- Who runs GigSmart
- What Get Gigs asks of new workers
- GigSmart's per-hour fee and rapid payout charge
- When GigSmart pays you after a shift
- Contractor shifts, W-2 shifts and insurance on GigSmart
- Why GigSmart wants you to stay on the app
- GigSmart in brief
- Fake GigSmart recruiters and how to avoid them
- Is GigSmart worth it for you?
- Frequently asked questions
Yes, GigSmart is a legit Denver-based shift app, and its Get Gigs app lets anyone 18 or older pick up hourly work and get paid through a Branch wallet after the business approves the timesheet. The catch is a fee of one US dollar per hour worked, a 3% charge for rapid payouts, and most shifts being contractor work rather than a job.
GigSmart tends to confuse people because it has two apps with similar names: Get Workers for businesses and Get Gigs for the people doing the work. I've read through GigSmart's worker help centre, its payment policy and its Better Business Bureau profile to see how it really treats workers. Here's what you'll want to know before your first shift, and where the small print bites.
Who runs GigSmart
The Better Business Bureau lists GigSmart, Inc. in Denver, Colorado, and describes it as a software company specialising in the gig economy. The BBB profile says it's been a BBB Accredited Business since December 4, 2023, and shows an A+ rating. Ratings can move, so check the live profile, and read the complaints section too rather than just the letter grade.
GigSmart isn't an employer in the usual sense. It's the platform in the middle: businesses post shifts or projects, and workers apply, bid or accept offers in the Get Gigs app. According to the help centre, you may end up working for a company or for an individual person, depending on what you apply for.
What Get Gigs asks of new workers
The basic rule is simple: the help centre says you must be at least 18 years old to create an account and work on Get Gigs. Beyond that, setup happens in the app, where you confirm your account by SMS, add a profile photo, list the positions you can fill and add your work history.
Some shifts need more checks. GigSmart's worker help covers background checks through Checkr, motor vehicle records checks for driving work, and drug screenings for certain roles. Which ones you'll face depends on the shift and the business posting it.
GigSmart's per-hour fee and rapid payout charge
Get Gigs is free to download, but it isn't free to use. GigSmart's own help article on what it costs workers names two charges:
- Trust and Support fee: all workers pay one US dollar per hour worked, which GigSmart says goes towards benefits. It's taken from each gig's total earnings.
- Rapid Transfer fee: if you move money out of your wallet using the fast option, there's a 3% fee, with a minimum of one US dollar.
On a short shift, that per-hour fee is easy to overlook, so look at the estimated pay on each listing and work out what lands in your account after fees. Standard payouts avoid the 3% charge if you can wait a couple of days.
When GigSmart pays you after a shift
Pay on GigSmart doesn't land the moment you clock out. The help centre explains the order of events:
- You finish the shift and your timesheet goes to the business, which GigSmart calls the Requester.
- The Requester has up to three (3) full business days to approve your timesheet.
- Once it's approved, a standard payout reaches your Branch Wallet within 2 business days.
- If you chose a rapid payout, it goes to your linked bank account within minutes of approval, minus the 3% fee.
Put those together and a standard payout can take the best part of a week after a slow approval. GigSmart also advises setting up your Branch payment account before your first shift, because an incomplete setup can delay your money.
Contractor shifts, W-2 shifts and insurance on GigSmart
Here's the detail that changes your tax picture. GigSmart's help centre describes its accident cover as Occupational Accident Insurance provided through the On-Demand Independent Contractors Association, a group that serves independent contractors in the shift economy. That, plus the W-9 you complete with Branch, tells you most shifts are contractor work.
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There's an exception. GigSmart also offers W-2 Shifts, which it describes as opportunities to work as an employee through Ascen, an Employer of Record. You'll complete Ascen's own onboarding first. If you mix both kinds, you'll have contractor income and employee pay in the same year, so keep records and ask an accountant how that applies to you.
- The accident cover applies only to shifts booked through GigSmart, not to Projects or Job Board roles.
- Contractor shifts usually have no tax taken off, so set some money aside as you go.
Why GigSmart wants you to stay on the app
GigSmart's Direct Payment Policy explains why some businesses go quiet when you suggest working for them directly. If a business pays a worker it met through GigSmart outside the platform within three (3) months, including as an independent contractor, it owes GigSmart a fee. The exception is if the business hires you as a W-2 employee. So an offer of a real job is fine; a request for cash-in-hand work off the app breaks the business's agreement and leaves you without GigSmart's insurance or payment trail.
GigSmart in brief
| What I checked | What GigSmart's pages and the BBB say |
|---|---|
| Based in | Denver, Colorado |
| BBB status | Accredited since December 4, 2023, rated A+ |
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Worker fee | One US dollar per hour worked |
| Rapid payout fee | 3%, with a one US dollar minimum |
| Timesheet approval window | Up to three full business days |
| Standard payout | Within 2 business days of approval |
| Employee option | W-2 Shifts through Ascen |
Fake GigSmart recruiters and how to avoid them
Shift apps attract scammers who pose as recruiters. Be cautious if someone messages you about GigSmart work and asks for an upfront payment, your Branch login, or a code sent to your phone. GigSmart's help centre says you confirm your own account by SMS, so a stranger asking for that code is trying to take over your account. Apply for shifts only inside the Get Gigs app, and never move a job's conversation or payment off the platform.
Is GigSmart worth it for you?
GigSmart is legit, and it can be a flexible way to pick up warehouse, event, delivery and general labour shifts. Go in with your eyes open: there's a per-hour fee, fast cash-outs cost extra, and payment depends on how quickly the business approves your timesheet. If you'd like a few other ideas to sit alongside shift work, have a look at the freelance work I'd consider, or start with where I'd start if you're new to side hustles.
Frequently asked questions
Is GigSmart legit?
Yes. GigSmart, Inc. is a Denver-based company with a BBB profile, and its Get Gigs app pays workers through Branch once a business approves the timesheet.
How much does GigSmart take from workers?
GigSmart's help centre says workers pay a Trust and Support fee of one US dollar per hour worked, plus a 3% fee if they use Rapid Transfer.
How long does GigSmart take to pay?
The business has up to three full business days to approve your timesheet. Standard payouts then reach your Branch Wallet within 2 business days, or within minutes if you pay for a rapid payout.
Are GigSmart workers employees?
Most shifts are independent contractor work, which is why the accident cover runs through a contractors' association. GigSmart also offers W-2 Shifts where you're employed through Ascen.
How old do you need to be to use Get Gigs?
At least 18, according to GigSmart's help centre.
