The gig economy has taken root in the US and around the world.
Gig workers everywhere hustle daily to make a living or earn a bit of side cash.
In many cases, it’s a lucrative career.
But that hustle can get exhausting.
Between choosing which delivery platform to drive for and picking rides, it’s hard to know exactly how much you’ll make.
That’s where apps like Para come in.
Para makes working for Grubhub and DoorDash more lucrative for drivers everywhere.
If you work for Grubhub or DoorDash and you haven’t heard of the Para app, stick around.
This article will tell you everything you need to know about the app designed to simplify your side hustle.
Table Of Contents
What is the Para App?
Para is an app designed for Grubhub, Uber, and DoorDash drivers.
The goal is to provide drivers with enough information to make informed decisions about which orders to accept.
That information includes customer and tip information that you wouldn’t see in the rideshare and delivery service apps.
How Does the Para App Work?
When you log into DoorDash, Uber, or Grubhub through the Para app, Para analyzes the rideshare services’ code.
In doing so, Para could view the full tip and payout amount, which you’ll only see as a minimum estimate in the other apps.
Once you’re logged into the Para app, you can accept or reject orders.
In addition, you can view order history, mileage, and earnings information.
What Does the Para App Do?
Para uses Argyle to compile your earnings and mileage from multiple apps in one place.
It’s designed to help drivers choose the best-paying jobs to maximize their schedule and limit downtime.
Para App Features
Several features make Para attractive for DoorDash and Grubhub drivers.
Its Driver Tools allow you to view tip amounts, track your earnings, and choose offers based on your preferences.
Another great feature is being able to view your mileage.
When you open the Para app, you can view your combined mileage for all delivery services in one place.
Perhaps the biggest perk is having all your job options in one app.
Instead of bouncing between apps, you can view all available orders in one place.
Perhaps the most loved feature was Tip Transparency, which showed drivers their total tip amounts for DoorDash.
Unfortunately, the feature was phased out recently.
You’ll learn more about Tip Transparency below.
What Apps Does Para App Work With?
Currently, Para only works with DoorDash, Uber, and Grubhub.
There aren’t any public plans to expand into other food delivery or rideshare services.
DoorDash
As of 2017, DoorDash had more than 100,000 drivers in the United States.
Although it’s not as widespread as Uber Eats, DoorDash is one of the most popular food delivery services.
Although Para is designed to work for DoorDash drivers, it technically goes against their terms of service.
GrubHub
Grubhub is another food delivery app that provides service to all 50 states.
It works on a similar model as DoorDash.
However, Grubhub was founded nine years before DoorDash.
Even still, both are on even footing in terms of where they serve.
Uber and Uber Eats
Uber, along with its offshoot, Uber Eats, are the newest additions to Para.
They were added to the service in May 2022.
Uber is the largest rideshare service in the US, so Para tapped into a much larger market by adding Uber to its service.
What Was Tip Transparency in the Para App?
Tip Transparency was the main selling point in Para for a lot of drivers.
Unfortunately, the DoorDash, Uber, and Grubhub apps only show drivers’ potential tip amounts with a guaranteed minimum.
This is to prevent drivers from passing over certain orders for better-paying ones.
By logging into Para, drivers could look past the potential tip on those apps and see what kind of tip they’d actually receive.
The main benefit of the Tip Transparency feature was that it allowed drivers to choose jobs based on facts instead of speculation.
Does Para App Tip Transparency Still Work?
Unfortunately, Tip Transparency is no longer accessible in the Para app.
Despite being one of the most popular features, Para was forced to phase it out when DoorDash pushed a new app update.
What Happened to Tip Transparency
The main reason DoorDash doesn’t show full tip amounts to drivers is to keep drivers from cherry-picking orders.
Para eliminated that inconvenience, making it easier for drivers to only take worthwhile jobs.
So, as DoorDash got wind of how Para worked, it started pushing out an app update that removed the hidden tip information.
Now, DoorDash sends tip information out later in the delivery process.
Over time, as more Para users updated their app to the latest version, the Tip Transparency feature stopped working.
Although some might think it’s a flaw in Para’s design, it’s actually out of Para’s hands.
Unless DoorDash changes its stance, Tip Transparency is likely gone for good.
Could the Para App Get You Deactivated?
According to DoorDash’s terms of service, drivers can’t share DoorDash content with a third party.
By logging into the DoorDash app via Para, you’re sending DoorDash content to Para’s servers.
Para, itself, put a warning on their website stating its app violates DoorDash’s TOS.
Since it’s a violation of the TOS, using Para could get you deactivated as a driver.
There haven’t been any reported instances of deactivation to date.
However, it’s still enough of a possibility that many drivers won’t use the app.
Tip Transparency Controversy
The main controversy behind Tip Transparency is that drivers felt DoorDash wasn’t being fair in withholding tip information.
Considering drivers get most of their income from tips, many felt there should be full disclosure about tipping.
However, DoorDash’s stance remains that all customers should have a fair chance at a delivery.
If customers leave low tips, drivers would inevitably pass them over.
So, DoorDash has done what it saw best to even the playing field.
Is Para Still Against DoorDash Terms?
There are several terms of service that Para could potentially violate.
Specifically, you should be aware of the following agreements in section 4.
Rules and Prohibitions.
You can read each term in full on DoorDash’s website, but here’s a quick summary of the subsections to be aware of:
(c) You can only access DoorDash through approved channels
(f) You can’t use the DoorDash app or anything connected to it for commercial purposes
(h) You can’t compile content from DoorDash for anything other than personal use
(j) You’ll keep all credentials confidential
(k) You won’t sell, license, or transfer DoorDash’s data or content to third parties
Combined, these sections essentially say you can’t share any of your or DoorDash’s data or information with a third party.
Since Para’s a third party, it stands to reason its use goes against DoorDash’s TOS.
Is the Para App Worth It?
Para’s service is undoubtedly beneficial to delivery drivers.
But despite its benefits, it also has some negative aspects and risks.
Take a look at the pros and cons of using Para.
Pros
- Flag difficult customers or restaurants
- Track mileage for multiple apps
- Compile earnings in one place
- Accept and reject orders from one app instead of multiple
- Could help you make more money
Cons
- Technically violates DoorDash’s TOS
- Could get you deactivated from your delivery service
- Tip Transparency feature isn’t available anymore
- Only available for DoorDash and Grubhub
Conclusion: Is it Worth it?
So, is Para worth it?
That really depends on you and what you’re comfortable risking.
The app provides a valuable service that makes delivery driving easier for drivers.
But on the other hand, it’s a clear violation of DoorDash’s terms of service.
So ultimately, you’ll need to decide if it’s worth that risk for you and your bank account.
How to Use the Para App
If you’re interested in learning how the Para app works, here’s a quick step-by-step tutorial.
1. Download the Para app through the Google Play or Apple app store.
2. Follow the prompts to set up your account. At this point, you’ll need to allow Para to access your DoorDash, Uber, and Grubhub accounts.
3. Start browsing orders.
4. After each order, you can decide whether to flag the customer, building, or restaurant.
5. To flag an order, simply view your order history and select the drop-down arrow under the order.
Take some time to explore the Para app once you download it.
It offers a lot of information about orders, your earnings, and your mileage that’ll help inform which orders you take in the future.
Wrapping Up
The Para app is based on an excellent premise: gig workers should have total transparency with their earnings.
Many drivers use the app and consider it to be a helpful tool.
However, since it goes against DoorDash’s terms of service, you risk getting deactivated if you use Para.
If you think Para sounds like an app that’ll benefit you, head over to your app store today and check it out.
