Wonolo Review: Is Wonolo a Legit Temp Work App?

As mentioned, Wonolo, or “Work Now Locally,” is one of the most popular apps to pick up shifts. It provides businesses with a quick and cost-effective way to find and hire staff as needed for same-day, temporary, and part-time shifts.

While Wonolo may not be as big as some of the other job apps out there, it boasts a worker base of over 1 million “Wonoloers” and over 3 million jobs filled. The company first came onto the scene back in 2014, but since then, they’ve grown substantially. 1

How Wonolo works

Unlike the case with some competing work-on-demand apps, Wonoloers can’t directly apply for shifts. Instead, here’s how it works:

1. Sign up to become a Wonoloer.
2. Receive a list of available and relevant positions every day.
3. Pick a shift that you’re interested in.
4. Work the shift.
5. Get paid shortly after you finish work.

The more time you spend customizing your profile and preferences, the better your job matches will be. You can customize search parameters like preferred start time, shift duration, location, employer rating, total shift pay, and more.

Types of jobs

Wonolo jobs tend to fall under the broader category of manual labor, and the app is mainly geared toward frontline workers. You’ll find shifts available in fields like retail, food services, and delivery, but you can also find jobs in other niches, depending on the job availability where you live.

Here are Wonolo’s top job categories:

• Delivery jobs
• Food production
• General labor
• Manufacturing and production
• Merchandising
• Warehousing
• Washing and cleaning

Some of the jobs in these categories are skilled positions—like in food production and marketing—that may require professional experience and certification. Others are a bit more lenient about qualifications.

In addition to searching Wonolo based on the type of job you want, you can also search for jobs that fit your schedule, as it’s freelance work and very flexible. For instance, you can look for “weekend jobs,” “same day jobs,” “night jobs,” or “part-time jobs.”

Costs and fees

Wonolo doesn’t charge workers to sign up, and there are no service fees. This means you’ll get to keep 100% of the stated salary for any shift you claim (minus any taxes you pay).

That said, there is one fee that you may have to pay: the Trust and Safety Fee. This fee applies if you don’t already have your own insurance covering accidents and injuries on the job. Here’s how much the fee is generally advertised to be for different job types:

• Jobs where you operate a vehicle: $0.70 per hour.
• Non-vehicle jobs: $0.65 per hour.

This fee covers the cost of occupational accident insurance (OAI), which you’re required to have. With this insurance, you’ll be covered for any costs that arise due to a job-related accident or injury.

Eligibility requirements

The Wonolo app has only a few basic requirements:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Be legally authorized to work in the US
• Have a Social Security number (SSN)
• Have a government-issued ID
• Have a smartphone

You’ll also need to agree to Wonolo’s biometric data policy and workers’ comp insurance fee in order to register. Beyond these Wonolo signup requirements, employers may have additional requirements for you. These are referred to as “conditional offer specifications” and may include things like certifications or background checks.

Locations

Wonolo currently operates in more than 100 markets in the United States. To see whether Wonolo is set up where you live, check out their complete list of locations.

Even if Wonolo operates in your state, some towns and cities will have more jobs than others. The website previously listed these cities as the top places to find Wonolo jobs, so they’re likely to have comparatively good prospects for Wonolo opportunities:

• Atlanta, GA
• Austin, TX
• Chicago, IL
• Columbus, OH
• Dallas, TX
• Denver, CO
• Detroit, MI
• Houston, TX
• Jacksonville, FL
• Kansas City, MO
• Miami, FL
• New York, NY
• Newark, NJ
• Orlando, FL
• Philadelphia, PA
• Phoenix, AZ
• Portland, OR
• San Antonio, TX
• Seattle, WA
• Tampa, FL

Some Wonolo reviews say that jobs are hard to come by, even in places like New York City. So a quick search to see what’s currently available in your area should give you an idea of whether you’ll be able to pick up relevant shifts on Wonolo.

If not, you might be better off trying alternative gig apps or freelancer platforms instead.

All Wonolo workers get paid via direct deposit. Stripe is the most common payment processor, though Wonolo will accept others. However, Stripe payments are processed the fastest.

When does Wonolo pay?

According to Wonolo, 98% of jobs pay within 2 business days. However, it can take anywhere in the range of 1–5 business days (or sometimes longer) to get paid for a completed shift. It depends on when your employer approves your timesheet.

How much can you earn with Wonolo?

The amount of money you’ll earn on Wonolo depends on the type of gigs you book, the going rates in your area, and how much you work. You won’t set your own rates—instead, companies post the salary for a particular gig, which you’ll be able to see before you claim the shift.

Some jobs may be posted with an hourly rate, whereas others will display a flat rate. Whatever salary you see posted is the amount you’ll get paid after you complete the shift.

The table below shows the estimated average earnings for Wonolo workers based on information from various online sources.

Average Hourly Rate for Wonolo Workers

Sources: Indeed and Zippia.

Experience, location, and certifications can all impact how much you earn. Your best bet is to visit the local job boards on the Wonolo website. You’ll see how much employers are offering to pay for each shift and how many hours you’re required to work.

Just keep in mind that when working for Wonolo, you’ll be classed as an independent contractor. This means you’ll need to pay your own taxes. Factor in the cost of taxes when assessing whether a Wonolo job is worth it.

Wonolo is a legitimate app to use if you’re looking for temporary or even temp-to-hire gigs, and it offers some safety features to protect workers who are using the Wonolo app to pick up short-notice temp jobs.

Wonolo has some similarities with a typical staffing agency in terms of what it offers. In addition to helping businesses like Extended Stay America, Jimmy John’s, and Lyft fill temp positions, Wonolo provides workers’ comp in the event that you get injured while on the job.

Should you be concerned about the Wonolo lawsuit?

Last year, a former user of Wonolo filed a lawsuit that implicated the company. While the lawsuit was technically filed against Amazon Web Services (AWS), it was because of the facial recognition technology used by Wonolo.

When you first create a Wonolo profile, you need to include an image of your face. When you check in for work, you then scan your face on a Wonolo device to confirm your identity. The face scans are stored in the Wonolo database on AWS servers.

AWS has allegedly been selling this biometric data to other entities like law enforcement agencies and businesses. Ultimately, in this lawsuit, the judge sided with Amazon, as the case was filed in Illinois, a location where Wonolo doesn’t operate.

You can read Wonolo’s biometric data policy here.

While Wonolo is a legit app for picking up shifts, what’s it actually like working for it?

We’ve scoped out reviews and reports from active Wonolo users on Reddit, Trustpilot, and other online platforms so that you can get a better idea of what it’s like using the app in January 2026.

A “lifesaver” when you’re between jobs

Many users praise Wonolo for getting them out of tight financial spots. It frequently features on various users’ lists of places to earn quick cash, especially considering that you don’t need to go in for an interview to start picking up gigs.

Some misleading listings

One complaint across Glassdoor and the App Store concerns the accuracy of Wonolo’s job ads. Some users report that while the app may show a high number of available positions, many are categorized as “waitlisted” and aren’t actually open for booking. These users go on to speculate that these unavailable listings remain visible to inflate the platform’s appearance of activity.

A lack of consistent support

Another issue for many current users is a perceived lack of support for workers. Many users claim they can’t find a working phone number for Wonolo, forcing them to rely on live agents who may take days to respond.

This lack of support is particularly problematic for users whose payments get delayed, especially considering how many people use Wonolo as a way to make quick cash when they really need it. Some users report that their payments remain in a state of “processing” limbo for days despite their employers approving their work.

The takeaway: use multiple apps

While Wonolo is a good choice if you want to pick up extra shifts, you shouldn’t solely rely on it. Several users recommended signing up for multiple temporary gig apps, including Wonolo, Shift Smart, Instawork, and GetGigs, which is a good way to ensure you have enough work.

While you can initiate the signup process on Wonolo.com, it’s going to direct you to the mobile app to complete the process. So you should start by downloading the Wonolo app onto your phone or mobile device.

The first thing they’ll ask you to do is enter your phone number and agree to all the terms of service, including the biometric data policy.

After that, you’ll complete the form by providing them with the following information:

• Your full name as it appears on your official ID
• Your email address
• Password
• Clear photo of your face
• Your zip code

When you’re done, you’ll be free to create a profile and set your job preferences and specifications.

Where to download the Wonolo app

App Store Google Play

Is Wonolo one of the best temp job apps? According to some of its users, it’s a good resource for making fast cash, and there’s a nice variety of jobs available.

You also don’t have to spend a ton of time sifting through job postings that are a bad fit. With extensive search parameters, the Wonolo app makes it easy to find shifts that fit your needs.

However, like other gig apps, Wonolo has received mixed reviews. Below, we’ve rounded up a summary of both the positives and negatives that frequently come up in online app reviews to give you a glimpse into what it’s really like finding work with Wonolo.

Payments

One of Wonolo’s biggest perks is the opportunity to get paid the same day. While some users say it can take a few days for payments to actually land in your bank account, others rave about how fast payments are sent out.

On the flip side, many users complain about not getting paid despite working a full shift. It sounds like, in many cases, it’s because employers are being dishonest and not wanting to pay. Others have noted how faulty the clock-in process is.

User reviews:

“When I do find job, I get paid in less than 6 hours.” (Google Play, January 2024)

“Wonolo is the app you go to if you want same day pay.” (Google Play, January 2024)

“You get paid on time. Usually the same day after your shift. It may post to your account the next morning.” (Google Play, September 2022)

“This company does good until they owe you money. They do not communicate well with in their own company. I would turn a miss time sheet. It showed up on my app then deny it saying they didn’t get it. Took them 7 months to get it. I had to fight tooth and nail for the money that was owed to me.” (Google Play, September 2023)

Job availability

One of the biggest drawbacks of Wonolo seems to be the lack of jobs available in some areas. Many frustrated users report going through an arduous signup process only to find out there are no job openings in their state.

A major theme seems to be a downward trend in the number of available gigs. Some Wonolo workers who have been using the app for years say that it used to have plenty of gigs, but now options are a lot more limited and, as a result, the earning potential of this money-making platform.

User reviews:

“Wonolo has plenty of work in my area.” (Reddit, July 2022)

“I’ve had this app for years and the gigs have only gotten worst/become non-existent.” (Google Play, February 2024)

“I will rarely receive a job notification and the rare times that i do receive a job notification, it will say that the job is ‘no longer available’ within not even a whole ten seconds of me receiving the notification.” (Google Play, April 2023)

Dealing with employers

Since you’re not actually working for Wonolo as a Wonoloer, it’s hard to know whether you’ll end up with a reliable or communicative employer. Some workers complain about employers canceling shifts last-minute, mistakenly marking them as late, or providing inaccurate or incorrect information in job postings (e.g., job location, description, or dress code).

On the plus side, it seems that Wonolo gigs can lead to consistent, ongoing job opportunities with individual companies. If an employer likes you, they can prioritize you when listing an opening. This is good news for workers who’ve already gotten their foot in the door, but it can make it hard for new users to break into the market and start a new side hustle or business.

User reviews:

“I have been canceled on more jobs than I have completed.” (Google Play, December 2023)

“As soon as I arrived at the location, after spending time & money out of pocket, they canceled my booked gig-HALF AN HR BEFORE START TIME.” (Google Play, July 2023)

“I had a job on Friday that I went to I arrived at the job an hour and a half early I was given different information about the attire I corresponded with them they marked me down as a no-show when I actually did show and my account was deactivated today.” (Google Play, June 2023)

“Employers screw Wonoloers by switching hours that originally were chosen and agreed upon without consent, making less money than agreed to. Then if you withdraw from a multiple day job, Wonolo will punish you and block you from work.” (Google Play, June 2023)

User support

Because there’s no phone number or live chat for Wonolo support, users struggle to get issues resolved. In some cases, workers are forced to provide extensive proof of the issue, like photos or screenshots that show they were on site after the fact. It’s worth documenting each job if you use Wonolo to pick up gigs.

User reviews:

“The contact information they have is automated, no one will get back at you.” (Google Play, January 2024)

“Can not get assistance from support just the same useless email over and over again.” (Google Play, May 2023)

Wonolo was founded back in 2014. With more than a decade in business, the company hasn’t quite seemed to work out all of the kinks. While the website paints a rosy picture about how easy it is to pick up shifts and get paid quickly, that’s far from the reality for some users.

With that said, if you’re fortunate enough to live in an area with plenty of Wonolo jobs, the app makes it easy to earn fast cash by picking up shifts in your area. Before you decide, weigh up Wonolo’s major pros and cons.

If you’re thinking about using Wonolo, do your research. Check out the local jobs available on the app. See how many are available, how much they pay, and what’s involved in the work. It might be worth it just to sign up.

Once you have a profile and start receiving jobs, take another beat to evaluate how well Wonolo is working for you as a side hustle app. If you can find shifts with high-quality and reliable employers that you trust, then Wonolo could be a great jobs resource.