- Spark Driver referral bonuses reward both existing and new drivers after trip completion.
- Bonuses typically range between $100-600, varying by location and demand.
- Referral codes must be entered during application; retroactive application is difficult.
- Drivers have mixed feelings about referrals due to potential increased competition.
How Spark Driver Referral Bonuses Work
The Spark Driver referral program allows current drivers to earn more money by referring new drivers to the Spark Driver community.
The bonuses work as a sort of “carrot and stick” incentive method, with the goal of getting drivers on the road within a certain location, then keeping them there for a period of time.
The new driver working to claim the bonus must complete a certain amount of trips within a certain timeframe in a certain location.
If they meet the requirements tied to the promotion, both the new driver and the existing driver that referred them will receive a bonus.
As a note, these are separate from Spark’s driver rewards program, which is a separate benefit for existing drivers.
How Much are Spark Driver Bonuses Worth?
I have seen Sark Driver bonuses range from anywhere between $100-600 per bonus. They change often so there’s not really a direct answer here.
The amount of the bonus varies by location and time, but they’re typically an amount high enough to make trying to achieve them worth both of the driver’s time.
The bonus amount for a specific zone is usually directly tied to how badly that zone needs drivers, so ones that need more drivers more quickly will usually offer higher bonuses.
How Spark’s Bonuses are Different Than Uber’s
Spark driver referral bonuses reward existing drivers for referring new drivers, with both receiving a cash bonus after the new driver completes a set number of deliveries.
In contrast, Uber’s guaranteed earnings offer new drivers a minimum earnings amount for completing a specific number of trips within a set time frame. If the driver’s earnings fall short of the guaranteed amount, Uber pays the difference.
Thus, Spark’s bonuses incentivize referrals, while Uber’s guarantees ensure minimum earnings for new drivers.
How to Claim a Spark Driver Referral Bonus
Claiming a Spark Driver referral bonus is incredibly simple. All you need to do is enter a referral code from an existing driver during the initial application process.
When you’re first applying and creating an account, you’ll see a box that says “Enter referral code (optional). This is where the referral code goes.
Once you apply the code within this box, you can continue the application as prompted.
If the code doesn’t work for some reason, the system will let you know that the code isn’t valid. If this happens, pause the application.
I suggest first finding out why the referral didn’t apply to your account.
Sometimes these bonuses are related to a specific zone, meaning that if you’re applying outside of a zone that the referring driver was working in, it might not work.
If this is the case, simply find another code from another driver within that zone (such as a friend or somebody you know that is already an existing driver) and ask them for their code.
It’s a lot easier to apply a code now than have to work with support to retroactively apply a referral code after you’ve already started driving.
This is a huge problem with Uber referrals, and is a headache to deal with. I don’t know of any drivers who have successfully been able to retroactively apply a bonus for Spark.
How to Share a Referral Code as an Existing Driver
Sharing a Spark Driver referral code is simple, and can be done directly within the Spark Driver app.
To share a referral code with a new driver, first open the driver app and then navigate to the app’s main menu.
From the menu items, you will see an option labeled “Refer & Earn.”
Tap this and you’ll be taken to a subpage within the app that describes how the program works.
I suggest reading the fine-print so that you understand whether or not that your referral will (or will not) be eligible for the bonus.
To refer a friend, simply copy the code under the “Your referral code” section of the page, or share a referral link by tapping the “REFER FRIENDS” button at the bottom of the screen.
Your friend will need to apply the code you’ve shared during their application.
Once they’ve passed the background check they can start working toward the bonus.
After they’ve met the requirements outlined in the bonus terms, both of you will receive the bonus.
How to Check the Status of a Referral
During the process of them working toward the bonus, you can check their progress at any time by tapping the “Status” button on the same screen that you found your code.
You’ll be taken to a separate screen that shows all of your referrals and the progress they’ve made.
I suggest taking special note of the dates within your referred drivers, as these referrals expire at some point.
If you notice that one is expiring soon, that means that neither of you will receive a bonus if the conditions aren’t met by that date.
In these cases, I usually like to reach out to the driver that I’ve referred and remind them of this. Most drivers overlook the expiration date, and are disappointed to find out that their chance at the bonus expired.
I have heard from some drivers that have mentioned that their bonus did not immediately hit their account until a bit after they met the requirements.
I suggest giving the bonus a week after you’ve hit the requirements, then reaching out to support if you still haven’t seen it come through.
What Drivers Think of the Program
Unlike other gig-related bonuses, this program is a bit unique because drivers seem to be a bit split on what they think of these bonuses.
Some drivers mention that they love them, having made significant amounts of money by referring new drivers to the platform.
However, other drivers see the program as a downside, citing increased competition in their zones as a reason to not refer new drivers to Spark.
These concerns mainly stem from the fact that when a new driver is referred, their own opportunities for deliveries and earnings decreases because there’s less to go around.
Personally, I don’t think the competition aspect is something to worry about. At least, not enough to not refer drivers to an existing zone.
I suggest considering the activity level in your zone before referring new drivers. Some zones are busy enough to accommodate more drivers without impacting the existing drivers.
I think the chance of long-term delivery loss is more of a worry than a real-life problem.
Especially if your zone is waitlisting drivers, the demand is already there and you referring a new driver won’t change your situation.
Still have questions? Drop a comment below and somebody from our team will get back to you with a reply as soon as we can.
