Washington – September 23, 2026 -- App-based rideshare and delivery platforms supported $414 billion in U.S. economic activity in 2025, according to a new study commissioned by Flex, the trade association representing the sector's leading companies.
Drivers and couriers completed 6.3 billion orders, earning $8.9 billion in supplemental income
Some 9.4 million drivers and couriers completed a combined 6.3 billion rideshare and delivery orders with Flex member companies last year, generating $8.9 billion in additional income for workers. Order volume rose 29 percent since 2022, the report found.
Nearly half of U.S. adults have earned income through app-based platforms
Across the broader app-based economy, 43 percent of U.S. adults say they have earned money through a platform, including Flex member companies, freelance gig work, or short-term rental hosting. Flex CEO Kristin Sharp said the data confirms flexible, on-demand income has become integral to how American workers supplement or replace traditional wages.
Rideshare apps enabled medical trips for 73 percent of riders
Sixty-one percent of U.S. adults used a rideshare service in the past year, and 73 percent of those riders relied on one for a medical appointment. Thirty-seven percent of U.S. adults said rideshare apps made trips possible that would not have otherwise occurred via traditional transportation.
Local businesses captured $53 billion in additional revenue via delivery apps
Rideshare and delivery platforms generated an estimated $53 billion in additional revenue for local businesses and restaurants in 2025, a 65 percent increase since 2022, according to the report.
Sector economic activity projected to reach $579 billion by 2035
The study projects economic activity supported by rideshare and delivery sectors could climb to $579 billion annually by 2035 as demand for flexible app-based earning and services continues to grow. Sharp said the findings underscore the stakes for policymakers weighing regulatory changes to independent work classifications, calling preserved flexibility critical to sustaining hundreds of billions of dollars in economic activity.
The report was authored by Public First, an independent research firm, commissioned by Flex, whose member companies include DoorDash, Grubhub, HopSkipDrive, Instacart, Lyft, Shipt and Uber.