TaskRabbit Review: Inside the Life of a Tasker on TaskRabbit

TaskRabbit is a platform that connects gig workers and independent contractors with local people who need their services. Instead of targeting workers in a specific niche, TaskRabbit aims to be the one-stop app for all side hustlers, encompassing a wide variety of gigs that range from manual labor to pet sitting and virtual assistant jobs.

Workers on TaskRabbit are referred to as “Taskers,” and they use the app to list the types of services they can do and communicate with potential clients. Once you register as a Tasker, you get task invitations from nearby residents who need your services.

Jobs you can do on TaskRabbit

TaskRabbit offers an impressive selection of services to choose from. Whether your wheelhouse is odd jobs, cleaning, or even caregiving, you’ll be able to find something to do. The table below offers a glimpse at the types of work you can do as a Tasker.

Types of Services

This is a pretty extensive list of services, but It’s worth noting that available services vary by location. You’ll have to check and see what types of tasks are offered in your city.

Costs and fees

TaskRabbit charges Taskers in applicable cities a one-time service fee of $25 when they first register. Notably, this is the only fee you’ll have to pay. Unlike many other gig apps, TaskRabbit doesn’t charge workers service fees or commission. Every penny you earn will go straight into your bank account.

If you’re wondering how TaskRabbit makes money this way, it’s because they charge clients a booking fee each time they hire a Tasker. This means the financial burden falls on clients rather than workers.

Is TaskRabbit legit?

TaskRabbit is a completely legitimate and safe platform to use to earn money doing various side jobs. One of its main benefits over regular job boards is support for workers.

Notable examples include the TaskRabbit Happiness Pledge, which offers bodily injury coverage of up to $10,000 for workers who get injured while on the job, and the TaskRabbit cancellation policy, which awards workers 1 hour of pay if a client cancels a job within 24 hours of its scheduled start time.

With all that said, you still need to take certain steps to keep yourself safe as a Tasker. Some users have reported being hired by scam clients to aid theft or fraud. TaskRabbit can’t always filter our fake clients, so be on the lookout.

Additionally, if someone contacts you claiming to work for TaskRabbit, don’t provide them with sensitive personal or financial information. Instead, contact TaskRabbit directly through their contact page.

To join TaskRabbit and become a Tasker, you need to meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Have a US Social Security number
• Be at least 18 years old
• Be able to legally work in one of TaskRabbit’s active cities
• Pass a background and ID check
• Have a checking account with a financial institution
• Have a valid credit card for paying the registration fee
• Have a smartphone (iOS 9.0 or Android version 4.3 or later)

If you live in California, you’ll also need to show proof that you hold a sole proprietor business license. TaskRabbit’s background check includes an identity check, criminal background check, and check of national, local, and sex offender databases.

It can take a while to complete TaskRabbit’s registration and screening process. One TaskRabbit Tasker we spoke to told us that it took 2 weeks to get approved and start working for TaskRabbit back in 2016.

Required expertise

Whatever jobs you choose to do on TaskRabbit, you need to have the proper knowledge and training required to do them safely and without causing damage to your client’s property.

If you try to do jobs that are beyond your skill level, you could end up featuring in one of the many TaskRabbit horror stories going around—like the one about a Tasker in New York City who got hit with a lawsuit for $70,000 in damages after drilling into a client’s gas line while trying to mount a TV in February 2023.

How to Select Services on TaskRabbit

Where does TaskRabbit operate?

TaskRabbit operates in various cities across the US, but they don’t operate everywhere. To find out whether TaskRabbit is available where you live, check out TaskRabbit’s full list of available locations.

Becoming a Tasker is pretty straightforward. To sign up, simply follow the steps below:

1. Create a TaskRabbit account online.
2. Download the Tasker for TaskRabbit app (taskr).
3. Build your profile.
4. Complete a verification process.
5. Pay a $25 registration fee.
6. Set your availability and service area.

How long it’ll take for your application to be processed depends on where you live, but the company claims that most users can begin working for TaskRabbit within 4 business days of registration. Once you’ve completed the registration process and been approved, you can start claiming jobs.

Tasker Registration Process

TaskRabbit actually offers two different apps: The Tasker app (for workers), and the TaskRabbit app (for clients). Make sure you download the right app so you can find work and get paid for gigs.

Where to get the Tasker by TaskRabbit app

App Store Google Play

User reports online suggest that you can generally expect to make somewhere in the range of $20–$60 per hour as a Tasker. However, the exact amount you can earn with TaskRabbit heavily depends on the type of work you do.

Because TaskRabbit offers such a wide selection of jobs and workers can set their own rates, it’s difficult to accurately estimate the average Tasker’s earnings. Your location may also affect your earnings. For example, TaskRabbit estimates that movers can make $35 per hour in Albuquerque but $56 per hour in Boston. Similarly, pet sitters in Albany can make $15 per hour, whereas those in San Diego can make $22 per hour.

One notable feature about how payments work on TaskRabbit is that workers get to keep 100% of their earnings on every job, plus tips. This means that the rate you set is what you’ll actually get—TaskRabbit won’t take a commission or cut of your earnings.

How to Set Your Rates on TaskRabbit

How you’ll get paid

As a Tasker, you’ll get paid via direct deposit to your checking account. Note that you can’t use a savings account, prepaid debit card, or reloadable bank card to receive payments. Payments are typically approved within 24 hours after you complete a task, but it’ll take 3–5 days for the money to appear in your bank account.

To get the full picture of what it’s like working as a Tasker, we spoke to Ariella Lisker, a cleaner who’s been using TaskRabbit since 2016. Here’s a snapshot of the main things she says you need to know about being a Tasker.

You need to always be ready to respond to job requests

As a Tasker, you only have 1 day to reply to a job offer. If you don’t respond within that time, it’ll go to someone else. In addition, turning down too many booking requests will hurt your search ranking and make it harder to get jobs.

Because the market can get pretty competitive on TaskRabbit (especially in urban areas and for job types with more workers than available jobs), you might not be able to afford to drop the ball.

Competition is fierce

Lisker lives in New York City, which has a highly competitive market. Typically, she says, if you’re not shown on the first page or two of the search results, “it’s unlikely a potential client is going to find your profile.”

While there are ways to boost your ranking (more on that later), the fact remains that some areas and job categories are going to have more competition than others. This has the advantage of greater job availability, but it also means you have to work harder to stand out.

You run the show, without all the responsibility

When we asked Lisker what the biggest benefits of being a Tasker were, she started by mentioning the flexibility that TaskRabbit offers. “I choose when I want to work and can take off time whenever I want,” Lisker said. You also have total control over your rates. For many users, these elements of control are the main perks of being a gig worker.

Another big plus for Lisker is the convenience the app offers. You get all the perks of running your own business, with none of the hassle. “I never have to hassle with collecting money,” she added. “TaskRabbit takes care of that.” They process payments right away, and you receive the money from a job within a few days.

Lisker has successfully earned over $80,000 on TaskRabbit. We asked her to share her secrets for maximizing earnings as a Tasker, and she gave us these tips based on her firsthand experience using TaskRabbit to find jobs.

Boost your visibility

You’ll only be able to get jobs on TaskRabbit if clients can find you. Like the case with many other gig apps, TaskRabbit adjusts what results clients see when they’re searching for workers based on several factors. Knowing what these factors are will help you get ahead of the competition.

Here are Lisker’s top tips for increasing your visibility on TaskRabbit:

• Expand your service territory: The Tasker app shows what areas are in high demand, and you can adjust your map to include these regions to reach additional potential clients.
• Increase your availability: The wider your availability, the more likely you are to appear in search results, especially at times where your competitors aren’t available.
• Accept same-day bookings: You may be more likely to get hired for same-day tasks because fewer Taskers are available.
• Make small tweaks to your profile: Making small changes to your profile shows TaskRabbit that you’re still active and may help make you more searchable.
• Get positive reviews: Reviews are everything on TaskRabbit, and recent positive reviews will increase your visibility.

Craft a well-written sales pitch

Your Tasker profile is the first thing potential clients will see when deciding whether or not to hire you for a gig. It features your star rating, how many tasks you completed, your rate, your sales pitch, and whether you’ve earned Elite status. When you’re new to the platform, your sales pitch is all you’ve got, so you need to put in the effort to make it good.

“When you are hired on TaskRabbit, people are hiring you without meeting you or talking to you first. They can only go based off of your profile,” Lisker added. “A well-written profile featuring what makes you stand out and why someone should hire you, plus stellar reviews, goes a long way.”

Start by highlighting your strengths and why someone should hire you over your competitors. It’s also a good place to list your specializations or niches. For example, Lisker loves to do move-in and move-out cleaning, so this is something that she features in her sales pitch to let people know it’s one of her specialties.

Talk to clients before starting a job

When someone hires you, they’ll provide some details about the task. However, Lisker says that what will set you apart is asking relevant questions before you show up to ensure that you understand the full scope of the job, understand the client’s expectations, and arrive fully prepared.

Another benefit to reaching out to talk to the client before you start working is the opportunity it gives you to manage the client’s expectations and give them a more realistic idea of the work involved.

Provide excellent customer service

People may be hiring you to do a job, but you need to make sure you’re friendly and professional. Don’t underestimate the power of good reviews.

One of the best ways to stand out and get more jobs on TaskRabbit is to be listed among the TaskRabbit Elite, which is a selection of the highest-rated Taskers, all with positive ratings of 98% or higher. Needless to say, these will be among the most in-demand workers.

Be flexible with your availability

“There are peaks and valleys as far as busy times in this business,” Lisker told us. You need to stay flexible so you can make the most of busier times and stay afloat during slow periods.

Offering same-day bookings and expanding your availability as much as possible is also a good way to compete when you’re a new Tasker. Once you’ve started establishing a good track record, you’ll be more attractive to potential clients and have the freedom to be a little more choosy about what gigs you take.

Increase your rates

It may be counterintuitive, but increasing your rates can actually get you more business rather than make people less inclined to hire you. At least, that’s what happened for Lisker.

“When I first started on TaskRabbit, I started at the lowest possible rate,” Lisker told us. “I got a decent number of bookings. My clients were happy and gave me great reviews. I gradually experimented with increasing my rates, and I found that even though I increased my rates, I was hired more often.”

So why is it that charging more on TaskRabbit increased the demand for her services? Her explanation is simple: People are willing to pay more for high-quality service and reliability.

TaskRabbit is ideal for skilled workers who already have experience in a particular field. It’s an especially good place to offer freelance work for manual labor tasks.

However, it won’t be the best platform for everyone. There are several factors you should consider before signing up as a Tasker.

Pros and cons of working for TaskRabbit

Before committing to a TaskRabbit side hustle, take a quick look at the main advantages and disadvantages of TaskRabbit according to real Tasker reviews so you know what’s in store.

Factors to consider

Whether TaskRabbit is worth it for you will depend on three main main factors, all of which will determine your effective rate and what jobs you can get.

What services you’re providing

Although TaskRabbit is among the more diverse platforms when it comes to services offered, there is a chance that it’s not the best gig app for the type of work you plan to do. For example, Lisker eventually left TaskRabbit because she wanted to focus on her dog training side hustle, which isn’t a covered service.

Where you’re working

One of Lisker’s main complaints about TaskRabbit is that you can’t use a different territory map for different types of tasks. Since she lives in New York, expanding her territory map was a good way to get more jobs and make more money—especially for cleaning services, which command relatively high rates.

“Cleaning typically involved several hours of work, so it was worth it for me to have a larger territory to travel to,” she said. However, she also did dog walking, which is typically a 1-hour job. Unlike cleaning, it just wasn’t worth the 3-hour commute.

Your time commitment

Because TaskRabbit is so competitive, you need to put in that extra bit of effort to beat the competition—including being very flexible with your availability, gathering testimonials, and accepting requests soon after they come in.

If you want to be a full-time side hustler, then TaskRabbit can be a convenient platform for accessing a large network of potential clients. If you just want to dip your toe in the water or work part-time, you might be better off using a more targeted app.