It depends on your market and your car. In our example, a 6-hour shift earning $150 over 90 miles works out to $25 an hour before car costs, but about $18 to $21 an hour after them. The key is to count every hour you’re logged in and every mile you drive, including between orders.
Two example shifts
Car costs are shown at two example rates per mile for gas, maintenance, tires and wear: $0.30 and $0.45. Your real cost depends on your car and local gas prices.
| Shift | Gross pay | Gross per hour | Net per hour at $0.30/mile | Net per hour at $0.45/mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 hours, 90 miles | $150 | $25.00 | $20.50 | $18.25 |
| 8 hours, 140 miles | $220 | $27.50 | $22.25 | $19.63 |
The longer shift pays more per hour gross, but more miles eat into it. These figures are also before taxes, which depend on your situation.
The per-mile check
Before accepting an order, divide the payout by the total miles, including the drive back to a busy area. Both example shifts earned about $1.57 to $1.67 per mile overall. If an order pays much less per mile than your average, it usually lowers your hourly profit, even if it looks like easy money.
Work out your own number
- Log two weeks: hours logged in (not just driving), total miles and total pay including tips.
- Estimate your cost per mile: gas per mile (price per gallon ÷ your car’s miles per gallon) plus a set amount for maintenance, tires and wear.
- Net per hour = (pay − miles × cost per mile) ÷ hours.
- Compare with other work you could do in those hours, using our real hourly rate guide.
How drivers improve their numbers
- Drive at peak times, usually lunch and dinner, when there are more orders per hour.
- Stay near busy areas to cut unpaid miles between orders.
- Use a fuel-efficient car or a bike or scooter where that’s practical.
- Check your insurance: personal car policies may not cover delivery driving, so ask your insurer.
More questions
Is food delivery driving worth it?
It can be as flexible extra income if your net hourly rate, after car costs, beats your other options. Track your own hours and miles for two weeks to find out.
How much do delivery drivers make per hour after gas?
It varies by market and car. In our example, $25 an hour gross became about $18 to $21 after car costs, before taxes.
Is delivery driving worth it with high gas prices?
Higher gas prices raise your cost per mile, so long trips for small payouts become less worth it. The per-mile check matters even more.
What costs should delivery drivers count?
Gas, maintenance, tires, extra wear on the car, phone data and any extra insurance.
The bottom line
Gross pay per hour overstates what you keep. Count every logged-in hour and every mile, subtract your car costs and compare the result with your other options before you commit to regular shifts.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission: job scams, useful when checking gig offers.
- IRS: Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center.
This article is for educational purposes only and is not financial or tax advice. Earnings and cost-per-mile figures are illustrative examples.