How to Start Delivering With DoorDash
💰 $50–$150 to start
⏱ First dollar: this week
🚲 Any car — or a bike
The 30-second version
The lowest barrier on this whole site: 18+ in most states, any car (or a bike in dense cities), no inspection, no 4-door rule. Sign up, pass the background check, buy a $15 insulated bag, and dash dinner shifts. The whole game: dollars per mile. Aim for $1.50–$2.00/mile and decline everything else.
The lowest barrier on this whole site: 18+ in most states, any car (or a bike in dense cities), no inspection, no 4-door rule. Sign up, pass the background check, buy a $15 insulated bag, and dash dinner shifts. The whole game: dollars per mile. Aim for $1.50–$2.00/mile and decline everything else.
Startup cost
$50–$150
Realistic net
$10–$20/hr
First dollar in
Days
▶Watch this first
"How to DoorDash for Beginners: Step-by-Step From Sign-Up to First Delivery" — picked from a real creator, not a GigWiz production.
✓Do you qualify?
- 18+ in most states (19+ in about 14 states, including CA, FL, TX, GA, CO, NJ, and AZ — check your state before assuming you qualify)
- A smartphone and a Social Security number for the background check
- Driving? Any car + valid license + insurance. No age limit on the vehicle, no inspection, no 4-door rule
- Not driving? Bike, e-bike, scooter — even on foot in some dense cities
Way easier than Uber: no passengers means no passenger-car rules. Your beat-up Corolla is a perfectly good delivery vehicle.
👣The steps
Sign up in the Dasher app. Buy nothing yet.Personal info, delivery method, license if driving, SSN for the background check. Wait for approval before spending a dollar.
Call your insurance companyAsk if food delivery is covered or needs an endorsement. Don't hide it — that's how claims get denied.
Get the $15 kitInsulated bag ($10–30), phone mount, car charger. That's genuinely the whole setup. Drink carrier ($10–20) pays for itself in saved spills.
Dash your first dinner shift5–9 PM near a cluster of restaurants. Tap "Dash Now" or schedule. Stay where restaurants are dense — don't chase the map.
Learn to declineEvery offer shows pay and distance. Under ~$1.50/mile? Skip it. Restaurants that always make you wait? Skip them too. Declining bad orders IS the skill.
Track pay, miles, and hours for 2 weeksThen do the math. Good numbers → add lunch shifts and weekends. Bad numbers → different zone, different hours, or a different gig. You've risked $50.
💵The money, honestly
Pay = base ($2–10+ per order) + promos + 100% of tips. Paid weekly, or daily with a small Fast Pay fee. What decides your rate is when and where you dash:
| How you dash | Gross | Real net (pre-tax) |
|---|---|---|
| Random hours, accept everything | $10–15/hr | $7–12/hr |
| Lunch + dinner + weekends, decline bad orders | $15–25/hr | $10–20/hr |
| Bike/e-bike in a dense city | $15–25/hr | Keeps most of it — no gas |
Special markets: NYC guarantees a minimum per active hour (over $22 currently) under its delivery-pay law; California has Prop 22 guaranteed earnings plus a required safety course before your first dash.
⚠ The reality check
- Gross ≠ profit if you're driving. Miles are the hidden cost — gas, wear, depreciation. That's why the $/mile rule matters more than the $/hour on your screen.
- Slow hours are dead money. Mid-morning and mid-afternoon can pay under $10/hr. This gig only works during meal rushes, weekends, and bad weather.
- Never buy a car for DoorDash. The pay doesn't justify it. This gig exists to squeeze money out of a vehicle you already own.
- You're a contractor — taxes are on you. Nothing is withheld. Track every mile from day one and set a chunk of each payout aside.
The GigWiz verdict
✓ Good if
- You want fast cash, a bike, or meal-rush hours
- You can put $50–$150 toward starting
✕ Skip it if
- You drive a gas guzzler, or you're in a dead zone or midday lull
- You need something that runs without your ongoing time and attention
The numbers
Startup cost$50–$150
Realistic net$10–$20/hr
First dollar inDays
DifficultyEasiest on the site
⚠ The catch
$1.50–$2.00 per mile, or decline.