Shipt Review [2024]: Can You Earn More Than With Instacart?

I’ve always loved the gig economy app options available today because, to people who can’t get out of the house but need essentials, you are their hero. Shipt shoppers are independent contractors who choose their own hours and decide which orders they'll accept, just like DoorDash, Instacart, and Grubhub.

Shipt offers drivers two ways to earn money: picking up on-demand shifts and handling a customer's grocery shopping or picking up a pre-planned route and delivering Target orders.

What I’ve found is that Shipt is a community of personal shoppers, but is it right for you?

What is Shipt?

Shipt is a grocery delivery platform like Instacart. They hire independent contractors to shop for customers' orders and deliver them to their locations. Like Instacart, they work with the most popular grocery, household, and personal items stores in major areas, such as Target, Meijer, Walgreens, CVS, Petsmart, and Ulta.

As a Shipt shopper, you accept customers' orders, shop for the items at the appropriate stores, and deliver them to the customer's doorstep. I personally love grocery shopping, so apps like Shipt or Instacart work great for me.

But, if you don't enjoy grocery shopping, Shipt hires drivers who pick up pre-planned routes of Target orders and deliver them. This is good news for people who don’t want to deal with store crowds, picking orders, and checking out.

In this role, drivers don't have to shop for the orders inside Target stores. Instead, you pick up the pre-picked orders and deliver them to their destination. The difference is that you'll have multiple packages without stopping at individual stores to pick up orders, as you'll have your route before starting your shift. 

However, just like when I deliver for Instacart, you need a strategy, good time management, and a smile on your face when delivering your orders.

How does it work?

Shipt works a little differently for shoppers and drivers. Here's what you might expect.

Shoppers

Shoppers can pick up orders as their free time allows. When you sign up, you select a zone; this is your area to shop. If orders are available within that zone, you'll see them as an option to select. Shoppers do not have an obligation to accept every offer they receive.

After accepting an order, you head to the selected store, shop, pay for it with your Shipt card, and deliver it to the customer.

Shoppers receive an 'offer pay' before accepting an offer so you can tell if it's worth the time and effort. The offer pay considers factors like store size, distance, and potential availability of products. Shoppers also keep 100% of the customer tips.

When I deliver for Instacart, I always figure out the hourly pay for potential orders. I have a threshold in mind, depending on the day of the week and time of day. If an order falls within that threshold, I take it. If not, I will wait for other orders. You can do the same with Shipt to maximize your earnings.

Drivers

Shipt drivers reserve routes to earn money delivering Target orders. When reserving the route, you'll see the estimated pay, number of stops, and other important details to determine if you want to select it.

Shipt tells you when to pick up your packages at the specified Target. You receive all packages at the same time and head out on your route.

Payment is available after completing your route. You can wait for the weekly direct deposit or initiate Instant Pay for a small fee.

This service is only available in select areas.

Who can earn with Shipt?

To be a shopper or driver with Shipt, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Have a current mailing address
• Have a valid U.S. driver’s license and current auto insurance policy
• Have a reliable vehicle (1997 or newer and not a 2-door)
• Have basic knowledge of produce selection
• Be able to lift 50 pounds
• Have a smartphone (iPhone iOS 13 or newer or Android 7.0 or newer)
• Pass a background check

How much do Shipt shoppers and drivers make?

Like any gig job, earnings vary greatly by location, how often you work, and whether you work during peak times. However, Shipt's Earnings Standard guarantees a minimum of $16 an hour, which is a great perk that Instacart doesn’t offer. The guarantee is part of their offer pay, and if you provide great customer service or work during peak times, your earnings could be higher.

The best part is that Shipt shoppers keep 100% of the customer tips. While Shipt suggests a minimum tip amount, customers can tip as little or as much as they want. This is where I excel when I work for Instacart. I provide the best customer service I can, so customers tip me more, and my hourly rate increases.

Is Shipt legit?

Shipt is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has an A+ rating. Shoppers gave it a 3.6 out of 5-star rating on Glassdoor. Shipt is a legitimate business that provides members with a valuable same-day delivery service and offers shoppers a fun way to earn cash.

I have a few friends who choose Shipt over Instacart, and they truly love the job. The company also gives back to the community by working with organizations such as Feeding America and the Cam Newton Foundation.

How to maximize your earnings with Shipt

Here are some ways to earn more and keep more of your earnings with Shipt.

• Take the optional educational courses. Shipt offers free learning materials and FAQs to help you become a more efficient shopper. I highly recommend taking advantage of these opportunities to increase your earnings.
• Choose peak hours. Work during the busier hours and choose orders that maximize your time while ensuring good hourly pay. Peak hours vary by location. I suggest working different days and times when you begin so you can tell when demand is high.
• Drive a fuel-efficient car. Gas costs are your responsibility, so driving a fuel-efficient vehicle will keep more money in your pocket. Even if you don’t have a fuel-efficient car, consider finding the cheapest fuel in your area. I always stop at Sam’s Club to get my gas since I’m a member and save the most money there.
• Take advantage of the benefits and perks. Shipt offers ways to save money on essentials like car insurance, health benefits, gas, and identity theft protection. See what opportunities you have and take advantage of the ones that make sense.
• Provide great customer service. Shipt shoppers keep 100% of their tips, so providing friendly and timely service will make you more likely to take home extra money. From my experience, communication is key. Customers don’t like finding out after you deliver their order that the store was out of products on their list.

How to get good reviews

In my experience, good reviews result in better tips. Try to provide members with the best possible customer service experience. Here’s what I do.

• Communicate well and often. Update members about your shopping trip and reply to their requests. Some customers are great about responding, but not all do. Just do your best.
• Ask about replacements. If you're unsure about an item replacement, contact the customer. If they receive the wrong items or aren't aware an item is out of stock, they could get upset and tip less. It takes only a few seconds to shoot them a text.
• Pay attention to the delivery window. Be mindful of delivery time frames. Don’t take breaks in your car during an order. Deliver your orders as soon as they are ready so you have happy customers who tip well.
• Go the extra mile. Ask customers where they would like the groceries delivered. Some may have special requests, such as on the back porch or even on the counters. I’ve had some strange requests, but I always follow them to get those good tips.
• Request feedback. Ask customers if there’s anything you can do better next time. This will help you improve your service and show customers that you’re dedicated to providing great service.

FAQs

Other side hustles to consider

Shipt can be a great option for anyone who enjoys shopping and wants extra income, but it’s not the only option. If grocery shopping isn't your favorite pastime, here are some other options:

• Pet sitting with Care.com
  
• Surveys with Survey Junkie
• Deliver food with DoorDash
• Start a freelance business