Have you ever thought about taking the chance to deliver for Postmates? And if so, how much do you think you can earn with this job?
Taking it as a side hustle will help you earn the extra cash most people look for with the entire side hustle concept. However, Postmates can work as full-time positions as well. What will it be for you?
Here, we will be focusing on it as a side hustle and help you answer a couple of questions, starting with the simple one of what is Postmates about and what do you need to do?
We want to make sure that if you have been thinking about this option, you’re confident enough to decline it because you feel something else fits your needs or take it to cover the extra income you’ve been looking for finally.
We can tell you in advance that this side hustle can end up being a great surprise, unlike what many believe.
What Is Postmates?
A short but very necessary introduction to the company that offers you the work opportunity is where we will start.
To keep it simple, Postmates is an American food delivery service company that Bastian Lehmann founded in 2011. It allows customers to order any food or personal item they desire, including groceries and meals.
The idea of the app is what we know today: You order, pay, and the goods will arrive at the client’s house (your house) in under an hour or based on the time established by the delivery person.
Since its inception, the company had grown exponentially, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when people spent even more time at home and needed to request items and food by using delivery options.
Its growth has been a great achievement, and it has placed itself in over 100 major cities in the USA.
Postmates’ business model is similar to Uber. However, customers can get their goods at local shops. The couriers receive a notification on their mobile devices and deliver the order within a shorter time than Uber drivers.
How Does Postmates Work for Customers?
Here, we have to recap the process for both buyers or users and for people who decide to take part as the ones in charge of the delivery.
First, we will start with the regular use of the app and why people love relying on it for their purchases:
Step 1: Browse for products and the stores where you want to acquire them,
Customers can search the stores using their smartphones and place orders via the PostMates website or application. You just need to navigate the stores that include over 150 different ones and choose the items or food you want based on your location.
Step 2: Choose your payment method.
Once the order has been placed, you can now pay for it. PostMates offer the usual credit card and debit one, transferences, and many others. In the payment process, the delivery fee and service fee are included in the price.
Step 3: Match with your courier.
Postmates receives payment, and a notification is delivered to the closest PostMates service provider.
This includes information about the product purchased and the delivery address. All Postmates can use either a car or a bike to deliver the orders, and the company guarantees it will arrive in less than an hour.
Step 4: Tracking and receiving your order.
Postmates’ last step is to deliver the product and track the location of customers safely. The app offers the option of sending customers text messages in case there are delays, so you should be able to know where your product is at all times.
Step 5: Rate and tip.
Customers can rate and tip PostMates after receiving the order, but it is up to them. It is important to note that the company does not take any tip you leave to the delivery person.
How to Join Postmates as a Driver
Finally, we can enter the topic you are interested in: Joining the company to make money with it.
In advance, we can tell you PostMates is quite simple if you want to join, just like if you were a customer.
The best part is that: You don’t need any talent to be a driver or courier for the company. However, some requirements indeed apply.
Here, we will give you a comprehensive guide that will make the process clear:
- First, make sure you meet all the requirements.
Before you send the application and decide to work for it, can you meet the requirements established by the company? Make sure you can!
To become a Postmates driver, you need to be 18+ years old, have a valid driver’s license, and have access to an insured vehicle or bicycle.
In addition, you need to take the background check performed by the company to determine your skills and capabilities to take the job.
Of course, since this is a job with apps and online orders, you need a smartphone to work with the orders you receive. Nothing more is needed besides these.
- Sign up for delivery.
When you’re confident this is a side hustle you can work in with all the requirements, you can use a referral link from other drivers to apply for the position.
You can also visit the corporate website and apply at the bottom “Join the Fleet” or “Sign Up for Delivery,” depending on the presentation of the website.
There, you will be requested your basic information and details, including name and surname, address, age, email address, and password.
During your account setting, you will need to verify your identity, which is why using your full legal name is the best move so you can go over the new driver background check.
A clear selfie will be required, and the photo should be taken in a solid and clean background.
- Receive your inactivated Postmates card and fill in the missing info.
During the checking process, the company will send you an inactivated Postmates prepaid car you will use when picking up the orders for the customers that aren’t paid yet.
It is possible to activate the card through your Postmates account once you have been verified and approved to work with the company.
In addition, you need to add your banking or payment information so the company can pay you when you start working as a delivery person.
- Place your number and receive the app.
Unlike customers, Postmates couriers don’t use the same app to work in the delivery process.
You will need to wait until Postmates confirms the background check and texts you a link when you provide the mobile number in the empty fields. This link will allow you to download the private Postmates Fleet app you can use on both iOS and Android.
- Start earning cash.
The background check can take some time since Postmates searches for criminal history and driving records. Also, it makes sure the vehicle you are using is legal, and you can drive it without issues.
However, in a few days, you should be able to start working by using the app, the prepaid card, and taking orders from people.
Salaries: How Much Can You Earn with Postmates?
Since the process is quite simple and requirements aren’t really limited, many people consider Postmates a side hustle or a full-time job.
Now, telling you how much you can earn with the job can be done in different ways, but we will follow the most common average: per hour.
Although some Postmates couriers earn about $25 hourly, the average rate is set at $18 from $7 to $31. In most states of the USA, couriers earn about $15 instead of $18. But the average is taken considering all salaries per hour.
If you work in the company as a side hustle and thus, about 20 hours per week, you can easily earn $360 weekly. This translated to $1,440 monthly on average.
Of course, depending on how many hours you work and how the hourly rate is set, you can earn more or less money, but as a side hustle, Postmates is quite profitable.
Keep in mind that payments for drivers are only made through direct deposit, and other options are not available.
Now, there’s actually a formula that explains how much you earn with Postmates since there is a criterion from the company that is actually followed instead of the actual payment per hour (the latter is only an average):
- An amount for every pickup completed.
- For each completed drop-off.
- A per minute rate is set based on your time waiting for the customer to arrive at the pickup location.
- A per-mile rate also applies for the distance you travel between pickup and drop-off locations.
- Peak business hours and how long you take to deliver orders include a bonus.
It is usually possible to make over $15 per hour based on the miles and minute rates, so stick to those more than anything else.
In addition to all these earnings, you must remember something: You don’t have to pay anything to join as a courier.
What You Must Know Before Joining
We are sure you have your doubts, so we will make sure to clarify every detail here with the most frequent questions:
- Does Postmates Pay Hourly?
As mentioned before, it doesn’t. The average per hour we provided is based on statistics but not following the usual criteria of the company.
If you want more details, go back to the previous criteria and calculate another estimate.
- Does Postmates Pay Your Gas?
Postmates doesn’t pay for this expense as it is the responsibility of the driver.
You are an independent contractor when you work as a Postmate. This means that you will be responsible for more expenses besides gas. However, the company does consider how far you’ve traveled for an order.
- Can Your Receive Tips?
You can increase your earnings by being a Postmates driver by offering friendly and quick service to all customers. This will increase your chances of getting tips. So, short answer, yes.
Once you have completed each delivery, the customer will be notified and asked to give feedback. If they decide to leave one, any tips you receive will be kept without any discounts.
- Do Your Get Driver Support?
As you embark on your journey as a Postmates fleet driver, you won’t be alone. Postmates Fleet Support is available for assistance.
You can easily reach the Postmates Help Center if you have any questions about your new job as a driver.
Click on “Fleet,” and you’ll be taken to the Fleet Support page.
There are five categories, each listing the most commonly asked questions about being a Postmates fleet driver. These are the categories:
- Be a Postmate.
- Earnings and account.
- The basics.
- Active deliveries.
- Solutions for vehicles.
If you are still unable to find the answer to your question in one of these categories, you can scroll down to the bottom to reach the support team.
4 Tips to Earn More Money with Postmates
Did you decide to give this side hustle an opportunity? That’s good for you!
To ensure you are able to get the best out of the opportunity and get more profits, we will be leaving you some tips that have worked for us but also hundreds of couriers:
- Multiple orders can be picked up and delivered.
A stacking delivery is a good idea to save time and maximize your earnings. In fact, it is one of the main methods people use to make more money with Postmates.
This is based on the fact that you will most likely have to wait for orders to arrive. Sometimes it takes up to half an hour. You could also make another delivery in the meantime and get the most money.
Multiple delivery requests can help you cut down on time spent parking lots. Postmates guarantees one-hour delivery. If you drop off your items within the time frame, there is nothing to worry about.
- Discover which restaurants/stores offer free delivery.
Merchants sometimes offer free delivery to customers. Maybe they just opened a store/restaurant and want customers. Perhaps the owners of a restaurant would prefer to sell the food rather than throw it away.
Postmates veterans claim that many users choose places that offer free delivery. Find these places in the app, and/or watch out for online and offline ads so you can earn more from the orders placed in those businesses.
- Provide excellent customer service.
A Postmates delivery driver earns the average we shared before. However, most of the earnings actually come from tips. Thus, make sure to provide great service that will encourage customers to leave some extra cash.
- Reduce your costs.
You can make more money with Postmates by cutting down on your expenses.
For instance, don’t drive too far between deliveries.
You don’t need a fancy car to join the Postmates Fleet app, either. All you need is a vehicle in good condition.
How can you save gas money? You can switch to another vehicle whenever possible. Postmates allows you to deliver by bicycle, scooter or car, van, truck, and so on. There are many options available, and they vary from one city to the next.
Should You Take the Chance?
In our opinion and as people who have actually worked with the company, we highly recommend joining.
Although it isn’t much compared to other side hustles you can find remotely, it allows you to have a lot of independence with less than 30 hours a week.
Thus, you can make more than some extra cash and even consider it a full-time position if you notice it is becoming more profitable by the day.
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