Postmates Review: Is Postmates Worth It?
If you have followed this blog long, you know that I generally write about flexible jobs to help you make money on the side or make a full-time income from home. Perhaps one of the easiest ways to make extra money without experience is by working as a delivery driver via Postmates.
I have been getting emails from readers lately asking me about Postmates, so I wrote this Postmates driver review to help you decide whether this job is a viable side-gig for you to earn a supplemental income.
Disclaimer: I have not tried working for Postmates, but I spent hours researching this side gig. This Postmates job review has been researched and reviewed with information I gathered from around the web and reviews by real Postmates drivers. The conclusions drawn in this post are entirely my own.
In this Postmates driver review, you’ll learn:
- What is Postmates
- How to apply to Postmates
- Pros and cons of Postmates
- How much you’ll earn with Postmates
- Postmates hacks to increase your earnings
- Is Postmates worth it
If you are looking for work-at-home jobs, though, check out this post on the best jobs from home that pay well. As you may know, my most favorite job that makes me a full-time income from home while being a full-time mom to my kid is blogging. Blogging is only one option, however. There are so many jobs out there that you can start today and make you money without leaving home.
If you are interested in blogging, I also wrote this in-depth blogging guide for you to help you get started and make money with your blog as a beginner.
This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for any purchases made through these links at NO extra cost to you.
So, What is Postmates?: Postmates vs. DoorDash vs. UberEats
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Started in 2011, Postmates is a delivery service and technology company that delivers anything–from food to almost all sorts of products. Postmates partnered with 600,000 merchants across the US, and over 500,000 delivery drivers, called Fleet members. It has been known as the go-to service for delivering “anything, anytime, anywhere.”
If you are interested in this side gig, chances are, you have also heard of DoorDash and UberEats, which are also among the most popular names in the industry. But how is Postmates different from DoorDash or UberEats?
DoorDash is similar to Postmates, but DoorDash drivers, called Dashers, only deliver food from chain or local restaurants. Dashers pick up pre-paid orders, place the order and wait, and deliver the order to customers.
UberEats is also a food delivery service, but unlike DoorDash, UberEats delivers food for restaurants. The restaurant always gets the order and pays UberEats to deliver food orders to customers.
With Postmates, you work as a courier for customers via Postmates, and deliver literally almost anything, anytime, and almost anywhere in the U.S.
Postmates Driver Job Requirements and How to Apply
If you’re interested in joining the fleet, you need to:
- Be 18 years old or older
- Pass background criminal check
- Have a smartphone capable of running the Postmates app
If you satisfy these three criteria, you should already be able to apply to Postmates.
As per my research, Postmates does not have any specific vehicle requirements. You can deliver with your car, scooter, bike, and even on foot.
Unlike other similar companies that ask you to specify the type of car you drive, Postmates does not. You’ll only need to select from “car, scooter, bike or foot,” and there’s no need to give more specific information on your vehicle such as the year and model.
Application Process
The application process is simple as well. Here is how to do it:
- Download the Postmates app on your phone.
- Sign up with your email address, and create a password.
- Enter your basic information, such as the city where you’ll be delivering for Postmates, and the mode of transportation you’re using.
Before Postmates will run a background check on you, though, you also need to provide them with your social security number, and you need to complete the following process:
- Agree to the Fleet Agreement on the app.
- Upload your profile photo.
- Add your referral code.
- Set up a direct deposit to get paid.
To set up a direct deposit, you need to add a valid checking account and routing number in the Fleet app. After you’ve entered this information, Postmates will deposit .01 cents and withdraw .01 cents from your account to verify it. The entire verification process takes 5-7 business days.
Please note: Savings accounts are not accepted.
Once you are approved, Postmates will send you a Welcome Kit that will contain a Postmates bag and a Postmates credit card. You will use this credit card to pay for orders that are not prepaid, so you need to activate this card in the Fleet app before you get started. Once it is activated, watch your inbox for the next steps, and you are ready to roll!
How Does Postmates Work?
Your job as a Postmates delivery contractor begins and ends with the Fleet app. Once you’re ready to start working for the day, you simply log into the app for delivery requests. Unlike DoorDash, you don’t have to set a schedule with Postmates. If you’re logged in, that means you’re ready to take orders.
The app will ping you with an available order. You hit “accept” and drive to the restaurant or any pick-up point, and pick up the order. The order will either be placed by the company or you may need to place it yourself.
For any order that is not prepaid, you will need to place it yourself and pay for the order using your Postmates credit card. But don’t worry, you will be paid for every minute you spend at the merchant.
When the order is ready, click “complete pick up” and drive or walk towards the customer’s address. Once the customer receives his order, you hit “complete drop off,” and the cycle begins again when you accept another order.
The app shows you how much you’ve earned for each delivery at the end of each completed order, but the tips usually appear in your account 24 hours after the completed order.
Is Postmates Worth It? Postmates Pay
If you’ve been looking for Postmates driver reviews, I am sure you’re also interested to know how much Postmates pay their staff.
The thing is, there is no straight answer to this question. According to the Postmates worker reviews on Indeed, delivery drivers for Postmates can earn between $12-$21 per hour. However, take into account that you are being paid for the time you spent waiting for the order and the distance from the pick-up location to the customer’s address.
Therefore, if the order is ready for pick up and the customer’s address is a five-minute drive, it would pay less than an order that requires more time to complete or deliver.
Postmates also has a built-in tipping feature in their app, so if a customer gives you a tip, it would be added to your earnings.
So, how are your Postmates earnings calculated? Your earnings for each delivery are calculated based on:
- Pay for each completed pick-up (varies per city)
- Pay for each completed drop-off (varies per city)
- Rate per minute for the time you spend at the pick-up location
- Distance between pick-up location and customer address
For example, in Los Angeles, California, the current rates are:
1.40 USD –rate per pick up
0.70 USD –rate per drop-off
0.07 USD –rate per minute
0.69 USD–rate per mile
These rates could make you at least $14 per 30-minute delivery with Postmates, excluding tips.
Postmates pays out once every week to your linked bank account. You may also cash in right away with its Instant Deposit feature.
Pros and Cons of Postmates
There is no doubt that Postmates is legit. However, is Postmates worth it? Let’s learn the pros and cons of working for Postmates to know whether Postmates is worth your time.
Postmates Pros
- You make your own schedule. Unlike DoorDash that requires you to schedule shifts, you can go online and accept orders anytime.
- For a small fee of $0.50You can withdraw your earnings on demand to your linked bank account .
- You can increase your earnings by accepting Blitz offers during peak hours, usually from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm and between 5:30pm and 8:30 pm and during weekends.
- Make money even without a car. You can deliver stuff by scooter, bicycle, or foot.
- With Postmates, you are not limited to food delivery. You can make money by shopping, for example, at Apple and delivering it to the client.
- Keep 100% of your tips!
- You could increase your earnings if you complete a certain number of deliveries within a set period of time.
Postmates Cons
- Just because you can work anytime doesn’t mean you can earn money with Postmates anytime. There are slow times, too, depending on your location, so working for Postmates does not guarantee consistent income. This is why it makes sense to sign up with other companies such as DoorDash to stay consistently busy during your driving hours.
- The app doesn’t tell you how much you’ll make for your trip until the delivery is completed. So, you have to do the math to make sure that a job is worth your time. Remember, you don’t get paid for the trip to the pickup location, so be smart when accepting jobs.
- As with Doordash and other similar companies, you are not paid for the wear and tear of your car.
However, since Postmates doesn’t withhold taxes from your earnings, you could use this to your advantage come tax time. As an independent contractor, you can deduct mileage, tolls, car repairs, depreciation, car insurance, and more from your taxes.
Also, if you need to spruce up your car before accepting delivery driver jobs, be sure to check out Swagbucks’ Advance Auto Parts Coupons to save money and earn cash rebates when you make a purchase. Don’t forget to record this purchase as it may be an eligible tax deduction expense!
How to Maximize Your Earnings with Postmates
I did more digging on how to maximize your earnings with Postmates, and here are some hacks I’ve learned from Postmates couriers:
Work in Hot Spots. The Fleet app will tell you where the hot spots are in your market. These are areas where you have the best chance of receiving a delivery request. The darker the red, the busier the area.
Blitz pricing. When you go online during peak hours, you do not only get the best chance of getting delivery requests, but you might also enjoy higher rates. The peak delivery hours are usually during lunchtime between 10:30 am and 1:30 pm and dinner time between 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm.
Crushers bonus. You would receive a bonus if you complete a certain amount of delivery within a certain period. For example, Postmates couriers in California earn a guaranteed $550 bonus, including base earnings and per delivery bonuses, after completing 85 deliveries in 14 days. If you complete 130 deliveries in 30 days, you earn a guaranteed $1050.
Make your customers happy. Maximize your opportunity for earning tips by making your customers happy. Keep them in the loop of your delivery status, and be friendly and courteous. These basic tips can go a long way in helping you earn more during your shift!
I’ve also learned about this simple “receipt trick” that helps this Fleet member earn more in tips.
He said, telling your customers something like “here’s the receipt in case something goes wrong, you can resolve it” leaves the impression that you are looking out for them. This simple trick earns him a tip each time!
Postmates Driver Reviews: Is Postmates Good? Is Postmates Worth It?
Postmates driver reviews show mixed feelings towards the job.
On the website Indeed, people have given Postmates a 3.0 rating. A lot of drivers cited work/life balance as the main benefit of working for Postmates. A number of delivery drivers are happy with their work experience with Postmates, especially in helping them generate a side-income. However, some warn not to rely on Postmates too much, as income can be inconsistent as well.
Meanwhile, Postmates got a 2.7 rating on Glassdoor. Drivers commented on how it is easy to get to work without any fixed schedule or strict supervision. They also cited how flexible their job is, and that they enjoy meeting new people.
However, drivers also commented on the pay rate, saying that Postmates doesn’t pay enough and you might have to work more hours to generate your desired earnings. There are slow days and tips aren’t always good.
Ayesha Godil wrote at Spoon University with regard to her experience in working for Postmates. She worked for seven days straight, making two deliveries per day. At the end of the week, she made close to $150. She found working for Postmates a rewarding experience, especially because her tips accumulated quickly.
“Postmates makes the delivery driver experience so rewarding and so much fun with the app, almost as if I’m playing a game,” Ayesha said.
Kevin of Financial Panther also worked for Postmates. He delivered the orders with his bike, and earned close to $200 in extra income a month, which he says is not bad at all considering he did not need to pay for gas. Although delivery jobs like in Postmates are heavily tip-reliant and relatively low-paying, he earned quite more by driving for another food delivery service company which kept him busy.
“[Postmates] seems like a pretty good idea to get a few miles of biking in your spare time and make a bit of cash as well. It’s a double benefit! There aren’t a lot of gigs out there that improve your health and allow you to get paid,” Kevin wrote.
Conclusion: Is Postmates Worth It?
Based on the numerous Postmates driver reviews I’ve read, I believe that working for Postmates is still an excellent way to earn an extra income. The job is flexible and allows you to earn money anytime and anywhere where Postmates operates.
Although Postmates does not guarantee consistent delivery requests, it can’t be denied that with what’s happening in the world right now, Postmates is going to grow even more. Many people are cooped up in their homes nowadays, so they’re most likely to pay someone to deliver stuff or food for them.
So, to answer the question, “Is Postmates worth it? ” I believe that it is, and it’s worth checking out if you are looking for an easy side hustle idea to make quick money. However, if you are looking for flexible jobs that pay really well, there are many worthwhile jobs out there that you can start today, and you can turn into a full-fledged business.
Have you tried working for Postmates? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
