Back in the day, driving gigs were a side hustle, just enough to cover gas and that one streaming subscription you swore you’d cancel. Now, it’s how people buy groceries and get across town.
What began with meal and furniture deliveries has evolved into a profitable ecosystem (if you know where to look).
Not all driving gigs are created equal, though. Some apps leave you fighting traffic for pennies, while others quietly stack your earnings.
So, what makes a driving app actually high-paying? Things like surge bonuses, consistent demand, tip frequency, and how little they chip away with fees are worth considering.
Whether you’re hauling humans or packages, you deserve to know which platforms move the money meter. Below, we’ve done our research to enlist the top 10 best driving apps of 2025 that pay off without burning you out.
What Makes a Driving App Worth Your Time?
Not every driving app is worth your gas money or your playlist.
Some have you zigzagging for hours just to make enough for a sandwich. So what separates the duds from the ones that actually deserve your hustle? Here are some factors to consider.
Transparent and Fair Pay Structure
If the app can’t explain how you’re getting paid, that’s already a red flag. Whether it’s per-mile, per-minute, or per-drop-off, the structure should be competitive and fair.
No one wants to haul groceries across town for $4. A good driving app makes the math work in your favor, not theirs. You should know exactly what you’re earning before you accept a gig.
Tips Go Where They’re Supposed To
Tips are a part of your income. If an app buries or absorbs them, walk away. The best platforms show tips separately, in real-time, and never take a cut.
Some even encourage tipping through the interface, making it easy for customers to be generous.
Consistent and Achievable Bonuses
One-time sign-up bonuses are nice, but what happens after week one? A high-value app rewards consistency.
Whether it’s streak bonuses or completion incentives, the best apps give you reasons to keep driving. Besides, these bonuses must be achievable. If the bonus requires 200 trips in three days, that’s clearly not an opportunity.
Flexible Hours
If the app markets itself as “flexible,” but punishes you for logging off or skipping rides, that’s manipulation. Real flexibility means you control your schedule without losing earnings or status. Bonus points if the app lets you pause between gigs without docking your score.
Reliable Tech
You can’t earn if the app crashes or the order never loads. A great driving app works like a breeze. It offers fast loading, a clean interface, accurate maps, and no weird bugs when you’re trying to contact a customer.
Best Paying Driving Apps
Driving is work. Real work. It’s you versus traffic, weather, and GPS directions that think you can drive through a lake.
So if you’re going to hustle, you might as well get paid well. In 2025, the market’s flooded with money driving apps, but only a few respect your time.
Whether you’re delivering sushi, humans, or someone’s forgotten charger, listed below are the top-paying apps worth your mileage.
Uber
Uber has been around the block, and it’s still one of the biggest players in the game. Whether you’re picking up late-night partiers, business travelers, or someone who just couldn’t deal with parking, Uber keeps the ride requests coming in.
And if you’re not in the mood for small talk or dealing with someone else’s music preferences, try Uber Eats.
What You Can Expect to Make
On average, Uber drivers pull in around $15 to $20 per hour, but that can spike to $25+ if you’re in a city that’s always surging (think NYC, LA, or Chicago during rush hour or bar close).
Pay-per-mile typically ranges from $0.80 to $1.20, and per-trip payouts usually fall between $5 and $30, depending on distance and demand.
Uber’s cut (usually around 25%) and your expenses will nibble at those numbers. But if you time it right and stack a few bonuses, you’re looking at one of the more consistent earners in the driving-app world.
Uber Eats, on the other hand, lets you earn $18-$25 per hour, depending on your timing and hustle. With Uber Eats, the hourly range is a bit lower, but it often comes with less stress.
Pros
- You’ll rarely sit idle. Uber’s driver app has got the demand, especially in busy cities.
- Driving during peak hours or in bad weather? Uber rewards chaos.
- Uber lets you cash out your earnings almost immediately, which is perfect if rent’s due or your tire just popped.
Cons
- The company typically skims around 25% from every fare. Add in car insurance, gas, and wear-and-tear, and your “gross” starts to look a little gross.
- Some of Uber’s promotions come with strings attached like completing an exhausting number of trips in a tight window. Not always realistic.
Bonus & Incentive
Uber offers Quest Bonuses, Consecutive Trip Bonuses, and Surge Multipliers. Quests are basically “do X rides, earn $Y” challenges, while consecutive bonuses reward back-to-back trips without skipping.
The real gem, though, is Surge Pricing – when demand skyrockets, so does your rate.
Occasionally, they’ll also dangle sign-up bonuses for new drivers, but those are region-specific and not always as easy to hit as they sound.
Lyft
Launched in 2012, Lyft has made massive strides by introducing driver-friendly policies and tech upgrades that make it a serious player in the rideshare sector.
Any driver app can get you from point A to B; Lyft helps you do it while respecting your time and treating driving like a real business.
What You Can Expect to Make
As of early 2024, Lyft guarantees drivers will earn at least 70% of rider fares after external fees each week. If a driver’s share falls below this threshold, Lyft compensates the difference to ensure a consistent earning baseline.
In terms of hourly earnings, the rideshare drivers in the U.S. earn an average of $19 per hour, with the range typically spanning from $13 to $27, depending on factors like location, time, and demand.
For drivers in high-demand cities, the potential is even greater. Estimates suggest that in places like New York and Los Angeles, drivers can earn between $28 to $42 per hour.
Pros
- Lyft promises you’ll take home at least 70% of rider fares, excluding external fees. If not, they’ll pay the difference.
- In places where Uber feels like rush hour, Lyft is the smoother alternative, with fewer drivers fighting over every ping.
- The Lyft Direct debit card offers cash back on gas, plus perks like instant pay and no-fee ATMs.
Cons
- If you’re in a small town, you might spend more time scrolling than driving.
- Quests and bonuses exist, but they’re sometimes hard to hit.
- Some passengers still reflexively open Uber. Lyft drivers may end up missing out on casual riders just because of brand default.
Bonus & Incentive Info
Lyft rolls out weekly ride challenges (a.k.a. Quests) and personalized streak offers that can tack on $5–$25 or more to your total. You’ve got to stay active and hit those streaks without cancellations.
Also worth noting: new drivers can still snag sign-up bonuses in select cities, usually tied to completing X rides in Y days.
DoorDash
DoorDash offers flexible opportunities for drivers, known as Dashers, to earn income by delivering food and other items.
With its user-friendly app and widespread availability, DoorDash provides a platform for individuals seeking to capitalize on the growing demand for delivery jobs and services.
What You Can Expect to Make
Earnings as a Dasher can vary based on factors like location and demand. On average:
- Hourly Earnings: Dashers report earning between $15 and $25 per hour, with top performers in high-demand areas making over $30 per hour during peak times.
- Per Delivery: Base pay ranges from $2 to $10, depending on factors like distance and order complexity. Tips, which Dashers keep 100% of, can boost earnings, often adding $5 to $7 per order.
Pros
- Unlike some platforms that pool or cut tips, DoorDash lets you keep 100% of every dollar customers leave you.
- DoorDash often bundles multiple orders on one run, upping your per-trip pay without doubling your gas mileage.
Cons
- Some deliveries pay as little as $2 before tips and bonuses
- Outside of lunch and dinner rush, the order flow can slow dramatically.
Incentives
DoorDash dangles Peak Pay during busy times, adding an extra $1 to $5 per delivery. Then there are Challenges where you complete a set number of deliveries in a time frame and make more money.
Instacart
If you thought grocery shopping was just a weekend chore, Instacart driver app turns it into a solid side gig opportunity. As a Shopper (or full-service Shopper if you handle delivery), you pick, pack, and deliver groceries right to someone’s doorstep, all while cashing in.
What You Can Expect to Make
Instacart pays in two main ways: a base rate per order plus tips. On average, shoppers earn between $15 and $25 per hour, with experienced full-service shoppers in busy markets pushing $30+ during peak times.
Per order pay generally sits around $7 to $10, but tips can easily bump that number up by 20%–50%.
Pros
- You pick the orders you want and decide when to work. Full-service shoppers both shop and deliver groceries.
- Customers are often generous and know the hassle of shopping through grocery stores. Those tips can turn an okay payout into a nice haul.
- Taking multiple orders in one trip amps up your pay without doubling your effort.
Cons
- Driving between grocery stores, homes, and parking lots means more wear on your car and more fuel spent than a simple point-to-point ride.
- Certain days and times have heavy orders, while others drag on without much of anything happening at all.
Incentives
Instacart offers Peak Boosts during busy windows, which add extra cash per batch.
Occasionally, they share Challenges that reward completing a set number of batches within a time frame. Plus, Referral Bonuses can fatten your wallet if you bring new shoppers onboard.
Amazon Flex
Amazon Flex still is among the leading package delivery apps. It offers individuals the opportunity to deliver packages using their own vehicles.
Drivers, known as Flex drivers, select delivery blocks that typically range from 2 to 6 hours. This allows them to work according to their schedules.
What You Can Expect to Make
Amazon Flex drivers are compensated per delivery block, with pay rates varying based on different factors.
- Hourly Earnings. Drivers report earning between $18 and $25 per hour, with some getting higher rates during peak demand periods.
- Per Block. A typical 3-hour delivery block might pay around $60, equating to $20 per hour.
Pros
- Amazon doesn’t play guessing games. Each delivery block shows the exact amount you’ll earn before you even hit “accept.”
- Want to work at 8 AM? Or 8 PM? Up to you. Flex lives up to its name. Grab a block when you’ve got time and skip it when you don’t.
Cons
- Getting blocks can feel like a race. You have to stay glued to the app and refresh it time and again.
- You may need to deliver packages that are bulkier than expected and move through apartment complexes with no elevators.
- Gas, tires, and brakes are all on your dime. And the delivery app doesn’t provide any vehicle reimbursement. So calculate wisely.
Incentives
Unlike some gig apps, Amazon Flex doesn’t offer many ongoing incentives or cash bonuses. However, you might get access to “surge blocks” during high-demand periods.
These can pay more than standard blocks, especially during holidays or Prime Day.
Roadie
Roadie is a delivery app that connects drivers with gigs transporting items ranging from small packages to oversized goods.
Acquired by UPS in 2021, Roadie offers a unique opportunity for drivers to earn money by delivering items on routes that align with their existing travel plans.
What You Can Expect to Make
Earnings with Roadie vary based on delivery distance, item size, and demand.
- Local Deliveries. Typically pay between $8 and $50 per gig.
- Long-Distance or Oversized Deliveries. Can pay up to $650, especially for bulky items.
Pros
- Roadie is one of the few apps where you can actually earn while doing a road trip or running errands. Heading out of town anyway? Toss a flat-screen in the trunk and make a few hundred bucks.
- You could be delivering cupcakes to a neighbor or a kayak across state lines. It’s not your cookie-cutter delivery gig because it keeps things interesting.
- Every job shows the full payout before you accept. If it’s not worth your gas money, you move on. Simple as that.
Cons
- Some days are hot, others are dry. Gigs depend heavily on your location and time of day.
- The user interface can feel like it was designed in the Myspace era. It’s usable, but it’s not winning any design awards.
- That “easy gig” might mean handling a sofa solo. Some deliveries require muscle, and the app doesn’t always warn you.
Incentives
Roadie doesn’t give out flashy bonuses. But it shines in long-distance payoffs. As a roadie driver, you can make up to $650 for a single gig if you’re up for the haul.
Some deliveries even offer tips, and you keep 100% of those.
HopSkipDrive
HopSkipDrive is a rideshare platform designed specifically for transporting children and older adults.
Operating in over a dozen U.S. states, it offers a niche service that combines the flexibility of gig work with the responsibility of caregiving.
What You Can Expect to Make
Earnings with HopSkipDrive can be competitive, especially during promotional periods:
- Per Ride. New CareDrivers can earn up to $50 per ride during the Welcome Guarantee promotion, which guarantees $500 for 10 completed trips within the first 14 days.
- Hourly Earnings. Typical earnings range between $26 and $32 per hour, depending on factors like location, ride volume, and driver availability.
Pros
- Transporting children, especially those in foster care or with special needs, adds a layer of meaning to your driving gig.
- Drivers can set their own schedules and claim rides in advance for better work-life balance.
- Compared to other gig platforms, HopSkipDrive offers competitive pay, with opportunities to earn more during peak times.
Cons
- Drivers must have at least five years of caregiving experience and pass extensive background checks, which can be a barrier to entry.
- Ride requests can fluctuate and lead to inconsistent earnings, especially during school holidays or summer breaks.
Incentives
- New drivers can earn a guaranteed $500 for completing 10 rides within the first 14 days.
- The company has invested $1 million into programs that provide earnings guarantees and extra incentives based on ride demand and driver loyalty.
- Drivers can earn extra cash by referring new CareDrivers to the platform.
CitizenShipper
CitizenShipper is a peer-to-peer delivery app that connects drivers with individuals needing to transport items, ranging from pets to furniture.
Operating nationwide, it offers drivers the flexibility to choose shipments that suit their schedules and routes.
What You Can Expect to Make
Drivers set their own rates by bidding on shipments, allowing for potential earnings of $8,000 to $10,000 per month, with some top performers reaching up to $20,000 monthly.
Average pay is approximately $0.50 per mile, and drivers receive 100% of any tips, making more money.
Pros
- Drivers choose shipments that fit their availability and preferred routes.
- From pets to vehicles, the variety keeps the work engaging.
- Drivers receive payments directly from customers, allowing for preferred payment methods like cash, PayPal, or credit card.
Cons
- After a three-month free trial, delivery drivers pay $29.99 per month to access the platform.
- Drivers might face competition when bidding on shipments, which may potentially affect their earnings.
Incentives
While CitizenShipper doesn’t offer traditional bonuses or referral programs, delivery drivers can increase earnings by:
- Accepting multiple deliveries along a single route to maximize income.
- Focusing on pet transportation or long-distance hauls, which often command higher fees.
Sharetown
Sharetown is a reverse logistics platform that partners with major brands to manage returns of bulky items like mattresses and furniture via cargo vans.
As a Sharetown Rep, you pick up these returns, store them, and resell them on secondary marketplaces such as Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist.
You only pay for the inventory after it sells. This allows you to earn a profit without upfront costs.
What You Can Expect to Make
Most reps report around $150 to $250 profit per item, and the active ones? They’re pulling $1,500 to $4,000 a month just flipping returns. Some even hit $8K a month.
What’s more, you don’t even buy the stuff upfront. You only pay Sharetown after you sell.
Pros
- You don’t pay a dime until you make a sale. It’s cash flow-friendly and risk-averse.
- One good week flipping a few high-ticket items can earn you what some apps make in a month.
- You pick up when you want, list when you want, and sell when you want. A true side hustle for the freedom seekers.
Cons
- Sedans need not apply. Sharetown loves box trucks, cargo vans, or at least a solid SUV. If your vehicle can’t fit a full-size mattress, this might not be your lane.
- Returns don’t carry themselves. You’ll be lifting, carrying, perhaps sweating a little.
- Until those items sell, they live with you. If you have a garage, no stress. Otherwise, hope your roommates won’t have a problem with a sectional in the hallway or a spare mattress in the room.
Incentives
First pickup lets you earn around $50. If you make five sales, you earn another $200. Hit ten and that’s a $250 bonus!
Lugg
Lugg connects people needing to move bulky items with delivery drivers who have the muscle and the vehicle to get the job done.
Whether you’re rolling solo or bringing a partner, each job is focused and pays a lot better than carrying groceries for spare change.
What You Can Expect to Make
Earnings with Lugg can vary based on location and the size of the items being moved. But expect to earn somewhere between $24.66 to $35.00 per hour, with potential peaks up to $50 per hour during high-demand periods.
Pros
- Unlike apps where you deliver food and run back and forth for customer tips, Lugg jobs tend to pay more because, well… you’re lifting actual furniture. People tip better when you save their back (and their weekend).
- Most gigs clock in under an hour and still leave you with $30+ in your pocket. Hit two or three jobs in a day? That’s a solid side income!
- You can bring a buddy. Not only does that make the lifting easier, but it opens up access to higher-paying two-person jobs.
Cons
- This isn’t for the faint of spine. If you can’t lift a dresser without wincing, it might not be sustainable long-term.
- Lugg is metro-centric. If you’re living outside a major city, jobs might be few and far between. Check the app before quitting your day job.
Incentives
The app raises payouts during weekends, holidays, and end-of-month move-outs. Some movers bank serious cash just by timing it right.
How to Choose the Right App For You
Picking a money driving app isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal. Your perfect gig depends on your lifestyle, driving habits, where you live, and what you want to get out of it.
Are you chasing maximum cash in a busy city? Or is a flexible, easygoing side income more your speed in a quieter town? These answers matter.
If you thrive on hustle and love variety, juggling Uber rides with DoorDash deliveries, can boost your earnings and keep boredom at bay. Oftentimes, one app is slow. So, consider switching to another and keep the cash flowing.
Location plays a role, too. Some apps shine in metro hubs with tons of demand. Others, however, reward suburban or rural drivers with less competition and unique gigs, like furniture hauling or specialized deliveries.
Ultimately, the right app fits your goals and driving habits, whether that’s steady pocket money, flexible hours, or a full-on side business. Experiment until you find your sweet spot.
Conclusion
If 2025 has taught us anything, it’s that what used to be a side job is now a career for many. The best driving apps hand you control and a chance to rewrite what “work” looks like on your own terms.
Sure, it’s about cash, but it’s also about freedom: freedom to be your own boss and keep your day interesting.
Feel free to treat these apps like tools. Stack them, switch them up, and test their limits. The money follows those who play the game smarter.
So don’t just pick an app. Build a portfolio of driving gigs that match your style. Because when you own your hustle, every mile counts, and the road ahead looks a lot more like opportunity than work.
