Amazon Flex vs. DoorDash: Driver’s Guide

If you’re considering jumping into the gig app scene, Amazon Flex and DoorDash are two common apps that both pay well  – but work very differently.

This side-by-side comparison of Amazon Flex vs DoorDash will detail all of the information you need at one glance to help you determine the best fit.

Amazon Flex vs DoorDash: Overview

While these delivery apps have similar setups, what you deliver and how they work are very different.

For starters, Amazon Flex is a package delivery service. Drivers deliver packages from Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Prime Now, and store orders. So you might deliver packages directly from Amazon or pick up orders from a store to deliver to customers. They currently operate in 100 cities.

DoorDash, on the other hand, is a restaurant delivery service. Instead of packages, you pick up food orders that customers place. Most of the time, you pick up an order at a single restaurant, but sometimes, orders that require stops at multiple restaurants come through.

How Do They Work?

As you can tell, Amazon Flex and DoorDash offer different types of orders, but they also work differently.

Amazon Flex

Amazon Flex has shifts, or what they call blocks. The Amazon Flex app shows drivers the available blocks, duration, expected earnings, and required start time. If blocks are available, drivers can accept them and make the stated earnings.

Amazon Flex operates in select cities and actively recruits delivery partners in areas of high customer demand. However, unlike DoorDash and other gig apps, you can only apply if they are actively recruiting in your area. If they aren’t, you can get on the wait list to be contacted if the area opens up for more delivery partners.

DoorDash

DoorDash has shifts ‘Dashers’ can schedule, but they also allow drivers to log on and click ‘Dash now’ if there is a need for drivers at the time. Unlike Amazon Flex, Dashers won’t know how much they’ll make ahead of time because no one can predict the number of restaurant orders that will come through the app.

DoorDash operates in 7,000 cities, so you can find a DoorDash in most major areas. Some areas are more saturated with drivers than others, so you may want to play around with the heat map to see where the biggest potential lies.

Amazon Flex vs DoorDash: How to Start Driving

The sign-up process for both platforms is simple, so even if you try both, it won’t take up much time.

DoorDash Sign Up

• Click here to sign up
• Provide your email address
• Share your personal information, including your full legal name
• Choose a password
• Provide your vehicle information
• Upload your driver’s license
• Take a selfie on the platform for verification purposes
• Agree to the background and driving record check
• Decide how you’ll get paid: direct deposit or instant pay via a DasherDirect prepaid Visa
• Download the DoorDash app

Amazon Flex Sign-Up

• You must have a valid Amazon account to sign up; if you don’t have one, sign up for a free account.
• Review the material provided to learn what Amazon Flex expects from you.
• Determine where you’d prefer to deliver and what type of packages you can deliver.
• Provide your bank account information to receive future payments.

Amazon Flex vs DoorDash: Requirements

Even though you aren’t an employee, you must meet the company’s requirements to drive for them.

Here’s how Amazon Flex and DoorDash driver requirements compare.

Amazon Flex Driver Requirements

• Be at least 21 years old
• Have a valid driver’s license
• Provide a valid Social Security number
• Have a mid-sized or larger vehicle with four doors
• Have a smartphone

If you deliver only Prime Now packages, you can deliver with a smaller car, such as a sedan. But if you want to take Amazon.com orders, you’ll need a larger car, such as an SUV, pickup truck, or van.

DoorDash Driver Requirements

• Be at least 18 years old
• Have a valid driver’s license
• Provide a valid Social Security number
• Own a reliable vehicle, which in some areas includes scooters and bikes
• Have a smartphone
• Pass a background and driving record check

DoorDash doesn’t have vehicle requirements as long as you have reliable transportation. The biggest concern is that you have valid insurance with your name on the policy before driving for DoorDash.

Amazon Flex vs DoorDash: Earnings Potential and Payment System

You’re working a side hustle to make more money, so of course, you want the platform that pays the best.

Amazon Flex Pay

Neither platform can guarantee pay, but Amazon Flex has a slightly easier system for calculating how much you’ll make for your time. According to Amazon, drivers make between $18 to $25 per hour delivering for Amazon Flex. The exact amount varies based on location, demand, and customer tips when allowed.

When you choose an Amazon Flex block, you’ll see how much pay Amazon guarantees and if the deliveries in that shift allow tips. If you select blocks with deliveries where tips are available, you’ll earn a guaranteed minimum stated by Amazon, plus keep 100% of the tips.

For example, if the block allows tips, Amazon will show a four-hour shift for $40 to $55. This means you’re guaranteed $40, but at least a quarter of the delivery drivers on similar blocks earned $55, including tips, so you might make more than $40.

If tipping isn’t allowed, you’ll see the block with one price, such as $75. That means you’re guaranteed $75 whether the deliveries within the block take four hours or you finish them early.

One great thing about Amazon Flex is you can decide when you want to be paid, whether weekly, daily, or some other cadence. However, deliveries eligible for tips may take slightly longer because customers have up to 24 hours to add a tip to the order.

DoorDash Pay

With DoorDash it’s a little harder to predict because your earnings greatly depend on customer tips, but DoorDash does guarantee a minimum amount for each order.

There are a few ways you can earn money with DoorDash:

• Base pay – All orders have a base pay or the minimum amount DoorDash guarantees based on the location, time, and demand.
• Customer tips – Customers can tip when they place the order or for a short time after receiving it, increasing your earnings.
• Promotional pay – DoorDash runs challenges and promotions that, if you complete them, will help you make more.

DoorDash pays weekly via direct deposit unless you opt for DasherDirect, a prepaid debit card that allows for free instant direct deposits at no cost. Drivers also have the option to request Fast Pay, which is instant payment after delivery, for a small fee.

Amazon Flex vs DoorDash: Delivery Types

The delivery types may make or break your decision when choosing a platform. For instance, Amazon Flex tends to require larger or heavier orders. But, DoorDash is mainly for restaurant orders, with some areas offering delivery of store orders, such as quick grocery or convenience store purchases.

Amazon Flex Deliveries

Amazon Flex offers a wide range of delivery options, including:

• Amazon.com – Deliver packages directly from Amazon to the customer.
• Prime Now – Deliver household items from the Amazon location to the customer.
• Amazon Fresh – Deliver groceries from Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods and deliver them.
• Store orders – Pick up orders from stores in the area and deliver them to the customer.

DoorDash Deliveries

Most DoorDash deliveries come from local restaurants. You go to the restaurant, pick up the order, and deliver it to the customer. If you time it right, the order should be ready, leaving little downtime for you.

Some orders may come from a local convenience or grocery store, but it works the same. You don’t have to shop for the order. It’s already picked and paid for, so you just pick it up and deliver it to the customer.

Amazon Flex vs DoorDash: Location Availability

Your location can be important in whether Amazon Flex or DoorDash is better, or whether you’re even within driving distance. DoorDash is more widely available, while Amazon Flex is only available in certain cities.

Amazon Flex Locations

Amazon Flex is in around 100 cities and actively recruits at different times of the year, especially around the holidays.

Doordash Locations

DoorDash has 7,000+ locations and is almost always hiring. The chances of ending up on a waitlist are low unless you live in a saturated area.

Amazon Flex vs DoorDash: Scheduling & Flexibility

Flexibility and scheduling is an important factor when choosing a gig app. Most people join them to be able to work when they want versus being told when to work.

Fortunately, Amazon Flex and DoorDash offer flexible options.

Amazon Flex Scheduling

Amazon Flex requires drivers to schedule blocks ahead of time. They are first-come-first-served, so it does get a little cutthroat. You have to get into a rhythm once you determine when deliveries are posted in your area so you get the most of them. However, many drivers say it’s hard to secure enough shifts.

Amazon Flex shifts are usually three to six hours, but if you finish your deliveries sooner, you aren’t obligated to stay active and still earn the amount promised.

DoorDash Scheduling

DoorDash offers the option to schedule shifts ahead of time or to log in whenever you want if there’s room for more Dashers. Even if you’re active on DoorDash, you aren’t obligated to accept orders that come through, and your acceptance rate doesn’t impact your ability to drive for them.

The downside is even if you take a shift, there’s no guarantee you’ll have orders. Amazon Flex only offers shifts when deliveries are available, so you’ll definitely have work.

Amazon Flex vs DoorDash: Rewards, Bonuses, Tips, and Incentives

You probably don’t think about rewards when looking for a gig app, but Amazon Flex and DoorDash offer opportunities to make extra cash.

Amazon Flex Rewards and Bonuses

Some Amazon Flex deliveries allow the option for customer tips. If a customer tips, you keep 100% of it without paying anything to Amazon. Customers have 24 hours after delivery to add a tip, so provide great customer service to maximize your chances.

Amazon Flex also offers a rewards program that allows delivery drivers to earn discounts, cashback on gas and other vehicle purchases, and preferred scheduling.

The Amazon Flex Rewards program rewards drivers with points for each shift they work and each delivery they make within the shift. Each delivery is worth a different number of points, and you earn more discounts and privileges the higher you climb the Amazon Flex Rewards tiers.

1. Level 1 – Earned at least 1 point
2. Level 2 – Earned at least 650 points
3. Level 3 – Earned at least 3,000 points

Depending on your level and points earned, you can enjoy rewards including:

• Discounts on car-related purchases, such as roadside assistance, car maintenance, and tires.
• Cashback on gas purchases.
• Discounts on shopping and entertainment.
• Cashback on Amazon.com and Whole Foods.
• Preferred scheduling.

DoorDash Rewards and Bonuses

DoorDash doesn’t have the same type of rewards as Amazon Flex. However, they do offer many opportunities for bonuses, tips, and incentives.

First, all DoorDash orders are eligible for tips. You keep 100% of what customers give you and have some control over what you earn because the better the customer service you offer, the higher the tips.

Next, DoorDash often runs promotions or challenges. These usually include a certain amount or type of orders you must complete in a specified period to earn extra income on top of the base pay and tips.

Also, if you choose DasherDirect pay, you automatically earn 2% cashback on all purchases, which can help make your money go further and lower your costs.

Amazon Flex vs DoorDash: Driver Ratings and Performance Metrics

Knowing how an app handles ratings and performance metrics can motivate you to work past their standards to have better ratings than other drivers and avoid deactivation.

Amazon Flex Ratings

Amazon Flex has what they call ‘standings,’ a rating system for each block you work on. Your ratings are based on key components, including:

• On-time arrival
• On-time cancel
• Delivery completion
• On-time delivery
• Delivered and received

The standings are rated:

• Fantastic
• Great
• Fair
• At-risk

You probably assumed that at-risk means your account is at risk of deactivation. You’ll know fairly quickly if any bad reviews make your account fall in the standings, allowing you to fix it in your next block to avoid deactivation.

DoorDash Ratings

DoorDash customers can instantly review a delivery driver. DoorDash works on a system from 1 to 5 and is an average of your last 100 deliveries. You must maintain a 4.2-star rating and complete at least 80% of your accepted orders to remain active with DoorDash or you risk deactivation.

Neither Amazon Flex nor DoorDash considers issues beyond your control that may have caused your rating to fall, which is great news since weather and traffic can affect a delivery.

Amazon Flex vs DoorDash: Driver Support

Driver support is essential during and after deliveries, which is why Amazon Flex and DoorDash put resources into supporting their drivers.

The Amazon Flex driver support line is available from 5 am to 7 pm PT daily.

DoorDash has an extensive library online to review FAQs, or you can contact customer support through the DoorDash app for immediate support.

DoorDash vs Amazon Flex: Pros and Cons

Now that you’ve reviewed a side-by-side comparison of the two apps, here is an overall summary of the pros and cons.

DoorDash

Amazon Flex

What Experienced Drivers Have to Say

Here’s what some Amazon Flex and DoorDash drivers have to say.

So I stopped Flexing because I have been averaging better stats with DoorDash, surprisingly. It seems demand for DD continues to skyrocket despite the price of food increasing. Which is just insane. But for reference, I have been making anywhere from $2.50-$ 5 a mile doing DoorDash, and I don't have to constantly be driving like crazy because I limit my max radius to 5 miles with the exception of the occasional $20 order that may be 6-7 miles total.

In my market in St Louis, DD is pretty volatile. It can be a crazy $ 35-an-hour day, or it can be two terrible orders an hour. So what I do is snag two blocks for the day EARLY AM and early PM, and between the two blocks, I multi-app DD/UE/GH.

Why not just do both? Both apps have different peak hours; just dip on both and hustle to make even more money.

Amazon Flex vs DoorDash: Which Is Best for You?

Why not try both? Your best bet is to double or triple up on the gig apps to make the most money. Amazon Flex offers guaranteed pay, but it’s harder to get blocks. DoorDash offers great promotions and bonuses, but there’s no guarantee of deliveries being available.

When you diversify and try both apps, you increase your chances of reaching your income goals and can make an educated decision on which one is working out better for you.