2026 Worker and consumer survey
Recent survey results show that the app-based economy is now more deeply woven into American economic life and politically durable than when Flex first measured it three years ago.
The scale of consumer adoption tells the story.
The App-Based Economy Has Become Part of Daily Life.
App-based platforms are powering Americans’ lifestyles, bringing a positive impact to the lives of millions of families and individuals.
The app-based workforce behind these services has grown in step.
Nearly three in ten U.S. adults now earn income on an app-based platform, with the fastest growth coming in states that previously lagged the national average.
69%
of workers support maintaining independent contractor classification
82%
of current earners say platform income has been helpful in dealing with inflation
77%
of ever-earned workers have used 2+ apps during a work period
Seven in ten U.S. adults have used an app-based platform, and one in four now use these services five times or more during a typical month.
As platforms expand to include categories such as prescription delivery, same-day retail, and rideshare in suburban markets that were underpenetrated just three years ago, they are solving real, recurring problems.
66%
say these services are valuable to their daily lives
68%
have used app-based platforms within the past year
51%
have used app-based platforms in the past three months
Methodology. This nationwide poll was conducted online by Morning Consult between March 18-March 26, 2026, among a sample of 10,010 U.S. adults. State-level results are estimated by a Multilevel Regression and Poststratification (MRP) model weighted by age, race/ethnicity, gender, and educational attainment within each state. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of ±1 percentage point. The data were then subset to “Adults Who Have Ever Been an App-Based Worker” (n=4,354), as well as “Adults Who Are Currently App-Based Workers” (n=2,804). All “Adults Who Are Currently App-Based Workers” are included as part of the sample of “Adults Who Have Ever Been an App-Based Worker”. Results from both subsets have a margin of error of ±2 percentage points.
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