If you're picking a delivery app, the question everyone asks is simple: which one pays more? The honest answer is that it depends on where you live and how you work, but the two apps pay in very different ways, and that difference tells you which one fits you.
This comparison explains how DoorDash and Instacart pay, what the work actually involves, and how to test both in your own market.
How we checked: pay rules come from DoorDash's Dasher pay page and Instacart's own shopper earnings announcement, and mileage costs from the IRS, all checked in October 2026. Nobody at Dollarberg drives for either app.
The Short Answer
DoorDash suits people who want quick, short trips and lots of them, especially around lunch and dinner.
Instacart suits people who don't mind shopping in a store and carrying heavy bags, in exchange for fewer, longer batches that can come with bigger tips.
Neither app publishes a typical hourly rate, so the only reliable answer is your own numbers. Run both for a week and compare earnings minus mileage per hour.
How DoorDash Pays
DoorDash pays base pay plus promotions plus tips. In Earn per Offer mode, base pay depends on the offer's time, distance and desirability, and you see the guaranteed minimum before accepting. In Earn by Time mode, you get a guaranteed hourly rate for active time on deliveries. DoorDash says 100% of tips go to the Dasher.
Payouts: weekly direct deposit, Fast Pay once a day for $1.99, or instant deposits with DoorDash's Crimson account. Full details are in our DoorDash review.
How Instacart Pays
Instacart full-service shoppers pick groceries in the store and deliver them. You're paid per batch (one or more orders).
According to Instacart's July 2023 shopper announcement:
You see total Instacart pay, the customer's tip, items, store and distance before accepting.
Shoppers are never penalized for declining batches.
100% of customer tips go to the shopper, and tips are shown before you accept.
The smallest batches pay at least $4 plus tips; larger, complex batches may pay $10 or more plus tips.
Heavy batches (items of 8 pounds or more totaling 50 pounds or more) add at least $2.
Long-distance batches pay more, and peak earning times show which hours pay better.
Those figures are from 2023, so check the current batch details in the shopper app.
Side-by-Side Comparison
DoorDash | Instacart (full-service) | |
|---|---|---|
The work | Pick up restaurant food, deliver | Shop a grocery list in store, deliver |
Time per order | Usually short | Longer, especially big orders |
How pay is shown | Guaranteed minimum per offer, or hourly by active time | Batch pay plus tip shown before accepting |
Tips | 100% to Dasher | 100% to shopper |
Extra pay | Peak Pay, Challenges, Boosts | Heavy items, long distance, peak times |
Declining orders | Allowed | Allowed, no penalties per Instacart |
Physical effort | Light | Heavy (cases of water, pet food) |
Customer contact | Minimal | Substitutions mean messaging customers |
Which One Pays More?
It comes down to three things:
Order density. In busy restaurant areas, DoorDash's short trips can stack up quickly. In suburbs with big grocery stores, Instacart's larger orders and tips can win.
Tips. Big grocery orders often come with bigger tips, and Instacart shows them before you accept.
Miles. Your car costs money on every mile. The IRS standard mileage rate is 76 cents per mile from July 1, 2026 (IRS). An order that pays well but sends you across town can lose to a smaller order nearby.
Test both for a week
Track this for every shift on each app:
Total pay (including tips and promotions)
Miles driven
Hours logged in (including waiting)
Then calculate (pay − miles × cost per mile) ÷ hours. The app with the higher number in your area is the one that pays more for your time.
Pros and Cons
DoorDash
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Short, simple trips | More trips mean more miles |
Earn by Time sets a floor in slow periods | Unpaid waiting between orders |
Daily and instant payout options | Restaurant wait times eat your hour |
Instacart
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Tips shown before accepting | Shopping takes time and patience |
Extra pay for heavy and long-distance batches | Heavy lifting |
No penalties for declining | Out-of-stock items mean customer messaging |
Can You Do Both?
Yes. Both are independent contractor apps, and many drivers run both to reduce idle time. Just don't accept overlapping orders you can't finish on time, because late deliveries hurt your ratings on both.
Want more options? See our list of delivery driver jobs hiring now and our guide to jobs like Uber Eats.
Tips for New Shoppers and Dashers
Learn your stores. On Instacart, knowing where items sit in your two or three busiest stores cuts shopping time more than anything else.
Message customers early. A quick note about a substitution prevents low ratings and protects your tip.
Watch restaurant wait times. On DoorDash, a restaurant that's always slow can quietly cut your hourly pay; skip its offers when you're busy.
Use insulated bags. Hot food and frozen groceries arrive in better shape, and customers notice.
Set a personal minimum. Decide in advance the lowest pay per mile you'll accept, and stick to it on both apps.
Keep a mileage log. An app or a notebook works; what matters is that you record every shift.
Other Ways to Earn With Your Phone
Delivery isn't the only gig that runs from an app. If you don't want to put miles on your car, compare these:
Our roundup of side hustle apps covers task, survey and testing apps.
Our list of money-making apps for your smartphone includes options that pay for steps and data.
If you need money on a schedule, see online jobs that pay weekly.
Building toward a bigger goal? Our plan for making an extra $1,000 a month combines several gigs.
Taxes for Both Apps
Neither app withholds taxes. Track your mileage from day one, because it's usually the biggest deduction, and set aside part of each payout. The IRS explains self-employment tax for gig workers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Instacart or DoorDash pay more?
Neither app publishes typical hourly earnings, and pay depends heavily on location and time. DoorDash tends to suit dense restaurant areas; Instacart tends to suit areas with big grocery orders and good tips. Test both and compare your earnings after mileage.
Do Instacart shoppers keep their tips?
Yes. Instacart says 100% of customer tips go to the shopper and are shown before you accept a batch.
Is Instacart harder than DoorDash?
Usually, yes. You shop the order, handle substitutions and carry heavy items, while DoorDash is mostly pickup and drop-off.
Which app is better for beginners?
DoorDash is simpler to learn because there's no shopping. Instacart rewards people who know grocery stores well and don't mind physical work.
The Bottom Line
The app that pays more is the one that fits your area and your working style. Try both for a week, track every mile, and keep the one with the higher real hourly rate.