What Percentage Do Popular Side-Gig Apps Take from Each Sale in the U.S.?

An article from LLC Attorney.com offers one of the most detailed, data-rich comparisons of how much major gig and marketplace platforms extract in fees from workers’ earnings versus how much the workers keep. This article goes beyond anecdotal evidence and offers practical insights alongside raw data. Every freelancer, business owner, and part-time gig worker should understand the information presented here so they can wisely choose where to sell their products and services.

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The article’s most important message is that platforms vary widely in how much they take from earnings. These differences can have a big impact on the workers’ bottom line. Here are some examples:

Rideshare Apps: Major platforms like Lyft and Uber typically take about 25% to 30% of passenger fares, and in some cases more for low-priced trips. Drivers do get to keep 100% of tips.

Delivery Services: Delivery gig earnings are reported as base pay plus tips. Workers receive the full tip amount, but pay varies by platform and market demands.

Creative Marketplaces: Platforms like Etsy charge a 6.5% transaction fee on their total sale price, plus a payment processing fee of around 3%. There are also optional advertising fees, so the total fee is about 10%. Poshmark takes 20% of sales over $15.

Pet Care Apps: Some pet care apps, like Rover, take about 20% of earnings in fees, while Wag takes a significantly higher portion, around 40%.

The article also discussed lodging and rental platforms. Hosts on Airbnb pay a 3% host service fee, plus a guest service fee of approximately 14% to 15%. Platforms like Vrbo and Booking.com have variable fee structures that usually land between 10% and 25%, depending on the model.

What makes this article especially useful is the visual chart, which lets you quickly peruse and compare dozens of apps. If a worker juggles multiple platforms, let’s say they’re a DoorDash delivery driver, have an Etsy shop, and flip items on Poshmark, they can compare all these platforms quickly and decide which are the most profitable. This is also crucial information to help people set prices effectively.

The article places these fees in the context of the gig economy boom. Millions of people supplement their income and build independent businesses using these apps. About 16.6% of side hustlers report delivery or ride-sharing gig work as their part-time side hustle, with an online shop and freelancing close behind. Recent surveys show that 70% of Americans earn extra cash through side gigs, often via the apps listed in the chart. Even so, many users underestimate the extent of platforms’ control over visibility, fees, and pricing.

Understanding each platform’s fee structures is integral to a financial platform. These fees and the pricing workers set can have a strong influence on whether a side hustle is profitable. The information presented here is a decision-making tool that combines clear, comparative data with important context to help side hustlers succeed in their ventures.