Best & Worst Gig Apps of 2025
The old standbys (DoorDash, Uber) still matter, but 2025’s winners cluster around catering, routed delivery, medical courier, and a few at-home gigs.
Here’s the stripped-down version — only what matters.
🏆 Top 12 Winners
1. DoorDash
Still #1 for volume, agility, and constant updates (Earn by Time, DashLink routes, dynamic peak pay). Reliable demand, frequent innovation.
2. Uber Eats
Strong offer flow, slightly higher average pay vs 2024. Easy to stack with DoorDash.
3. Uber (Rideshare)
Leader in rideshare volume, but little driver innovation. Works best with surge and bonus pay.
4. Lyft
Solid backup for Uber. No diversification beyond rideshare but stable ridership base.
5. Grubhub
Good secondary app for filler orders. Lower volume but occasional high-pay gems.
6. DeliverThat (Catering)
High-margin catering runs. Straightforward setup and consistent earnings where available.
7. CBDriver (Courier Resource)
Not a gig app — a central job board for courier and medical delivery routes. Excellent for finding reliable contract work.
8. Skipcart
7-Eleven–owned last-mile platform. Some catering orders included. Easy short routes, decent filler work.
9. Rody / Roadie
Trending up. Short-distance prescription and parcel drops. Best as a gap-filler app.
10. Rev.com
Transcription and translation work. Pays $30–$60/hr+ if you have language skills.
11. Zipti / Delivered / DeliverThat (Catering Set)
High basket sizes mean bigger tips. Catering remains a top-earning niche in 2025.
12. Dispatch (Routed Delivery)
Emerging as the most reliable routed delivery platform. If it’s live in your city, test it.
🔥 High-Paying Niches for 2025
Catering Delivery (DeliverThat, Delivered, Zipti)
• Larger ticket sizes = higher tip percentage
• $30–$40+ per drop is common on solid runs
Routed Delivery (Dispatch, DashLink, Uber/Uber Eats Routes)
• 2–4 hour structured blocks reduce downtime
• Predictable scheduling and fewer dead miles
Medical Courier (MedZoomer, CBDriver Listings)
• Strict but simple handling rules
• Stable, repeatable earnings for dependable drivers
At-Home Laundry (Poplin)
• Great filler app between deliveries
• Keep costs tight — detergent, bags, utilities
👍 Good but Conditional
Instacart / Shipt
• Grocery specialists still do well
• Instacart has more order flow
• Shipt needs more “delivery-only” options
Veho
• Routed brand packages
• Requires sedan/SUV
• Drivers report $150–$300 per route
WAG / Rover
• Higher pay for boarding vs walking
• Qualifications improve trust and rates
TaskRabbit / Thumbtack / Angi
• Set your own rates
• Start 10–15% below market, build reviews, raise later
Temp / Shift Apps (Winolo, Upshift, BlueCrew, Snagajob)
• Fast on-demand day work
• Perfect fallback when other apps slow down
⚠️ Handle With Caution
Amazon Flex
Major drop in 2025. Unknown routes and warehouse travel kill your margins.
Walmart Spark
Excellent shopping interface but still plagued by long waits and bots.
GoPuff
Low base pay (~$3.25/drop) and warehouse returns double your miles.
Car Wraps (Carvertise / Wrapify / Mobile Ads)
$100/month base isn’t worth being a rolling ad. Needs $250–$350+/month to make sense.
Turo
High risk, low margin. Heavy wear and insurance complications.
👎 Skip These — Time Wasters
• Sticker ads — near-zero return
• Skillz gaming apps — net-zero results
• Coin / Sweatcoin — useless point farming
• Survey platforms (Swagbucks, InboxDollars, Eureka) — too much time for too little
• Airbnb / Vrbo — post-regulation slowdown; high risk vs reward
📈 2025 Strategy Playbook
1. Stack Smart
Anchor with DoorDash + Uber Eats. Layer one catering or routed app.
2. Protect Your Margins
Track dollars per active hour and per mile. Decline anything below your target floor.
3. Use Filler Apps Wisely
Roadie, Skipcart, or Poplin between core blocks.
4. Seed Reviews Early
Start 10–15% below market where you set your own rates; raise as you build trust.
5. Watch Operational Costs
Laundry (detergent, water), vehicle wear, tolls, parking — all write-offs.
6. Favor Routed Work
Two- to four-hour routes lower stress and maximize efficiency.
🧭 Quick Recap
Top Overall Stack:
DoorDash + Uber Eats + (DeliverThat or Dispatch)
Most Profitable Niches:
Catering • Routed Delivery • Medical Courier • At-Home Laundry
Avoid:
Survey farms • “Walk for coins” apps • Car wraps under $250/mo • GoPuff base orders • Amazon Flex mystery mileage