Can you DoorDash without a Red Card? The simple answer is, yes you can DoorDash without a Red Card. However, most of the time, to be able to log into the Dasher app and receive deliveries, you’ll need to get the Red Card and activate it.
In this post, we’ll look at doing DoorDash without the Red Card and go over everything you need to know about it.
DoorDash Without Red Card
To begin, it’s probably helpful to recap what the DoorDash Red Card is. I’ve written an in-depth post about the DoorDash Red Card, so check that out if you want more information.
In short, the DoorDash Red Card is a prepaid debit card that DoorDash sends to Dashers to pay for orders that aren’t already prepaid. Most restaurants on DoorDash are prepaid, so you won’t need the Red Card the vast majority of the time, but there are a handful of restaurants where you’ll need to pay for the order yourself. These are generally fast food restaurants, grocery stores, and convenience stores (in my area, the most common places that need the Red Card are Raising Canes and Walgreens).
Importantly, DoorDash does not require you to accept Red Card orders. You’ll always know in advance if an order requires the Red Card, so if you don’t want to use the Red Card, you can always decline those types of orders. It’s important to be strategic about which Red Card orders you do accept because of the added time it takes to pay for the order.
That being said, while you don’t have to use the Red Card (since you can always decline Red Card orders), my personal experience has been that you need to have an active Red Card on file to be able to log into the Dasher app and complete deliveries. That means while you don’t need the Red Card to DoorDash, you’ll still likely need to have your Red Card activated to do deliveries.
There are some counter-examples however, with people online saying they’ve been able to Dash without an active Red Card. Indeed, even the DoorDash website seems to suggest that you don’t need an active Red Card to start Dashing. Specifically, DoorDash states the following:
Can I dash without a Red Card and a hot bag?
Yes! As you get started, we’ll only offer deliveries that you can complete without a Red Card and hot bag. Once you complete your first dash, we’ll send you an email and text message letting you know that a Red Card and hot bag are on the way.
(Source: DoorDash FAQ)
This is a bit odd because a few years ago, I had a situation where my Red Card expired and the Dasher app wouldn’t let me log in until I activated a new Red Card. Perhaps DoorDash differentiates between current Dashers with expired Red Cards and new Dashers that haven’t received their Red Card yet. All I know is that when my Red Card expired, I was unable to log into the app until I activated a new one.
Activating The DoorDash Red Card
Fortunately, getting the Red Card and activating it isn’t difficult. When you sign up for DoorDash, you’ll receive a DoorDash activation kit, which contains a DoorDash delivery bag and the DoorDash Red Card. This is automatically sent to you when you sign up to be a Dasher.
You might be eager to get started earning money with DoorDash, which is probably why a lot of people ask if there is any way to start dashing without the Red Card. If you’re able to log in and start Dashing, then great, go ahead and take advantage of that. If you’re not able to (like I wasn’t able to), then be patient and wait for the Red Card to arrive. Again, while some people suggest that you can dash without the Red Card, my experience has always been that without an active Red Card on file, DoorDash won’t let you start dashing. Maybe things have changed though or maybe it differs depending on your market.
Activating the Red Card only takes a few seconds. Simply log into your Dasher app, then follow the directions in the app to activate your card. Once it’s been activated, you’ll be able to start Dashing. Check out this post from the DoorDash website if you need directions on how to activate your Red Card.
Also, if you lose your Red Card and need a new one, you can order one for free from the DoorDash website, at this link. It can be helpful to order a few extra Red Cards and store them away. That way, if you lose one, you’ll have a backup that’s ready to go.
You Don’t Have To Use The Red Card If You Don’t Want To
It’s important to remember that while you need to activate the Red Card to be able to start dashing, you don’t need to actually use it if you don’t want to.
Any order that needs the Red Card will be clearly marked in the app. Red Card orders aren’t inherently bad, but they do usually take more time, so it’s important to consider whether the payment is good enough to make it worth your time.
I personally will accept Red Card orders if I know the restaurant won’t be busy or if it’s small enough that I can complete them quickly. Large shopping orders from grocery stores or convenience stores are usually automatic declines for me.
Final Thoughts
The DoorDash Red Card is something you likely need if you want to start Dashing. It’ll usually take a few business days to arrive and once you get it and activate it, you’ll be able to start getting out there and making more money.
If you are just getting started with DoorDash and aren’t able to start Dashing yet, wait for your activation kit to arrive and then activate your card. If you lose the card and need a new one, quickly order one from the DoorDash website and activate it as soon as you get it. And consider getting extra Red Cards and storing them for future use in case you lose your current card.
Hope that information helps!
More Recommended Ebike/Scooters
Check out these other ebikes/scooters I've had the chance to do a review for:
- GEN3 Outcross Bike – The GEN3 Outcross is a solid, affordable fat tire ebike that does a good job of doing what I need it to do. It works great for city riding, giving me a smooth ride in all conditions. It’s works really well as a winter ebike since the fat tires give it good traction over snow and ice. Check out my GEN3 Outcross Review.
- Himiway Escape Bike – The Himiway Escape is an interesting bike for anyone looking for a moped-style ebike. If you’re a gig economy worker, the Himiway Escape is particularly interesting and it’s possible to think of it as an investment, especially if you can opt to do deliveries with the Himiway versus using a car. It’s not cheap, but you can definitely make your money back when you compare the mileage you’ll put on your car versus using an ebike. Check out my Himiway Escape Bike Review.
- Espin Sport Bike – The Espin Sport is a good ebike for someone who is looking for an ebike that feels and rides more like a regular bike. There are many ebikes that are really only bikes in name. In reality, they’re basically electric mopeds. The Espin Sport, by contrast, is a bike you could probably ride without the battery and you’d feel like you’re just riding a regular bike. Check out my Espin Sport Review.
- Varla Eagle One Scooter – The Varla Eagle One is an excellent scooter that can make sense for a lot of people. It can work as a primary mode of transportation. You can use it to work on gig economy apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. And it can also be a recreational vehicle if you’d prefer to use it for that. Check out my Varla Eagle One Review.
- Fucare H3 Scooter – The Fucare H3 is a fun scooter and I’ve enjoyed testing it out. For a daily commuter or quick trips or errands, the Fucare H3 is probably the scooter I’ll use. It’s portable and easy to maneuver, so it’s just easier to take on the road when I need it. Check out my Fucare H3 Scooter Review.
More Recommended Investing App Bonuses
For additional investing app bonuses, be sure to check out the ones below:
- M1 Finance ($10) – This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $10 for opening an account. Check out my M1 Finance Referral Bonus – Step-By-Step Guide.
- SoFi Invest ($25) – SoFi Invest is an easy brokerage account bonus that you can earn with just a few minutes of work. Use my SoFi Invest referral link, fund your SoFi Invest brokerage account with $100 and you’ll get $25 of free stock. I also have a step-by-step guide for the SoFi Invest referral bonus.
- Moomoo (5 free stocks) – Moomoo is a free investing app currently offering 5 free stocks (usually worth around $75-$100) if you open an account using a referral link and deposit $2,000. Read my Moomoo referral bonus guide for more information.
- Webull (5 free stocks) – Webull also gives you 5 free stock valued between $3-$3,000 each if you open an account using my referral link. Here’s a guide I wrote about how to earn your free stocks using Webull.
- Robinhood (1 free stock) – Robinhood gives you a free stock valued between $2.50-$225 if you open an account using my referral link.
- Public (1 free stock) - Public gives you a free stock valued between $3-$70 if you open an account using my referral link.
More Recommended Bank Account Bonuses
If you’re looking for more easy bank bonuses, check out the below options. These bonuses are all easy to earn and have no fees or minimum balance requirements to worry about.
- Chime ($100) - Chime is a free bank account that offers a referral bonus if you use a referral link and complete a direct deposit of $200 or more. In practice, any ACH transfer into this account triggers the bonus. This bonus is easy to earn and posts instantly, so you’ll know if you met the requirements as soon as you move money into the account. I wrote a step-by-step guide on how to earn your Chime referral bonus that I recommend you check out.
- Digital Federal Credit Union ($100) – Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) is a free, nationwide credit union that I recommend to readers for two reasons. First, DCU has a $100 referral bonus if you open a free DCU checking account with a referral link. Second, DCU has a saving account that gives you 6.17% interest on your first $1,000. Check out my in-depth post on how to set this account up.
- Upgrade ($100) – Upgrade is a free checking account that’s currently offering a $100 referral bonus if you open an account and complete three debit card transactions. These bonus terms are easy to meet, so it’s well worth doing this bonus as soon as you can. Importantly, this bonus says that it’s now scheduled to end on January 31, 2023. As long as you get your account opened before January 31st, you should be eligible. Here’s a post I wrote with more details: Upgrade $100 Referral Bonus – Step By Step Directions.
- SoFi Money ($275) – SoFi Money is a free checking account from SoFi. They’re currently offering a $25 referral bonus if you open a SoFi account with a referral link and deposit $10. You can also make an additional $250 as well if you complete a direct deposit. This is a good bank that is also 100% free, so you won’t have to worry about managing this account. Here’s a post I wrote with instructions on how to earn your SoFi Money bonus: SoFi Money Referral Bonus: Step By Step Guide.
- Current ($50) – Current is a free fintech bank that’s offering new users a $50 referral bonus after signing up for an account using a referral link.Current is an easy bonus to earn and also gives you access to three savings accounts that pay you 4% interest on up to $2,000. That means you can put away up to $6,000 earning 4% interest. That’s very good and makes Current an account I recommend to everyone. Check out my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Current Bank bonus.
- Fairwinds Credit Union ($100) – Fairwinds Credit Union is offering a referral bonus for users that sign up using a referral link. Fairwinds has no fees or minimum balance, so this is a particularly easy bonus to earn. Since this is a smaller credit union, my gut instinct tells me this offer won’t be around long, so if you’re in a position to meet the bonus requirements, grab this bonus before it’s gone. Here is my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Fairwinds Credit Union bonus.
- OnJuno ($60) – OnJuno is a fintech/neobank that is currently offering a $10 referral bonus if you open an account using a referral link and make a deposit of $50 or more. You will also get 1000 JCOIN. The 1000 of JCOIN is cryptocurrency. At the time I'm writing this, it'll be worth about $50. Check out my OnJuno referral bonus guide here.
- Varo ($30) – Varo is a free fintech banking app similar to Chime or Current. It’s currently offering a $30 bonus to new users that open a new Varo account with a referral link. The bonus for this bank is very easy to meet, all you need to do is spend $20 within 30 days of opening your Varo account. Check out my step-by-step guide to learn how to earn this bonus.
- Novo Bank ($40) - Novo bank is a free business checking account that’s currently offering a $40 bonus if you open a Novo business checking account using a referral link. In addition to being a good bank bonus, Novo is also a good business checking account. It has no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements and operates a good app and website. Indeed, it’s the business checking account I currently use for this blog. Check out my post on how to easily open a Novo account.
- Albert ($150) – If you can manage to do a real direct deposit, Albert is an easy account you can use to earn a referral bonus. Here’s a review about Albert I wrote. And here’s a step-by-step guide on how to earn your Albert referral bonus.
- Netspend ($20 + 5% Interest Savings Account) – Netspend is a company that provides 5% interest savings accounts. If you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get a $20 signup bonus once you make your first deposit into your Netspend account of $40 or more. That means you get a 5% interest savings account and a free $20 to start! Make sure to check out my in-depth guide on how to set up these accounts.
Kevin is an attorney and the blogger behind Financial Panther, a blog about personal finance, travel hacking, and side hustling using the gig economy. He paid off $87,000 worth of student loans in just 2.5 years by choosing not to live like a big shot lawyer.
Kevin is passionate about earning money using the gig economy and you can see all the ways he makes extra income every month in his side hustle reports.
Kevin is also big on using the latest fintech apps to improve his finances. Some of Kevin's favorite fintech apps include:
- SoFi Money. A really good checking account with absolutely no fees. You'll get a $25 referral bonus if you open a SoFi Money account with a referral link, and an additional $250 if you complete a direct deposit.
- DCU. Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) is a free, nationwide credit union that I recommend to readers for two reasons. First, DCU has a $100 referral bonus if you open a free DCU checking account with a referral link. Second, DCU has a savings account that gives you 6.17% interest on your first $1,000.
- Novo Bank. Novo bank is a free business checking account that’s currently offering a $40 bonus if you open a Novo business checking account using a referral link. It’s the business checking account I currently use for this blog.
- M1 Finance. This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $10 for opening an account.
- Personal Capital. One of best free apps you can use to monitor your portfolio and track your net worth. This is one of the apps I use to track my financial accounts.
Feel free to send Kevin a message here.
Not sure if anything has changed, but I started dashing 3.5 months ago, never activated my red card and have not been locked out. Fingers crossed.
Sweet. Thanks for the datapoint. I went by my own experience and maybe you’re right – maybe things have changed.
Any reason you don’t activate your Red Card? Like why not?