Should You Be a Delivery Driver for Postmates or DoorDash?

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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.

• Delivering for Amazon Flex: A job overview 
• Decoding Amazon Flex order types

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.

• How to Become an Instacart Shopper
• Instacart: Should You Be a Full-Service Shopper?

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.