How Postmates' compensation works

The process to earn money as a courier is simple: after a customer places an order, a Postmates courier receives the information, confirms the order, and then goes and picks up the requested item. Once the courier delivers the order to the customer, they are paid for their time.

No fees, no set schedules, no minimums

Couriers go onto the app whenever they want to accept delivery requests and make money. There is no set schedule, hours, or minimums.

Couriers take home 100% of earnings, and receive weekly direct deposits

Couriers keep 100% of earnings and tips, every time a delivery is complete. Each week, the total available balance at 11:59pm on Sunday will be automatically deposited into the courier's linked bank account on Monday. Weekly direct deposits are free of charge.

Cash out quickly with instant deposits

The company offers added flexibility with instant cash-outs anytime for $0.50 per cash out. There is no limit to the number of times a courier can cash out in a day. Instant deposits require a linked debit card and a minimum available balance of $5.00 to cash out. Access to funds may depend on your individual bank provider; but typically the funds are available within 24-48 hours.

How does Postmates structure their pay?

Postmates pays couriers separate rates based on pickup, drop off, minutes spent in-store, and rate per mile. These rates vary by each market, but couriers report to Glassdoor that their earnings range from $12.40-$37.40/hour with the average pay at $21.06. And according to indeed.com couriers report base hourly earnings from $6-$26/hour, with an average base pay of $11.

Postmates CEO Bastian Lehman states that couriers who continually accept and complete orders during peak hours and “blitz hours” have a median pay of $19 an hour—well above the national average.

Earnings per delivery / per gig

While the hourly pay can vary greatly from city to city, earnings are calculated the same way across the company for each courier, per order, based on the following factors:

• Rate per pick-up: When you successfully pick up an order from a restaurant or retailer, a flat amount is added to your base pay. This amount varies by city.
• Rate per drop-off: When you complete your delivery at your drop-off location, a flat amount will add to your base pay. Again, this amount varies by city.
• Per-minute rate: You’ll receive a set amount of money per minute of wait time if your order is not ready when you arrive at your pick-up location.
• Per-mile rate: For each mile you drive, bike, scooter, or walk, you’ll receive a set amount of money based on your city.
• Tips: Postmates pays couriers 100% of the tips customers provide. The app typically suggests tips of $1, $2, or $3 for each order, although customers are free to customize their tips.

Bonuses and incentives

Postmates also provides additional bonuses and incentives to it's fleet.

Starter Guarantees

Recently, Postmates introduced a sign-up bonus, offering a guaranteed earnings of up to $1,000 for new drivers. While the company will not pay extra for deliveries, it will guarantee that new couriers will be able to make up to $1,000 by completing a certain number of deliveries.

Referral bonuses for inviting or referring other couriers

You can also earn payouts for each new person you invite to start driving or delivering, as long as they complete a certain number of deliveries in a set amount of time. Typically, new referrals need to complete anywhere from 15-100 deliveries in 30 days in order for you to receive your bonus. Bonus criteria varies by city.

More ways to maximize earnings with Postmates

Similar to other delivery service jobs, there are easy ways to increase your pay and make more money with Postmates. These include:

• Delivering during peak hours. The busiest times on Postmates are 11:00am to 2:00pm and 5:30pm to 9:30pm. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are also some of the busiest days for couriers.

• For ultra busy times, you may find orders with ‘blitz pricing’. These orders have even higher payouts, but not all orders during this period offer blitz payouts.

• Accepting deliveries in designated 'hot spots'. These can be found on your Fleet App. The darker red the area, the more probable it is you will get an order. Oftentimes, hot spots and peak hours go hand-in-hand.

• Occasionally, Postmates will offer unique courier bonuses and you will be notified through the Fleet App. These include;

  • Crushers: A payout bonus for completing a certain number of deliveries within a set time period.
  • Bonus Per Delivery: An increased surge for each completed delivery in a certain time frame—often an extra $1 to $2 per order.

• Couriers can also turn on Auto Accept in the Fleet App. This will automatically take new orders, reducing the wait time between orders. Incoming new orders are automatically added to your route, and you can turn it off or pause it at any time.

• Provide exceptional customer service. Going above and beyond with friendly, correct, and efficient deliveries is one of the easiest ways to increase your earnings!

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