- Who started TaskRabbit and who owns it now
- How TaskRabbit works for people hiring a Tasker
- What the Trust & Support fee on an invoice covers
- How TaskRabbit works if you want to be a Tasker
- How Taskers set their rates and receive payouts
- TaskRabbit Taskers are contractors, not employees
- Is TaskRabbit worth it?
- Staying safe from TaskRabbit copycats
- Frequently asked questions
TaskRabbit is a real platform, founded in 2008 as RunMyErrand and acquired by the IKEA Group in 2017. It connects people with independent Taskers for jobs like furniture assembly and moving. Taskers set their own hourly rates in most categories, but they're contractors, not employees, so there's no promised work, and clients pay extra fees on top of the Tasker's rate.
TaskRabbit gets searched from two directions. Some people want to hire someone to build a wardrobe or carry boxes, and want to know it's safe. Others are thinking about earning from odd jobs and wonder whether it's a real side hustle or a time sink. I've read TaskRabbit's own support pages and blog to answer both, as fairly as I can.
Who started TaskRabbit and who owns it now
According to Wikipedia, the company began in 2008 as RunMyErrand in Boston, founded by Leah Solivan, a former IBM software engineer. It was renamed Taskrabbit in 2010. In 2017 it was acquired by the IKEA Group. So this isn't a new name that appeared last week: it's been around for well over a decade and has a large corporate owner.
What it does is simple. It matches freelance workers, called Taskers, with local demand for jobs such as furniture assembly, moving, delivery and handyman work.
How TaskRabbit works for people hiring a Tasker
As a client, you describe your job, choose a Tasker and the work is invoiced through the platform. TaskRabbit's help says clients are charged after the Tasker completes and confirms the task. Keeping the whole thing inside the TaskRabbit app and invoice matters, because the platform's own protections and records are tied to jobs booked and paid for there.
On the fee side, TaskRabbit's support pages describe a Trust & Support fee, applied to all invoices as a percentage of the task's hourly rate. It appears as a separate line on your receipt after the task is done. In California and Massachusetts, invoices don't show this fee and instead show only a Service Fee. I haven't quoted percentages because TaskRabbit's own pages are the place to check them for your city.
What the Trust & Support fee on an invoice covers
TaskRabbit says the fee supports its Task Protection Program, safety and operations measures, the Customer Support Team, and tools and training to help Taskers get tasks done. It also says the fee doesn't affect what a Tasker is paid. That's useful to know: the extra line on the invoice goes to the platform, not out of the person doing your job.
How TaskRabbit works if you want to be a Tasker
TaskRabbit's support article lists the requirements for Taskers in the US. You need a Social Security Number for the background check, though the article says you can switch to an EIN after you finish registration. You must be 18 or older, based in or working from one of its active cities, and willing to provide personal information for background and identity checks.
- A checking account (savings accounts, prepaid cards and reloadable bank cards aren't accepted, even if they take direct deposits).
- A valid credit card.
- A one time, non-refundable registration charge of 25 US dollars when your registration is processed.
- A smartphone, because there's no Windows app.
The registration charge is worth pausing on. Plenty of gig sites are fine, but a platform that asks you to pay to start deserves a clear-eyed look. TaskRabbit states the charge openly in its own article, which is the right sign, yet you're paying before you know whether you'll get a single booking.
How Taskers set their rates and receive payouts
TaskRabbit's blog explains three earning structures. On the self-set hourly model, used in most categories, you set your own hourly rate for each category and keep 100% of it, plus 100% of any client tips. Task-based work pays a fixed amount per task, shown up front, and pre-set hourly applies to direct hire jobs where a client picks you.
Payments are processed through Stripe and, according to TaskRabbit, usually arrive within 1 to 3 business days after the task is completed and confirmed. Tips are paid out with the task payment. That's a quick turnaround compared with many freelance platforms, though it only helps if work does come in.
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TaskRabbit Taskers are contractors, not employees
TaskRabbit's support page says plainly that Taskers are independent contractors and not employees of Taskrabbit, and that they decide their own hourly rates, working hours and service areas. In practice that means freedom, but also no promised hours, no employer benefits and responsibility for your own tax. I'm not an accountant, so ask one or check with your tax office about how self-employed income works where you live.
Is TaskRabbit worth it?
| Question | What TaskRabbit's own pages say |
|---|---|
| Who owns it? | Acquired by the IKEA Group in 2017 (Wikipedia) |
| Are Taskers employees? | No, independent contractors |
| Who sets the rate? | Taskers, in most categories |
| How quickly are Taskers paid? | Usually within 1 to 3 business days |
| What does a new US Tasker pay to join? | A one time, non-refundable 25 US dollar registration charge |
For clients, TaskRabbit is a real and established way to find help locally. For Taskers, it can be a reasonable way to find local work if you're happy being self-employed and have the skills that people book. It won't replace a salary on its own, and I'd treat it as one of several options. My roundup of side hustle ideas to run alongside your business shows how it compares, and my guide to legitimate ways to make money online is a handy sense-check before you commit to any gig platform.
Staying safe from TaskRabbit copycats
Because TaskRabbit is a well-known name, scammers borrow it. Be wary of anyone who asks you to leave the TaskRabbit app, pay a Tasker by gift card or bank transfer, or send a fee to be accepted as a Tasker outside the official registration. TaskRabbit's pages describe payments and invoices inside its own app, so keep everything there.
Frequently asked questions
Is TaskRabbit legit?
Yes. It's a real platform founded in 2008 and acquired by the IKEA Group in 2017. It connects clients with independent Taskers for jobs like assembly, moving and delivery.
Are TaskRabbit Taskers employees?
No. TaskRabbit's support page says Taskers are independent contractors and not employees, and that they decide their own rates, hours and service areas.
Does it cost anything to become a Tasker?
In the US, TaskRabbit's article lists a one time, non-refundable registration charge of 25 US dollars, charged when your registration is processed.
How do Taskers get paid?
Payments are processed through Stripe and usually arrive within 1 to 3 business days after the task is completed and confirmed, according to TaskRabbit's blog.
What is the Trust & Support fee?
TaskRabbit says it's applied to all invoices as a percentage of the hourly rate and supports its Task Protection Program and Customer Support Team. It doesn't affect what a Tasker is paid.
What do you need to be a Tasker in the US?
A Social Security Number for the background check, age 18 or older, a checking account, a valid credit card and a smartphone, among other requirements listed in TaskRabbit's support article.
