So the real question is which gig fits you, and how much of that $40 survives when you want it early. Cashing out the same day usually costs something. Here’s what.
What $40 nets if you cash out early
| App | Get paid early | What it costs | $40 becomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Flex | Flex Cashout to a debit card | 50 cents (free to the Flex Debit Card) | $39.50 |
| Uber Eats | Instant Pay, up to 6 times a day | $1.25 (free with the Uber Pro Card) | $38.75 |
| DoorDash | Fast Pay, once a day | $1.99 (free with the Crimson card) | $38.01 |
| Shipt | Instant Pay, 3 times a day, after your first weekly payout | Not listed | Not listed |
| Instacart | Instant cashout, minutes after a delivery | A small cost it doesn’t publish | Not listed |
Waiting for regular payday costs nothing. DoorDash pays weekly, usually by Wednesday night. Shipt deposits every Friday for the week before, and Instacart deposits weekly between Wednesday and Friday.
1.Amazon Flex
Best for: a predictable two-hour block
- What it is
- Delivering Amazon packages in your own car, in blocks you reserve.
- What you do
- Reserve blocks up to a week ahead, or grab same-day offers when they pop up, then run the route.
- How much it pays
- Amazon says most delivery partners earn $18 to $25 an hour, and its guaranteed contribution is at least $15 to $19 per scheduled hour depending on your area. Tips are 100% yours. You choose your payday (daily works), and Flex Cashout is free to its debit card or a bank account, or 50 cents to any debit card.
- The catch
- It has the highest bar here: 21+, a 4-door midsize sedan or bigger, your own auto insurance and a background check. Blocks can be scarce in some areas too.
Worth it? Yes if you qualify. It’s the only one here that publishes an hourly number, and a two-hour block covers $40.
Thinking about doing it regularly? Read the Amazon Flex review first.
2.DoorDash
Best for: picking your own start time
- What it is
- Delivering restaurant, grocery, convenience and pet store orders as an independent contractor.
- What you do
- Go online in the Dasher app and accept the offers worth your time. Car, scooter, motorcycle, or bike in some cities.
- How much it pays
- $2 to $10+ base pay per offer, plus promotions like Peak Pay and Challenges, plus 100% of tips. The amount on the offer screen is your minimum guaranteed.
- The catch
- Base pay can be as low as $2, so the tip makes or breaks an order. You need to be 18+ (19 in some states, 21 in California).
Worth it? Yes if you’re approved and want to set your own hours tonight. Be picky with offers and $40 comes quicker.
3.Shipt
Best for: people who’d rather shop than drive around all night
- What it is
- Target-owned Shipt pays shoppers to shop and deliver grocery and household orders.
- What you do
- Take orders in the app, shop them, drop them off. There are package delivery routes too.
- How much it pays
- Offer pay is based on estimated time and effort, plus bonuses and 100% of tips. Shipt doesn’t publish pay figures. Direct deposit lands every Friday for the previous Monday to Sunday.
- The catch
- Instant Pay only unlocks after your first weekly payout. So your first $40 waits for Friday. You’ll also need a car you’re insured on and a valid license.
Worth it? Only if you can wait for that first Friday. After that, you can cash out the same day.
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Want other shopping gigs like this? See jobs like Shipt.
4.Instacart
Best for: grocery runs with tips that land fast
- What it is
- Shopping and delivering grocery orders as a full-service shopper.
- What you do
- Pick batches in the Shopper app: full service, shop only or delivery only.
- How much it pays
- Pay per batch is based on travel, item count and weight, and expected shopping time, plus 100% of tips. Your full earnings, tip included, are available 2 hours after delivery.
- The catch
- You need access to a vehicle and have to be 18+ and eligible to work in the U.S. Pay rules also change by city.
Worth it? Only if you like grocery runs. That 2-hour window makes it a decent same-day $40.
Here’s what the job actually looks like day to day: being an Instacart shopper.
No car, or not approved yet?
Then $40 takes a few days of app offers. These two let you see the payout before you put the time in.
5.Testerup
Best for: building $40 from goals you pick
- What it is
- An app that pays you to test mobile games and take surveys.
- What you do
- Scroll the game goals and surveys, check what each pays (it’s shown before you start), and pick ones that add up to $40 with your bonus.
- How much it pays
- $10 welcome bonus to start. Cash out by PayPal, Venmo (US), Visa virtual card or Amazon gift card, usually within 24 hours and up to 3 business days. PayPal and Venmo payouts lose 5%, so $40 there arrives as $38.
- The catch
- Bigger game goals can take days of playing, not an afternoon. Face check before your first payout, and you need to be 18.
Worth it? Yes if you’ve got a few days. The bonus covers a quarter of the way.
6.Branded
Best for: if you already play mobile games
- What it is
- Branded’s games side: you earn points for reaching levels in games and apps.
- What you do
- Pick a game from its offers, install it, and play until you hit the level it asks for.
- How much it pays
- 500 points = $5, so $40 is 4,000 points. You get 100 points just for joining.
- The catch
- Game offers take about 7 days to credit. So this is next week’s $40, not today’s.
Worth it? Only if you’re not in a hurry. Run it alongside Testerup and let both build.
Bottom line: if you’ve got a car and you’re approved somewhere, $40 is one short shift. If not, put in an application today and run the apps while you wait.
Two quick questions
How can I make $40 in an hour?
Only on a gig app you’re already approved for, and only on a busy night. Amazon’s own figure for Flex is $18 to $25 an hour for most drivers, so plan on two hours, not one.
Which delivery app pays the same day?
Uber Eats lets you cash out up to 6 times a day for $1.25 each. DoorDash Fast Pay works once a day for $1.99. Amazon Flex lets you pick daily pay. Shipt makes you wait for one weekly payout before Instant Pay opens up.
Want the full rundown of delivery gigs? Start with the best food delivery jobs. A smaller goal? Try making $30 fast. Bigger? Making $50 fast leans on selling stuff. And see what’s paying right now, apps that pay you real money, or more side hustles.
Next step
No car? Start the app side today with Testerup and its $10 welcome bonus.
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