Short answer: With the starting numbers here, App 1 pays $150 for 5 hours and 70 miles, and App 2 pays $140 for 4.5 hours and 45 miles. After car costs, App 2 pays $27.61/hr against App 1's $25.10/hr. The app that pays more per order isn't always the one that pays you more. See DoorDash vs. Uber Eats: Which Pays You More?.
Check our math
Here is the result above, step by step, using the numbers already filled in.
- App 1 car costs70 mi × $0.35 = $24.50
- App 1 after car costs$150 − $24.50 = $125.50
- App 1 per hour and per mile$125.50 ÷ 5 = $25.10 · ÷ 70 = $1.79
- App 2 car costs45 mi × $0.35 = $15.75
- App 2 after car costs$140 − $15.75 = $124.25
- App 2 per hour and per mile$124.25 ÷ 4.5 = $27.61 · ÷ 45 = $2.76
- Difference per hour$27.61 − $25.10 = $2.51
How this calculator works
Comparing apps by what they pay per order, or even per hour on the app, leaves out the biggest difference between them: how far you drive for the money. The calculator takes your earnings, hours online and miles for each app, subtracts your car cost per mile, and compares what you keep per hour and per mile.
Use the same kind of time for each app when you can: similar days, similar hours, similar weather. A Friday dinner rush on one app and a Tuesday afternoon on another tells you about the time slot, not the app. A week of tracking each is a good start; a month is better.
Your car cost matters more than it seems. The table below shows how the same two weeks rank differently as the cost per mile rises: the app with more miles loses ground fastest.
How your car cost changes the comparison
| Car cost per mile | App 1 per hour | App 2 per hour | Best for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.20 | $27.20/hr | $29.11/hr | App 2 |
| $0.30 | $25.80/hr | $28.11/hr | App 2 |
| $0.35 | $25.10/hr | $27.61/hr | App 2 |
| $0.40 | $24.40/hr | $27.11/hr | App 2 |
| $0.50 | $23.00/hr | $26.11/hr | App 2 |
| $0.60 | $21.60/hr | $25.11/hr | App 2 |
| $0.70 | $20.20/hr | $24.11/hr | App 2 |
Using the starting numbers: App 1 $150, 5 hrs, 70 mi; App 2 $140, 4.5 hrs, 45 mi. Before taxes.
Worked examples
Higher pay, more driving
Over 6 hours, App 1 paid $210 for 120 miles and App 2 paid $175 for 55 miles.
| Result | |
|---|---|
| Best for you | App 1 · $28.00/hr |
| App 1 | $28.00/hr · $1.40/mi |
| App 2 | $25.96/hr · $2.83/mi |
Three apps in one week
App 1: $120, 4 hrs, 50 mi. App 2: $95, 3 hrs, 30 mi. App 3: $160, 5 hrs, 95 mi.
| Result | |
|---|---|
| Best for you | App 2 · $28.17/hr |
| App 3 | $25.35/hr · $1.33/mi |
| Gap, best to lowest | $2.82/hr |
Using your result
Once you know which app pays you more, use it for your main hours and keep the other as a backup for slow stretches. Many drivers run two apps at once to fill waiting time; if you do, track the combined shift in the real hourly pay calculator too.
To get the numbers, use each app's weekly earnings summary for pay and hours online, and your odometer or a tracking app for miles. If you drive for two apps in the same shift, split the miles by which app the trip was for.
Rerun the comparison every few months. A change in your car, your area or the hours you drive can flip the result, so an old comparison may not hold. Pay structures, your area and your car costs change, and so can the answer.
What it doesn't cover
- It compares the numbers you enter, from your city and your hours. It says nothing about how any app pays in general.
- Taxes aren't included; they apply the same way to every app.
- Bonuses and promotions can swing a single week. Compare several weeks when you can.
- NetTakeHome isn't affiliated with any of these apps.
Read more
- DoorDash vs. Uber Eats: Which Pays You More?
- How Much Do Delivery Drivers Really Make Per Hour After Gas and Taxes?
Frequently asked questions
Which delivery app pays the most?
There's no single answer: it depends on your city, the hours you drive and the offers you accept. Track a week or two on each app and compare what you keep per hour after car costs.
Should I compare pay per order or pay per hour?
Per hour, after car costs. Pay per order ignores how long each order takes and how far you drive for it.
Is it worth running two apps at the same time?
It can be, because it fills the waiting time between orders. Watch for orders that overlap badly, and check the combined result with the real hourly pay calculator.
Does my car cost change which app is better?
It can. In the table above, the gap between the two apps grows as car costs rise, because App 1 needs more miles for its pay.
Why does the app with bigger offers sometimes pay me less?
Because bigger offers often come with longer drives and more time. Once you subtract car costs and divide by your time online, a steady stream of short orders can come out ahead.
How long should I track each app?
At least a week each, at similar times. A month gives a much better picture, especially if pay changes with the season.
Sources
This calculator uses only the numbers you enter; it doesn't depend on tax figures.
Updated October 2026 · By the NetTakeHome team. Estimates for planning, not tax, legal or financial advice. NetTakeHome is not affiliated with DoorDash, Uber, Lyft or Instacart.