When deciding on which company to be a delivery driver for, there are many options. Two of the most well-known options are DoorDash and Shipt.
But what are the differences and which one is better to drive for?
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How Does Shipt Compare to DoorDash?
Shipt and DoorDash are “last-mile” delivery companies which both utilize independent contractor drivers to deliver goods from a merchant to the customer’s doorstep. Shipt has slightly higher reviews than DoorDash, though overall, there are many similarities, especially the ability of their drivers to have a flexible schedule.
What is the Difference between Shipt and DoorDash?
Shipt is a personal shopper and grocery delivery service, whereas DoorDash is a delivery service for prepared meals from restaurants.
Drivers for both companies have shared in online forums that the pay for Shipt tends to be more strongly correlated to order total, so if people are ordering larger-ticket items (such as a TV or other small appliance), the pay will almost automatically be greater than a small-ticket order.
On the other hand, people on the online forums also shared that leaving a tip is a little easier and more automatic on the DoorDash app.
Overall, reviewers and people on online forums shared that they felt you tend to make more money with less wear and tear on your car with Shipt.
Reviewers also shared that, in their experience, Shipt’s support responded more quickly and satisfactorily than DoorDash’s support.
How Are Shipt and DoorDash Similar?
Both Shipt and DoorDash are “last-mile” delivery solutions that bring a customer’s desired product to their door from the merchant of their choice.
Both companies utilize independent contractors for drivers and tout a flexible schedule as a major benefit of working with them.
Which is Better for Being a Driver, Shipt or DoorDash?
According to reviews from actual employees and contractors on sites such as Indeed, Shipt does have slightly better ratings overall compared to DoorDash. The reviews, overall, are pretty similar, though.
Indeed’s review comparison of the two companies, as of the writing of this article, showed that DoorDash was rated 3.3 stars based on over 5,100 reviews and Shipt was rated 3.4 stars based on just over 1200 reviews.
Drivers reported that, in general, you can get about the same or even a little more pay by driving for Shipt while typically doing fewer trips, and therefore putting less wear and tear on your car, than with DoorDash deliveries.
On online forums, drivers who had worked as a contractor for both Shipt and DoorDash also shared that, in their experience, the support team for Shipt was more prompt and helpful than the support team for DoorDash. This helped contribute to a more positive experience as a contractor working for Shipt compared to DoorDash.
Is Shipt or DoorDash Bigger?
When deciding which company to drive for, it would be helpful to know which one does more business, Shipt or DoorDash?
At this time, it is a little difficult to tell which company is actually bigger. While more people probably recognize the DoorDash name, Shipt is actually a relatively large company, as well.
In 2018, Shipt’s annual revenue was reported to be $1 billion, though the company was sold to Target who has not reported Shipt’s revenue since 2018. There is speculation that their revenue is currently approximately $464 million per year.
Meanwhile, DoorDash’s revenue went from $700 million in 2018 to $1.92 billion in 2020.
DoorDash is reported to have well over 1 million drivers, whereas Shipt was reported to have tried to bring on enough drivers in 2020 to bring its total to 200,000.
While the available data seems to show that DoorDash is likely currently bigger than Shipt, it also apparently has many times the number of drivers. These two factors may balance out, so that plenty of orders should be available for drivers of either company.
Can You Be a Driver for Shipt and DoorDash at the Same Time?
If you are an independent contractor for Shipt or DoorDash, you may also be an independent contractor for the other. Of course, it would be confusing and too hectic to do both at exactly the same time, but you could realistically switch back and forth between driving for the two companies if your schedule allows, even during the same day, and certainly during the same week or month.
Some reviewers in online forums shared that they did, in fact, drive for both companies. If the driver did not have anything scheduled for Shipt, for example, they would check the DoorDash app to see if any deliveries were available there at that time.
What Are the Peak Delivery Times for Shipt vs. DoorDash?
Whether you are driving for both companies, or trying to decide between the two, you may want to keep peak hours for each company in mind.
The peak lunch hours for DoorDash are known to be 11:00 to 2:00. The peak hours for Shipt, during the week, tend to be 4:00 to 8:00, which does overlap with the peak hours for DoorDash’s dinner rush of 4:30 to 8:00.
It could make sense to do deliveries for DoorDash during the lunch rush, and then decide whether you want to drive for Shipt or DoorDash for the late afternoon/dinner rush. Or, if you are only available earlier in the day, being a driver for DoorDash may be the better choice for you.
In addition to peak hours, there are peak days to consider, as well. The peak days for Shipt have been reported as Sunday, Monday, and Saturday, whereas the peak days for DoorDash have been reported as Saturday and Sunday.
So, perhaps Monday would be a good day to prioritize Shipt rather than DoorDash.
Comparing Shipt to DoorDash
Both DoorDash and Shipt are “last-mile” delivery companies with independent contractor drivers delivering products directly to customers from the merchant of their choice. The two companies have many similarities, such as flexible schedules for their drivers, though Shipt does have slightly higher reviews than DoorDash.