New Study Finds that App-Based Platform Economy Supported $414 Billion in U.S. Economic Activity in 2025 - a Doubling Since 2022

Updated research shows Flex members facilitated 6.3 billion rideshare and delivery orders completed by 9.4 million drivers and couriers last year 

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The app-based platform industry supported $414 billion in U.S. economic activity in 2025, according to a study commissioned by Flex, the trade association representing the leading app-based platforms. Last year, 9.4 million drivers and couriers completed a combined 6.3 billion rideshare and delivery orders with Flex member companies, earning $8.9 billion in additional income on their own terms. This represents a 29 percent increase in orders completed since 2022. 

The report also finds that throughout the broader app-based economy, 43 percent of U.S. adults say they have earned money through a platform – including with Flex member companies; through freelance work such as working as a handyman, babysitter, or dogwalker; or hosting short-term rentals – underscoring how prominent flexible, independent income has become for American workers. For many, that work fills gaps between traditional jobs or supplements a primary paycheck, reflecting a broader shift toward flexible, on-demand income streams.

"This updated data confirms what millions of Americans already know: app-based work is a critical part of the U.S. economy," said Kristin Sharp, Flex CEO. "Nearly half of U.S. adults have turned to platforms to earn income, and the flexibility they offer keeps proving its worth to workers, consumers and local economies alike."

On the consumer side, platform use is just as widespread. Sixty-one percent of U.S. adults used a rideshare service in the past year, and 73 percent of those riders relied on one to get to or from a medical appointment. Nearly 2 in 5 U.S. adults (37 percent) say rideshare apps have made trips possible that they would not have otherwise taken using traditional transportation.

The report also finds that app-based platforms are a growing engine for local commerce. Rideshare and delivery apps generated an estimated $53 billion in additional revenue for local businesses and restaurants in 2025 – a 65 percent increase since 2022. 

Looking ahead, the study projects that economic activity supported by the rideshare and delivery sectors could grow to $579 billion annually by 2035, as demand for flexible, app-based services and earning opportunities continue to climb. 

"The growth we've tracked since our last report is significant, and our projections show this is just the beginning," Sharp added. "As policymakers consider the future of work, this research makes clear that preserving flexible, app-based earning opportunities is critical to sustaining hundreds of billions of dollars in economic activity and the independence on which millions of workers rely." 

The report was authored by Public First, a leading independent methodological research firm.

The full report along with infographics highlighting key national and state-level data is available here. 

About Flex. Flex is the voice of the app-based economy, representing America's leading app-based rideshare and delivery platforms and the people who count on them. Our member companies — DoorDash, Grubhub, HopSkipDrive, Instacart, Lyft, Shipt and Uber— help provide access to crucial goods and services to customers safely and efficiently, offer flexible earning opportunities to workers and support economic growth in communities across the country. 

Maggie Riendeau; [email protected]

SOURCE Flex Association