Best Apps for Instacart Shoppers

Having a great app at your disposal that will help you earn money surely sounds appealing to most people. Luckily, Instacart shopping exists, and it provides many different options for people. So, what are the best apps for Instacart shoppers, and how to be sure you’ve chosen the right one? Stick around to find out.

The top best apps for Instacart shoppers are Lyft, Postmaster, UberEats, DoorDash, and Grubhub. These five apps are ranked as the best ones based on all the options and extra perks they provide to the people using them.

A man with an orange backpack

Find out everything about the best apps for Instacart shoppers, and you will earn some extra money effortlessly.

What Are the Best Apps for Instacart Shoppers

Whether you’re already in the Instacart shoppers’ world or you’re quite new at this, you need to consider what are the greatest platforms. This is quite important since Instacart is a platform where people order stuff without the need to leave their homes. All they have to do is make their own checklist of things, add coupons if there are any, and submit the order.

That one person who does the shopping instead could also be delivering the food in front of the shopper’s door. If that’s you, understand why picking the best app is crucial. So, here are the top five platforms you definitely need to consider:

  • Lyft,
  • Postmaster,
  • UberEats,
  • Grubhub,
  • DoorDash.

How Can Instacart Shoppers Help You Save Money?

Instacart is in California and almost every major US place, so you should figure out what shoppers actually do. Let’s say some people just don’t have time to go shopping – that’s where you step in! You can become an Instacart worker as a full-service shopper or an in-store one. 

There’s also no limit or schedule for how much a shopper can work. However, per hour shoppers can expect to earn from $15 to $20 per hour. But this depends on the work volume and the tips customers leave.

This being said, let’s check what the pros and cons of both positions are.

ProsCons
Full-service shopperGetting orders and delivering them directly to customersGoing through the store
Part-time shopper29 hours per weekShifts
In-store shopperReceiving orders, someone else delivers the stuffNot dealing with delivery

Lyft Is Great for Car Owners

You must have heard of Lyft – after all, it’s probably one of the most popular apps for ride-share. So, if you own a relatively new vehicle, have driving experience and a driver’s license (a valid one), you have all the eligibility requirements for becoming a part of Lyft.

In this case, you can deliver food, as well. However, keep in mind that payments are based on the time length and the distance. Luckily, there are some amazing perks you definitely need to consider. For example, you can complete a set number of rides each week. Also, you can drive during peak hours and get some extra cash. Consider all this, but keep in mind you can offer customers the possibility to pay with prepaid cards, as well.

How to Become a Lyft Member?

All you need to do if you want to become a part of the Lyft community is to open the Lyft app. The system will soon connect you with all the rides and orders nearby. All you have to do is accept the ride and, after the shopping is done, deliver groceries to the marked destination.

A Lyft logo on a smartphone

Postmates Gives You the Opportunity to Visit Many Different Shops

The main difference between Instacart and Postmates is the fact that with Postmates, you can go shopping for other stuff than just groceries (which is the case with Instacart). Other than that, these two platforms are pretty much the same. However, there’s also a Postmates prepaid card customers can use to pay through the app.

With Postmates, you’ll be paid for every dropoff and pickup. But that’s not all! Even the waiting time at restaurants and grocery stores will be paid using a per-mile basis rule. What’s even better is that you’ll receive 80% of the delivery fee.

Keep in mind that earnings can be different from job to job and from market to market, but there’s a pay guarantee for new workers reaching the minimum delivery requirements. However, Postmates is quite clear about the paying rates – for example, their website states that a worker in Boston, MA, will earn:

  • $1.13 per mile,
  • $0.07 per minute,
  • $1.70 per pickup,
  • $0.70 per dropoff.

UberEats’ Customers Tip Deliverers

Customers who place orders through the UberEats app can choose to have their restaurant takeaway delivered by vehicle, bike, or scooter. If you are eligible to sign up, you will go through a quick verification and scanning process. When you are authorized to deliver, you will then be prepared to accept jobs.

You will have the option to accept the task when people place an order using the app. Simply go to the restaurant, order the food, and deliver it to the requester’s house.

 A smiling woman holding shopping bags

Grubhub May Just Be the Food Delivery App for You

Another food delivery service, Grubhub, allows you to earn money by delivering restaurant meals to clients’ homes. You use a car or a bicycle to deliver food for Grubhub (only in selected areas). You must submit a copy of your proof of insurance and ID in order to register. Also, there’s another expense you need to take care of for the food to stay fresh during transportation –  equipment like warming bags.

Drivers are paid by Grubhub based on time and mileage. Both the miles traveled to pick up the food and deliver it to the customer are included in the mileage fee. Every minute you spend driving or waiting for the restaurant to finish preparing the dish is also compensated. Additionally, you get to retain all tips that customers leave.

A woman ordering through Instacart

With DoorDash, You Can Earn a Bonus

DoorDash has some metrics you should be aware of in order to understand the payment methods. The first one is the base payment for each job done. Depending on how far you have to travel and how long they expect the task to take, DoorDash will pay between $2 and $10 for every task.

Besides the base payment, there’s a possibility of promotions and earning extra cash. There are also bonuses if you’re in busy areas or working during peak hours. Sometimes DoorDash offers challenges in order to earn even more money. Last but not least, all the tips drivers get from their customers will 100% remain with them.

A man with a face mask delivering pizzas

Compare Apps and Choose the Most Suitable One

After you read about the best Instacart shoppers’ platforms, give a quick look over each one and learn more about their key features before picking the most suitable option.

CompanyKey Features
DoorDashPays you to deliver takeout
PostmatesGet paid to deliver things
UberEatsDeliver takeout with a car, bike, or scooter
PostmatesDeliver other stuff than just groceries
LyftGreat for car owners

Choose the App That Suits You Best

Everyone may benefit from a means to add and increase their income. Fortunately, there are several apps available that can assist you in using your downtime productively. Consider your skills and all the apps before selecting the one you could earn the most with.