A lot of people are full-time or part-time employed in the gig economy. While Amazon Flex’s higher base pay could seem attractive, signing up for food delivery apps like DoorDash can be relatively easy. While you can use both of them to kickstart your earnings, choosing one can be difficult. Here is a quick comparison between Amazon Flex and DoorDash to help you decide which is better.
Prerequisites
In either case, drivers must have a Social Security number, a valid driving license, and other essential documentation like insurance proof for your vehicle. You also require a smartphone capable of handling the app- iOS 13 or higher / Android 6.0 or higher. Both these services would require you to pass a background check.
So, how old is old enough to drive for these brands? To work as an Amazon Flex driver, you need to be aged 21 years. However, you can start dashing for Doordash if you have crossed the age of 18.
Another prerequisite is a vehicle. While as an Amazon Flex driver, you should have a truck, a four-door SUV, minivan, or van suitable for larger packages, you can begin driving for Doordash without any vehicle restriction. You can use a car, motorcycle, bike, or scooter to do food delivery as per your convenience.
Your Job
You will receive all your delivery orders via the app. Your first job as an Amazon Flex Driver would be to pick up packages from delivery stations, stores, and restaurants. Next, you would have to deliver them to customers using directions from the Flex app. As a DoorDash driver, you need to transport food orders from restaurants to the doorsteps of customers.
Ease Of Operation
Both the services are app-based with an easy operation. However, you may find signing up for DoorDash easier. Once your background check is over, you can log in to get started. Amazon flex permits you to schedule your blocks. The app sends you a push notification an hour before your block. That is when you need to report to the amazon warehouse to pick up your packages.
Amazon requires you to scan the packages before picking them up. It lets Amazon know which items are assigned to you. You need to rescan the items at the site of delivery as proof of successful delivery. And you are done.
What is delivery like with DoorDash? Once you receive a delivery opportunity at a location, it is up to you to accept or reject it. Once you undertake a delivery, you can immediately drive to the restaurant, pick the food up, and deliver it to the customer. You get the route map of the pick-up source and destination on the app that you can use to your aid.
Payscale
Though the flat fee is around $6-$10, with the pay boost and tips, you can easily make $10 – $16 per hour on DoorDash. The average earning via dashing varies from city to city. In some cities, drivers can make up to $25 an hour, including tips and other bonus compensations.
Drivers of Amazon Flex do enjoy higher pay that ranges from $18 to $25 per hour. However, you face stiff competition with a lot of other drivers to get a consistent shift.
Compensation And Benefits
Flex drivers do deliveries using their cars, pay for their gas and maintenance during their chosen shifts. Though you can make good money, you would not get any overtime wages or compensation for injuries or other delivery challenges. You may sometimes be assigned food delivery from Amazon restaurants if you happen to be near the location. Restaurant deliveries are more likely to fetch you tips in return for good service. So, you can earn an extra amount as tips while doing deliveries for Amazon Fresh or Amazon restaurant shifts.
DoorDash only involves food delivery (though this is changing, as the company is expanding its offerings). Long waits at restaurants and jammed roads can make the delivery process challenging and time-consuming for you. Imagine getting paid compensation for the trouble! Yes, DoorDash drivers get a $1–$3 extra in such situations. And you get to keep 100% of the tip you receive to yourself.
Conclusion
Food delivery apps are generally more flexible with timing. You can log in and start accepting orders. But, at Flex, where you are totally at the mercy of Amazon, you need to be extremely vigilant about the periodic delivery notifications from Amazon. You are also in tough competition with many drivers. While on package delivery for Amazon, you may need to lift heavy weights and carry out deliveries across challenging routes for which you get no compensation. Late deliveries could spoil your record. Too many of them could cancel your membership. However, some gigs can be easy and fun if you are lucky enough to get a short route. If you have a vehicle with ample space, you can earn up to $25 by delivering more items.
Driving for Amazon Flex can be an excellent way to kickstart your earnings through a few high-paying shifts every week. However, you cannot always rely on it for full-time employability.
