Gig Apps Space Heating Up As Vaccine Rumors Swirl

The PYMNTS Gig Economy Index has found that while 84 percent of gig workers would do more work if they were paid faster, 17 percent of gig workers lost up to 20 percent of their income to payment mechanisms. That’s changing with gig workers more in the driver’s seat, literally and figuratively, as evidenced by PYMNTS’ latest Provider Ranking of Gig Apps.

There aren’t many changes to this latest Ranking, granted. But the few shifts are noteworthy, and hint at greater maneuverings underlying the rapidly evolving gig economy.

The Top Five

No change at the top with DoorDash retaining the No. 1 position, Uber Driver in hot pursuit at No. 2 and grocery gig app Instacart holding steady at No. 3 for another month.

Online freelance marketplace Fiverr is where we left it at No. 4 in the previous Gig App ranking, but a notable change is Amazon Flex rising two spots to land at No. 5 this go around.

The Top 10

Speaking of gigs, aptly named app Freelancer is looking good at No. 6 again, while No. 7 was a surprise, with ridesharing brand Lyft rising two spots. News of an impending vaccine has some feeling bullish on the ride-hailing sector again, it seems.

Global freelancing platform Upwork drops three spots to No. 8, staying in the Top 10 as its gross services volume (GSV) surged 23 percent year over year to $654.5 million. Mobile labor app TaskRabbit enters the Top 10 at No. 9 in this Provider Ranking of Gig Apps, with the Grubhub gig worker app taking the No. 10 spot, closing out another gig app ranking.