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Postmates and DoorDash are two of the most popular food delivery apps, and both apps are now accepting new delivery drivers. Drivers for Postmates and DoorDash use their own vehicle to pick up and drop off deliveries for local customerss. Drivers are paid for each delivery and are free to set their own hours.
Is delivering for Postmates or DoorDash a good gig? We looked into both jobs to find out how much can you make as a driver, and what the jobs are really like.
Update: Postmates is going away! Following the acquisition of Postmates by Uber Eats, Uber is now asking Postmates drivers to migrate to Uber Eats. Learn how to make the switch here.
Article Contents
- Driving for Postmates
- Driving for DoorDash
- Are DoorDash and Postmates Good Gigs?
- Other Delivery Gigs to Look into
Driving for Postmates
Postmates is an on-demand delivery service that allows users to request deliveries of all types from local restaurants and stores. Most Postmates deliveries are typically for food delivery or small items such as home and office supplies.
What Do Postmates Drivers Do?
- Receive delivery requests in the Postmates courier app and navigate to the restaurant or store
- Deliver the item to the customer’s location using directions from the app
- Drivers don’t schedule shifts. Log in to the app when you want to work
- Postmates customer support places the order if they can. Otherwise, drivers place the order at the store and pay with a Postmates credit card
Postmates Driver Requirements
- Must be 18 years or older
- Any car, truck, or van qualifies
- Bicycles and scooters are accepted in some cities
- Valid auto insurance
- Pass a background check
How Much Money Do Postmates Drivers Make?
- Postmates drivers can expect to make $10–$15 per hour in most markets
- Drivers are paid a fee for pickup & drop-off, paid for wait time at the restaurant, and paid per mile between pickup and drop-off
- Drivers receive 100% of tips. Customers can tip using the app
- Blitz pricing, similar to Uber’s surge pricing, increases the delivery fees during peak hours
- Guaranteed earnings are sometimes offered: Do X deliveries and earn a guaranteed minimum payout
- Other bonuses: Bonuses per delivery, ‘Crushers’ (complete X deliveries during a period)
- Drivers are paid weekly via direct deposit, or can choose to withdraw earnings earlier
Example: How Postmates Drivers are Paid in Los Angeles
The payout equation is slightly different for every city, but to give you an example of how Postmates calculates driver earnings for a delivery, here are the rates in Los Angeles.
- $1.40 for pickups
- $0.70 for drop-offs
- $0.07 per minute wait time at the pickup location
- $0.69 per mile from the food pickup to the drop-off
- Learn more about earnings minimums in California
Driving for DoorDash
DoorDash is an on-demand food delivery app that hires independent drivers called Dashers to do food deliveries. Much like Postmates, Dashers use an app to receive orders, then navigate to the restaurant to pick up the order and drop it off at the customer.
One big advantage of DoorDash over Postmates is that Dashers can see up front if a tip is included with the order. Dashers can decline low-paying orders and accept only those with higher payouts from tips.
Another distinction is that Dashers generally must schedule hours in advance. Postmates drivers are free to sign into the app and work whenever they want, no schedule required.
What DoorDash Delivery Drivers Do
- Receive delivery requests inside the DoorDash app and deliver them to the customer
- Drivers schedule shifts in advance
- It’s possible to “Dash Now” without a schedule
- Learn more about the DoorDash scheduling system
- The customer enters their order through the app and pays through the app, all drivers do is pick up and deliver the food
- On some orders drivers have to order the and pay with a special DoorDash credit card called the ‘Red Card’
- Delivery requests will be limited to the geographical region you select
DoorDash Driver Requirements
- You must be 18 years or older
- Have access to a vehicle. Any vehicle qualifies
- Scooters and bicycles are accepted in some cities
- Own an iPhone or Android smartphone
- Driver’s license
- Valid insurance with name on policy
Related: DoorDash driver requirements: How to become a Dasher
How Much Do DoorDash Drivers Make?
- DoorDash drivers can get paid $23 per hour while on a delivery*
- DoorDash shows the minimum payout of a delivery before you accept it
- Pay formula: Base pay + Promotions + Tips
- Base pay is a calculation of variables like difficulty of the order, distance, and overall desirability
- Dashers see estimated order payout up front
- Bonuses: Peak Pay and Challenges can increase earnings during periods of high demand
- Drivers are paid weekly via direct deposit, or can choose to withdraw earnings earlier
*Actual earnings may differ and depend on factors like number of deliveries completed, time of day, location, and expenses. Hourly pay is calculated using average Dasher payouts while on a delivery
More Essential Reading on DoorDash
- Real Data: How Much Dashers Make
- DoorDash Earnings: Highs and Lows
- About Peak Pay and Challenges for Dashers
- Is it Worth it to Be Top Dasher?
- DoorDash Ratings & Avoiding Deactivation
Is Being a Delivery Driver for Postmates or DoorDash a Good Gig?
Delivering with Postmates and DoorDash is flexible gig work that allows you to choose your own hours and put your car to use as a productive asset. You can work as often or as infrequently as you want. Need a week off? Just don’t sign in–you don’t have to ask.
Upsides to Postmates and DoorDash
- The work is flexible. Schedule your own hours. Work as much or as little as you want
- Tips can significantly improve your income. Getting lucky with generous tipping can increase your pay to the $20/hour range
- It is easy to get hired and easy to get started. Fast onboarding process, usually a week
- The vehicle requirements are easy. Unlike Uber and Lyft, you can drive for these apps with ANY working car
- Drivers 18+ are eligible. Uber and Lyft require drivers to be 21, but Postmates and DoorDash both hire drivers 18 and older
Downsides to Postmates and DoorDash
- No guaranteed wage, potential low pay. If you don’t get many deliveries, your pay may be less than the minimum wage
- Fuel costs, wear and tear on your car. You might still find that gas expenses plus wear and tear on your car seriously eat into your income
- Hassles of food delivery. Parking, communicating with restaurants and customers, finding the right place to drop off the delivery
What About Other Delivery Gigs Like Uber Eats, Amazon Flex, and Instacart?
Uber Eats is very similar to DoorDash and Postmates. It has easy vehicle requirements and the pay is around the same as DoorDash and Postmates.
- Driving for Uber Eats: What it’s like to deliver food for Uber
- Vehicle requirements for the top gig apps
Another delivery app that offers flexible work is Amazon Flex. With Amazon Flex, drivers deliver packages to Amazon customers and get paid a flat rate for shifts. It is a good option to look into if you’re looking for work in the delivery app space.
Instacart is a grocery delivery app. Instacart shoppers are paid to go to stores, pick out items, then deliver them to customers. Like other delivery apps, Instacart offers easy requirements and flexible work.
Want to Try a Delivery Gig? Your Next Steps
DoorDash and Postmates make it easy to apply and get started. If you’re interested, your next step is to begin the application process. You can be on the road and delivering within a few days.
Miguel A Gutierrez says
I had the ‘Postmates Fleet’ App Set up for Paypal and then1st week on the Gourmet Runner app was beautiful studying at Pasadena City College in the Spring of 2021 which was basics in February 2021. The Gourmet Runner had issues claiming I made errors, and wrong turns, because I had 2 orders at the same time from “GR” Glendale CC, and Fleet “SMC” starting on February, and March for $1705 each month for a total of $3,410.00. The Chase banks also was part of the other half of the direct deposit in March 2021 for the subtotal of $1714.00 and both Paypal, and Chase banks, or Special Services in November 2021at Wells Fargo decided to go with and old story of Covid-19 that no payments were made until the 3rd month in May 2021 for both companies Fleet a 1099N, and GR a W-2. Thanks for the driving job opportunity, and a salary of a life time “Budget.”
Tinae says
Hey drivers! How are you. Doing and is the job good to you now? Have you noticed the shift of the new and old times? Have the tips and times to drive same or the navigation and the navigator communication? How has the gas and the respect and the accept for the serching for closest trip to you and the pickup? How has the deactivating account been used or told as a reminder to you? Has anyone been deactivated for fraud and felt offended or slandered? What is your take on fraud? Do you feel like restaurant respect for the driver has been hostel and priority less? Do you know why? I do!!!.
Danny says
I am a Postmate driver and DD too. I like Postmate app. And the pay is better than DD. I know sometimes the map leads me to wrong place but it is same with DD.
If you need some help for find way, you can send message or call and ask to postmate costomer.
Doordash and Postmate has same problem, sometimes the map is not accurate. Map lead me to at the gate of APT. So sometimes I need gate code and APT building number and door number. But generally they give gate code and building number.
So personally i recommend Postmate.
Dan says
Strongly agree on them needed to improve the Postmates app. I had a delivery where the customer had canceled. The app didn’t notify me. I tried to contact customer service. Nope. Same day I also had a delivery to an apt. complex…no apt number given. Again, no driver support. DD support has been good to me when I e called. I will say the Postmates delivery’s paid better than DD. But the DD volume is far greater.
Cheri Pyle says
I have been delivering for Postmates for a few weeks and am generally OK with it, but their GPS really is bad sometimes. It tells me the destination is on my left, but it is on the right. It says in 600 ft, turn left, but I am already past the turn point when it says so. It says to continue on the street for 3/4 mile, but doesn’t indicate what comes next so that I know which lane to be in. Suddenly I have to turn and am in the wrong lane. When starting, it tells me to head east toward (name of street) but doesn’t say if I turn or go straight at that street until too late. Sometimes it says there is no result for the customer’s address. I have to repeat the procedure until it gets it.
The tips are good, and the work is usually easy and I enjoy the driving. But it gets really frustrating when there are technical difficulties, and there is no one to call for immediate help. Also, I do spend a lot of time waiting for a call.
Marcy Pearce says
Yes, the DD app could use a little tweaking for sure. But like you, I overall enjoy the work. But, this is not my household only source of income. I couldn’t do it and support a family I don’t think. You would have to work around the clock for sure. But as a second job or extra income, its with looking into (as long as you don’t mind the wear & tear on you vehicle).