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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
(Results not typical)
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
Example of a DoorDash order payout. Dashers see the payout before accepting a request
Left: The DoorDash scheduling page. Right: Dasher map showing red “Dash Now” areas
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.
Ty says
how does the postmates card work when getting the deliveries?
DougH says
The app will let you know if you need to use the card for an order. At the restaurant, you place the order yourself, pay with the card, then take a photo of the receipt
Michelle says
What are background issues that they will deny you for (food delivery only)?
DougH says
Too many minor driving issues (minor speeding tickets, minor moving violations), having any major violation (DUI, driving on suspended license). And criminal issues may also lead to rejection. All these applications are free, so there’s not too much harm in trying even if you have some issues on your record
Eddie says
Bad idea. Most personal auto insurance plans DO NOT cover you when doing food delivery. You’re completely you covered. If you’re in an accident all costs for damage to your car, property, other car, injury to you or others or deaths are on you. You’ll be screwed big time. And no you can’t just pretend you weren’t doing food delivery. If you’re in an accident it will be found out.
Mark says
POSTMATES customer service and app is bad. They deactivated my account over some bad data from the customer not being present to get there food. No real communication from POSTMATES ON ISSUES until it’s too late, then they want to deactivate your account. No one on one communication to help avoid issues until it’s to late. You can still work for them but do it in an different way with help though.
Other food delivery apps are much,, more organized and they communicate. Postmates are good in other areas and I enjoyed it but just not happy with there structure and lack there of.
Marcos says
hacer deliveries en bicicleta esta canon. lol tengo una bicicleta y ni lo he intentado. te mandan bien lejos a hacer los deliveries. estoy usando mi pick up truck.
Jessica says
Hi, I started working 2 weeks ago, and it been great for me. I think it matters in the area you are in. I guess I am lucky cause I rarely not get a tip and they are descent too. Tips do take a week or so sometimes to come through. If you have an upper class area near you. See if it a hotspot and hang out there, you might do better. That’s what I use to do when I was a kid on Halloween cause you were more likely to get the good candy or even full size…lol. Good Luck!
John says
Postmates scrapped the minimum and changed their pay structure. You’re no longer earning a $4 minimum. Pay is anywhere between $3 to $8/delivery. Average pay is $6 to $12/hour. Since some restaurants dont have a contract with them, you will get there and sometimes the store will be closed or they wont accept cards. You won’t get reimbursed for your time driving there. Tips are few and far inbetween. They don’t have a live support number where you can call if you have any issues. If customer cancels the order and you’re almost at the restaurant, they won’t pay you anything. This is a terrible company to work for. You’re better off working for Grubhub or DoorDash. -Worked for Postmates as a driver for 6 months.
DougH says
Thanks for the info!
Michael says
I’m not sure what market you’re in but or what your doing won’t but it’s very rare that I don’t receive some sort of tip and the way the app is set up customers are encouraged to tip 15 or 20 percent. They did do away with the minimum of 4 dollars per deliver but I had the quickest shortest delivery I was at the restaurant 9 min and drove 1.3 miles and still got 3.85 base pay and a 5.45 tip. So that was only 15 cents below the 4 dollar minimum and I honestly couldn’t imagine a closer quicker job. Also I haven’t had a cancellation in a long time but when I did I was paid 5 dollars and I only drove literally 4 blocks towards the destination. I have had people not answer the door and they had me wait 5 minutes then paid me for the trip and I got to keep the order as well. Also support doesnt have a phone number per say but if you send them an email the have always responded to me with in minutes. Seconds even although the responses are fairly generic and not always helpful. So at least in my area none of those claims are remotely true.
Shaq says
Yep very True Michael. The app has a countdown feature you wait 5 minutes and either return solid items or keep the food.
Liza says
Thanks for feedback!!! I’m in the process of figuring out which one to try :/
Mark says
I agree with you 100% However they do have a live customer number and I called it too many times I believe due to so many problems I had prior and that night. You’re right they cut there pay and you don’t get paid when they cancel. However they will deduct from your earning when the customer cancels.