The app that shows the bigger number on your screen isn’t always the one that puts more money in your pocket. A $25 Uber trip that runs you 18 miles can pay less, after gas and wear, than a $15 DoorDash order two miles away. This tool cuts through the gross-pay illusion: enter what you earned and drove on each app, and see your real hourly and per-mile take-home side by side.
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Most drivers pick their app by feel, or by whichever one is surging. But “which app pays more” is really a math question, and the answer changes with fuel prices, the miles each platform sends you, and how long you sit waiting. Enter your own numbers below to see which one actually wins for how you drive.
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GigWorkerTools · App comparison
Which gig app actually pays you more?
Track which app really pays. A mileage & earnings tracker logs every trip so you know before you drive.
Get a tracker →Why gross pay is the wrong number
The figure each app advertises is gross — before a single cost comes out. But you, not the platform, pay for the gas and the wear on your car. Two apps can show the same gross and pay wildly differently once you subtract those costs, because one may send you on long, low-density trips while the other keeps you close. Real pay is what’s left after fuel and wear, measured per hour of your time and per mile on your car. That’s what this calculator compares.
The two numbers that actually matter
Per hour tells you whether your time is well spent — it’s your real wage. Per mile tells you how hard the app is working your vehicle — a low per-mile number means you’re burning through your car’s life for not much. A good app scores well on both. A deceptive one shows a high gross but a poor per-mile, meaning it’s quietly transferring value from your car’s resale value into today’s earnings. Watch both numbers, not just the winner banner.
How miles quietly eat your earnings
Every mile costs you twice: once in gas, once in wear (tires, brakes, depreciation, maintenance). At around 35 to 40 cents a mile all-in for a typical car, 100 extra miles is $35 to $40 gone — often the difference between two apps that looked identical on gross. This is why a delivery app with short hops can beat a rideshare app with long pickups, even when the rideshare trips “pay more.” The calculator uses your MPG, local gas price, and a wear estimate so the comparison reflects your actual car.
What this tool can’t see
It compares the hours and miles you enter, so it’s only as honest as your inputs. It doesn’t account for tips you can’t predict, promotions and quests that shift week to week, or the wait time between trips that doesn’t show as miles but still burns your hours. For the truest picture, log a full week on each app and enter the real totals — not one good day.
Turn the answer into a tax deduction
Every one of those business miles you drive is also a tax write-off. The same miles that eat your earnings on one app can lower your tax bill at year-end if you track them. See what they’re worth with our Mileage Deduction Calculator, and figure your full tax picture with the Self-Employment Tax Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Q — Which app pays the most for drivers? There’s no single answer — it depends on your city, your car, gas prices, and how each app routes you. That’s the point of this tool: the “best” app is the one that nets you the most per hour and per mile where you actually drive, and that can differ block by block.
Q — Should I go by per hour or per mile? Both. Per hour is your real wage — it tells you if the time is worth it. Per mile shows how hard you’re running your car. An app that wins on hourly pay but scores badly per mile is trading your car’s lifespan for today’s cash. The best choice usually wins on both.
Q — Why does the app with higher earnings sometimes lose? Because it made you drive more miles to earn it. Gross pay ignores the gas and wear those miles cost you. Once you subtract real driving costs, a lower-gross app with shorter trips can come out ahead. That’s the whole reason this calculator exists.
Q — What should I put for wear and upkeep? A conservative all-in estimate for tires, brakes, maintenance, and depreciation is around 10 cents per mile for many cars — separate from gas. Older or larger vehicles cost more; efficient newer ones less. The IRS standard mileage rate (72.5–76¢ for 2026) is a higher, tax-oriented all-in proxy if you’d rather use that.
Q — Are these numbers exact? They’re a solid estimate based on what you enter. They don’t capture unpredictable tips, weekly promos, or wait time. For anything you’re relying on, treat it as a strong guide, not gospel. See our Disclaimer.
Q — Does this calculator store my information? No. Every calculation happens in your browser. The numbers you enter are never sent to us or saved. See our Privacy Policy.
Related calculators
Real Take-Home Pay Calculator — what one app truly pays after all costs
Mileage Deduction Calculator — turn those miles into a tax write-off
Self-Employment Tax Calculator — what you’ll owe on your 1099 profit