Platform Work: Evidence from Drivers in India, Indonesia, and Kenya

Using surveys and administrative data from representative samples of drivers working on three leading gig platforms in India, Indonesia, and Kenya, we document the composition, economic experiences, and labor market trajectories of platform workers. Combining platform-based earnings with operating cost data, we estimate earnings net of costs (in PPP-adjusted terms) in each context. We find that the flexible nature of platform work enables drivers to work substantially more than the full-time equivalent, generating higher monthly net earnings than low-skill or casual employment, despite comparable or lower hourly net earnings relative to these outside options. Drivers who exit platform work in India and Indonesia do so to take up better-paying full-time positions. In contrast, Kenyan drivers often exit involuntarily, returning to offline driving with adverse financial consequences. One-third of drivers across countries rely on platform work to supplement earnings during emergencies or slow work periods, suggesting that platform work may play an important role as a financial safety net.