Postmates Review [2024]: Here's How Much Drivers Make

What is Postmates?

Postmates is a food and consumer goods delivery service founded in 2011 and acquired by Uber in 2020. Today they serve over 500 cities around the world and are in most major U.S. cities including San Francisco, Denver, Orlando, and Chicago. Like most gig delivery companies, you work as an independent contractor and can work when you want, accepting orders in the mobile app as you can. What really stands out to me, is that you can do this side gig literally anytime. Their app is available 24/7, 365 days a year.

How does it work?

Postmates connects customers with most local restaurants and shops, allowing them to order food or products and have them delivered to their location, usually within the hour.

Whenever you’re online and available to make deliveries, Postmates will send you offers through its app which is a one-stop shop for accepting Postmates delivery jobs, navigating to the location of the pickup, picking up orders (and sometimes paying for them), and dropping them off at the customer’s location. The app is available for both Android and iOS users.

I like that each step of this process is explained as you make your way through a delivery so they make it easy for anyone to deliver:

1. Receive notification that an order is available: Postmates gives you a little time to decide if you want it.
2. Click “accept”: If you want the order, click “accept” and then “start pickup.”
3. Use the app’s GPS: The app will tell you how to get to the pickup location.
4. Arrive at pickup location: When you arrive click “confirm order details” and follow the instructions. This may include picking up already paid-for orders, or picking and paying for orders yourself.
5. Slide the “Swipe to Submit” bar: This lets Postmates and the customer know you’ve picked up the order and are on your way to deliver it.
6. Take pictures of the order and receipt: Postmates prefers that drivers take pictures of the order and receipt in case there are any issues after delivery.
7. Deliver the order: Follow the customer’s instructions for delivery and contact Postmates if you have any issues.

What are Postmates eligibility requirements?

The qualifications to become a Postmate are relatively straightforward. Like most gig economy apps, you must be able to pass a background check and prove you have reliable transportation.

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Pass a background check via Checkr
• Have a reliable vehicle, bicycle, motorcycle, or scooter (varies by area)
• Have valid insurance on your vehicle

Types of Postmates orders

Unlike some other gig delivery apps, there are several types of orders you may receive with Postmates, which can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it.

Here are the most common types of orders:

• Customer-paid orders: Like UberEats and Grubhub, customers place these orders, usually at restaurants and pay for them. Your only job is to pick up the order, ensure it is correct, and deliver it. These are my personal favorites.
• Manual orders: Customers place these orders in the Postmates app and it’s the driver’s responsibility to place the order or shop for the items, depending on the location, and pay for it using the Postmates credit or prepaid card they issue upon driver approval. These tasks take a little more time, but may earn you a few extra dollars.
• Orders not paid: Customers place these orders themselves, but it’s the driver’s responsibility to pay for them using the prepaid card. Many drivers avoid these orders at first, but most do not have a problem with the payment.

How much does Postmates pay?

The average Postmates driver makes $18 an hour, but this can vary based on location and the amount of tips you receive. I have some friends that make around $18 an hour and others who have been doing it for years who average $20+ an hour.

Because Postmates drivers keep 100% of the customer tips, it’s easy to drive up your earnings when you master your craft.

Of course, just like DoorDash and Grubhub, your earnings will vary depending on your location and current demand, but here’s a breakdown of what you might expect:

• Mile rate: This is the amount of money you’ll be paid per mile as you travel from the pickup location to the drop-off location.
• Peak hours: These are hours when demand is greatest, so the chances of getting more deliveries is higher. In most markets, peak times are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. every day.
• Blitz pricing: Blitzes are periods of time when Postmates offers a higher rate for a specific delivery.

I also like that you can choose how you receive your earnings, including how often:

• Weekly direct deposit: You can set up a free scheduled payout weekly and receive payment from all orders delivered in the last week.
• Instant pay: You can request immediate payment for deliveries by paying a small instant transfer fee.

Avoiding Instant Pay leaves more money in your pocket, but it’s nice to know the option is there if you need money fast.

Maximizing your earnings with Postmates

Postmates is a great side gig, but knowing how to maximize your time and earnings is crucial. Because time is money, you want to avoid a lot of downtime. That is one complaint many of my friends had when they first started. They just jumped online when they had time, not thinking about the time they’d be sitting around without any orders.

To avoid this, I suggest you:

• Work peak hours: Increase your hourly earnings by working when demand is high and you spend less time waiting in between orders.
• Watch for bonuses: If there are blitzes or bonus opportunities, try to take advantage of them to increase your earnings.
• Drive a fuel efficient vehicle: You are responsible for all expenses, so the more fuel efficient your vehicle is, the lower your costs. You can also use one of the best gas credit cards to earn cash back on your gas purchases.
• Provide great customer service: Drivers keep 100% of the customer tips, so going above and beyond customer expectations can work in your favor.

Postmates vs. DoorDash vs. Uber Eats

Postmates, DoorDash, or Uber Eats — which of these is the best delivery company for you to work with? Or should you work with all three? Only you can answer these questions, and your answer will depend on your geographic area, resources, and what you’re looking to gain from taking on delivery as a side gig.

All three food delivery services allow you to pick and choose the orders you want to accept, pay you for the miles you drive, and have solid systems in place to handle orders, including payment.

The largest decision between the three relies on these factors when choosing the best side hustle:

Availability

The popularity of the different apps varies by area. It makes sense to work for the one that is the most popular where you live. For example, by me DoorDash is the busiest, but in other areas, Postmates might be the most popular option.

Earnings

How much you can make with each of these services is also a big consideration. DoorDash offers drivers base pay, which is calculated based on time, distance, and desirability of a job (less popular locations pay more).¹ In addition to base pay and promotions, such as extra pay during peak times, you keep 100% of customer tips.

Postmates eliminated its minimum pay per order system, so you’re only earning the base fees for pickup, delivery, time waiting to get the order, and mileage for each delivery.

If you deliver for Uber Eats, you won’t have a minimum amount paid to you per order either. Instead, your pay is based on flat fees for pickup and drop-off, mileage (not available in some markets), and a per-minute rate for time spent from arriving to pick up a delivery through to completing the job. This amount of time is estimated, not based on real time spent, and it is not offered in some markets.

FAQs

Bottom line

Postmates is a great gig economy app to add to your methods of making extra money. I suggest only working it during peak hours and finding other ways to supplement your income in the meantime so you don’t spend too much time sitting around.

Practice your customer service skills and think about what you would want from a service like Postmates and you’ll increase your tips and overall earnings.