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Gopher Requests are available 24/7/365. If there's a Gopher requested and a Gopher available, we go to work!
Gopher charges the following fees to make a request:
For example, a “Delivery – General Errand” where you want to pay a Gopher $30 total would cost $33.47 (Cost of Goods = $20, Gopher Offer = $10, Gopher Fee = $0.99, Instant Transfer Fee = $2.48). The Gopher receives all $30 of your offer, costing you only $3.47 to use the app.
Knowing the cost of the items you want, availability, and store hours is important because once the Gopher accepts the request, they're doing so in good faith that everything requested is available and priced accordingly. This lets you order what you need without costly markups. If the cost of goods submitted is a little off, your Gopher can submit a COST ADJUSTMENT for the correct amount. We just ask you to be as close as possible.
There are usually only a couple reasons a request isn't accepted:
Your request should be as descriptive as possible — the more info the better. No one knows what you want done better than you, so take your time describing EXACTLY what you want so there's no confusion.
Example of what not to do: “Need mulch spread in my backyard.” Example of what to do: “I need 12 yards of mulch laid in my backyard. Must have own equipment” (while supplying any relevant pictures).
We strongly recommend NOT putting your phone number in the request. We've provided the ability to communicate before and during your request through the app.
Most people have been conditioned to Google the service they need (or ask for recommendations on social media). Either way, it's you that ends up searching for all the help. On the Gopher Marketplace, you list the service you need, for the price you're willing to pay (or you can ask for a bid), and the help comes to you. You can then see each worker's ratings, reviews, work history, and recommendations to make your selection.
Home Service providers on the Gopher Go app find it refreshing that they don't have to pay for leads to see jobs, they know exactly how much they're being paid before starting, and are paid immediately once the job is complete.
If you inadvertently signed up for the opposite Gopher app, don't sweat it. Your Gopher profile applies to both apps. Just download the correct app, sign in with your phone number, apply the OTP, and you're all set!
At the bottom of the app's home page, you'll see a Refer App icon. Opening the link shows your referral code. When you refer friends via Message or Email, you'll see a “check referral status” showing all pending SMS and Emails sent, as well as those who signed up from your link.
In the “More” section of the app (bottom-right icon on the floorboard), you'll see the Help center link. From there you'll see “Send us a message.”
Yes. During the request submission process, you must agree to our age-restricted waiver, stating you understand you must show a valid ID before receiving any age-restricted items, and acknowledge that if an order is placed without being able to provide a valid ID at delivery, there will not be a refund for the cost of the items nor the Gopher offer. Our unwavering compliance ensures minors or any ineligible parties cannot use the Gopher app for age-restricted delivery and/or purchase.
No, you can make any offer amount for any request you choose. However, if you're new to Gopher, please look at your offer as a wage and not a “tip.” The Gophers you hire work for you, not Gopher, Inc. For example, for a unique delivery that takes 1/2 hour to an hour, think about what it would take for you to do that job. When the offer is fair, you'll get what you need FAST!
If no one accepts your request, it will expire and there will not be a charge — not even a pre-authorization.
Your Gopher is encouraged to start correspondence with you immediately after accepting. If you chose FIRST AVAILABLE and/or NOTIFY A FAVORITE GOPHER, no action is needed on your part. You'll see where your Gopher is located from start to finish and receive alerts at each stage. If you chose SELECT MY GOPHER, you'll be able to review each interested Gopher's ratings, reviews, and work history before making your selection.
On the app's dashboard, select “Previous requests.” You'll see all previously completed, expired, and/or cancelled requests. From there you can select REQUEST AGAIN (making any changes you want).
Yes. For requests involving a pick-up and drop-off, once your Gopher selects “in-progress,” your request screen shows a map of the Gopher's location relative to the destination(s). If you ever see the driver “stuck,” check in via text or call — some areas have poor connection, but calls and texts typically get through better than location services.
Please rate your Gopher on accuracy, communication (keeping you informed of your request's status), quality of work, and timeliness. This impacts the order they see future jobs, so if your worker met your expectations, please rate them a 5 😉
Enter the final destination address when entering the address of a “multiple-stop” request, then enter the other address(es) in the description section. We recommend entering the address of a store vs. just the name, in case there's more than one location.
When you submit your request and it's accepted, Gopher, Inc. transfers the money from your selected payment method to a holding account to ensure the entire request amount is available once completed. If the request is not completed, the money authorized is released back to the card on file. Please see our Terms and Conditions for related scenarios regarding payments, refunds, or disputes. We chose Stripe as our trusted payment transaction partner to keep all transactions efficient, safe, and secure.
If your Gopher has accepted but has not yet started and has not purchased anything, you can cancel — or instantly repost to other Gophers — for free. Once your Gopher has updated the request to “in-progress” and/or “items purchased,” cancelling is subject to a flat $5 cancellation fee, and if items were already purchased you are also responsible for the cost of those items. Please see our Terms and Conditions for complete details. You and your worker can agree on whatever you want regarding cancelling — we just make sure workers are never put in a position to lose money when accepting a job in good faith.
Fortunately this is rare (especially when they pay for items out of pocket). If your Gopher brings the wrong item(s) and your description (including pic) was clear, you can Dispute your request with comments in the app. This immediately alerts your Gopher to resolve the issue — typically by returning to the store to exchange, or cancelling (resulting in no charge to you).
Please allow the Gopher to make it right, especially if they've made an out-of-pocket expense. DO NOT select “unable to resolve” without allowing them to correct it AND communicating what needs to be done in the message section. If you ever need help, contact support@gophergo.io.
You can set the price for a service (You make the price offer), or if unsure what's fair, broadcast your request for Gophers to bid on (Allow a Gopher to make the offer). If you let a Gopher make the offer, you can accept or decline offers as they come in.
You can add to your Favorite Gophers list two ways:
Once you have at least 1 Favorite Gopher, when submitting a request you'll see a “Notify one of my Favorite Gophers” option added to “First Available” and “Select My Gopher.” This ensures your Favorite is notified before anyone else. If unavailable, it defaults to “Select My Gopher.”
No. Negative. Never! During submission, you must agree to our Age-Restricted waiver, acknowledging you must show a valid ID before receiving any age-restricted items. If an order is placed without a valid ID at delivery, there will not be a refund for the items nor the Gopher offer. We're unwavering here to follow the letter and spirit of the law, ensuring minors or any ineligible party cannot use the app for age-restricted delivery and/or purchase.
In some cases, especially with iOS, previous version bugs stick around. A known remedy is to delete the app from your phone and reinstall (do NOT delete your Gopher account — just the app). This removes all previous version data. Reinstalling from the App or Play Store usually solves it. If it doesn't, email support@gophergo.io or use the Help Center in your app.
If you set up your Gopher Request account with an alias, you won't be able to apply for Gopher TrustShield.
Never do this! Gopher can only fulfill transactions made using the platform. If a Gopher states they need additional money outside the app, that's a violation of our terms and conditions — contact us immediately. Before a request is accepted, if items require a purchase, the Gopher must confirm they have the funds needed, and if not, should NOT accept the request.
This represents a poor Wi-Fi and/or data connection. Often you'll still be able to make your request — our app is just letting you know the signal is very weak.
When submitting an age-restricted request, you receive multiple pop-up confirmations regarding the mandatory requirement to show a valid government-issued ID during delivery. With every age-restricted delivery, you must be present with your ID at the exchange OR the Gopher is entitled to the entire amount offered. This is not negotiable nor refundable, so if you don't have your ID, please DO NOT make a request for age-restricted product delivery.
Common sense is king. If a potential worker asks the dimensions of a couch (especially if that info was left out), by all means answer. If they're asking for your phone, address, or other info they shouldn't need, flag the message and contact Gopher Support. You're never obligated to respond, but if it's a relevant question, we encourage you to answer. Once connected to your Gopher, you can communicate via text or call without restrictions.
That's 1 of 2 issues:
That sounds like a location permissions issue from your phone. Go to your phone settings, select the Gopher app, and make sure location settings are set to allow.
That depends on where the driver is relative to the pick-up and drop-off. As a best practice, we onboard drivers with the expectation that deliveries should be completed in less than an hour. Even with “First Available” and “Need it Now,” if a driver accepts your request outside 15 miles, you have to approve that worker to help meet that expectation. If you need something much faster, say that in your description.
Gopher Requests are available 24/7/365. If there's a Gopher requested and a Gopher available, we go to work!
Anytime there's a “Cost of Goods” amount listed, the Requester is paying you that amount to pay on their behalf. For example, for a meal from a Food Truck with no advance payment option, they'll enter the amount in Cost of Goods for you to pay on their behalf. You pay for the items initially (the money is already in escrow and GUARANTEED to you immediately upon completion). This keeps costs down for everyone — Merchants, Requesters, and Gophers all benefit. If you aren't interested in these transactions or don't have the funds to cover the Cost of Goods, please DO NOT accept the request.
When a Gopher signs up, they receive their first 10 payouts at Stripe's “Standard” US payout speed (typically 2 hours from the time the customer confirms). After 10 successfully completed requests, the Gopher is upgraded to “Instant Payout” — payouts deposited immediately after completion (1–2 minutes). Gopher Elite members start with Instant Payout.
Payouts are initiated when a Gopher updates the request status to “Complete.” This triggers an SMS and app notification to the Requester, who selects “Confirmed” or “Dispute.” When “Confirmed” is selected, the payout process starts and deposits go directly to the Debit Card on file. If the Requester forgets to confirm, payout automatically occurs after 48 hours. As a best practice, remind the requester in person to select confirmed right then to avoid delays.
In your app, tapping Previous requests → Completed → View Request Logs shows the status of a payout, including Order Completed, Requester Confirmed, and Payout Completed timestamps.
Payouts can be delayed by: an expired, unsupported, compromised, bank-blocked, and/or cancelled card. Updating to a valid card resumes pending payouts, but causes a delay that can't be sped up — so ensure your card is in good standing before completing a request.
This feature is for when a Requester doesn't know what a fair offer would be. A Gopher sees exactly what's needed, and where the price is normally listed it says Make Me An Offer. If interested, they accept the request and enter their cost for materials (if applicable) and how much they want to charge for the service. The bid is sent to the Requester, who can accept or decline.
If you inadvertently signed up for the opposite app, don't sweat it. Your Gopher profile applies to both apps. Just download the correct app, sign in with your phone number, apply the OTP, and you're all set!
At the bottom of the app's home page, you'll see a Refer App icon showing your referral code. When you refer friends via Message or Email, you'll see a “check referral status” for all pending SMS/Emails sent and signups from your link.
In the “More” section of the app (bottom-right icon on the floorboard), you'll see the Help Center link. From there you'll see “Send us a message.”
Unfortunately there's no way around needing verification. However, Stripe offers several options: Passport, Passport Card, Driver's License, State-Issued ID Card, Resident Permit ID / US Green Card, Border Crossing Card, Child ID Card, NYC Card, US Visa Card, and Birth Certificate.
That's 1 of 2 issues:
If a Gopher accepts a request, they're expected to complete it. Cancelling before completing incurs up to a $5 fee. Please see our Terms and Conditions for details. Note that accepting a request authorizes a customer's card — cancelling causes a major inconvenience to the customer. This is the single most common reason a Gopher is removed from the platform.
We want to be fair: we understand emergencies and car trouble happen. But when they repeatedly happen, the customer experience is compromised and we have to ensure it doesn't happen again.
Yes. The counter-offer feature is just like accepting a request (and arguably even more important to complete). If you submit a counter-offer, you're accepting the request for the amount you think is fair and are willing to work for. If the Requester accepts your counter-offer, you're obligated to complete it.
Gophers can communicate with Requesters through the in-app messaging link. When you open a request from the available queue, you'll see a “Question?” button. This is exclusively for getting more information about a request — not to ask for more money (that's a Counter-Offer) or to exchange numbers/emails to circumvent the app.
When a request calls for 2 or more Gophers, the Gopher who accepts receives the entire pay for the job once completed. It's the responsibility of the accepting Gopher to ensure they have the additional help. The total amount shown is NOT multiplied by the number of Gophers — the total amount IS the total. If it's not enough to cover the crew needed, submit a counter-offer or don't accept. It's very important not to accept a 2+ job if you cannot find the additional help first. Accepting then cancelling may cause removal from the platform.
Requests where a purchase is needed require an initial out-of-pocket expense. This amount, along with the offer, is paid out immediately after completion. You're never required to accept a “purchase needed” request and can always ignore them. Because the Gopher marketplace doesn't have structured partnerships with vendors/merchants, users avoid extreme mark-ups. Age-restricted items cannot be delivered by a Gopher under 21 or received by a user under 21, and must be proven with legal government-issued ID. Please DO NOT accept a “purchase needed” request unless you have the funds available — this would be an unexcused cancellation, a major inconvenience, and subject to a fee and/or removal.
Yes, it's always in your best interest to save receipts of items purchased for up to 60 days. Although disputes are very rare, you may need to provide a receipt if a dispute is filed regarding a request you performed.
Albeit rare, sometimes a user writes in special instructions to drop off age-restricted items without contact. This CANNOT be honored, EVER. It's every Gopher's responsibility to physically check for a valid ID before delivery of age-restricted products is completed (and capture a pic). Never feel bad for asking — there are no other legal options on any platform. You can always message the requester before accepting to ensure they understand.
Although rare, sometimes the requester doesn't have access to their device at the time of completion. Once you select complete, we send the Requester a text and app alert and continue reminders until it's confirmed OR 48 hours pass (after which payout is automatically initiated). As a best practice, when with the requester for a completed job, let them know they'll receive a confirmation alert and to please confirm it — that's what initiates your payout.
When the Requester submits an age-restricted request, they receive multiple pop-up confirmations regarding the mandatory requirement to show a valid government-issued ID. They must be present with their ID at the exchange OR the Gopher is entitled to the entire amount offered. If they don't have their ID present, you can select “ID not present” and complete the transaction with applicable notes. You'll see a timer on your completed screen and must allow 10 minutes before selecting “Identity not confirmed and completed.” If this occurs, you'll still be paid for the entire request.
With Stripe's exceptional payout track record, a delay is easy to identify. Any time there's a delay or error:
Once a valid card is established, Stripe confirms it the next business day, then existing payout amounts transfer to the newly confirmed card (also ~1 business day). Avoid this reconciliation if possible — there's no way to speed it up once the initial attempt fails, and contacting Gopher won't speed it up. This is easily avoided by keeping a valid card on file before completing a request. Rest assured, once you complete a request the money is always accounted for.
This could be a few different scenarios:
This represents the user either inadvertently selecting the incorrect category, or trying to circumvent an age-restricted category to avoid the mandatory safeguards. If you see this, flag the request immediately. As a courtesy, you can message them to “edit” their request and select “this request contains age-restricted items.”
Gopher is an instant payout platform and partners with Stripe for payouts. Instant payouts are Debit Cards only. Stripe accepts virtually all US bank debit cards. Because Stripe is a third-party integration, they might not be able to verify your card immediately — please check Stripe's supported banks list to ensure your card is accepted.
The short answer is yes — but ONLY if you're 100% certain the amount listed is significantly off. The cost of items isn't meant to make or lose money; it's for customers to purchase items at retail prices. Because there's a counter-offer cap, using cost of items to circumvent the offer cap is a violation of our terms and subject to immediate account deactivation.
The Gopher Marketplace is intended to be a fair platform. The cap was created using information from tens of thousands of requests. While a request may rarely be egregiously low, you can always message the customer and respectfully explain you'd do their request for a higher amount if they're willing to edit and resubmit. We implemented the cap because first-time users would make a reasonable offer (e.g. $12.50 for a simple delivery) and a Gopher would counter for $50 — from the customer's perspective that's ridiculously high, so they'd cancel and even delete their account. We had to take that off the table.
To find work as a standard Gopher, NO — the app is completely free to join.
There's a one-time fee to become Gopher Elite or Gopher Elite+ (background screening through Yardstik). This is totally optional, but highly recommended in active areas. Separately, the Gopher Pro badge identifies Gophers who are licensed, bonded, and/or insured for the work they offer. You can learn more about each badge and the corresponding perks on the Gopher website.
That sounds like a location permissions issue from your phone. Go to your phone settings, select the Gopher Go app, and make sure location settings are set to allow.
There are a few reasons:
Often when a customer wants a delivery for an item available from several locations, they select “Gopher can purchase from anywhere.” In this case the pick-up address is listed as “Gopher's Choice,” meaning you can go to the closest store. You can also contact the Requester in the app to ask if there's a particular store they recommend.
Unfortunately not. Each company sets its own adjudication matrix (the guideline for making consistent, fair decisions about background check results). We need to ensure each candidate is evaluated with the same criteria, so we cannot accept a background check using unknown criteria. In active areas, the small one-time investment comes back ten-fold when you factor in the Gopher Elite perks.