Guide › Getting started
Getting started with Spark Driver, DoorDash and Uber Eats
If you're thinking about delivering with apps, here's what you need, how to sign up, and what nobody tells you before your first order.
Basic requirements
Each app has its own rules, and they can change by city, but in general you'll need:
- Minimum age: almost always 18. Some apps require you to be older to deliver by car.
- A valid U.S. driver's license.
- A Social Security Number (SSN): used for the background check and for taxes.
- Car insurance in your name or listing you as a driver.
- A phone with data and internet, ideally with a good battery.
- Agreeing to a background check: they review your criminal and driving record.
The exact requirements are on each app's official site. Check them before you sign up, because they change.
How are the apps different?
| App | Spark Driver | DoorDash | Uber Eats |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you deliver | Walmart orders (grocery and general store) | Restaurant food, also stores | Restaurant food, also stores |
| Order size | Can be big and heavy (water, bags, boxes) | Usually small | Usually small |
| How you pick hours | Offers that show up in the app | Go online anytime or schedule a time | Go online anytime |
| The upside | Better-paying orders, sometimes several at once | Lots of orders in most cities | You can combine it with Uber rides |
How to sign up, step by step
- Download the driver app (not the customer one): "Spark Driver", "DoorDash – Dasher" or "Uber Driver".
- Create your account with your email and phone.
- Upload your documents: license, insurance and sometimes a photo of yourself.
- Authorize the background check. It can take a few days to several weeks.
- Set up how you get paid: bank account or debit card.
- Wait for approval. Some areas have a waitlist, especially for Spark, and the wait can be months.
Tip: sign up for two or three apps at the same time. That way, if one is slow to approve you or has few orders in your area, you already have another one ready.
Car insurance: what almost nobody checks
Many personal insurance policies don't cover accidents while you're delivering, because they treat it as commercial use. If you crash with an order in the car and didn't tell them, the insurer could refuse to pay.
Call your insurer and ask about coverage for delivery drivers ("delivery" or "rideshare"). It often costs only a little more per month and saves you from a very big problem.
How you get paid
The apps pay you every week to your bank account. Almost all of them also have an option to cash out the same day, sometimes free and sometimes for a small fee.
Your pay usually has two parts: what the app pays for the order and the customer's tip. Before accepting an order, look at the total pay and the miles. The calculator helps you see what you really keep after gas.
Taxes: you're your own boss
With these apps you're not an employee, you're an independent contractor. That means the app doesn't withhold taxes from your pay. At the start of the year they send you a 1099 form and you report what you earned.
- Set money aside for taxes from your first payout. Many drivers save between 20% and 30%.
- Track your miles from day one. Work miles are deductible and lower what you pay quite a bit.
This is general information. For your situation, talk to a tax preparer.
Tips for your first day
- Charge your phone to 100% and bring a car charger.
- Start during busy hours: lunch (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and dinner (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.).
- Don't accept every order. Look at how much they pay per mile.
- Read the customer's delivery instructions carefully: apartment number, gate code, where to leave the order.
- Take a photo of every delivery, even if the app doesn't ask for one.
When starting out, it's common to accept orders looking only at the pay, without checking how many items there are to shop for, how big they are, or how many miles you'll drive. An order that looks like it pays well can end up being an hour in the store, hauling cases of water, and a lot of gas miles.
Before accepting, always check these three things:
- Number of items: more items means more time shopping.
- Size and weight: water packs, dog food bags, big boxes...
- Miles: divide the pay by the miles to see what it pays per mile.
Next step: calculate what you really keep after gas and wear.
Use the calculator