the fastest possible first dollar: food delivery apps let you earn the same day you’re approved.
How do gig workers handle health insurance?
Most gig workers purchase insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace (healthcare.gov). If your income qualifies, you may be eligible for premium subsidies that significantly reduce costs. Some gig workers maintain a part-time job with benefits specifically for health insurance while earning the majority of their income through gig apps.
Are gig economy jobs worth it in 2026?
For flexibility and immediate income, absolutely. Gig apps remain one of the fastest ways to start earning with zero special skills or upfront investment. For long-term wealth building, they have limitations. The smartest approach is using gig income as a bridge while building something with higher long-term potential — a freelance career, online business, or income-generating assets.
For more options beyond gig work, my guide on the best ways to make money online covers methods with higher ceilings, and ways to make extra money includes both active and passive approaches.
The Ceiling Problem With Gig Work
Here’s the honest truth that gig economy companies don’t advertise: your income has a hard ceiling.
No matter how efficiently you run DoorDash, you can only deliver so many orders in an hour. No matter how many Uber surge rides you catch, there are only so many hours in a day. Gig work is fundamentally trading time for money — and there’s a maximum amount of time you can trade.
For immediate cash needs, gig apps are excellent. For building long-term financial security, they’re limited.
That’s why the smartest gig workers use app earnings to fund something with higher long-term potential — whether that’s building a freelance career, starting a blog, or learning a skill like local lead generation that creates recurring income from assets you own.
If you want to see the model I personally use to generate $500 to $1,500 per month from simple websites — income that doesn’t require driving, delivering, or being on a platform’s schedule — go here to see the exact system I use.
Gig apps can fill your wallet today. Building something you own fills it for years.
Mark is the founder of MarksInsights and has spent 15+ years testing online business programs and tools. He focuses on honest, experience-based reviews that help people avoid scams and find real, sustainable ways to make money online.