Like other delivery and shopping-based apps such as Instacart, Shipt, and Amazon Flex, the Spark Driver app allows you the flexibility to manage your own schedule and work on your own time. This makes it a perfect gig to start or add to your gig app portfolio to help fill in gaps. Keep reading to learn more about this platform, how it works, and how to deliver with the Spark Driver app.

What is Spark Driver?

‍Launched in 2018 by major global retailer Walmart, Spark Driver delivers groceries, food, home goods, and more to customers nationwide. Currently the service is available in more than 3,650 cities and all 50 states.

Customers place orders via the Spark Driver app, which are then delivered by drivers on the Spark delivery app.

‍How do I become a driver on the Spark Driver app?

‍Thinking of adding Spark Driver to your gig work repertoire?  We’ll cover how.

First, check to make sure that Spark Driver is available where you work. You can check your local delivery zones on their website by selecting the zones you want to deliver in.

Next, let's go through the eligibility requirements.

You must:

1. Be 18 years of age or older
2. Provide proof of auto insurance
3. Have a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record
4. Pass a background check 

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If you check off all the items listed above, all you need to get started is a car and a smartphone!

‍How long is the Spark Driver application process?

Once you have your delivery zones selected, you will need to complete some forms and get a background check started. The background check should take 3-7 business days on average but can take longer. The Spark Driver team will send you updates throughout the application process. If your selected zones are currently full, you can get added to a waitlist to be notified when there is an opening.

Once your background check clears and you’ve been fully onboarded you can download the Spark Driver app to receive your first delivery request!

What will my schedule be like on the Spark Driver app?

1. Sign in to the Spark Driver app and let them know you’re ready to accept orders by selecting “Spark Now.”
   
2. Wait for order offers to come in.
   
3. When an order offers is available to you, it will show you the estimated payout, store location, order type, and number of orders.
   
4. After accepting an order, you will head to the location specified and follow order pick-up instructions, depending on the order you might pick up some orders in the parking lot, or inside the store.
   
5. Once you have the order, drop it off for the customer per the instructions in the app.
   
6. Wait for your next order—rinse and repeat!

‍How do drivers get paid, and how often?

Spark Drivers can earn for each offer completed, which includes trip earnings, tips, and incentives. Trip earnings are based on factors such as distance traveled and order size, and drivers keep 100% of confirmed customer tips. There are also additional earning opportunities through incentive programs, where drivers can boost earnings by meeting incentive qualifications, such as completing a certain number of trips in a specific time period.

Spark Drivers can access earnings every Tuesday by 8:00PM PT in Branch Wallet - a free digital wallet and debit card backed by an FDIC-insured checking account that allows you to receive and manage earnings electronically. During the enrollment process on the Spark Driver app, drivers will be prompted to download the Branch app to store and transfer funds, and track your earnings history.

Spark Driver Delivery Types

Ready to make your first delivery? There are a few different delivery types when you receive order requests within the app:

1. Round Robin: These offers are exclusive and sent directly to individual drivers. You have several minutes to accept or reject these orders, and they typically come once per hour at the same time each hour.
2. First Come, First Serve: These offers are available to all nearby drivers in your selected zone and, as the name implies, the first driver to accept the request gets the offer. Typically, these offers are sent closer to the scheduled pick-up time than Round Robin offers. Unlike with Round Robin orders, declining this type of order does not affect your acceptance rate.
   

Types of Spark Driver Orders

There are three types of deliveries drivers can make using the Spark Driver app:

1. Curbside orders: These orders are pretty simple. You will have a designated curbside parking space and once you arrive you’ll check in and wait for an associate to load the order into your vehicle.
   
2. Express deliveries: This order option brings grocery orders to customers within two hours or less and is indicated by a blue lightning bolt in the app. You will pick these orders up inside the store, as these orders are shopping and delivery orders.
   
3. Dotcom orders: These are non-grocery orders that come from items purchased from Walmart.com like cleaning supplies and other general items. You will pick these up inside the store. As a heads up, customers don’t have the option to tip during checkout on Dotcom orders which is something to be aware of when accepting this order type.
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While Walmart is where most of the orders originate from, Spark Driver also delivers for other retailers. You may also see orders from retailers like Home Depot, Sam's Club, and more.

How much can you make with the Spark Driver app?

Like many gig work apps, workers on the Spark Driver app are paid for each delivered order with no set hourly wage. How much you make will depend on your market, order types, and hours worked.

We've tracked some of the average earnings we've seen drivers earn on average in cities nationwide and we've pulled them into the table below to help give a sense of what you could earn on average depending on your area. For a more accurate picture of what you could earn driving for Spark in your market, head to our Pay Insights page, select your city, then select “Spark Driver” to see what you could earn on average, the best hours to work, and more. Actual pay will depend on how busy your market is and how many hours you can drive.

Spark Tips from a Seasoned Driver

‍We chatted with #FriendsOfSolo, content creator, and gig worker Bri—@RidealongwithBri—about her top tips after delivering with the Spark Driver app.

“Get to know the store numbers for the locations that are closest to you in your zone. You can see all your store locations and the store number in the app by tapping on ‘More’ and then tapping on ‘Your Zone.’ I have about 6 Walmart locations in my zone and out of those 6 locations only 2 of these locations are closest to me. The rest of the locations are about 20-30 minutes from me which is too far of a drive for me. Knowing your store number will help you quickly determine if the offer that is being shown to you is a store that you want to pick up from.”

“Pay attention to the mileage. The mileage that is shown only includes from the store where you are picking up the order to the customer's address. It’s not from where you currently are when you accept the offer, to the store, and then to the customer like food delivery. Many drivers get confused by this only to find themselves driving to the store and then realizing the 7 miles that was shown on the offer starts from the store to the customer.”

You can check out more of her tips and content on Youtube—she’s made a bunch of helpful and informative content about delivering with the Spark Driver app!

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Ready to start driving for the Spark Driver app? Get started to earn more here and be sure to link your account with Solo to ensure you’re tracking all of your income and expenses.