Postmates vs. DoorDash: Which Is Best for Customers and Drivers?

During the pandemic, countless Americans were introduced to — and became dependent on — the delivery of restaurant food, groceries and just about everything else when restaurants were shuttered and consumers feared going shopping. The growth and popularity of delivery services is a positive enduring legacy of the pandemic, and in many cities, users can choose among a handful of services — and potential drivers have more job opportunities.

But how do you know which to choose, whether you want to buy a hamburger or deliver it? Here’s a comparison between two popular delivery services, Postmates and DoorDash.

About Postmates

In November 2020, ridesharing service Uber acquired Postmates which, according to their website, was a strategic move to offer better service with more restaurants, faster service and better recommendations.

Uber Eats delivers restaurant food and more, in over 6,000 cities across 45 countries. Depending on where you live, your Uber Eats driver will deliver by car — or maybe by bike or scooter in an urban area.

Two years ago, Uber Eats began delivering groceries, as well. It now delivers 100,000 bunches of bananas each month, according to the company.

You’ll pay a fee, of course, for the service, but frequent users might try Postmates Unlimited. For a fee of $9.99 a month, members won’t pay a delivery fee per order, plus they will receive 5% off restaurant orders over $15 and grocery orders over $30. You can cancel at any time.

What Is It Like to Deliver for Postmates?

If you want to deliver for Postmates, you’ll apply through the Uber Eats website.

You need to:

• Be 18 years old to deliver by foot or 19 if you plan to use a car or scooter

• Have a vehicle that meets certain requirements

• Provide your social security number and pass a background check

• Have a valid driver’s license, or a state-issued government ID if you won’t be driving your deliveries.

How Much Does Postmates Pay Drivers?

Uber Eats doesn’t disclose its driver pay, but Glassdoor estimates earnings at $16 to $24 per hour. What you earn varies from day to day and time of day but follows this model: base fare plus trip supplement plus promotions plus tips, according to the website.

The trip supplement accounts for extra time or distance, and the promotions pay is offered by Uber Eats for productivity and other factors.

About DoorDash

DoorDash operates in 7,000 cities in the U.S., Canada, Japan and Australia. Its drivers pick up and deliver food purchases from fast food, quick service and fine dining restaurants. They also deliver essential household goods from merchants such as CVS, 7-Eleven and PetSmart.

DoorDash offers a plan just for students who want to take advantage of the service. For $4.99 a month, or $48 a year, the DashPass for Students allows for no delivery fee on eligible restaurant or grocery orders, a 5% DoorDash credit on pickup orders and other member promotions.

Non-students also can purchase a DashPass with the same benefits for $9.99 a month, or $96 a year. DoorDash estimates that subscribers pay an average of $4 to $5 per eligible order.

What Is It Like To Deliver for DoorDash?

In order to be a “dasher,” or deliver for DoorDash, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old

• Have access to a car, scooter or a bike

• Provide your driver’s license number

• Provide your social security number if you’re in the U.S.

• Undergo a background check

If you meet these criteria, you can submit an application online. Once approved, you can download the DoorDash app and start scheduling jobs.

You can set your hours so that you only see assignments during the times you want, or you can be available 24/7. You’ll know how much you’ll make before you accept the order.

How Much Does DoorDash Pay Drivers?

According to the DoorDash website, dashers get paid $25 per hour that they work, including 100% of tips. Their pay is calculated on a base rate, plus tips and promotions that help dashers earn more. Orders that are accepted during peak delivery times may pay a bonus, and dashers who are particularly active may get extra pay. DoorDash says that customers can tip on checkout or after the delivery.

Is DoorDash or Postmates Better for Drivers?

The best choice for drivers will often depend on which platform is more popular in the driver’s area, and therefore offers more assignments.

Is DoorDash or Postmates Better for Customers?

There are two main differentiators between the two services as far as customers are concerned: price and service.

As far as price goes, it can be challenging to figure out each platform’s pricing, since they include a delivery fee as well as a service fee and, in some cases, an additional fee at high-demand times. You can see the fees for each order on the app.

To determine which app is the most cost-effective, you can enter your order in each and compare. If you typically order from the same few restaurants, you should have a pretty good idea of which one is better for you after you’ve compared a few times.

Service is dependent on the delivery person you happen to get. As with any customer service-focused business that has thousands of people doing the work, that can go either way. Because Postmates lets you tip after the delivery, you can demonstrate your satisfaction — or lack thereof — more readily, which could result in higher service quality than with DoorDash.

The Bottom Line

Both Postmates and DoorDash have the ability to get you a burger and fries when you really need it. The one that is better for you, whether you are a customer or a driver, has a lot to do with where you are and what is being ordered.

Information is accurate as of July 25, 2022.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Postmates vs. DoorDash: Which Is Best for Customers and Drivers?