Keeping up with the cost of living these days feels like a constant struggle. It’s getting harder by the day to earn a decent wage that gives you enough to put food on the table, pay the bills, and save money for a rainy day. If you’re like me, you probably feel like the Monopoly guy when he pulls his pockets out and they are empty. If only we could pass Go and collect some cash quickly.
Thanks to gig apps, you can have cash in hand fast and work towards bulking up your bank account. We rounded up the best gig apps to use to make earning money easier.
7 Top-Notch Gig Apps
What I love about side hustles or gigs is you can pick something you don’t mind — or even love — doing. Plus, you can earn hundreds to thousands of dollars extra per month with your new side hustle.
Check out these high-paying gig apps to find the best side job for you.
1. Rover
Pet sitting can be a fun side gig to bring in extra income every week. As an animal lover, Rover is my favorite gig app. You get paid to babysit pets, and it’s a pet lover’s dream job. You can offer various services such as dog walking, drop-in visits, doggy daycare, boarding, and overnight sitting.
The amount you can earn varies depending on the types of services you offer and how often you work. ZipRecruiter reports that the average salary for a Rover dog sitter is $21.81 an hour. Rover does take a commission of your earnings, so keep that in mind when setting your rates.
You can start pet sitting in your spare time and make your own schedule based on your availability. Once you establish yourself, you can even pet-sit in other locations and get paid while you travel!
How To Start Pet Sitting With Rover
There are some things you should have in place before pet sitting. The most important thing is to invest in general liability insurance to cover you against any injury or property damage claims.
While Rover does have a “Guarantee Reimbursem*nt Program,” there are things it does not cover, such as property damage to the sitter’s home or injuries to the sitter or family members. Because of this, having insurance in place is vital for you and your business.
You may also want to consider taking a pet CPR course. The American Red Cross offers a certification course for only $25. Learning how to administer CPR to a pet can save its life and help you stand out as a sitter.
You can apply to be a pet sitter on theRover website or on the app. Before you can begin pet sitting, you will need to pass a safety quiz and do a background check. You will then create a custom profile and list what services you are going to offer, along with your rates.
If you have previous pet-sitting experience, ask for testimonials to help you get clients faster. This shows future clients you are trustworthy and makes them feel more comfortable booking with you.
2. DoorDash
How would you like to get paid to run around town? Okay, there’s a bit more to it than that, but being a “dasher” can be a pretty sweet side gig that pays well. As a dasher, you will deliver food and grocery items to customers right to their front door.
According to Glassdoor, the average pay for a DoorDash driver is between $16 and $24 an hour. The pay will depend on your location, how much you work, and the time of day you work. Dashers earn a base pay plus tips. Promotional pay is also offered when you earn more for working peak times, completing challenges, and finishing delivery streaks.
I know people who started this gig part-time for extra money and even began delivering full-time. The cool thing is you can work when you want, which makes it an excellent side hustle.
How to Start DoorDash
The thing I love about DoorDash is that it is relatively easy to start. You can sign up through the app and begin working within a few days. They do require you to be 18 years of age (19 in some states), have a mode of transportation such as a car, bicycle, or scooter, and provide documentation such as a driver’s license and social security card.
Once you are approved to be a dasher, they will supply you with a “Dasher activation kit” that includes a food warming bag, a Red card, and hand sanitizer. It’s important to know that as a dasher, you are an independent contractor, so you will be responsible for paying your own taxes.
Although you are able to pick and choose when you work, if you work during promotion times, you can make much more money than you would at other times of the day. For example, my sister-in-law would pick up night shift hours and make a bonus $1 an hour added onto her base pay. If you want to make money quickly, work peak hours more often.
3. Spark Driver
As aSpark Driver, you can shop for customers at Walmart locations and other businesses and deliver the items to customers. Because this service is available in 3,650 cities and in all 50 states, you can earn money no matter what state you live in!
Indeed reports the average salary for a Spark Driver is $24.55 an hour. The amount you make depends on factors such as order size, type of order, and distance of delivery. You also earn tips, so the better the service you provide, the more you can potentially earn.
They also offer referral incentives, which can increase your pay. Like DoorDash, you also get to set your own schedule, which is a huge perk.
How To Start as a Spark Driver
If you enjoy shopping, then the Spark app is the gig for you. To become a Spark Driver, you will need to check your location on the site or app and fill out the application. You need to be 18 years of age or older, have a valid driver’s license, and have a clean and reliable vehicle. They also require a background check and proof of auto insurance.
Since you will be making deliveries of various sizes, you are not allowed to use a bicycle or scooter. Another requirement is that you have an Android or Apple phone with a camera with flash and GPS capabilities.
It can take 1-2 weeks to be approved to be a driver, but then you can start working as much or as little as you want. Depending on how much you work, you have the potential to earn a couple of hundred dollars extra per week working this side gig.
4. TaskRabbit
One of the most versatile yet lucrative gig apps is TaskRabbit. This is one of my favorite apps because you can be a Tasker for the type of service or job you want. This app connects people searching for help with odd jobs and various tasks with Taskers offering those services.
For example, if you are more organized than Marie Kondo herself and want to start making money organizing other people's homes or offices, you can do it with the help of the TaskRabbit app. People hire taskers for a variety of tasks, such as moving, assembling furniture, cleaning, plumbing repairs, and more.
How much you can make depends on your location and the type of services you offer. Glassdoor shares that Taskers earn between $17 and $28 per hour. If you offer a variety of services, you can work part-time or even turn it into a full-time gig.
How To Become a Tasker
I’ll be honest, while I love the versatility of this app there is a huge downside. You need to ensure you are located in one oftheir active cities. Otherwise, you will not be able to use this app for a side gig. If you are located in an area where TaskRabbit is available, then you will need to meet their requirements before you can begin.
When you sign up you will need a valid ID and social security number to pass a background check. There is also a $25 registration fee to sign up to become a Tasker, so be aware of that when starting out. You need a bank account to receive payments.
Registration process can vary by city, but it typically takes about four business days to get approved. You create a profile and select what services you want to offer and your rates. You can also opt for same-day jobs to make money faster. Once you set up your services and choose your work area, you can start getting jobs.
5. Amazon Flex
If delivering food isn’t your jam but you don’t mind the thought of cruising around delivering other items, then you should consider driving for Amazon Flex. You will pick up various packages, groceries, and household items from an Amazon delivery station and deliver them right to the customers.
The site states that their drivers average between $18 and $25 an hour, but the rate varies depending on your location, the time it takes you to deliver, tips, and other factors.
Still, that’s a pretty decent hourly wage, and you can choose your schedule. They are busiest during the winter months, so you will have the potential to work more if you want to.
How To Start Driving for Amazon Flex
The first thing you need to do before signing up is to check to see if Amazon Flex operates in your city. Driving for Flex requires you to be at least 21 years of age, have a valid driver’s license and social security number, and you will need to pass a background check.
Unfortunately, Flex isn’t like DoorDash in terms of vehicle requirements. No bicycles are allowed for this gig. You will also need a larger size vehicle for this delivery job such as a SUV, 4-door sedan, van, or a truck with a covered bed, and proof of auto insurance. They pay via direct deposit into a savings or checking account.
Amazon states that it takes less than an hour to apply, and as long as you clear the background check, it can take less than a week for approval to work and start earning cash.
6. Airbnb
Do you have a spare room you don’t use, or is your basem*nt guest ready but you seldom have visitors? You can make money renting it out with the Airbnb app. People seeking accommodations in your area use the app to book rooms or houses rather than staying in a hotel. Your earnings will depend on your location and how often you rent out your space.
For instance, ZipRecruiter found that the average monthly income for an Airbnb host in Washington was $3,646 a month, whereas a host in Florida made around $2,248 per month. Renting a room will bring in much less than renting out an entire house, but you can still earn a good chunk of change by utilizing this gig app.
How To Start as an Airbnb Host
Before you hang a vacancy sign in your spare room window, there are some regulations you should check on first. Laws on short-term rentals vary by city and state, so it’s essential to check by contacting your local government to see what steps you need to take before renting out your room.
If you get the green light and you’re allowed to host your home as an Airbnb, you will need to verify your identity, which may include providing a photo of your government-issued ID and a picture of yourself. Once you go through the verification process, you can create your listing for free on the app. Rental owners pay a flat-rate service fee of 3% on the subtotals of your bookings.
Make sure to include a detailed description of your space with pictures and how many people are able to stay. It can take up to 72 hours before your listing is active, but then you can start taking reservations for your room.
Something to note is that as a new host/hostess, it can take 30 days before you receive your first payment. After that, you can expect to be paid 24 hours after your guest checks in, but processing time may vary depending on the payment method you choose.
If you’re ready to be the “hostess with the mostess” and make money at it, then you should try this gig app as soon as possible.
7. Instacart
Instacart is another app that pays you to shop and deliver items to customers around town. You can pick and choose which orders you want to shop for, and the cool thing is you can see how much the gig will pay before accepting it.
My absolute favorite thing about this app is that you can cash out your earnings in as little as 2 hours after you deliver the order! Because of this, I consider Instacart the greatest gig app for anyone who needs to earn cash fast.
The average pay for an Instacart shopper is about $18.33 an hour, however, wages have been reported as high as $43.27 an hour! You are paid per completed batch, and the amount depends on driving distance, the size of the order, and how much effort is involved for shopping and delivering the items.
As a full-service shopper, you have the flexibility to work whatever hours you want. If you are searching for a part-time job and don’t want to deliver, they also hire in-store shoppers and offer shifts up to 29 hours a week.
You work directly for the company instead of being an independent contractor. If you prefer having the freedom to set your own schedule and handle your own taxes, being an independent contractor might be better. However, if you want a job with less flexibility but where the company takes care of your taxes, working directly for the company is the way to go.
How To Become an Instacart Shopper
To become a full-service shopper, you first need to create an account and finish setting it up on the app. You must be 18 years of age, have a vehicle or access to one, provide a copy of your driver’s license and social security card, and have a bank account.
Instacart requires all shoppers to pass a background check and be able to lift up to 40 pounds.
You can start shopping and making money within 1-2 weeks after approval as long as there isn’t a waitlist for the area you reside in. Who would have thought that you could shop to boost that savings account of yours?
Go Get Your Gig on and Start Making Money!
Gig apps make earning money much easier than it used to be. Rather than having to take on another job and work specific hours, you can choose when and how much you work.
Personally, I prefer the flexibility of having a side gig where I call the shots and control how much money I can earn. Plus, you can pick a gig you don’t mind doing or may even like, such as pet sitting!
You can also try more than one app at a time to see which is best for you. So, get out there and delve into the gig industry, and put some mad money in your pocket!
