Gopuff Vs. DoorDash: Comparing On-Demand Delivery Services

On-demand delivery services like Gopuff and DoorDash have become increasingly popular over the past few years. With just a few taps on your smartphone, you can have groceries, restaurant meals, and other items delivered right to your door. But how do Gopuff and DoorDash compare in terms of business model, driver experience, product selection, pricing, and overall user experience? This comprehensive guide examines the key differences and similarities between the two on-demand delivery giants.

A Brief Comparison Table

Aspects	Gopuff	DoorDash
Business Model	Owns and operates local micro-fulfillment centers that stock product inventory	Facilitates orders between customers, restaurants, and drivers
Driver Classification	W-2 employees	Independent contractors
Driver Pay	Hourly guaranteed wage + tips	Per delivery pay from base rate + promotions + tips
Delivery Vehicle	Provides company cars in some markets	Drivers use own car
Product Selection	2,000+ convenience and grocery items	Delivery from 300,000+ restaurants
Pricing	Flat delivery fee, no service fee, prices marked up 10-15%	Delivery fee by distance, 10% service fee, menu prices same as restaurant
Order Experience	Category browsing, easy reorders	Search restaurants, robust filters, save favorite orders
Best Use Cases	Household essentials and convenience items	Large restaurant meal orders

Overview of Gopuff and DoorDash

Founded in 2013, Gopuff is an on-demand delivery service that lets users order essentials like food, drinks, baby products, pet supplies, and over-the-counter medications for delivery in 30 minutes or less.

The company operates its own network of micro-fulfillment centers so it can deliver items quickly from a local stockpile.

DoorDash, founded in 2013 as well, is a food delivery service that lets users order meals for delivery from restaurants that partner with DoorDash.

The company contracts with delivery drivers, who pick up orders from restaurants and deliver them to customers. DoorDash partners with over 300,000 restaurants in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

While Gopuff focuses on delivering household items and convenience store selections, DoorDash strictly offers restaurant meal delivery.

But the two companies overlap in delivering food and groceries, competing for driver contractors and consumer delivery dollars.

Also Read: Comparison Between Imperfect Foods And Hungryroot

Key Differences Between Gopuff And DoorDash

Till now we cover the basics. Let’s drive deeper and explore some differences between the two:

1. Gopuff and DoorDash’s Business Models

Gopuff’s business model is very different from DoorDash’s. Here’s a quick rundown of each:

Gopuff

• Owns and operates a network of small, local warehouses (“micro-fulfillment centers”) that stock 2,000+ products.
• Employees pick and pack orders from on-site inventory when a customer places an order.
• Drivers deliver orders within 30 minutes directly from the micro-fulfillment center.
• Charges a flat delivery fee plus prices marked up from in-store retail on products.

DoorDash

• Does not own inventory or fulfill orders.
• Contracts with independent drivers (“Dashers”) to pick up orders from restaurant partners and deliver to customers.
• Makes money by charging restaurants a commission fee (~20-30%) on each order.
• Also charges customers a delivery fee plus possible service fee on each order.

The key differentiator is Gopuff’s ownership of the entire supply chain through its network of micro-fulfillment centers. This allows faster delivery times but also more overhead to operate the facilities. DoorDash simply facilitates orders between customers, restaurants, and drivers.

2. Driver Experience: Gopuff Vs.. DoorDash

Gopuff and DoorDash also have significant differences when it comes to the driver experience.

Gopuff

• Hires drivers as W-2 employees, not contractors. This means drivers receive benefits like healthcare.
• Provides company vehicles for deliveries in some markets. Where it doesn’t, drivers use their own cars and are reimbursed for mileage.
• Drivers make an hourly guaranteed wage ($12-$15 per hour) plus tips. There are opportunities for pay raises over time.
• Schedule is fixed with assigned shifts chosen in advance. Full-time and part-time shifts available.

DoorDash

• Classifies drivers as independent contractors. No benefits provided.
• Drivers use their own cars for deliveries and pay their own vehicle costs.
• Pay is per delivery based on a base rate + promotions + customer tips. No hourly guarantee or mileage reimbursement.
• Schedule is completely flexible. Drivers choose which deliveries to accept and when to work.

For those seeking steady income and benefits, Gopuff likely offers a better driver experience. DoorDash is more suitable for people who value flexibility over a predictable schedule. The pay structure difference also means DoorDash drivers bear more risk from things like small orders and weak tips.

3. Product Selection

When it comes to product selection, Gopuff offers a wide assortment of convenience store items while DoorDash provides access to full menus from hundreds of thousands of restaurants.

Gopuff

• Stocks 2,000+ grocery and convenience essentials across categories like snacks, drinks, alcohol, beauty, baby, pet, and health products.
• Offers a mix of major brands like Coca-Cola, Kraft, Purina and their own private label products.
• Has limited prepared food options like sandwiches, pizza, and ice cream. Selection varies by market.

DoorDash

• Provides delivery from over 300,000 restaurants including major chains like McDonalds, Chipotle, The Cheesecake Factory, and local eateries.
• Menu options include burritos, sushi, burgers, sandwiches, salads, pasta, seafood, bbq, desserts – you name it. Anything the restaurant offers is available.
• Also delivers convenience and grocery items from stores like 7-Eleven, Walgreens, Wawa, and regional grocery chains. However, the selection is smaller than Gopuff.

Gopuff is the better option if you need household essentials and snacks in a pinch. DoorDash gives you access to a vastly wider range of prepared foods from top restaurants. Both services provide some crossover with convenience and grocery items, but Gopuff goes significantly deeper on that front.

4. Pricing and Fees

From a pricing perspective, Gopuff and DoorDash take different approaches. Here’s how their pricing models compare:

Gopuff

• Charges a flat delivery fee based on distance from the micro-fulfillment center, usually $1.95 to $2.95.
• No service fees or small order fees.
• Products priced slightly higher than convenience and grocery stores to cover operating costs. Markups average 10-15% over in-store retail.
• Tip is optional to drivers. 100% of tip goes to driver.
• Occasional promos like $5 off or 25% off up to a max discount.

DoorDash

• Delivery fee is based on distance, usually $3 to $8.
• Also charges a service fee equal to about 10% of the order subtotal.
• Small order fee applies if subtotal is under $10.
• Menu prices are the same as ordering directly from the restaurant.
• Suggested tip based on order size, usually 10%, 15% or 20%.
• Frequent promotions like free delivery, % discounts off entire order, or rewards program discounts.

Gopuff has lower delivery fees but less discounts and rewards. DoorDash delivery can be pricier but the overall order cost is competitive with direct restaurant prices after accounting for promotions and tips. In general, Gopuff achieves lower order minimums for quick convenience purchases, while DoorDash wins for larger meal orders.

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5. User Experience

When it comes to mobile app user experience, both Gopuff and DoorDash invest heavily in providing seamless, easy-to-use interfaces. However, there are some differences:

Gopuff

• Simple category-based browsing for convenience items.
• Can easily discover trending products.
• Easy reorder from past purchases with one click.
• Minimal delivery addresses pre-loaded from account profile.
• Live order tracking map. Counts down to estimated arrival.

DoorDash

• Primarily search-driven based on finding specific restaurants.
• Robust restaurant filtering by cuisine type, rating, distance, availability, etc.
• Menu browsing flows for each restaurant. Save favorite orders.
• Delivery address must be entered manually each order.
• Live map tracks Dasher from restaurant to door.

Gopuff offers a quicker checkout tailored to re-ordering essentials while DoorDash provides a more robust discovery and browsing experience ideal for restaurant delivery. Both apps are user-friendly but Gopuff’s category-driven approach stands out for speed and convenience.

Gopuff Vs. DoorDash: Which Is Better For You?

So which service comes out on top – Gopuff or DoorDash? The answer depends on your personal needs and preferences around delivery:

Choose Gopuff if you want:

• Convenience items and household essentials delivered super fast
• A more affordable and predictable delivery fee
• Higher quality experience for drivers

Choose DoorDash if you want:

• Huge selection of restaurant and cuisine types
• Occasional large meal orders rather than frequent small orders
• Wide availability in more geographic areas
• Maximum flexibility in driver work schedules

Key Recommendation: Use both! Gopuff for quick convenience store runs. DoorDash for restaurant takeout. Combine services to maximize delivery speed, selection, and savings.

Also Read: Compaison Between Roadie And Doordash

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Also Read: Comparison Between Schwan’s And HelloFresh.

Final Thoughts

Gopuff and DoorDash are both prominent on-demand delivery services, each with unique strengths. While Gopuff focuses on swift deliveries of convenience goods from its own micro-fulfillment centers, DoorDash offers a vast selection of restaurant meals. The choice between the two largely hinges on individual delivery needs. Utilizing both can maximize speed, diversity, and savings.