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So if you have any kind of ambition at all as a gig worker, you have probably thought about ways you can make more money during your off times, or even passively. One way that this can be accomplished is through using your car for advertising.
Now finding a good way to utilize your car in this way, is natural and a sign of your ambition and I congratulate you on that front. That being said, there are a few good platforms where you can make some extra money more passively.
Some of which are good, some are mediocre, and some are just not worth your time and focus. Which is to be expected, especially where some of these have the case of "too good to be true" or scam commentary surrounding them.
Now in order to find you the best option for which one would be best for you, here are the best legit companies for advertising on your vehicle, and why you should or should not use them.
My name is Joseph Mandracchia, I have been working full-time with the gig economy since 2018 and have completed over 8600 orders and deliveries across several different platforms and pay models, as well as other forms of income.
It is my hope to impart some of my knowledge and experience unto you to help you make the most money in your side hustle and help you on your journey to achieve financial independence so you can choose to live your life in anyway you would find valuable to you.
Disclaimer: I am not a financial, tax or legal advisor of any kind. I am not giving you financial, tax or legal advice. I am simply expressing what I have done to overcome in this area and hoping you can find a take away for yourself within this article.
Why You Should Consider Advertising On Your Vehicle
Providing a space for advertising for a company of any kind, is going to lead to exposure to markets that said company didn't otherwise have, and because of that there is a market for said space.
With that said, you can be paid for the advertising you provide on your vehicle, and depending on which one you choose to partner with, and/or the network you choose to use for said partnership, that can be a lot!
This is why taxis have signs on top of their vehicles, buses have signs on each side of the vehicle, and even people wrapping their vehicles in signage to promote their business. Out-of-home advertising is one of the most noticed mediums on the road.
That being said, choosing a company that is legitimate can be tough, especially when it already seems too good to be true to make money passively in such a simple way and I get that.
So let's talk about some companies that have been proven to be effective and what you can expect from each of them.
Wrapify
The first on this list is one you might have heard of and that is Wrapify, one of the most trusted companies to drive with when it comes to providing quality advertising for the driver and the companies it works with, including Uber.
So how it works is that you would apply for their program, they would pay a mechanic (of their choosing near you) to wrap your car and you would just drive as you normally would... yeah it really is the most simplistic.
Of course you have the ability to choose which campaign you would like to represent and they set up everything for you. Now you are more likely to qualify based on how long you are driving for but that shouldn't be a problem for anyone who drives for the gig economy.
It also will depend on where you live and if Wrapify believes they will get a lot of exposure from your vehicle, and if you drive a lot you will inevitably earn more.
I love how much they help you with this though, they pay the people you have it wrapped with directly, they pay for an Uber you would go to and from the wrapping facility, and they do everything for you so it isn't a hassle for you.
Actually driving with the company, is simple and easy. Once you have a gig, your car is wrapped and are ready to drive you turn on the app and go, then you earn money as you drive, the more you drive the more you earn.
This company has even said that you can absolutely use this for rideshare as well, though I haven't heard anything about other types of gig driving, but it is great to know that they give their support to gig workers!
As far as the gig companies and how they feel about it go, they would prefer if you didn't but they don't say no, and as far as Wrapify itself is concerned, the only thing you would need to do, is notify them if you are a rideshare driver.
Now as far as, removing them once the campaign is over, the process is as easy as putting it on, and the removal of the wrap comes off as clean as it was before it was wrapped. If you are anything like me and my car, it is cleaner!
Downsides of Wrapify
Of course, we have to talk about some downsides to Wrapify because they are important to know about. First and foremost, is one of the most complained about subjects when it comes to this company specifically, and that would be ACTUALLY GETTING THE GIGS!
So there are a ton of people who have signed up and accounts approved on Wrapify, and they just don't actually have the gigs available in their area, so I would make sure that if you decide to drive for this company that you know it is available to you.
Second, is more of a fraud issue when it comes to wrapping the car itself. Some wrapping facilities will attempt to charge you for wrapping the vehicle when they have already been paid to do so.
If they try to pull that with you, make it abundantly clear that they have been paid already by Wrapify directly, and there is no need for you to pay them. Yes, you can be blunt about it, be careful with some of these characters out there people.
Next, let talk about some limitations that each of these campaigns have as far as pay for each of these campaigns, assuming you actually get one, because even if you get one you need to be sure it is worth the time to have it set up.
First of all, it's not like you have a consistent amount you can earn in each area and not all campaigns pay the same. For example, one campaign can earn you $6 a day, where as another can earn you $16 a day.
And there is a daily limit to how much you are actually getting paid for, like some campaigns will only count the first 25 miles and then after that they don't really count towards anything (a.k.a. they get free advertising).
Requirements and Restrictions
Now let's talk about what it actually takes to be eligible to drive for Wrapify, because their restrictions are a little high for some people to consider. In order to be eligible to drive for Wrapify, you must:
Be 21 years of age or older
Have an iPhone or Android
A car, Model year 2010 or newer vehicle with no significant body damage which includes but is not limited to:
Rock Chips
Dents
Scratches
Rust
Paint/Clear Coat Damage or Repainted Portions of the car
Cosmetic Damage from Accidents
Anything else that can compromise the factory paint quality on the vehicle
A clean driving record which entails:
no more than 2 accidents/moving violations for the past 3 years
no cell phone or distracted violations in the past 3 years
no major violations in the past 5 years
These uphill battles on quality of vehicle and driving record can certainly damage someone's ability to drive on their platform.
They also have made it clear of what types of vehicles are not permitted to be wrapped, some are based on time to wrap and some are just for logistical reasons.
They don't wrap Hummers as a whole, Jeep Wranglers, Chrysler PT Cruisers, Chevrolet HHR's, Volkswagon Beetles (this one surprised me), and any soft top convertibles.
You also cannot have your motorcycle, commercial vehicles, transit vans, or any type of RV or motorhome with Wrapify either, which makes sense but I can totally imagine people trying and asking why.
Income Expectations
In the event, that you do qualify for the platform, and get a decent gig with Wrapify, you can expect to make up to $452 a month depending on how much you drive and where you drive.
You can also earn more with bonuses and promotions such as SWARM events, where you almost participate in a parade with all these people. This is great for advertisers, but also great for you.
Now like we said, you are capped after a certain amount of driving so you cannot make more if you drive all day, though it is frustrating it does put you in a great position to get a new campaign quickly.
Carvertise
Carvertise is Wrapify's number 1 contender to where even they recognize them as their competition. Similar to Wrapify, they want you to just have a lot of miles to drive regularly, and they will pay to have your car wrapped and unwrapped.
Unlike Wrapify however, they don't pay you for the number of miles you drive, they pay you a flat rate of $100 per month. So if you drive less than what Wrapify would pay you for but enough for Carvertise to work with you, you might want to consider this option.
However, the same rules apply for this in the same way it works for Gig apps in general. You want to be able to sign up for as many as possible. Especially since it can be tough when there is no campaigns available.
They do make a mention that they work with rideshare drivers, food delivery drivers and everyday commuters so it is really nice to see that they have a wide range of people who they work with.
What I really like about this company is the amount of big name brands they work with that relate to gig work, such as Buffalo Wild Wings, 7-Eleven, even Lyft! Literally, you can drive for Lyft with a Lyft advertisement on your car, and be paid for it!
Downsides with Carvertise
Being that this is almost like a copy of Wrapify, the challenges that Carvertise has is similar to that of Wrapify which is that it can be a long wait between campaigns, your income is capped and there is a fair amount of Fraud on this platform.
Unlike Wrapify however, instead of being paid for the amount of driving you do, you are paid a flat rate every month regardless of the amount of driving you do. This can be more of an upside if you don't drive much, but for a gig driver as a whole, this is a major flag for me.
Another challenge is the failure to provide a proper compensation to when your car is damaged by their workers in a timely manner, there have been many social media posts as a whole talking about how much of a hassle it is and most cases are 2+ weeks of wait time.
Requirements and Restrictions
Now let's talk about requirements and restrictions of being able to drive for Carvertise in the first place, because there are a fair amount of restrictions who do want to work on the Carvertise platform.
In order to be eligible to drive with Carvertise, you must:
Drive at least 30 miles a day on a daily basis.
Have a clean driving record
Own a 2008 model car or newer
Have a factory finish paint job for your vehicle
Now with Carvertise, you should be able to meet the majority of these requirements before driving for them if you are a rideshare or delivery driver without issue.
If you are just simply commuting, you might have to have a longer commute or make some intentional moves to meet the mileage requirement. Although, if you can meet these requirements it is basically free money.
Income Expectations
So with this company you are paid a flat monthly rate where most campaigns are $100 a month, however there are some contests that happen throughout the course of your campaign and can raise your monthly earnings to up to $300 a month.
Not bad, definitely can cover some gas expenses and some bills, maybe even invest some more. Although, I would almost always recommend this option for regular commuters over rideshare or food delivery because you aren't paid for the work you do, just a flat rate.
Sticker Ride
Next on our list is Sticker Ride, mainly available on their mobile app where you can earn points for every mile you drive and you are paid for every point you earn! It is also dependent on if you should choose to choose more advertising on the car or less.
You can choose to have stickers on your car hood, rear window, sides of your car, or an all-together wrap of your vehicle. The more advertising on your car, the value you can have with your vehicle.
You earn a point for every mile you drive and every point starts at the value of $0.10 USD or £0.10 in the UK. This is less than the standard mileage write-offs so you may need to go actual expense for tax purposes so speak to your CPA on what they is willing to do.
What's cool about this is that they pay you for distance, not for time or some flat rate. Which is amazing for anyone with the will to hustle! They also have a few programs where you can participate in a "flashmob" or "quest" which can help boost your earnings.
Requirements and Restrictions
Now this is one of the harder ones to really explain because they don't have a set answer for this, each campaign actually has different requirements and they don't have enough consistency to answer this.
So before you accept a campaign make sure your car fits within the requirements that they should.
Downsides with Sticker Ride
Sticker Ride has earned quite a reputation for the amount of crashes drivers have to endure, like it is understandable why someone should download an app to document the driving being done but it has gotten out of hand more times than it is worth.
Another challenge I have is their point system, where you are paid for verified points not all points. Which makes sense that they would want more exposure but in my experience, I see a lot where points are earned and you put in the work but they don't want to verify them.
I seen this a lot across many platforms and it is a great way to save money, though it is very frustrating when you know you are putting in the work and that it is not acknowledged to the platform due to "unverified earnings".
Also, we need to talk about the overall lack of consistency when it comes to almost all that you do. Whether it's what constitutes what verifies a point or the type of car that is required for your campaign.
There is no definitive answer for anything here and quite honestly, I am kind of disappointed about that because I would have genuinely loved to talk more about them for all of the work that went into making this platform.
Income Expectations
The more you drive the more money you will make, there doesn't seem to be a limit for that, however the point system does make it clear that they only account for verified points, not earned points.
So with that said, the more you drive, the more points that you will earn, a fair amount will be verified and each point being worth about a dime, you can calculate that to a point, based on the driving you are already doing.
Referral Cars
Next we have to talk about Referral Cars, and this one is one of my favorites. This is an advertising program with two types of campaigns, commission and non-commission based.
This program seems like one of the simplest to get started with, and it seems like what they are really going for as a company is a simplistic approach to make a few extra bucks. You will earn money within 90 days of participating in a campaign or a $100 gift card.
The gift card would be for restaurant.com and would be eligible for anyone who has been sporting one of their campaigns and proving they have kept it on the vehicle for the duration of the campaign.
They only have one option for ads and that is small decal in the rearview window, which is a great only option and is one of my favorite things about this. These decals are also see-through so they will not hinder your line of sight when driving.
This company is also a very driver-centric company, because where most companies have you wait to just get a campaign, this company supplies drivers with a option to have an entry level campaign on their vehicle, which is commission basis but that is fine for a start.
Over 95% of their drivers have been matched with a driving campaign that make real passive income, whereas most companies struggle to provide 1% of their drivers with a campaign at all.
Requirements and Restrictions
Now they have you fill out an application to see if you are a good fit for them, although they don't really clarify what that really means. If they think you are a good fit based on the number of miles you drive then an account manager will help you get set up.
They ask for your cars age, how many miles you drive in a year, if you have your own insurance and if you drive for Uber or Lyft.
Downsides with Referral Cars
So the first thing I have to start with is the fact that you have to set up your decal yourself. So if you mess it up, it is on you. Which wouldn't be that big a deal if they didn't charge you a shipping fee every time they sent you a decal, so set it up right the first time.
Speaking of fees, let's talk about the annual fee. Which varies based on the plan you are choosing but more than that, let's talk about the worst problem. Lack of consistency across the board.
Why is the annual fee multiple times a year? Why aren't I paying the same amount each time? Why aren't I paid the same amount each time? What do I need a warranty for and why do you take the liberty of forcing that on me?
You see these are huge issues, and need to be addressed.
This would not have made my list of legitimate companies under normal circumstances but I think it is important to recognize that this is what you should be expecting going into this business model.
Some companies do require a membership fee of sorts in order to make money, and this advertising organization is one of them. Though I do wish they were more transparent about that, I understand their reasoning behind it.
Income Expectations
This is really based on so many random things on exactly how much you will make but you are expected to earn money on the passive income route as well as the commission route.
Although, they are never clear on how much because that depends on how well the campaign goes. Just like any kind of business, though if you don't make money in the first 90 days of being a part of their system, you can claim a $100 gift card from restaurant.com.
StickrCo
Next we have a company which probably lead you to do some research on this subject to begin with. StickrCo has really made a splash with their ad campaigns to help people make more money with advertising on your car.
This is a company you would have to work with for a while to really make some money, though you won't get rich and if you aren't going to keep up with taking pictures of the decal month to month, you will lose money.
They work with simple decals for your rearview mirror and has memberships you are required be a part of to make money, most of which is in the form of restaurant.com gift cards.
They have a normal membership fee ($7.99-$9.99), then they have platinum membership which will allow you free shipping for all decals ($19.95).
Requirements and Restrictions
You are required to pay for the decal being shipped to your home and a monthly membership fee. Once you have that punched in for application, an account manager will reach out to you about your shipping details, and you will receive your decal in the mail.
You also will not be able to add more than one decal to make more money, unless you pay for the pay multipliers which can be cool but will cost you money to activate.
Downsides with StickrCo
Now I just don't understand why there are so many fees for this company, I get it to a point but this is insane. Like how many months will it take to break even? If you miss 1 month for whatever reason, it would take you 6 months to break even again.
Like seriously, this is ridiculous how high the fees are in comparison to how much you actually make. Like most of it is gift cards to begin with, not even cash!
Honestly, I would pass on this one either way. Unless you already use restaurant.com and are super diligent with the pictures on a month to month basis, I would recommend a different path.
Income Expectations
On average, drivers report having a monthly payout of $40 and most of which is gift cards.
Your Own Brand or Business!
Yes there are other platforms you can use but honestly, why promote someone else's brand or business when you can do the same for your own? So many times I have seen someone putting their business logo on their car and people have gotten business from that alone.
Like how many times have you seen someone's Instagram handle on their car? How many followers do you think that person got after that?
The only thing I would say is if you plan on combining this method with other platforms such as the ones above, you may want to consider using a car magnet instead of a rearview sticker or a wrap.
That way you can just remove the magnet if you have to, depending on your situation.
Just be careful about driving too fast, because if you are using a low quality magnet or placing it on a car with poor magnetism/dirty car affecting magnetism, you can lose the magnet as you drive.
Security Issues
Now one other reason that I have found to be most effective, is the security challenges. Not to your own personal security but to complexes, gated communities and other forms of law enforcement.
When you wrap your car or place a decal you are commercially branding your vehicle, which is not a big deal until you see the security policies that come with something like that.
For one, gated communities and some complexes and buildings will not allow your commercially branded vehicle in the building during evening hours and night hours, so for those of use who use those programs during the evening, that is something to be aware of.
Final Remarks
I want to be clear that some of these downsides you are totally okay with because it may not apply to you and your situation and that is fine, but you should be aware that they are out there.
I also want to be clear and say these are not the only options out there as far as companies go, these are the ones I would go with if the downsides didn't apply to me on such a deep level.
So make sure to do the proper research on the company you would go with if they are good opportunities for you and others, and if there is no research available, they are either new or not a great opportunity so be careful.
With that said, thank you so much for taking the time to read this article! I hope you found some value in what you read here and will apply this information in your life and success in your side hustle!