Papa Pals Review – Worth It? (Not for Everyone)

Papa Pals looks like a promising way to earn money while helping others. At first glance, it seems simple. You sign up, pick shifts, and get paid for visits. But that’s just the surface.

Before you join, you need to know how it really works, what you can realistically earn, and whether it’s a good fit for you. This Papa Pals review breaks that all down so you can decide if it is worth your time.

So, let’s begin.

What is Papa Pals, and what does it offer?

Papa.com is a platform where you can sign up to become a Papa Pal, a companion and helper for older adults and families. And yes, it is legit because you can really earn by working as a companion/helper for the elderly.

But the fact that it is legit doesn’t necessarily mean it is a good fit for you. To find out if it is worth it, we must first examine the earning opportunity it offers, so you will know how much time and effort are needed to earn from it. That way, you’ll have a good idea if it is the right fit for you or not.

So, here’s how you can earn from Papa Pals.

The earning opportunity – Bookings

The only way to earn from Papa Pals is to accept bookings from Papa’s clients (who are all elderly people). These bookings will ask you to do various tasks (refer to the photo below).

When I was testing the platform, most of the bookings I found were all about picking up groceries or medications. There are also many bookings for giving clients a lift to the doctor’s office, the bank, or anywhere they need to go.

There were also surprisingly many bookings for helping clients download and access apps, teaching them how to use video calls, or sending an email.

Aside from what your clients will ask from you, you are also expected to engage in great conversations. This is one of the basic skills you need to have if you plan to work as a Papa Pal. That’s part of providing companionship, which is one of the requirements of the job.

One thing I can say, though, is that these bookings require a certain type of personality and mindset, because it can take a lot of patience when dealing with the elderly. So, before you think about joining this platform, you must ask yourself, “Can you really do this kind of work?”

If the answer is no, then I suggest you stop reading, because this opportunity is not for you. But if you feel like you can handle being a Papa Pal, then here’s what you need to know.

Bookings are paid by the hour. The minimum compensation for a visit is one hour, and after one hour, compensation will be based on the exact time worked.

Pay rates vary by location but typically fall around $13 to $17 per hour as a base. You can check out the full breakdown of what you can earn per booking here.

You can accept bookings by logging in to the mobile app (more on this later). While testing the platform, I noticed that the availability of bookings mostly depended on your location. This is not surprising because gig economy platforms usually work this way.

Based on my experience with various gig economy platforms, there will be more earning opportunities in large cities. So, if you live in a small town, you will hardly find any earning opportunities. Later, I will discuss what this means.

The most important thing you must remember when accepting bookings is to treat your clients with utmost respect. If you are disrespectful, your clients can file a complaint, which can lead to account suspension or banning.

So, if you want to keep working as a Papa Pal, you must always put your best foot forward when working on bookings.

Recommended: Check Out the Best Gig Economy Sites

How do you get paid?

Bookings will pay you by the hour. But the question is, how will you get paid?

The good news is that Papa Pals uses a convenient payout method, which is Stripe. This means you’ll get paid directly to your bank account. So, if you don’t have a Stripe account, I suggest you sign up for one before you become a Papa Pal.

The best thing about Papa’s payment system is that it is processed automatically. They are processed the next business day after the booking is completed. Weekly and other special bonuses are processed on Wednesdays. 

Once processed, it will take 1 to 2 business days for payments to be reflected in your bank account. It is a very convenient payout system, and there won’t be any processing fees involved.

If you are interested in more sites that use a convenient payout system, I suggest you also check out the top sites that pay via direct bank transfer.

How much money can you make?

The amount you can earn from Papa Pals will depend on how many bookings you can complete. As explained above, you can earn $13 to $17 per hour for bookings. That’s not a bad rate, in my opinion. You’ll also receive bonuses, transportation pay, and commute pay, so you can earn a decent amount per booking.

But all of that will depend on the availability of bookings in your area. The problem is that the availability of bookings will depend on your location, which means the earning potential of Papa Pals entirely depends on where you live.

If you live in a big city, chances are, there will be plenty of earning opportunities available. But if you live in a small town, you will hardly find opportunities to earn.

This is why I would say it is only worth it if you live in a big city, because the earning potential will be pretty good. If you live in a small town, I suggest you mainly focus on other avenues for extra income.

Can you use it on mobile?

Now, as mentioned earlier, you’ll need to use its app to accept bookings. I tested the app, and it has a very intuitive user interface, so you can navigate it with ease.

The app works on both Android and iOS devices, so compatibility won’t be a problem. This is a good thing because you can easily accept bookings even when you are out and about.

Who can join Papa Pals?

Now, here’s the most important thing you need to know if you are interested in becoming a Papa Pal. It is only available in the US, so if you live somewhere else, this is not for you.

To qualify as a Pal, you’ll have to be at least 21 years old and own an insured vehicle that is no more than 16 years old. To apply as a Pal, you must provide your mobile number.

Then, you’ll need to fill out the form where you’ll be asked to provide a photo of a valid U.S. government-issued driver’s license. After submitting your application, Papa will review it, and if they want to accept your application, you’ll be asked to undergo a background check and motor vehicle report.

It’s a relatively long process, but it is to be expected because Papa wants to ensure they only accept reliable and good “Pals”.

Now, these checks are free of charge and will be facilitated by a third-party provider. And if you get accepted, you’ll also have to go through these checks once a year to maintain your standing as a Pal.

Can you get support?

The thing that impressed me the most when I was exploring Papa’s website was that it has a very extensive Help Center for Pals. This section covers all of the important things you need to know if you want to work as a Pal.

So, if you have questions about the platform, the first thing you should do is visit its Pal Center to see if you can find the answers you need. If you can’t find what you are looking for, you can contact its support team instead.

You access the contact form inside the app to get in touch with its support team. Overall, I would say it does provide decent support because you have easy access to all its resources, and you can easily get in touch with the support department.

Final Verdict

Papa Pals is a legit gig economy platform that lets you earn extra cash by providing companionship and assistance to the elderly. It has a couple of good features, but it also has certain limitations you need to keep in mind.

Let me summarize its pros and cons, so you can clearly see an overview of what it offers. Then, you can decide if it is for you or not.

In my opinion, Papa Pals is not for everyone. To earn on this platform, you need the right mindset and personality, as dealing with the elderly can test your patience. That’s why I would only recommend you go for this opportunity if you love interacting with the elderly. If you do, this can be a meaningful way to earn.

Otherwise, you are better off finding other earning opportunities that will suit your personality better. If that’s the case, I suggest you check out the best gig economy sites instead.

Now, if you want to earn without leaving your house, I recommend you check out the top survey and GPT sites in your country instead. The sites and apps on this list all have good earning potential, so you can earn a decent amount quickly.

Plus, you will definitely find a site or app you can join regardless of where you live.

If you have any comments, questions, or experiences with Papa Pals, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.