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What is Wonolo?
Launched in 2014, the Wonolo app has become a convenient way for road travelers to find short-term local jobs. You can find Wonolo jobs in the retail, food service, staffing or general labor industries. Companies post short-term jobs and workers can pick up shifts that fit their schedule. More apps like Wonolo are popping up.
I have a van life friend who uses the Wonolo app to find work. I remember him telling me, “I drove into town, applied to work at Costa Vida, and was working there by the end of the day”. That blew me away!
If you aren’t interested in remote work (or renting out your van for passive income) and more interested in short-term local work, then Wonolo and similar job apps are for you.
That being said, Wonolo has some pitfalls.
For example, Wonolo is only available in certain US cities and you can be penalized or kicked off of Wonolo if you cancel a job you’ve already accepted within 12 hours of its start time. But employers can cancel jobs on you without that same penalty.
That’s why I’ve listed out other apps like Wonolo so you have a bigger pool of jobs to choose from. So, let’s walk through each!
17 Best Apps for Gig Work
These Wonolo alternatives are ranked highest to lowest-rated, according to Google Play Store ratings
1. Snagajob
Google Play Rating: (4.5 / 5 stars)
The highly-rated gig app, Snagajob, is a great alternative to Wonolo. It offers local hourly or full-time jobs in the retail, restaurant, customer service, seasonal job and hospitality industries. Snagajob is focused on helping those who need to keep flexible hours–whether you’re a college student or already working a full-time job.
You can search by location or keywords to see who is hiring in your area. You can even take a personality quiz to help determine which jobs are the best fit for you! It offers a one-click application and you can get Daily Job Matches sent to your inbox.
Snagajob is available across the US and pay rates are generally anywhere from $10-$50/hour. You can filter jobs by location, industry, job title, salary, age requirement, part-time or full-time, and more.
2. InstaWork
Google Play Rating: (4.5 / 5 stars)
Another great Wonolo alternative is Intsawork. It offers hourly gigs in the event, food, and warehousing industries. You can book shifts in advance or last minute, and choose jobs based on duration, location and earnings. Intstawork is available in 25 major US metro markets. Click here for a full list.
You can receive weekly direct deposits and even earn extra for working peak hours or last-minute shifts. As Instawork states, “you’ll be paid weekly for the shifts you worked the previous Monday through Sunday”.
Instawork doesn’t provide tax forms for you, so if you apply as a W2 worker or a 1099 contractor, you are responsible for filing the correct tax forms come tax season.
3. JobGet
Google Play Rating: (4.4 / 5 stars)
With JobGet, choose from full-time, part-time, side hustle, freelance, internship or contract jobs that help you achieve your goal of building a career or earning some extra side money–whatever your goal may be.
From remote sales and marketing jobs, to hospitality, restaurant, warehouse, or retail jobs, JobGet has something to offer everyone. Other job categories include host and server, cleaning and maintenance, delivery and transportation, bartender and barista, and customer service.
Like Wonolo, JobGet boasts the ability to create a profile without a resume in under 60 seconds. You can apply to jobs with one click, hear back within 24 hours, and then start chatting with hiring managers. But JobGet is only available in major US cities right now.
4. Juvo Jobs
Google Play Rating: (4.2 / 5 stars)
Juvo Jobs is all about getting you a local job as quickly as possible. Similar to Wonolo, it only posts hourly jobs which significantly cuts down on the application time. It doesn’t even require you to upload a resume, either–simply record a 30-second intro video of yourself!
You can find part-time, full-time, or side hustle jobs in the hospitality, skilled trade, business, retail, volunteer, or customer service industries. Some reviews point out that the job filtering isn’t great on the app, though.
Employers will be notified if you are listed as a job seeker on the platform and are in their neighborhood. As its tagline states, “jobs that find you”. You can directly message managers in the app and even have live video meetings.
5. JobStack
Google Play Rating: (4.1 / 5 stars)
PeopleReady’s JobStack app can offer both entry-level or skilled work for those looking for part-time or full-time jobs. Unlike Wonolo, JobStack categorizes you as a W2 employee when you apply for a job. This gives you extra protection and a safety net that W2 employees get, however it may be a more tedious application process.
Jobstack offers jobs in the energy and industrial, construction, retail, waste and recycling, disaster and restoration, warehousing and distribution, manufacturing and logistics and hospitality industries. You can see pay rates and job availability for each job listing.
6. GigSmart
Google Play Rating: (4.1 / 5 stars)
Gigsmart is like a hybrid of TaskRabbit and Snagajob, where it offers both hourly shift gigs and full-time positions, as well as residential tasks that you can bid on. You can access your earnings same-day through the Rapid Transfer feature within the app.
The hourly and full-time position jobs will fall under any of these industries: warehouse, construction, retail, cleaning, and food service. The residential jobs may be anything from furniture assembly, landscaping, yardwork, remodeling or moving.
As GigSmart states, “Upload a professional photo, add your related skills, work history, references, and a bio to increase your chances of getting hired to residential tasks and projects posted in your area.” Gigsmart is available coast to coast, in all 50 US states.
7. BlueCrew
Google Play Rating: (4.1 / 5 stars)
BlueCrew is like a staffing agency in app form. Workers have the upper hand in that BlueCrew hires them, and then they get to choose which job shifts and clients they work for. Jobs typically range from warehouse work, delivery or customer services.
You may only want this as supplemental work since pay is pretty low, usually $10-$20/hr. But the on-demand need for workers could help you bring in some great side money. You’ll need to complete a background check and have a personal interview to be eligible to work on BlueCrew.
BlueCrew is only available in about fifteen major US cities (see them here) but they have a “small” presence in a handful of other cities.
8. Tasker by TaskRabbit
Google Play Rating: (4 / 5 stars)
TaskRabbit has jobs for all skill levels (entry-level to expert) and, unlike Wonolo, you can set your own payment rates. You get to take home 100% of your earnings (plus tips). But, it has an application fee of $25 in certain cities.
TaskRabbit is more focused on jobs that are like “tasks” you need to get done around the house. Handyman work, yardwork, repair or maintenance, packing or junk removal, mounting and installation, furniture assembly and home cleaning are the types of jobs you can expect to find.
If you are charging higher rates because you have expertise in an area, be prepared to submit business documents that help prove your experience. You can use TaskRabbit in most major cities, but for a full list of its availability, click here.
9. Clipboard Health
Google Play Rating: (3.9 / 5 stars)
Of all the apps like Wonolo, Clipboard Health is probably the most different because of its niche category. It’s a marketplace for healthcare talent. As its website states, “Clipboard Health uses technology to help nursing facilities (SNFs, senior care, hospitals) get the right nurse at the right place at the right time (CNAs, LVNs, RNs, NPs, etc).”
This is a very specific job app for just healthcare professionals, but a great opportunity for traveling nurses. Choose your payment schedule and shift schedule directly from their app.
10. Seasoned
Google Play Rating: (3.9 / 5 stars)
Seasoned is like a more streamlined version of Wonolo that only focuses on the food and beverage industry. It offers service industry jobs ranging from bartender, busser, manager, security, sous chef, cook, cashier, chef, barista, line cook, barback, server, and dishwasher. While some of the jobs may require previous experience, Seasoned encourages newcomers to apply to the entry-level positions.
You can go straight to its job page to instantly see job listings in your area. However, some if not all of its job listings require you to schedule an interview with the manager before you are officially hired. Once you have an interview scheduled, you can directly message the manager in the app.
11. Qwick
Google Play Rating: (3.9 / 5 stars)
Qwick works with top hotels, event venues, convention centers, catering companies and restaurants to match professionals with food and service job opportunities. Hourly wages are typically around $15-$25/hour, or $32K-$59K for salaried roles.
To find work, first create a profile, attend an orientation, complete your profile with work hours and more experience details, then start filling shifts!
12. ShiftSmart
Google Play Rating: (3.9 / 5 stars)
ShiftSmart offers work in four main job roles: store associate, retail auditor, tech product tester, and survey caller. Its salary range is typically $10-$20/hr and you have the ability to choose which shifts and jobs you want. Some jobs are on-site and others are remote.
ShiftSmart is available in over 50 countries, including the US. You can start applying to jobs after completing the onboarding process. You can receive instant payment for a small fee, or choose to wait about five business days to receive direct deposit.
13. Bellhop Pro
Google Play Rating: (3.8 / 5 stars)
Bellhop is an app focused on helping people move. The Bellhop Pro app is specifically for job seekers. If you’re at least 18 years old and have no problem lifting 100 pounds, this could be an easy way to make extra money.
Bellhop is available in 25 US states and for a full list of cities in each state, click here. In order to start working for Bellhop, you’ll need to apply through the app, pass a background check, and maybe have an interview. Payments can be made directly to your bank account. Pay ranges from $15-$21/ hr.
14. Jiffy Pro
Google Play Rating: (3.7 / 5 stars)
The Jiffy Pro app connects homeowners with local service providers that are available for work. Service providers list their skill sets and homeowners reach out. If you’re a service professional looking for work related to painting, maintenance and repair, installation, lawn care, carpet and upholstery cleaning, and other service industry jobs, Jiffy Pro might be for you.
Jiffy Pro takes care of its service providers by paying them anywhere from $40-$85/hour. But, they collect 12-18% commission fees on contractor pay. There’s also a fee you will pay if you cancel on a job. To help with accurate payment, you can bill out the job on the spot when you’re done and get a receipt while still on location.
Unfortunately, Jiffy is only available in certain areas of Canada, Boston and Chicago. It’s got a long way to go before it’s more of a mainstream gig app. Homeowners should use the JiffyOnDemand app, but job seekers should use the Jiffy Pro app.
15. UpShift
Google Play Rating: (3.7 / 5 stars)
UpShift treats its workers like full-time employees by providing W-2s and all the benefits that come with them. Although UpShift offers hourly or full-time work, you can use it for casual side income or to build your career.
You can expect to find jobs in the retail, food service, hospitality, warehousing and event services industries. Get paid weekly and find shifts that fit with your schedule. UpShift is currently available in 17 US states–see the full list here.
16. GigWalk
Google Play Rating: (3.6 / 5 stars)
GigWalk may be one of the easiest, low-maintenance gig apps to get started on. It actually uses Google Maps to “guide” a GigWalker to their job. Simply create an account, connect a PayPal account, and choose which on-demand job you’d like to do in your area.
Most jobs involve observing how a certain business is run, so anything from checking food items on a shelf to testing out a restaurant for lunch. Other examples include tobacco or vape auditor, loyalty membership auditor, storefront inspector, or product display auditor.
But this may not be the best app like Wonolo because the pay isn’t very high – somewhere around minimum wage. Jobs are typically only 30 minutes to 3 hours long. But your cell phone, the app, and a PayPal account are all you need to make money. GigWalk is available in Canada, the UK, and seven major US cities.
17. GigPro
Google Play Rating: (3.1 / 5 stars)
GigPro has expanded from offering just restaurant jobs to also offering gigs in events, retirement homes, hotels and even farms. It’s still a great place to look if you are a foodie or prefer working in the food industry.
Common job listings include dishwasher, line cook, event chef, busboy, and other food or event-related jobs. But similar to Wonolo, it’s still only available in select cities – mostly on the southeast coast.
You can add your work experience, choose your preferred working hours, and then apply to a job listing. You are hired directly on the app and will also get paid directly through the app, right after your shift.
The #1 Best App Like Wonolo
Thanks to its high-star rating, its availability across the US and its decent pay (up to $50/hr), Snagajob makes for the best alternative to Wonolo.
But Instawork and JobGet are close behind, with their high-star ratings, job variety and decent pay. The only drawback is that they aren’t as available across the US as Snagajob.
Need advice on how to file taxes as a freelancer / digital nomad? Check out my Q&A with Digital Nomad Tax Expert, Heather from the Tax Queen.
I recommend picking 2-4 apps to try out if you are looking for consistent work while you travel around the US in your campervan.
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