Top 12 Work-On-Demand Job Apps for Every Industry

The rise of gig apps has made a pretty big impact on the field of agency and temp work. Several staffing apps and instant work apps have made it possible for businesses in a wide range of industries to hire temporary workers to fill shifts on a one-off or temporary basis. Here’s a rundown of the most popular on-demand apps for filling hourly shifts.

1. Instawork

Instawork is at the top of the list of day labor apps where you can pick up shifts. Marketed as an instant work app, it’s primarily geared toward short-term, seasonal, and temp work, and it’s a great way to pick up a last-minute shift to earn some extra money if your schedule frees up.

Think of Instawork as a temp agency without the hassle that comes with having a go-between. You get to decide when and where you work. You also have the ability to schedule shifts in advance or pick them up the same day.

For jobs that require certification or special training, you’ll need to show proof of these credentials before getting started.

What you need to know about Instawork

• Types of work: Food and beverage, hospitality, cooking, cleaning, events, warehousing and merchandising, and retail.
• Fees: It’s completely free to sign up for Instawork, and you don’t even need to pay for your own insurance. What’s more, Instawork doesn’t take a cut of your earnings, so you earn the posted rate.
• Payments: Rates are set by employers, and most jobs pay over $20 per hour. You’ll get paid weekly, by Saturday at the latest.

2. Wonolo

Unlike some on-demand work apps, Wonolo is strictly a place to find temporary gigs and shift work. You’ll find a mix of in-person gigs available in this app, including office work, labor gigs, and odd jobs.

Wonolo operates similarly to a staffing agency. They ensure that all workers are covered by workers’ comp and occupational accident insurance. In addition, you don’t have to worry about finding clients, invoicing them, or making sure you get paid on time.

Although the requirements are pretty lax for using Wonolo, some jobs require background checks or additional screening. In these cases, Wonolo coordinates the process.

What you need to know about Wonolo

• Types of work: Event services, customer service, food and beverage, hotel and travel, manufacturing, retail, warehousing, general labor, delivery driving, washing and cleaning, virtual assistance, and merchandising.
• Fees: It’s free to sign up for Wonolo, and you get to keep 100% of the listed pay, if you have your own insurance. If you don’t have your own insurance coverage, they will take a Trust & Safety fee out of your earnings ($0.70 per hour for jobs requiring a vehicle and $0.65 per hour for non-vehicle jobs).
• Payments: Pay rates are set by employers. You get paid within 5 business days, although Wonolo claims that 98% of jobs pay within 2 business days.

3. Qwick

Although Qwick has limited availability in the US (it’s currently only available in 13 states and Washington, D.C.), it’s a good option if you want to pick up shifts in the hospitality industry.

There are a couple of unique features that distinguish Qwick from the other general labor apps on this list. For starters, hospitality professionals receive what’s known as a QwickScore. You’ll be graded on factors like experience, reliability, and professionalism. This score is then used to match you with gigs.

The requirements to work for Qwick are fairly relaxed. As long as you’re at least 18 years old and have at least 1 year of recent work experience with the type of job you want to do, you should be good to go.

What you need to know about Qwick

• Types of work: Banquet cook, banquet server, barista, busser, bartender, food assembler, concession worker, event helper, mixologist, and restaurant server.
• Fees: There’s no signup fee, membership fee, or background check fee. However, if you want instant payouts, you’ll need to sacrifice 1% of your payment.
• Payments: Normally, you’ll get paid within 1–2 business days after you complete a shift. However, you also have the option to get paid faster with Instant Pay, which transfers those funds to your account within 30 minutes.

4. Jobble

Jobble markets itself as an on-demand staffing app geared toward temporary workers in various manual labor industries. They claim to work with 500+ businesses nationwide. In addition to hourly gigs, you can also find full-time jobs.

There are two ways to get jobs on Jobble. The first is by claiming on-demand jobs that fit your search preferences. The other is through partner posts, which allow you to apply for jobs directly on the hiring company’s website.

In addition to helping you find work as you need it, the app comes with something called Jobble Perks. These deals help you save money on life expenses like travel, childcare, and education, which will enable you to continue working for yourself.

When you receive and accept your first job offer, Jobble will run a background check. Once you’re verified and good to go, you can pick up as many one-time or recurring shifts as you like.

What you need to know about Jobble

• Types of work: Warehouse, hospitality, retail, events, delivery, general labor, and health care.
• Fees: There are no costs associated with using Jobble as a job seeker.
• Payments: Jobble will pay you via direct deposit to your bank account or debit card within 7 days after your final shift for each job.

There are several digital marketplaces that have become synonymous with freelance work. If you want to land work-from-home gigs ASAP, then you should sign up for one or more of these top freelancing platforms.

5. Upwork

If you’re interested in platforms to find remote work, Upwork is a good one to start with. It’s one of the most well-known and widely used online freelance marketplaces, and jobs are available in a wide range of industries, from graphic design to proofreading to consulting.

While you can bid on gigs you’re interested in, employers can also contact you directly, so it’s important to have a thoughtfully crafted profile with good reviews.

What you need to know about Upwork

• Types of work: Accounting and consulting, admin support, customer service, data science and analysis, design and creative, engineering and architecture, IT, legal services, sales and marketing, translation, development (web, mobile, and software), and writing.
• Fees: You can sign up for a free plan with Upwork or pay $20 per month for the Freelancer Plus plan. You also need to pay a service fee, which is 10% of your pay for most jobs.
• Payments: As a freelancer on Upwork, you set your own rates and get paid through a secure system. When you’re ready to cash out, you’ll have a variety of options to choose from, including direct deposit, PayPal, and Payoneer.

6. Fiverr

Fiverr is an app that enables you to work a variety of creative or technical gigs across 600+ job categories. Like Upwork, it’s a freelance marketplace that’s primarily geared toward jobs and side hustles you can do from home or online.

What makes Fiverr different from most freelance marketplaces is that it’s a place for businesses to hire professionals at budget prices. In fact, that’s the reason behind the platform’s name—the starting price for all services is just $5.

While this is great for employers, it can be a source of frustration for freelancers, especially considering the huge cut that Fiverr will take from your income. For these reasons, Fiverr is best for novice freelancers looking to gain experience and build their portfolios.

What you need to know about Fiverr

• Types of work: Graphics and design, digital marketing, writing and editing, translation, video and animation, music and audio, programming and tech, business and legal consulting, accounting and bookkeeping, virtual assistance, tutoring, coaching, arts and crafts, data science, and photography.
• Fees: It’s free to sign up for Fiverr, although they’ll take a 20% cut of your wages. If you accept an invitation to join the Seller Plus program, you’ll need to pay $20 per month. You also need to pay a withdrawal fee if you’re using a payment method other than PayPal. This fee is $1–$3 for Fiverr Revenue Card, $3 for local bank transfers, and $1 for direct deposits.
• Payments: You’ll get paid within 14 days, unless you’re a Top-Rated Seller, in which case you’ll get paid within 7 days. You need to have at least $25 in earnings to get paid, and you have the option to get paid via PayPal, Fiverr Revenue Card, local bank transfer, or direct deposit.

7. Freelancer

The Freelancer jobs app is one of the largest freelance marketplaces. With more than 2,700 job categories, you can make money in a lot of different ways—and from some of the world’s top organizations (like Amazon and NASA).

Similar to other freelance marketplace apps, freelancers bid on open projects. While every Freelancer.com user can sign up and start applying to jobs for free, there’s a limit on how many bids you get.

What you need to know about Freelancer

• Types of work: AI, website development, writing, data entry, sales and marketing, accounting, manufacturing, health and medicine, and shipping.
• Fees: Freelancer charges a 10% service fee on your earnings. You can sign up for free or spend extra money for a monthly or annual plan. Without a paid plan, you’ll be limited in terms of the number of skills you can list on your profile and number of bids you can send. There’s also a $1 withdrawal fee if you choose to use Express Withdrawals.
• Payments: Payments are sent out twice per week, and you have the option to get paid via PayPal, Skrill, or Payoneer. Users in some regions can also get paid by direct deposit or wire transfer. The minimum withdrawal amount is $50.

There’s no denying the rising popularity of side hustles and independent work. The number of independent workers in the US more than doubled between 2020 and 2023. And with this trend has come a greater need for apps and services allowing independent workers to find and connect with potential clients.

If you’re a self-employed contractor who does manual labor or in-person work (as opposed to digital freelancing), then using one of these on-demand job services for independent contractors can make a huge difference to your business earnings.

8. Field Nation

Field Nation is a good app for independent contractors with field service experience and technical expertise. They market themselves as the leading labor marketplace for IT workers, and their aim is to minimize the legwork you have to do in terms of finding clients and dealing with business paperwork.

Because of the highly technical nature of the gigs on Field Nation, some employers have additional requirements besides in-field experience. For instance, it’s not uncommon to have to submit to a background check or drug screening before being hired.

What you need to know about Field Nation

• Types of work: Security, computers and printers, security camera installation, network cabling, WiFi installation, and point-of-sale (POS) installation.
• Fees: Field Nation will charge a 10% service fee on all your earnings. They offer a free account, but you also have the option to sign up for a Field Nation Pro account if you’re willing to sacrifice an additional 3.9% of the pay on each job you do. In addition, you’ll have to pay to take out a general liability insurance policy, either through Field Nation or on your own.
• Payments: Payouts are sent every Friday, and you can choose to be paid via direct deposit or PayPal. If you’re paying for a Field Nation Pro account, then you’ll get paid as soon as the next business day through the platform’s On-Demand Pay feature.

9. Veryable

Veryable is a labor marketplace for professionals in the manufacturing industry. They specialize in helping manual laborers get hooked up with instant gigs and offer quick payouts.

One unique feature of Veryable is that they require you to set up a platform-specific financial account called a Vault account to receive payments. This account comes with its own physical and digital debit cards, and it’s the reason why Veryable is able to offer next-day payments for workers.

What you need to know about Veryable

• Types of work: Automotive, building materials, consumer products, food and beverage furniture, industrial labor, logistics, manufacturing, medical, packaging and plastics, paper and printing, and oil and gas.
• Fees: It’s free to use Veryable as a contractor or operator. With that said, it seems that they charge a mark-up on posted jobs. This means that you’ll receive less money than what businesses are paying, but it’s unclear how big of a cut Veryable takes.
• Payments: You bid on jobs, so you have some control over how much you’re willing to get paid for each gig, but it’s ultimately up to employers to decide. Payments are processed daily, and you’ll get paid into your Vault account the day after you complete a job.

10. TaskRabbit

Interested in doing some manual labor to make easy cash? TaskRabbit is a good app for that. TaskRabbit joined forces with Ikea back in 2018, and as a result, they offer plenty of jobs specific to moving and furniture assembly. But that’s not all you can do.

TaskRabbit is also known as a house cleaning app and handyman app where you can find cleaning gigs, odd jobs, and repair work. But the list of jobs you can do on TaskRabbit is pretty extensive, and it includes gigs that don’t require any special skills or training, including obscure tasks like waiting in line, running personal errands, and organizing closets.

You’ll have a ton of freedom with this jobs-on-demand app, including setting your own prices, working when and where you want, and picking and choosing which jobs you work. Before you can get started on TaskRabbit, you’ll need to undergo a background check. Once approved, you’ll start receiving jobs that match your preferences.

What you need to know about TaskRabbit

• Types of work: Furniture assembly, home repairs, mounting and installation, cleaning, shopping and delivery, yard work, personal assistance, painting, virtual and online work, and moving.
• Fees: The only fee you pay is a $25 signup fee when you register. You get to keep 100% of your earnings.
• Payments: You set your own rates on TaskRabbit. You’ll get paid via direct deposit to your checking account within 24 hours after you complete a task, but it’ll take 3–5 days for the money to appear in your bank account.

11. Puls

The Puls app is an on-demand gig app for skilled technicians. The primary purpose of the app is to connect homeowners with professionals who are experienced in providing high-skill home services and phone repairs. This could be anything from TV mounting to plumbing.

What you need to know about Puls

• Types of work: House painting, furniture assembly, home appliance repair, TV mounting, plumbing, drywall repair, iPhone repair, garage door repair, and smart home installation.
• Fees: Puls is technically free to use, but you’ll need to pay for your own insurance and equipment expenses. Puls also charges penalty fees for certain behaviors, and user reports indicate that they pocket a pretty high percentage of the money that customers pay before giving workers their share—seemingly taking a cut of up to 50%.
• Payments: Rates are set by Puls, but they claim you can make up to $60 per hour as a Puls technician. You’ll get paid three times per week via direct deposit, and the money should reach your bank account within 14 days of service completion.

12. Thumbtack

Thumbtack is an on-demand labor app that’s unique for a few reasons. To start, it’s available nationwide, in every county in all 50 states. It’s also a jobs-on-demand website and advertises a wide variety of gigs, from manual labor to event services.

Thumbtack’s most unique feature is that it’s a lead generation service for contractors. Instead of using the app to find and apply to jobs, you pay when you receive leads that match your job criteria. You also pay when a client hires you directly.

What you need to know about Thumbtack

• Types of work: Handyman services, moving, cleaning, mounting and installation, event planning, personal training, web and app development, web design, musical performance, financial services, photography, private investigation, tutoring, home improvement, pet sitting, and tech support.
• Fees: You’ll pay lead generation fees, which vary depending on the type of project. For instant payouts, you’ll need to sacrifice 1% of your pay.
• Payments: The standard payout time is 4 business days. You have the option to pay a fee to receive an instant deposit within 30 minutes.

Whether you’re looking to pick up shifts from time to time or want steady contract work, on-demand job apps are a great way to find exactly what you’re looking for. However, not every app caters to the same kinds of workers.

Before you install one of the apps in this list, make sure it aligns with your expertise. For instance, apps like Instawork, Wonolo, Qwick, and Jobble are useful if you want to work in hospitality. On the other hand, if you’re looking for ways to make money from home, Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer will be useful.

It’s also important to consider your goals. Do you want an easy way to pick up some gigs? If so, it might be worth trading 10% of your earnings for the convenience of having gigs sent to you. But if your goal is to make the most money possible, you might be better off with a no-fee job app.

Make a list of what features are the most important to you, then compare it against this list of apps. You’re sure to find at least a couple that can help you in your job search.