How to Make Money Delivering Groceries
💰 $0 to start
⏱ First dollar: days
🛍️ Shipt & Walmart Spark, beyond Instacart
The 30-second version
Beyond Instacart, Shipt and Walmart Spark are two more major grocery delivery platforms — running your own vehicle, keeping 100% of tips. Tracked driver data shows Spark's real median is $21.74/hr — the highest of any delivery platform, beating even Uber — while Shipt guarantees a $16/hr floor and often runs $25–30/hr with tips. Running multiple apps simultaneously is a common strategy to maximize availability.
Beyond Instacart, Shipt and Walmart Spark are two more major grocery delivery platforms — running your own vehicle, keeping 100% of tips. Tracked driver data shows Spark's real median is $21.74/hr — the highest of any delivery platform, beating even Uber — while Shipt guarantees a $16/hr floor and often runs $25–30/hr with tips. Running multiple apps simultaneously is a common strategy to maximize availability.
Startup cost
$0
Spark median (tracked)
$21.74/hr
Walmart Spark coverage
3,650+ cities
▶Watch this first
"How To Sign-Up for Walmart Spark" — picked from a real creator, not a GigWiz production.
✓What you actually need to start
- A reliable vehicle, valid license, and insurance
- A smartphone to run the driver app
- Background check clearance (standard for all grocery delivery platforms)
- No prior shopping or delivery experience required for any of these platforms
👣The steps
Check platform availability in your area firstThe highest-paying app in the world won't help if there are no openings near you — Shipt doesn't operate everywhere Walmart Spark does.
Sign up for multiple platformsInstacart, Walmart Spark, Shipt, and DoorDash can all be run simultaneously — this maximizes your available order volume across different demand patterns.
Learn each platform's order typesWalmart Spark includes grocery, pharmacy, general merchandise, and Dotcom (household item) deliveries — understanding each type helps you pick the most efficient orders.
Prioritize peak hours and order types strategicallyWeekends, evenings, and holidays typically bring higher-paying orders or surge pay — plan your shifts around these windows.
Keep 100% of your tips in mind when comparing platformsAll major platforms let you keep 100% of tips — but base pay structures differ, so compare total realistic earnings, not just headline rates.
Track your real expenses from day oneGas, vehicle wear, and taxes all come out of the advertised hourly numbers — track these honestly rather than trusting social media income claims.
💵The money, honestly
| Platform | Pay structure |
|---|---|
| Walmart Spark — real tracked median | $21.74/hr |
| Shipt — guaranteed floor / typical w/ tips | $16/hr / $25–30/hr |
Social media claims of $30–40+/hr often don't account for gas, vehicle maintenance, and taxes — the same honest gap that applies to every driving gig on this site.
⚠ The reality check
- Headline hourly rates still aren't take-home pay. Even Spark's real $21.74/hr median is gross — gas, vehicle wear, and self-employment tax come out of that before it's yours, same as every driving gig on this site.
- Rural availability is a real limiting factor. Fewer deliveries in low-density areas directly caps your hours and income regardless of platform.
- Order type significantly affects pay. Shopping and delivering (not just picking up pre-packed items) takes more time but typically pays more — factor this into which orders you accept.
- Running multiple apps has real tradeoffs. More total order volume, but also more app-switching overhead and the challenge of not double-booking your own time.
The GigWiz verdict
✓ Good if
- You want maximum flexibility by running multiple delivery apps
- Startup cost is close to nothing
✕ Skip it if
- You're in a low-density rural area expecting consistent order volume
- You need something that runs without your ongoing time and attention
The numbers
Startup cost$0
Spark median (tracked)$21.74/hr
Walmart Spark coverage3,650+ cities
DifficultyVery easy — no experience needed, $0 to start
⚠ The catch
Track your real expenses — gas and vehicle wear eat into every advertised hourly rate.